Scribe or Tablet for 10" Reader

[sawdin2]

I had a Nook HD+ years ago (9” Display, 256 ppi) and liked it as an e-reader; it was terrible as an android tablet. I used the Twilight app for “comfort lighting” and I did not have any issues with glare or it not being bright enough as I only used it at night.

I purchased a Kobo Sage and Libra 2 in December but returned both as I found the screens too small for my liking. However, I did like the ease of accessing books using Overdrive/Libby and formatting options.

I don’t care about audiobooks, note taking, Bluetooth, etc., but it appears that larger e-readers include those options, which are reflected in the price. Are there any reasonably priced 9”+ e-readers with 275 - 300ppi? For me, reasonably priced would be under $300 but I don’t believe that option exists. I wish Kobo made a simple e-reader (i.e., one w/out audiobook and note taking capabilities via pen) that was larger with a 300 PPI. It appears that Amazon may have an exclusivity agreement with E INK barring competitors’ access to larger displays with 300 PPI for a year or two. I really don’t want to wait a year or two and hope that some company will make a 300 PPI eReader (not an e-note reader).

The Elipsa 2E ($399) doesn’t make sense for me given that I can get a tablet that will provide double duty, have a better PPI, and will be about the same price or less.

I’m not interested in an Apple tablet.

I’ll probably get most of my books from Libby and Cloud Library as most of the books I read are non-fiction offerings that are not part of Kindle or Kobo subscription plans. The ability to download from Libby/Cloud Library and transfer existing books using Calibre is important to me. I could care less about writing notes using a pen.

Though I prefer reading on an E-Ink display and like the ease of using Libby w/ Kobo Devices, what are main pros and cons in terms of the formatting adjustments (e.g., line space, font size, margins, etc.) and ability to download from Libby/Local public libraries between Kobo, Kindle, and Android e-reader software? I was never interested in Kindle devices due to being locked into their proprietary system but apparently the “Send to Kindle” option has been improved and now allows importing EPUB files.

Below are my current options. Unfortunately, there are no Kobo options at the current time.

Samsung Tab S6 Lite (2022) $250: 10.4” Display, 1200 x 2000 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~224 ppi density), TFT LCD, 465 grams (lighter than most books I read). Probably would wait for price drops on Samsung Tab S8 or Pixel Tablet and get another year or two of updates plus better PPI specs.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2; $399 but currently on sale for $339: 11.2” display; 1536 x 2560 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~267 ppi density) OLED, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 120Hz, 420 nits (typical), 600 nits (peak);
10.38 x 6.56 x 0.27 in, 480g (1.06 lb)
Android 13, not sure how long Lenovo will support going forward.
Base model (128gb w/ 4mb ram and micro sdxc) was on sale in March for $229. If it drops to that price again, I’d give it a try.

Kindle Scribe (16GB with basic pen) $339 w/ 3 months free Kindle Unlimited:
Pro: E-ink Screen, 300 PPI
Cons:
1. Any issues with sending books from Calibre library to the Scribe?
2. I have 3 different Libby Library accounts; is it easy to switch between accounts on the Scribe?
3. I read that the screen has a loss a clarity due to it being “roughed up” for using a pen. Is it noticeable if you are not doing a side-to-side comparison with another 300PPI ereader?
4. Have any of the recent updates addresses three line spacing, margin settings, font sizing, etc?
5. Are there any issues with flickering/PWM due to the 35 LED lights?

TIA for any and all thoughts and suggestions!

[Aleron Ives]

I share your interest in larger readers, but I don't think the companies do. Yes, they can produce cheaper devices by omitting the writing functionality, but they also lose potential customers by omitting the writing functionality. It would seem that most people who don't care about writing also prefer smaller devices so they can read books on the go, whereas writing is a natural fit for larger form factors.

If the rumours of Amazon paying for 300 PPI exclusivity are true, then your options are to buy the Scribe and deal with its shortcomings, accept another device with a lower PPI, or do nothing and wait a few years for somebody to release a device that interests you.

Are you really sure that PPI matters to you, or are you just relying on the numbers? There are plenty of videos of the Kobo Elipsa, Boox Note series, and other 227 PPI 10" devices on YouTube, and their screens don't look bad by any means. Unless you're sure that < 300 PPI will really bother your eyes, you may want to just buy a standard 227 PPI 10" device.

[WillAdams]

A further consideration here is that the perception of pixel density is quite different between e-ink and any sort of LED, esp. for text if one is able to enable sub-pixel rendering.

On the one occasion when I noticed the lighting on my Scribe, I just disabled it and turned on the room lights, but I haven't been able to replicate that problem since.

[sawdin2]

Appreciate the replies. I understand that most of the larger devices will include writing capabilities and audiobook options in order to entice more purchases and increase revenue due to potential purchases of audiobooks.

I am going to purchase the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen2 with 6GB memory, 128GB storage, and Android 12 (should be getting Android 13) for $259 (after discounts and Rakuten rebate) and a Scribe and compare both.
Now I need to research best Android eReader apps; I’ll ask for suggestions in the Android forum.

Thanks again!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by epaper

update us on which one you keep. I wish eink tablets were as cheap as traditional ones

A Scribe is not a tablet.

[readthinksurvive]

you can also have both a scribe is not meant to ever replace a tablet, so one day in prime day or good sale u can buy for cheap and still have ur lenovo!