Buy 5" now or 9.7" later?

[scheichxodox]

Hi folks,

I cannot decide whether to buy a 5 inch device (Hanvon N516) right now for 155 Euro or wait and buy a 9.7 inch device (i.e. Pocketbook 901) in autumn for under 400 Euro. I compared the screen sizes and 9.7 inch offers much more reading space and a better price-performance ratio. Here is also a great comparison made by a user of this forum.

5 inch has the disadvantage that I could only use it for fiction reading. On a 9.7 inch device I could read fiction, PDF magazines in native size without zooming (is that possible or is the screen still too small?), technical manuals, scripts and study books. I could also make the font size bigger, which makes it easier to read and still have enough space on the display.

Right now I'm reading on FBReader on an android powered mobile phone with a 3.5 inch screen. Is it even worth considering buying a 5 inch device or should I use my phone another year and invest my money in a really big device?

The most important part for me right now are fiction books. I don't need any touchscreen nor WiFi. The smaller device would be lighter (170 g to 350 g) and easier to hold, also more portable. On the other hand the glass screen is not that robust and could break. The bigger screen is made of plastic and would be nearly unbreakable.

The decision would be easier if the smaller screens would be much cheaper (considerably under 100 Euro). But normally in Germany you pay over 200 Euro for a 5 inch and over 250-300 Euro for a 6 inch device. I don't know if the prices are about too fall as the competition is about to rise but I would be very mad at myself if I would buy an overpriced end-of-range model. Maybe I could wait until after the CeBit? I suppose there are more models coming with a similar size and prize point as the Pocketbook 901.

Please help me decide, what would you do?

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[Bremen Cole]

For your needs it sounds like you want the larger screen.

[scheichxodox]

I always prefer a larger screen. I started reading on my Siemens SX1 with a 176 x 220 pixel 2.2" screen. My next mobile phone, a Nokia N73 with 240 x 320 pixel and 2.4" screen looked a lot better. Now my T-Mobile Pulse 320 x 480 pixel 3.5" display is really great to read.

The Hanvon N156 would support 800 x 600 pixel on a 5" screen. And I don't know if that's really worth the purchase. On the other hand an e-ink display is a lot better to read. The Pocketbook 901 will probably have 1200 x 824 pixel on a 9.7" screen which is a real difference compared to my android phone.

But the question is, is it really worth the waiting or is even 9.7" too small for the native size of a PDF? The bigger screen is much more versatile than the smaller one. On the other hand 400 Euro ist a lot of money for a student only for reading fiction books.

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by scheichxodox

The most important part for me right now are fiction books. I don't need any touchscreen nor WiFi. The smaller device would be lighter (170 g to 350 g) and easier to hold, also more portable. On the other hand the glass screen is not that robust and could break. The bigger screen is made of plastic and would be nearly unbreakable.

Taking this part, I'd say, go for the 5". You don't know for sure the larger screens will arrive this summer (from what I've noticed so far, all release dates are pushed back...).

If your main purpose was to read the PDF files, I'd say wait.

[scheichxodox]

PDF is something I could read on my computer. Magazines with color photos would actually look better there. It would be a nice-to-have if I could read those on epaper. But to be honest, until now I didn't read a magazine even once, mainly because of the LCD-screen. So on the one hand, a large e-ink would be great, on the other hand maybe I wouldn't even miss it. PDF-reading would be nice because so i wouldn't have to convert the books to EPUB.

How is it with your 5" readers? Don't you think they are to small? Don't you have to turn the pages to often? That would be much more comfortable on a large screen, including the larger font size and the heavier and not so handy reading device.

I also don't know which small screen devices will arrive this year. Maybe the price point will finally drop for small devices. Then I could easily accept them having a glass screen and being small.

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[zetareticuli]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Taking this part, I'd say, go for the 5". You don't know for sure the larger screens will arrive this summer (from what I've noticed so far, all release dates are pushed back...).

If your main purpose was to read the PDF files, I'd say wait.

You mean the Jinke A9 and Netronix EB900 release dates have been pushed back? If I recall correctly, they were due out some time in March...

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by scheichxodox

PDF is something I could read on my computer. Magazines with color photos would actually look better there. It would be a nice-to-have if I could read those on epaper. But to be honest, until now I didn't read a magazine even once, mainly because of the LCD-screen. So on the one hand, a large e-ink would be great, on the other hand maybe I wouldn't even miss it. PDF-reading would be nice because so i wouldn't have to convert the books to EPUB.

How is it with your 5" readers? Don't you think they are to small? Don't you have to turn the pages to often? That would be much more comfortable on a large screen, including the larger font size and the heavier and not so handy reading device.

I also don't know which small screen devices will arrive this year. Maybe the price point will finally drop for small devices. Then I could easily accept them having a glass screen and being small.

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

Not sure if there are any new 5" devices coming...

On general reading, I don't find I'm turning pages too often. That could, naturally, be caused by two things, one, there's enough of a page to keep me busy long enough, or, two, I don't really notice turning the page.

I have two devices, one 5" and one 7". I don't think I'd want a larger one than the 7" for a general reading device (you know, one you'll take with you at all times). Even the 7" is rather large for that. When (I don't like to use the word "IF"!) I buy that large screen, it'll most likely be purely for home reading. On the couch or comfy chair. The 5" wlll go with me wherever I go.

Originally Posted by zetareticuli

You mean the Jinke A9 and Netronix EB900 release dates have been pushed back? If I recall correctly, they were due out some time in March...

I was talking in general. So far, I've not seen many new devices coming on the market when people expected them. Right now, I have the mindset of "They'll be here when they're here, not counting on anything"...

[scheichxodox]

From what I've read thus far, there comes also the ASUS DR-950 which is rumored to come in April and be priced around 250 £. That would be about 300-330 Euro. That could be an even more interesting device than the Pocketbook 902. In comparison with the Pocketbook it's disadvantages are only 9" screen with only 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, a Sipix display technology (which is not really a disadvantage) and 370 g weight. On the other hand its benefits are touchscreen, WiFi, HSPA and text-to-speech. What I didn't find out was the display substrate. Is it glass or plastic?

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[scheichxodox]

The Jinke A9 would also be an option. Its features sound similar to those of the Asus. 9" SiPix Panel with 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, Touchscreen, WiFi, 3G, QWERTY keyboard and weighs 390-430 g (different sources, different weight). It's supposed to be available in March and cost 330 $ which would probably be the same in Euro. Again I found nothing on the substrate so I don't know if it's plastic or glass.

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[scheichxodox]

All this new info makes a decision really hard. I guess I going to walk into a store and compare the screen sizes with my mobile phone. I'll try to see how often I turn the pages on a 5" and on a 6" screen.

In a month there should be more Infos on the Asus reader on the CeBit. Maybe I'll wait some more if they really plan to release it in April...

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[scheichxodox]

Ok, I've made my decision. I won't buy the Hanvon N516 now. I'd rather wait until the CeBit in a month and see what details Asus will leak about the DR-950.

The reason is, I was just in a bookstore and had the opportunity to test a Cybook Opus, compared to a Sony PRS-600, Iriver Story and my 3.5" mobile phone with Google android. I decided that a epaper is really great, but the size of a 5" reader is really small and offers only twice the reading space that my telephone does. Then I looked around and compared the size of the pages in some books and I came to the conclusion that at least a 6" device is needed for displaying the pages and the font in native size.

On the 9" or even better 9.7" devices I would have enough space for a large font and a lot of text. I have also the possibility to read magazines and can look at PDF almost without zooming, although cropping the pages might be needed. And as a nice-to-have the new models shall have touchscreen, Wifi and all the other gimmicks, so that I hope it's worth waiting.

Now let's just hope that the new 9" readers will have plastic substrate.

Thank you all for your help.

Greetz

Scheich Xodox

[Bremen Cole]

As I said before, for what you want you need the bigger screen..... I think your patience will reward you....

[zetareticuli]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

As I said before, for what you want you need the bigger screen..... I think your patience will reward you....

Agreed. For magazines, technical/scientific documents, and ebooks, the larger screen is a requirement.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by zetareticuli

Agreed. For magazines, technical/scientific documents, and ebooks, the larger screen is a requirement.

But:

Originally Posted by scheichxodox

The most important part for me right now are fiction books.

I"d personally go for the cheaper now and see if you actually like to read from e-ink screens...