The e-reader market is not really a growth market. When you have one, you are not inclined to replace it. Still, Kobo is trying to innovate to refresh e-readers. Like with the Kobo Elipsa: an e-reader on which you make notes with a stylus.
Kobo Elipsa
price € 399,-
Screen size 10.3 inches (1872 x 1404 pixels)
Weight 383 grams
Dimensions 19.3 x 22.8 x 0.8 cm
Storage area 32GB
wireless wifi
Connections usb-c
Website www.kobo.com
5 Score 50 
- Pros
- Screen is pleasant to read
- Software
- Negatives
- E-reader less suitable for stylus
- price
- Weight
- Account required
Many major manufacturers like to show their tablets in combination with a stylus. Apple with its iPad (Pro), Microsoft with its Surface devices and Samsung also leads the way, but with the Galaxy Note smartphone. That is mainly marketing. In practice, you won’t see a lot of people sketching and scribbling on a screen with a stylus.
Still, Kobo thinks that this is a new product group: the e-reader, which you can also use for your notes. Handy, for example, for textbooks, in which you make notes or markings. Perhaps Kobo has also cheated a bit with Royole, which has also launched a digital notebook with stylus with the RoWrite.
e-reader
Let’s start with the basics. The Kobo Elipsa is an e-reader with a black and white e-ink touchscreen, with built-in backlight for comfortable reading in the dark. The reader has a 10.3 inch screen, with fairly thick screen edges. Especially on the right. That’s practical now: you can hold the reader while reading without touching the screen. The Kobo Elipsa is about 20 by 23 centimeters in size, which makes the e-reader Kobo’s largest. But also the heaviest.
The large screen is reasonably sharp with a resolution of 1404 by 1872 pixels (converted, that gives a pixel density of 272 pixels per inch). That sounds extremely comfortable. The disadvantage, however, is that the reader is too heavy to read comfortably for a longer period of time. Because it’s an e-ink screen, which consumes hardly any power, you can read for days without worrying about charging.
Kobo account
When you set up the e-reader for the first time, you are required to log in with a (Kobo) account. Understandable from the developer of the e-reader, because Kobo naturally hopes to link subscriptions to the Kobo reading service. But if you prefer to use the reader to read – and scribble – your own books, an account is not necessary. In fact. Then it’s better to just turn off WiFi to extend the battery life considerably.
As an e-reader, the Kobo Elipsa offers a more positive impression than as a notebook.
Reading with a pen
As an e-reader, the Kobo Elipsa has a moderately positive feel; the large screen reads wonderfully. The weight is just a bit too high to comfortably hold the reader for a longer period of time.
As a notebook, I’m less enthusiastic about the Kobo Elipsa. You can take notes in a book or in a new notepad. In practice, you notice that an e-ink screen is not so suitable for a stylus. The reader responds slower than you expect and because the screens do not display colors, your options are also rather limited. In addition, the notepads give you a kind of tablet-like function, where you sometimes also work with a keyboard and browse through menus. You notice that an e-reader is unsuitable for this. The screen invites for reading, not for interaction. That is a fundamental difference between the two product groups.
The notes you make will appear in the ‘my notes’ tab. You can choose to convert handwriting to text when taking notes. That works (in my case) quite accurately, but of course it depends on your handwriting.
The Kobo Elipsa lacks the ability to attach or tuck the stylus. Fortunately, the reader comes with a cover with artificial leather, which protects the screen and offers the possibility to click the stylus into place. However, the cover does not make the e-reader more beautiful.
Alternatives to the Kobo Elipsa
The Kobo Elipsa is considerably more expensive than a regular e-reader, such as the Amazon Kindle, Kobo Clara or Kobo Libra. As e-readers, these devices are more or less equivalent to the Kobo Elipsa. The lower weight of the other e-readers may even contribute to the reading comfort.
As a notebook, the Kobo Elipsa doesn’t really come into its own, although there is little to criticize about the stylus and software, an e-reader screen is too slow and limited for this. Then you’re better off with a tablet with a stylus. Or better yet, a paper notebook and pen.
Conclusion: buy Kobo Elipsa?
The Kobo Elipsa works fine as an e-reader. As a notebook, an e-reader simply falls short. If you still want both worlds in one, then you can consider the Kobo Elipsa. However, a regular e-reader will read a bit more comfortably and a tablet with a stylus or paper notepad offers a better experience for those who like to sketch or take notes.
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