Kobo Clara Colour review: An affordable, perfect-sized e-reader that comes in color

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Color e-readers are the future of the e-reader market. Every brand is coming out with its own iterations — Amazon has a whole slew of Kindles now with color displays. But if you're looking to avoid Amazon, look to Kobo. We already know and love the Kobo Libra Colour, but what about the smaller, more affordable Kobo Clara Colour?

Even after testing dozens of e-readers, I still stand in awe of the occasional e-reader. The Clara took me by surprise, a perfectly handheld e-reader that's an incredible value considering its color display. I've already put the Kobo Clara Colour head-to-head with the Kindle Paperwhite, but today I'm focusing on the Kobo Clara Colour. Is it worth it? And what are the device's downfalls? Here's everything to know about the Kobo Clara Colour.

Kobo Clara Colour price and specs

The Kobo Clara Colour costs $159.99. It comes in two different colors, black or white, but let's get into what's inside.

• 6-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display

• 300 ppi black and white resolution and 150 ppi color resolution

• USB-C charging port with up to 6 weeks of battery life

• 16GB of storage

• IPX8 waterproof rating can be fully submerged in water for up to one hour

• Night mode available

Why go for a Kobo?

Kindles are by far the most popular e-readers out there, so why should you swing for a Kobo instead? Kindles are Amazon devices, so if you're avoiding shopping on Amazon, you'll need to look elsewhere. Having tested our way through e-readers, we find Kobos equally great. They're just as fast and user-friendly as Kindles, but they're free of Amazon.

Another huge perk across Kobo devices is OverDrive integration. If you're using Libby, that's part of Overdrive's system. With Kobo's Overdrive integration, any book you borrow through Libby will auto-populate on your e-reader. While Kindle also has a Libby integration, it's not nearly as smooth as Kobo's.

At $159.99, the Kobo Clara Colour is the most affordable color e-reader. It's more expensive than the basic Kindle, which costs $109.99, but it's the same price as the Kindle Paperwhite. Its affordability is key here, as color e-readers are typically expensive, so a price below $200 makes it more budget-friendly.

The Clara Colour is, in fact, colorful but also muted

With color e-readers, manage your expectations on just how vibrant they can be. On the Kobo Clara Colour, its colors are accurate but muted compared to a physical book or even an e-book on a tablet. This is the case with most color e-readers, since they have such low color resolution. The Kobo's color resolution is 150 ppi, half its black-and-white resolution. If you're reading a standard book, you won't fault the lower color resolution, but it might be a bummer for those reading graphic novels.

The perfect handheld size

In testing the Kobo Clara Colour, I put away my Kindle Paperwhite for a few weeks and was surprised but how much I didn't miss it. It was refreshing to use a smaller e-reader that truly felt handheld. The six-inch screen is smaller than the Paperwhite's, but I didn't miss the extra real estate. In fact, it was a worthy sacrifice for how comfortable it felt to hold.

Rather than the Kindle Paperwhite's screen that sits flush with the chassis, the Clara's screen is surrounded by a raised edge. This follows the same design as the basic Kindle. The Clara is also the same size as the basic Kindle, which, in my review of the Kindle, I noted would be the perfect e-reader if it were waterproof. Well, the Kobo Clara delivers a near-identical design and is waterproof.

Compatible with the Kobo remote

Another reason to love the Kobo Clara Colour is its compatibility with the Kobo remote. Kobo is the only e-reader brand with a native remote. It connects to the Clara via Bluetooth so you can move forward (or backward) in the book with just the press of a button. Just prop up the Clara on a stand, get out the remote, and prepare for the coziest winter reading setup.

It needs better battery life

The biggest issue I have with the Kobo Clara Colour is its battery life. It lasts up to six weeks, which, compared to a phone or laptop, might seem like plenty. The issue is that the bar is high for e-reader battery life, with Kindles lasting up to 12 weeks. In the months I've had the Kobo Clara, I've needed to recharge it twice as often as the Kindle Paperwhite. If Kobo wants to one-up Kindle, it needs to improve the device's battery life.

Is the Kobo Clara Colour worth it?

If you're seeking a new e-reader and want to avoid Amazon, go for the Kobo Clara Colour. It's an incredible value at $159.99, the same price as the Kindle Paperwhite, but the Clara comes with color displays and a better handheld size. It's a worthy competitor to Amazon's Kindles, but there is room for improvement, especially around its battery life.