Kobo Nia review
Kobo nia is the latest ebook reader from Rakuten but not only. With his 99,99 € is the cheapest solution offered today by the Japanese company. Add to this an excellent build quality and a particularly simple and complete operating system, elements that make it very interesting. But will they be enough to compete with the Amazon Kindle and its 79,99 euros? We talk about it in this review.
Still microUSB?
We want to start from the most dissonant element of this Kobo Nia, ebook reader landed on the market in 2020. The lower edge houses the microUSB connector for recharging, a choice probably dictated by what is already in the manufacturer's warehouses but decidedly short-sighted. Let's understand: it is not a real defect but we would have expected the transition to the most recent and appreciated USB-C.
Next to the microUSB input we find the power button, positioned in the center and slightly recessed, so as to avoid accidental pressures. The back instead houses the knurled texture which now characterizes Kobo devices and which guarantees an excellent grip to a device which, with its small size (112,4 mm x 159,3 mm x 9,3 mm) and a weight of 172 grams, is easy to handle.
The front part instead is dedicated to the 6-inch E-Ink display, with a resolution of 1024 x 758 pixels and a density of 212 ppi, a value much higher than the 167 ppi offered by Amazon Kindle.
We then have the ComfortLight overlight which is limited to 5 single-color LEDs but never mind, it will still allow you to read anywhere, from the bedroom to the beach.
Under the body we find the 6 Mhz NXP i.MX 900ULL processor, 256 MB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory, enough to accommodate well 6.000 books. The battery instead is 1000 mAh and should guarantee you about 3 weeks of use.
What about waterproofing? No way. For that you will need a higher-end ebook reader.
What do I read?
One of the great advantages that Kobo offers is the amount of formats supported. There are ePubs and ePubs3, PDFs, MOBIs and even CBZs and CBRs, the files associated with comics.
However, there are two important things to know. First of all the hardware, while sufficient, is not the same as seen on the more expensive models, which results in some slowdown too much in the consultation of comics. For a flawless experience, we therefore suggest you limit yourself to books.
The second aspect to highlight concerns the proprietary format. Is called kePub and it is a Kobo-customized ePub that guarantees a better fluidity and user experience than all other file types. If you have the opportunity then we suggest you use good old Caliber, a free and open source software that allows you to convert other formats to kePub.
All you need to know about Caliber
If you're used to reading a lot of articles online, there's another Kobo Nia feature you'll love. Just like its big brothers, Rakuten's latest ebook reader is compatible with Pocket, an online service that allows you to save any piece we find on the Internet offline using both the app and the browser extension. If you are in the habit of getting a lot of information and are lacking print media, you will love Pocket on Kobo Nia.
Finally, let's not forget books with Adobe DRM, a form of digital content protection that gives Kindle owners great headaches. Kobo on the other hand fully supports the format which means that you can transfer books purchased from online stores to Nia or even consult the ebooks made available by your local library.
Kobo Nia review: everyday use
Kobo Nia has been a faithful companion for about two weeks and, wanting to be completely honest, we missed the Kobo Libra H2O, the writer's usual ebook reader. The 212 ppi are in fact higher than what we saw on the Kindle but do not offer the same reading experience as Libra and its 300 ppi. Let's not talk about marked differences, mind you. Nia still manages to deliver a good reading experience but, if you have already gotten your hands on some other ebook reader, you may notice less defined characters.
More debilitating, however, is the absence of the blue light filter, especially if you are a night reader. If, on the other hand, you are used to reading during the day, you will hardly miss it.
These two are the small flaws of a device that performs excellently on all other fronts. It is convenient to use, can be easily transported and relied on a well-established software. The latter allows you to change every aspect of the font, to preview the next chapters, to view yours reading statistics and to consult the vocabulary when necessary. Then there are the notes, the highlighter and even the possibility of adjust the brightness with a swipe along the left edge. In short, there is everything you need.
Kobo Nia review: the price penalizes it
99,99 euros are not many for a product that is superior to the basic version of Kindle. We are therefore not saying that it is not worth them but that positioning could have been better. The Amazon ebook reader, better known by the less experienced, is on the market at 79,99 euros and these 20 euros, which may seem very little, will tip the scales on the side of the American giant.
Competition is also internal. Kobo Clara HD, with its 300 ppi and blue light filter, is often discounted for 99,99 euros, the same price as Nia. It goes without saying that, for the same price, it is Clara HD who wins.
So you understand how Kobo Nia's biggest enemy is cost. At € 79,99 it would have been an almost unbeatable rival for Amazon.
Pro 
- Excellent build quality
- Easy to handle
- Complete software
- Many formats supported
Cons 
- The blue light filter is missing
- Positioning to be reviewed
