Kobo Glo HD review

Given that most people now seem happy to read phones and tablets on maximum brightness, you could call the Kobo Glo HD's obsession with making its e-ink screen look exactly like a book overkill.

However, this isn't aimed at most people. It's been created for book lovers and voracious consumers of long-form web articles. These people are fussy, and with this product they're served well.

We liked

So easy to hold in one hand when standing on trains and buses, and small enough to slip into a coat pocket, the Kobo Glo HD is the most book-like e-ink page ever created. As his-res as it gets, reading is completely customisable and very convincing, even in direct sun.

The battery is months-long, and the freedom to read books and media from various sources is welcome. Allowing any web page to be saved and read later, the inclusion of Pocket is a masterstroke that makes the Kobo Glo HD into a media reader that's about far more than just books.

We disliked

The touchscreen isn't always super-sensitive, though what's so obviously missing is an expandable memory slot. The ability to add extra storage is surely one of the reasons why a Kobo is chosen over a Kindle. However, the two main differences between this Kobo and the Kindle Voyage are their look, and the light.

While the Kindle has a flat screen and bezel, the Kobo's (superior) screen is encircled by a raised bezel. Neither the practical design nor the Reading Life statistics will impress most adults, but they're perfect for children. While the reading light on the Voyage responds to ambient light levels, ComfortLight on the Kobo is an entirely manual affair.

Verdict

The Kobo Glo HD is all about value and a great reading experience. It's easily as good as any Kindle, and perhaps even better if you like to hold an ereader in one hand. As well as a slightly more practical though boring design, it's also much cheaper than the high-end Kindle Voyage.

If you're way past binge-buying books, you want to furnish an ereader with your own choice of reading already stored on a computer, or you simply want to read PDFs, word documents and web pages saved to Pocket, the Kobo Glo HD is a real page-turner.

First reviewed: June 2015