The 6 Best E-Readers with Color Displays

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.AmazonThis is a simple, straightforward color e-reader from the brand that does simple e-readers the best. Kobo delivers a compact, capable reader at a price point that can’t be beat. The Kobo store has all the same great stuff you can find on Kindle, from classics to comics, and in my opinion it makes it easier than any other e-reader to move the files you own from your computer to your device.In terms of form, the Clara is light and minimalist, rocking a six-inch screen. You can go forward or back a page with an intuitive tap of the touchscreen, and tap the upper portion of the screen to pull up the menu. Plus, it’s IPX8 waterproof rated, so you can bring it poolside for beach reading without a spot of worry in your head.Yes, I love my Kobo. But I also understand most people just want a Kindle. If you’re already coming from the Kindle ecosystem (or just have a bunch of free books through a Prime or Audible subscription), it’s the move that makes the most sense. The Signature Edition Colorsoft Kindle is ad-free with all the modern bells and whistles including wireless charging and auto-adjusting backlight. It probably has the brightest and most vivid-looking color of the bunch too. And if you aren’t fond of paying for books, you can connect your Libby and OverDrive accounts to borrow e-books from the local library.In short, this is the premier color Kindle. Do I need to say much else?Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowThe desire for palm-sized e-readers is real. You see, your typical Kindle or Kobo is small, but not small enough to fit in your pocket. A pocket-sized e-reader shrinks down everything that’s easy about digital books. The best ones make one-handed reading easier than even a physical copy of your favorite flimsy paperback.The Palma 2 Pro from Boox is the best one I’ve found. Customizable interface, stylus compatibility, and support to upload files from a MicroSD card only scratch the surface. And of course, it made this list because of its full-color e-ink display. The Android OS is going to be a learning curve for those coming from the closed ecosystems like Kindle or iOS. Just know this may not be the most friendly choice to the less tech-y among us.I’ve had this particular e-reader for a while now, and it’s always been my go-to over the Kindle. Being able to easily upload PDFs to a file in my Google Drive and sync it straight over to my Libra Colour has made it easy to find a ton of great, older reading material without paying a cent. It’s compact without sacrificing buttons (my preferred method of turning the page on an e-reader), and it supports, but doesn’t come bundled with, a stylus for interacting with the text.Since it has buttons and stylus support, it’s better than the Clara for readers who like to take notes or highlight their favorite passages to return to. It’s also got a slightly larger screen, at seven inches versus the Clara’s six. If you’re the type who likes to color coordinate your notes, this is the Kobo for you too.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowAn e-reader is not necessarily a digital notebook, but these next two gadgets get both tasks done. First up is the reMarkable Paper Pro—probably the best-feeling e-paper notebook to write on. This bundle includes a reMarkable pen, which for this writing tablet you really need. More than any other e-reader or tablet, reMarkable gets that paper feeling just right, so it feels like you you’re scribbling away with a pencil. In this case, a colored pencil... or highlighter or marker. Long story short, it really is that versatile as a replacement for pen and paper.What people don’t tell you about the Paper Pro is that you can totally read books on it too. It’s a bit large for a book replacement, but if you want to replicate the old-fashioned feeling of sprawling on the ottoman with a magazine or newspaper, you’ll get it here. On the con side, it’s already an expensive device and some of the (not so) advanced cloud syncing features require a subscription on top of that. Be aware of how those costs will add up before committing.A reMarkable tablet is perfect for the avid note-taker who wants to get some reading done. For the exact opposite type of person (the avid reader who occasionally needs a notebook), the Kindle Scribe exists. The Scribe Colorsoft is essentially a larger, more notebook-shaped version of the Kindle Colorsoft, bundled with a stylus pen. It’s got a great tactile feel to it when you write, and the colors open up a whole new dimension of possibilities. Suddenly, this isn’t just for note-takers, it’s for artists too. With Alexa, Google Drive, and Microsoft application integration, the device will help meet you where the work is already at.