Kobo Clara 2E review: What you need to know before buying
Offering much-needed updates, the Kobo Clara 2E is a timely upgrade from its predecessor – even if it is a touch slow.
These products are hand-picked by our team to help make shopping easier. We may receive payments from third parties for sharing this content and when you purchase through links in this article. Product prices and offer details are not assured, and should be confirmed independently with the retailer. Learn more
When it comes to buying an ereader, shoppers really only have two brand choices: Amazon’s Kindle or Rakuten’s Kobo. While Amazon has largely dominated the market so far, Kobo has been quietly offering a range of high-quality alternatives. Case in point: the Kobo Clara 2E.
While its predecessor, the Kobo Clara HD, was a great device in its own right, its features are now lagging behind more recent ereader models. The Clara 2E meanwhile introduces plenty of upgrades that make it a serious alternative to models like the new Kindle (2022). It’s also made of 85 per cent recycled plastic, making it the most eco-friendly option currently available.
Of course, no product is perfect and the Clara 2E is no exception, but for those not already enmeshed in Amazon’s ecosystem (or those looking to get out of it), this ereader is a great mid-range option.
Pros
- 85 per cent recycled exterior
- 16GB of storage
- Added Bluetooth for audiobook support
- Waterproof
- Compact and lightweight
Cons
- Load times can be sluggish
- No support for Kindle ebooks
- Gaps in the audiobook library
- Ambiguous battery life
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
From the front, the Clara 2E looks almost identical to the Clara HD with its plastic chassis and compact screen size. Flipping it around though, you’ll notice some small design changes like a new navy blue colourway and the relocation of the power button to the back of the device. This second design choice is an especially great one as a lot of ereaders put the power button on the bottom, making it frustratingly easy to press by accident.
The other upgrades are meanwhile much more subtle like the change from a micro USB slot to a USB-C port on the bottom of the device and the move to an eco-friendly exterior made from 85 per cent recycled plastic.
Though both Amazon and Rakuten have been using recycled plastics in ereaders for quite some time, this is the highest percentage we’ve seen on a model so far, beating out the new Kindle (2022) which only uses around 30-75 per cent. While I am always a little sceptical of exactly how ‘green’ any tech product really is, this commitment is still great to see – especially given some of the plastic it uses was ocean bound.
Speaking of the ocean, the Clara 2E now has an IPX8 rating too, which allows it to survive for up to 60 minutes in two metres of water. This is great news for those who love a beach or bathtime read, as it gives you plenty of time to fish it out of the water the next time it takes an unexpected dip.
Similar to both the Clara HD and the latest Kindle model, the Clara 2E comes with a sunken six-inch display and 300 ppi resolution for sharp, crisp text. While I personally prefer a slightly larger screen, like the 6.8-inch display on the Kindle Paperwhite, the Clara 2E is a nice size to comfortably hold with one hand or to throw in a handbag without taking up space. It also comes with plenty of text size adjustments which largely keeps you from missing that bigger screen.
The display itself has meanwhile been upgraded to the same E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen we saw on the Kobo Libra 2, giving it darker text and better contrast. While this difference is fairly subtle, it is easier to read in certain lighting conditions.
The Clara 2E also now has adjustable lighting options which allow you to choose between warm and cool temperatures for a more comfortable reading experience. You can also set a bedtime, prompting the ereader to change the lighting colour at a designated time to help limit your blue light exposure before you sleep. While this technology is nothing new for ereaders, it does bring the Clara 2E more in line with its main competitors.
RELATED: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review
The Clara 2E does seem to be fairly durable (I’ve dropped it a couple of times while testing it without issue), but I would still recommend investing in the Kobo SleepCover, which is available in three colour options of Sea Glass Green, Coral Reef Orange and Black.
In addition to keeping your device safe from scratches, the case design is the most innovative I’ve seen, as it folds back to double as a reading stand. It also makes waking and putting your device to sleep incredibly easy, as you simply need to open or close the case to do so.
USER EXPERIENCE AND NAVIGATION
Offering 16GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM, the Clara 2E offers double the storage space of both the Clara HD and the standard Kindle Paperwhite. Unfortunately, it also still packs the same 1GHz processor as its predecessor, which means that nothing has changed in the way of speed – and it’s definitely noticeable.
Where downloading books on my Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle (2022) is an almost instantaneous experience, it can take up to a minute on the Clara 2E. Similarly, navigating through the interface often comes with slight pauses and delays that I haven’t experienced on my Kindle models.
While the reading experience itself is fairly seamless, it is disappointing to get a fairly sluggish performance on such a new device.
There are quite a few other positives in the features department though, like the addition of dual-band Wi-Fi, a Dark Mode and audiobook support. I have to admit, I’m not personally a big fan of audiobooks, but I did test out a couple for the sake of this review.
Like most mainstream ereaders there are no built-in speakers on the Clara 2E, so you do have to connect to headphones or smart speakers via Bluetooth – but this is the price you pay for waterproof casing. Thankfully, my headphones connected quickly each time, the sound was crystal clear and the overall experience was generally pretty great. The only thing to note is that the Clara 2E only supports audiobooks bought via Kobo’s own store, which means there are some gaps in the library.
Securing your next read is incredibly simple (minus the lag), as you can buy books directly from the Kobo store, transfer drm-free ebooks via your computer or borrow books from your local library without leaving your house using the OverDrive system (so long as your library has OverDrive support).
A huge selection of file formats are supported too, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, FlePub and MOBI, as well as TXT, HTML and RTF texts and CBZ and CBR for comic books. Basically, every format is available, with the exception of anything purchased for Kindle.
The interface of the Clara 2E is meanwhile fairly clean, offering easy navigation tabs at the bottom of the device. Once you’ve opened a book, you can also highlight passages by clicking and dragging the cursor, or find out the meaning of a word simply by clicking on it. At the top of the screen, you’ll find all the adjustment options you need to make reading easier, such as text and lighting settings.
You can also view your progress in each book, along with your total reading hours, under the Activity section of the settings menu. While this probably won’t matter to most readers, it is nice to see how you’re tracking and makes life easier for those who like to update their Goodreads profile regularly.
BATTERY LIFE
Rakuten promises ‘weeks of battery life’ for the Kobo Clara 2E, which is a frustratingly vague claim. However, this is likely because the amount of juice you get out of it largely depends on how you use it.
Straight out of the box, my device had 70 per cent battery life, which easily got me through a 368 page book before I decided to give it a full charge. On a full charge, reading for an hour or two most days lasted me around three and a half weeks, while adding audiobooks to the mix drained it quite a bit faster. Factors such as screen brightness, page refreshes, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are also likely to knock your battery down quicker, so that’s also something to factor in.
Ultimately, a standard user should get around three to four weeks of solid reading time in, while those who favour audiobooks should expect between two to three weeks of use. While this is less time than some other ereaders on the market, it’s still a fairly decent chunk of time that should suit most users.
When it came time to charge, getting my Kobo back to 100 per cent took around three hours. The upgrade to USB-C charging was nice to see here, as was the inclusion of a USB-A to USB-C cable in the box. It also means less cables to travel with on my next holiday, which is always a bonus.
SHOULD YOU BUY IT?
If you’re in the market for a compact, mid-range ereader intended for leisurely use, the Kobo Clara 2E is a great little companion. On the features front, the device offers plenty of much-needed upgrades from its predecessor, including double the storage capacity, dual-band Wi-Fi, audiobook support, waterproofing, adjustable colour lighting and USB-C charging. These updates also bring the Clara 2E more in line with its main Kindle rivals, making it a great Amazon alternative.
While it does have some issues, such as performance lag and a fairly inconsistent battery life, it's wide range of format types, easy to use interface and OverDrive compatibility make it easy to like, and gives it an edge over older Kobo models like the Clara HD and the Nia.
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
PRICE: $229.95
WHERE TO BUY: The Kobo Clara 2E is available to buy now from Amazon Australia, Booktopia, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and the Kobo online store.
KOBO CLARA 2E VS KINDLE (2022)
While a lot of comparisons have been drawn between the Kobo Clara 2E and the Kindle Paperwhite though, I would actually say it’s more akin to the new Kindle (2022). So, which model should you buy?
In a direct comparison, the sluggish performance and inconsistent battery of the Clara 2E do let the device down slightly, with the Kindle (2022) offering a much zippier (and cheaper) experience. However, the Kobo Clara 2E offers more than 15 file formats, where the Kindle (2022) is limited to what can be downloaded from the Amazon store, giving the Kobo a slight edge.
Ultimately, the two are very similar versions of the same product, effectively allowing users to choose a device based on the brand and the library they prefer.
Looking for more product recommendations and reviews? Head to our news.com.au checkout shopping newsletter to be kept in the loop about popular products and upcoming sales.
‘Beats them all’: Newest Kindle slashed
Avid readers are jumping ship and now opting for eReaders, with converts saying they're "excellent in every way".
Tried and Tested: Which eReader is better
Equipped with impressive note-taking features, this eReader presents itself as a major competitor of Kindle’s latest device.
Best-selling e-reader gets an upgrade
Amazon has taken its best-selling Paperwhite e-reader and created two new versions. Now the question is which one to choose?