Kobo Elipsa Review: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Kobo Elipsa: A Comprehensive Review

The Kobo Elipsa represents the newest addition to this Amazon competitor’s e-reader series, distinguished by its substantial size. Featuring a 10.3-inch e-paper display, it rivals the dimensions of an iPad and directly challenges e-reader tablets from brands like reMarkable and Boox. It delivers an exceptional reading experience, offers adequate note-taking and drawing capabilities, but exhibits some limitations in overall versatility.

Moving Upmarket

Kobo has progressively expanded its product range to include higher-priced devices in recent years. While the Clara HD remains a top recommendation for value, the Forma and Libra H2O are strong contenders against Kindle models. The $400 Elipsa signifies a significant increase in size, functionality, and cost, and largely justifies its price point, though certain considerations are important.

Design and Aesthetics

The device boasts a well-executed design, yet it avoids excessive ornamentation. The “side chin” characteristic of the Forma and Libra models has been streamlined into a simple, wider bezel on the right side.

This asymmetrical appearance is not particularly distracting, and is a common design element among competitors. (However, Boox’s compact and flush-fronted Poke 3 remains a personal favorite.)

Display Quality

The 10.3″ screen offers a resolution of 1404 x 1872, resulting in 227 pixels per inch. This is lower than the 300 PPI found on the Clara and Forma, leading to slightly more noticeable aliasing in the typography upon close inspection.

However, given the larger screen size, users will likely maintain a greater reading distance and potentially utilize a larger font size, mitigating this effect. The display is perfectly comfortable for reading; 227 PPI is acceptable, though not optimal.

Front Light Performance

A front light is included, easily adjustable by swiping a finger along the left edge of the screen. Unlike other Kobo devices, the Elipsa lacks the ability to adjust color temperature.

Users accustomed to warmer tones may find the default cool grey less appealing, particularly when surrounded by warmer ambient lighting. Importantly, the illumination is consistent across the entire display and can be dimmed to a subtle glow, a feature appreciated by many readers.

Accessories and Ergonomics

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

Evaluating the Elipsa necessitates considering the included accessories, as it is currently only available as a bundle with a “sleep cover” and stylus. These accessories enhance the overall package, though they do increase the device’s weight and bulk.

The device, when used alone, is lighter and more compact than a standard iPad, but becomes heavier and larger when enclosed in its case and paired with the substantial stylus.

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

The cover is well-designed, albeit somewhat rigid, and provides robust protection for the device. It secures magnetically at the bottom, flips open like a legal pad, and folds flat behind the device, attaching with magnets in the opposite direction.

Multiple folds create a sturdy stand. The exterior features a grippy faux leather texture, while the interior is lined with soft microfiber.

Cover Functionality

The cover enables waking and sleeping the device by opening and closing it, but this functionality has a limitation: the power button, charging port, and bezel must be positioned on the right side.

Without the case, the Elipsa, like other similarly designed devices, can be inverted to automatically rotate the content. However, the case restricts this to a semi-right-handed orientation, which may be a concern for some users.

The Elipsa, center, with the Forma and reMarkable 2 to its left and right. Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

Reading Experience

The reading experience closely mirrors that of other Kobo devices. A relatively uncluttered interface prioritizes recently accessed content, though a moderate amount of promotional material is present (“Find your next great read”).

E-books, both free and purchased, are displayed effectively, although reading on a larger screen is not universally preferred. A landscape mode with facing pages would be a welcome addition, enhancing the book-like feel.

Web Article Integration

Articles synchronized via Pocket appear excellent and are a pleasure to read in this format. It resembles a magazine page, making it ideal for reading online publications. The integration is seamless and reliable.

Enhanced Note-Taking Capabilities of Kobo

A new feature appearing on the bottom row of the interface is the “Notebooks” application, providing a space for creating notebooks. Within these, users can freely jot down lists, sketches, notes, and utilize the stylus for general writing purposes.

The writing experience, while functional, doesn't quite reach the standards set by devices like the reMarkable 2. That device offers exceptionally low latency and high precision, alongside a broader range of line expression. The Kobo’s experience is more basic, exhibiting a perceptible lag, though its accuracy is commendable.

Five pen tips, five line widths, and five line shades are available, all of which perform adequately. The stylus itself possesses a satisfying weight, although an improved grip material would be beneficial. Two integrated buttons facilitate quick switching between the current pen style, a highlighter, or an eraser, offering both stroke deletion and brush modes.

Standard notebooks offer familiar page styles – gridded, dotted, lined, and blank – with unlimited pages. However, zoom functionality is absent, which may prove limiting for artists.

“Advanced” notebooks are required to access handwriting recognition and other intelligent features. These notebooks feature permanent lines for writing, and a double-tap action swiftly converts handwriting into typed text. Dedicated sections are also provided for drawings and mathematical equations.

A suitable representation. Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

The handwriting recognition is rapid and sufficiently accurate for capturing rough notes. However, expect to perform editing before sharing these notes with colleagues. Similarly, the diagram tool, which transforms hand-drawn shapes and labels into polished flowcharts, produces results that are improved over initial sketches but still require refinement.

Several intuitive shortcuts and gestures are incorporated to simplify common tasks like adding or removing spaces. Frequent users of the Elipsa will likely adapt to these quickly. The notebook interface responds promptly when navigating between pages or scrolling within the “smart” notebooks, though it doesn’t match the smoothness of dedicated design or art applications on an iPad.

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

The system is unobtrusive, provides effective palm rejection, and feels responsive during use. The line lag is a drawback, but one that can be accommodated if a slightly imperfect result is acceptable.

E-books can also be annotated, which is useful for highlighting, but doesn’t offer a significantly improved experience over simple text selection. Writing directly in the margins is impractical given the stylus’s limitations.

Notebooks can be exported through a connected Dropbox account or via a USB connection. The reMarkable offers a more seamless experience in this regard, with its app providing live synchronization, eliminating concerns about version control. The Kobo’s approach is more conventional.

In comparison to the reMarkable, the Kobo excels as a more user-friendly platform for everyday reading. If you prioritize reading with occasional note-taking or sketching, it represents a better value. Conversely, those seeking a dedicated stylus-focused tablet should consider alternatives, as writing and sketching feel superior on a reMarkable. Compared to a Boox tablet, the Elipsa is simpler and more focused, but lacks the ability to install Android applications and games.

Priced at $400 – including a case and stylus – the Elipsa is a substantial investment, comparable to the cost of an iPad, which is a far more versatile device. However, reading articles or books on an iPad isn’t as enjoyable for some, and the focused simplicity of an e-reader aids concentration when taking notes. It serves a distinct purpose, but isn’t suited for all users.

Currently, it likely represents the most accessible entry point into the world of larger e-readers, with more sophisticated and expensive options available for those who desire them.