Colour eBook Readers vs Monochromatic E-Ink eReaders
When you’re shopping online for an eBook reader there are now two different categories that you can look for – multi-colour eReaders and monochromatic E-Ink eReaders.
What’s the Difference Between Multi-colour and Monochromatic eBook Readers?
Multi-colour eReaders usually have a bright LCD screen which can display up to 16 million colours. Most colour eBook readers are also known as “tablets” such as the iPad2 and the Kindle Fire.
Tablets are newer and more expensive then regular mono-colour eBook Readers. Colour tablets offer more features than a regular eReader such as the ability to download and stream movies, TV shows, play games and browse the Internet on your device.
In contrast, Monochromatic display eBook Readers can only display varying degrees of grey (most have a greyscale of 7 shades). They’re actually much more suitable for reading because they use E-Ink technology which increases contrast and makes text appear crisper and easier to read. E-Ink displays also use less battery power and reduces glare (you can read books in direct sunlight).
Comparing Prices Between Colour and Non-Colour Devices
Most monochromatic eBook Readers such as the Kindle, Kindle 3G and the Barnes and Noble Nook cost around £70-£100. This is ideal for most consumers who want a cheap device to download and read digital eBooks on holiday.
The newer series of multi-colour tablets on the other hand can cost anywhere between £200-£350. The iPad2 for example costs £350 in the UK, and the Nook Color costs almost twice as much as the original Nook e-reader.
Overall, whichever type of device you choose to buy depends on your price range and how deep your pockets are.
The problem that I have with buying a multi-colour tablet such as the iPad2 for £350 is that you could buy a nice, small laptop for practically the same price. I’d rather buy a cheap E-Ink device for $100 for reading books and then buy a laptop for all my other needs.
Comparing the Features of Multi-Colour Tablets
Multi-colour tablet perform a whole range of features that cheaper E-Ink e-book readers don’t do. To some extent you could say that these are different products entirely.
Features of E-Ink e-Readers
- Download and Read eBooks
- High Contrast Screen without Glare
- Read in Direct Sunlight
- Very Long Battery Life (up to 2 months)
- Browse the Internet for Basic WebPages
- MP3 player
Features of Colour Tablets
Advantages:
- Powerful Multi-Colour, Touch Screen LCD Displays
- Download and Read eBooks, Magazines and Newspapers
- Download, Stream and Watch Films and TV Shows
- Ultra Fast Web Browsing
- Download and 1,000+ Play Games
- Download Apps
- Interactive, Touch-screen
Disadvantages:
- Limited Battery Life (Average of 8-10 Hours)
- Screen Glare
- Not Designed for Reading (Eye Strain)
- Expensive
- Bigger and Heavier
Conclusion on Which is Better? Colour eReaders vs E-Ink eReaders
I’ve outlined the major difference between the new range of colour tablets and E-Ink eReaders on the market.
The main difference between the two that you should be concerned about is the price and the readability of LCD colour displays. Your eyes will get strained very quickly if you try reading books on an LDC screen, so if you plan on reading a lot then I would get an monochromatic E-Ink device instead.
On the other hand, if you want to be able to watch films, TV shows and do more on your device then you need to buy a multi-colour tablet.
