Which e-reader to buy: Kindle, Kobo or Boox?

Which e-reader to buy is the question many keen readers ask once their eyes tire of reading on a phone. E-readers use e-ink screens, which do not shine light straight into your eyes the way ordinary screens do, and a charge lasts for days. The three names that come up most are Kindle, Kobo and Boox. This guide compares them on the things readers in Vietnam often care about: where you get books, file formats, Vietnamese text and audiobook support.

Which e-reader to buy: a quick comparison

Model names and features change from generation to generation, so read the specifications of the exact model you plan to buy. You can browse current options under e-readers.

Audiobooks on an e-reader

If you want to read text and also listen to Vietnamese audiobooks, this is the biggest difference between devices. Vietnamese audiobook apps run on phones and Android devices, so an Android-based e-reader such as a Boox can install them, as long as it has Bluetooth or a speaker. Devices that run their own closed system generally cannot install outside apps. For many people the simplest setup is to read on an e-ink device and listen on a phone with Bluetooth earbuds.

Vietnamese text and file formats

• Most current e-readers display Vietnamese with diacritics correctly, but some older files may show broken fonts. Open a Vietnamese file as soon as your device arrives to check.
• EPUB is the common format for ebooks; PDF keeps the page layout but is hard to read on a 6–7 inch screen.
• Read only books you have bought or are allowed to use; many Vietnamese publishers sell official ebooks.

Screen size, front light and water resistance

A 6–7 inch screen is light enough to hold in one hand and ideal for novels; 10 inches and up suits PDFs and note-taking but is heavier and more expensive. A front light with adjustable warmth makes evening reading more comfortable. Water resistance helps if you read at the beach or in the bath. Add a cover, because e-ink screens can crack if dropped. Also think about page-turn buttons: some people love physical buttons for one-handed reading on a crowded bus, while others are happy tapping the screen. If you can, hold a device in a shop or borrow a friend's before you decide, because weight and grip matter more than spec sheets suggest. Comfort decides whether you keep using it.

When a tablet makes more sense

If you read colour comics, watch video, need lots of apps or mostly listen to audiobooks, a tablet is the better fit: it runs every audiobook app and has a colour screen and speakers. The trade-off is more eye strain during long reading sessions and shorter battery life. And if you read paper books and just need light at night, a small clip-on reading light does the job.

Quick picks

• You read lots of English books and like things simple: consider a Kindle.
• You already have many EPUB files and like managing your own library: consider a Kobo.
• You want reading apps and Vietnamese audiobook apps on one device: consider an Android-based model such as a Boox.
• You mostly listen and rarely read: a phone and good headphones are enough; use the audiobook gear finder to pick headphones or a speaker.

Wondering what to listen to on your new setup? See audiobooks worth listening to.