Kobo (Rakuten)Kobo Libra Colour
Our verdict · Our pick for the best-balanced colour reader, pairing a Kaleido 3 screen with proper page-turn buttons and an open library.
Buy it if
Colour E Ink with physical page-turn buttons and a comfortable grip
Skip it if
Colours look muted and slightly dimmer than a black-and-white screen
Where to get it
Kobo Libra Colour
From £220
Indicative price at the time of review.
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The Libra Colour is our pick for readers who want colour without abandoning the things that make a great e-reader. Its 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 panel renders book covers, comics and highlights in colour at 150ppi, while black-and-white text stays crisp at 300ppi. Crucially, it keeps the ergonomic Libra body with physical page-turn buttons, IPX8 waterproofing and an asymmetric grip, plus optional Kobo Stylus 2 support for notes and mark-up. As with all current colour E Ink, the palette looks muted next to an LCD tablet and the screen is fractionally dimmer than a mono panel, but for the combination of colour, buttons, waterproofing and an open EPUB library, few rivals strike the balance as well.
The good & the bad
Pros
- Colour E Ink with physical page-turn buttons and a comfortable grip
- IPX8 waterproofing plus optional stylus for notes and highlights
- Native EPUB and library borrowing, no adverts
Cons
- Colours look muted and slightly dimmer than a black-and-white screen
- Stylus is an extra cost on top of the reader
How it compares
| Pick | WATTB Score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024, 12th generation) | 94/100 | From £160 (indicative; Signature Edition from ~£190) | overall |
| 2.Kobo Clara BW | 90/100 | From £130 (indicative) | value |
| 3.Kobo Libra ColourThis pick | 88/100 | From £220 (indicative) | colour e-reader |
| 4.Amazon Kindle Colorsoft (Signature Edition) | 84/100 | From £270 (indicative) | colour Kindle |
| 5.Amazon Kindle Scribe | 82/100 | From £380 (indicative) | note-taking |
Key facts
- Best for
- colour e-reader
- Typical cost
- From £220 (indicative)
- Screen
- 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 colour (150ppi colour, 300ppi mono)
- Buttons
- Physical page-turn buttons
- Waterproofing
- IPX8 (fresh water)
- Stylus
- Optional Kobo Stylus 2 support
- Storage
- 32GB
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 31 August 2026
- Updated
- 31 August 2026
- Last verified
- 31 August 2026
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
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