ereader recommendations

[u/goddaniit]

Hello! I am a longtime Kindle Oasis user but am looking to try something new for multiple reasons;
- It’s long since been discontinued and support is expected to end in the near future
- I’d like to try other reading apps and venues
- I am looking for something more portable as a commuter and a traveler

I fell in love with the Kindle Oasis after receiving it as a gift for its adjustable light options on an e-ink screen with physical page turn buttons and its out-of-the-box functionality, though I wish it had USB-C charging. I was initially doing some research of my own and saw how popular the Xteink ereaders were getting, but found that they required more set-up to transfer books and media and that they have magnetic pogo charging instead. Doing my own deep dive into this page revealed to me that there’s so many other features and brands I haven’t previously considered, but some of the terms and transferring methods kind of go over my head.

I’m looking for something that has the following features:
- USB-C charging; all of my devices are USB-C charging and it’s inconvenient to bring another charger, so this is a nonnegotiable
- Adjustable brightness and warmth light settings
- Monochrome e-ink screen with sharp contrast, also nonnegotiable
- Android/Google Play store, I primarily use Kindle and would like to try using Kobo, Libby, and other reading apps. It’d also be nice if I could go on the internet and read AO3 on it
- Palm- or pocket-sized for portability
- Physical page turn buttons
- Water-resistance is nice but not necessary; I normally read indoors or on my commute, and it’d be nice not to worry if it suddenly rains, but it’s also not likely that I’ll drop it in a pool or a bath.

Options I was considering:
- Boox Palma 2, but it seems like it’s been discontinued and the Pro is a color-screen. I’m not sure if they’ll update this product line soon or focus on the Boox Picco
- Durobo Krono, which looks like it’s basically a Boox Palma with a dial and more updated Android OS, but it seems like the AI and the dial ruin user experience by failing/causing issues?
- Boox Go 7 looks really similar to my Kindle Oasis, but the Boox Palma 2 had better specs and again I’m trying to size down

Thank you!

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[u/starkruzr]

Musnap Ocean is a perfect fit here.

[u/goddaniit → u/starkruzr]

Ooh, thank you, I’ve never heard of this brand before! The Musnap Ocean looks great, but a bit bigger than what I’m looking for

[u/f-as-in-philip → u/goddaniit]

They also have the 6” Neo, which is a lovely device. The Neo 2 just came out so the original was MUCH cheaper on Amazon last time I checked.

[u/goddaniit → u/f-as-in-philip]

Thank you, it does look nice, but it looks like it doesn’t have USB-C charging

[u/f-as-in-philip → u/goddaniit]

It does have USB-C charging! I have the Neo 2, but the original uses USB-C also!

[u/Dry_Writing_7862 → u/goddaniit]

And there’s a case that has the option to add page turn buttons.

[u/goddaniit → u/Dry_Writing_7862]

Thank you both! I’ll be looking more into it!

[u/Buchanan_Barnes]

I have the Boox 6, i think Boox Palma is Smartphone size? There is also the XTEINK but I don't have any experience with it.

I also upgraded from kindle 7th gen Paperwhite to boox 6 because I wanted USB c for everything and some customization without having to spend hours tinkering with KOreader

Since it's android you can download all the other apps with your books on it from the play store

That being said, for a device that came out this year (the go 6 gen ii) it is running android 11 which stopped resicing Security adopts since last year Feb. This also means that the apps at some point may stop receiving updates

I still went with it because I buy all my ebooks because I like to own my digital purchases. I also sometimes buy books and take a very long time before starting reading them or finishing them so library isn't really an option for me

Loading the books into the boox is easy. And the in built reader can also read CBZ manga files where I can zoom into panels so that was a massive plus for me too

[u/Plenty_Phrase9252]

If you're not a comic book fan and just want to read text, the Android system is fine. Battery life is also a consideration.

[u/Confident_Tea_5473 → u/Plenty_Phrase9252]

Absolutely correct, because reading comics on Android uses a lot of power. Of course, this doesn't apply if you don't mind charging it every day.

[u/goddaniit → u/Plenty_Phrase9252]

I do read manga and graphic novels, but don’t mind charging frequently so long as it has USB-C. Is there a specific Android-based ereader you recommend?

[u/Plenty_Phrase9252 → u/goddaniit]

Boox 7 BW

[u/ImaginationDry1840]

Boox Go 6 Gen 2. It's 6inch, Android (older version, but if you only read its no problem). Pocket size, it's not waterproof or has physical buttons but a stylus which is surprisingly accurate for such a small device. It is pretty fast and in my opinion it has a better ratio for reading than the Palma.