Kobo Clara HD Review: Over 2 Years Later

Is it still worth it after more than 2 years of regular use? Do I wish I bought a Kindle instead? Will I ever go back to paper books?

It has been a year and one month since I posted my initial review of the Kobo Clara HD, though I initially purchased it two and a half years ago. Little did I know that my reading experience would change so drastically for the better from that day forward.

I’ll save you the suspense. Two and a half years later, it is still the single best tech purchase I have ever made.

Pros and cons discussed below are specific to my experience and particular use cases, but if you want a complete review of all of the notable features and comparisons to Kindle, you can check out my full review here.

pros

1. highly portable

I love the small form factor. It fits into the front sleeve of my laptop case with lots of room to spare. It’s also fairly comfortable to hold in one hand as it’s not too heavy.

2. highlight and annotate words, phrases, or passages

I would never do this to a real book since it’s permanent, so it’s nice to be able to mark it up digitally. It’s also 100% reversible⁠—if you make a mistake, you can easily change it! This feature has been invaluable to me for keeping track of my favourite bits of writing and preparing posts for the blog.

3. dictionary automatically pops up after highlighting a word

Super convenient. No need for extra tapping required to open up a menu and then select dictionary. Plus, there’s no need to google definitions unless something is really obscure.

4. adjust font style and size

Have a book you like but the font is too small? It’s not a problem anymore! You can also select from several different fonts and even adjust the margins and line spacing to personalize the reading experience for your eyes.

5. book cover displayed when powered off or sleeping

Not critical for function, but it’s a really nice touch that sets it apart from Kindle.

6. Overdrive support

Simplified and convenient library borrowing. Enough said.

cons

1. slow at times

I’m mostly used to it now; however, when you’re accustomed to the speed and responsiveness of a touchscreen phone, there’s definitely an adjustment period.

2. no native method for transferring highlights and annotations to computer

Why man. Just why. I’ve written a post here about a workaround.

3. can’t highlight or annotate pdfs

I don’t read pdfs much on the Kobo in general, but when I do, I definitely miss the ability to highlight. This was the one major flaw that made me seriously consider getting a Kindle instead, but it was not enough to sway me entirely to the dark side.

4. not waterproof

Sometimes I wish I could draw a nice bubblebath and take my Clara HD in with me for a chill night in, but alas it’s not meant to be. I also get a bit anxious whenever I have a drink nearby. Some Kobo models are waterproof, but the Clara HD is not.

***

do I wish I bought a Kindle instead?

Not really. The pdf thing bugs me every now and then, but the other pros of having a Kobo outweigh the cons for me. Again, I discuss this in more detail in my original review.

***

will I ever go back to paper books?

Probably not! The ability to transiently highlight, transfer those highlights to my computer (even if I have to employ non-native sneaky ways), and adjust font size are things I’ve come to expect from the reading experience. I’d immediately miss them if they were gone.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Kobo Clara HD (or any other Kobo device) you can follow this link to the Kobo website (not an affiliate link). Alternatively, they are also sold at Chapters and Indigo (this one neither).

As always, feel free to discuss in the comments below or reach out via the contact form. I’d love to hear from you!

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