Choosing The Best eReader Device – Color or E-Ink?

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Color or E-Ink

If you’re on the search for the best eReader device then you’ll have to choose between a color screen or e-Ink. The latter is designed to look more like a book, whereas the former gives you more options for viewing multimedia and pictures. Here’s a guide to the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help you make your decision when deciding which is the best one to buy for you.

Is Eyestrain An Issue For You?

The first issue that many people bring up with color eReader screens is eyestrain. Because they use an LCD, like a computer does, this can lead to your eyes getting tired after a while. E-Ink, on the other hand, is not back-lit and does not make use of a refreshing image – so your eyes won’t get tired.

The issue of eyestrain is a tricky one, as many people don’t believe it exists at all. Barnes and Noble, for example, did a lot of research before releasing the Nook Color, and state that they don’t believe eyestrain to be an issue. It depends on you personally.

Battery Life Can Make Your Decision For You

Nobody can deny that the battery life is vastly improved with e-Ink screens over LCD screens. This is because e-Ink screens only uses battery to turn the page, whereas the LCD screens uses it constantly just to keep the page displaying on the screen. If battery life is a concern, the best eReader device will have an e-Ink screen.

Page Turning And Other Functions

Where e-Ink falls short is the fact that page turns are far slower. You’ll notice that the whole screens flashes dark for a second when you turn the page, and that it can be slow to browse through text or quickly skip a number of pages at once. This isn’t an issue with LCD screens, and LCD screens have the potential to perform more complex features as a result.

Do You Read In Sunlight or Darkness?

Lastly, if you’re the kind of person who travels a lot and likes to read on the beach, you’ll be better off with e-Ink. LCDs are notoriously difficult to read in bright daylight due to reflections, whereas e-Ink looks just like a real book. On the other hand, the back-light of LCD screens mean you can read in the dark, whereas you’ll need to purchase a separate reading light if you want to do the same with e-Ink.

As you can see, there is no best eReader screen, it certainly comes down to personal preference. Those who want their eBooks to perform as much like real books as possible often opt for e-Ink, as it’s easier on the eyes and looks great in the sun. Those who want faster performance, or the ability to see color photos, will choose color eReader screens.

I also think those who are used to LCD computer screens may possibly wonder what all the fuss is about if they are used to the few problems regarding the color screens. Those that love regular books will probably prefer the E-Ink. So which one is the best ereader for you? Only you can answer that one!