![]() ![]() The lighting system in the Clara HD is good – it’s evenly spread across the display and can go both really light and really dark. Instead, it features a front-light system that brightens the display and makes it possible to read in the dark. ![]() However, the fact that it’s an E Ink panel also means it isn’t naturally backlit. Text looks crisp, and since this is an E Ink display, there’s no risk of suffering eye-strain like you do if reading for hours on an LCD. ![]() The 300ppi, 6-inch Carta E Ink screen matches the Kindle Paperwhite for specs and for quality too. The design of the Kobo Clara HD might be strange, but at least the screen is a pleasure to read on. I could comfortably hold the device one-handed for a two-hour train journey – something that isn’t so easy to do with the bulkier Kindle. It’s about as tall as a Samsung Galaxy S9 phone, only a lot wider, and it’s super-light at just 166g. This is one of the most compact e-readers around, and it’s dinky enough to comfortably slip inside my coat pocket. What the Clara HD does have over the Paperwhite is its size. Add an IP rating here and it would instantly offer something that the similarly priced Kindles are lacking. The Clara HD also lacks any sort of waterproofing, which until the latest generation of the Kindle Oasis was one of Kobo’s unique features. It lacks the grip and durability of the rubbery matte plastic of the Paperwhite, or even the cheaper Kindle, and feels like it would pop off if the device were accidentally dropped onto the floor. It becomes greasy and sweaty on being held for long periods, plus the pattern itself is just odd. The rear is a weird textured plastic that both looks and feels horrible. Flip it over, however, and you’ll see exactly why Kobo shouldn’t have veered from the ‘safe’. On the front, the design is about as generic as you can get. The screen is recessed into the body and there’s a distinct lack of page-turning buttons. This is a fairly standard black plastic rectangle, with a micro-USB port for power and a squishy power button flanking it. The Kobo Clara HD rarely strays from the predictable – except in areas it probably shouldn’t. While pricier e-readers, such as the Kindle’s £249 Oasis, have attempted to be a little more exciting with their designs, the majority have stuck to a fairly generic blueprint. ![]()
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