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The new Kobo Elipsa 2E costs $399.99 and includes a screen with the same 10.3-inch E Ink Carta display as its predecessor. However, the front light now has an adjustable color temperature, which is a significant addition for reading comfortably in a variety of lighting circumstances. Aside from that, it provides a marginal improvement to the processing speed, maintains the preceding level of storage capacity, and is produced using recycled materials.
It is light and well-made, and it has a sensitive pen, built-in support for the OverDrive library borrowing system, and extensive file compatibility, just like the first Elipsa. The Amazon Kindle Scribe ($339.99) is still the sole large-screen e-reader for dedicated Amazon customers who have large Kindle collections. However, the Elipsa 2E is the best bet for anyone who wants to read books and comics from other sources as well as take notes, which is why it has earned our choice.
Kobo Elipsa 2E Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 10.3-inch E Ink Carta touchscreen |
| Resolution | 1404 x 1872 pixels |
| Storage Capacity | 32GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 weeks |
| Stylus Support | Built-in Wacom technology |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8 rating) |
Kobo Elipsa 2E: Design and Display
The fact that Kobo uses as much recycled plastic as possible to make its new products is a good thing. As we already said, 85% of the Elipsa 2E’s body is made from recycled plastic, some of which would have ended up in our seas. Kobo is not the only company to do this. The Amazon Kindle Scribe is made of 100% recycled metal and 48% recycled plastic.
If you compare the Kindle Scribe and the Elipsa 2E side by side, you’ll see that the Kindle Scribe’s metal body gives it a lot of power, while the Elipsa 2E’s all-plastic body makes it feel a little dull. The Elipsa is lighter than the Kindle Scribe because it is made of plastic (390g vs. 433g), and even with the sleepcover on, I found it easier to hold than the Kindle Scribe while reading in bed or on the couch. The Elipsa 2E, on the other hand, isn’t the same width all the way around like the Kindle. Instead, it tapers down from the big bezel to a thinner edge that fits into the sleepcover made just for this model. You can buy this tablet from its official website
Pen and Writing
The pen is the worst thing about the Elipsa 2E. On paper, the pen looks like it should be one of the best parts of the set. After all, it has a button and an eraser on the back. And it comes with the deal. Amazon, Boox, and ReMarkable don’t have that much to give. So what’s going wrong? First, you have to charge the pen, which is different from other computer styli that don’t need batteries. This is a small issue, but it’s worth bringing up because there’s no clear way to see how much battery is left in the pen.
The fact that the pen had to be charged was annoying, but the fact that the pen tip didn’t always work right was even worse. Sometimes, the writing process was right on. We knew exactly where our pen strokes would end up, so it was easy to write and draw on. At other times, usually when the Elipsa 2E was in its case or in our hands, there were only a few millimeters between our tip and the stroke on the screen.
Kobo Elipsa 2E: Battery life
The 2400mAh cell is big for an eReader, so it should be able to live up to Kobo’s claim that it can last for “weeks on a single charge.” But you can only do that if you turn off Wi-Fi, keep the light low, and don’t take many notes.
You shouldn’t do any of those things if you want to get the most out of the Elipsa 2E. So, a more realistic time between full charges is around two weeks. Still, that’s very amazing, and you won’t have to worry about battery life on the Elipsa 2E.
Price and availability
At start, the only Kobo Elipsa 2E model is the one with 32GB of storage, which costs $399.99/£349.99. In the US and UK, you can buy it from the Kobo website. That sounds like a lot, but it’s only a little more expensive than the cheapest Kindle Scribe ($339.99/£329.99). The 32GB version of Amazon’s eReader costs $389.99/£379.99.
The Kobo Stylus 2 comes with the Elipsa 2E, but the company’s SleepCover costs an extra $69.99/£69.99. You can’t really compare it to most standard eReaders, but you should also think about the ReMarkable 2 (from $279/£279) and Huawei MatePad Paper (€499, about $530/£420).
Final Words
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is a great eReader that can be used to read and take notes. One of the best parts is the sharp 10.3-inch E Ink display, which, along with the great speed, makes for a great user experience.
But the Elipsa 2E stands out from its competitors because of its software. You can make notes right on any book using the pen that comes with it. You can also read web articles you’ve saved to Pocket or get eBooks from your local library. But there aren’t as many good audiobooks, and there are some bugs in the program. You’ll also have to do without anything to keep water out.
Kobo Elipsa 2E review: The good and The bad
The Good
- Versatile writing tools
- Eco-friendly body
The Bad
- Expensive
FAQs
The Elipsa E-Note from Kobo now comes with a Warm Light option as a software update.
Only the Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Clara 2E, and Kobo Elipsa 2E can use dark mode. Note that the colors are not turned around. To turn on Dark mode, tap the middle of the screen while reading.
