If you want to read PDF documents (academic papers, newspaper articles, scanned books, etc.), you need to be aware that not all e-readers have the same PDF reading capabilities. Some come with a fairly minimal PDF-reading software, while others are better suited at opening and displaying a PDF, or make it easy to install a third party software that will make the reading experience great.
This article focuses on the PDF-reading capabilities of “consumer” e-readers on the market, i.e. the ones you’ll find on most shops and on online retailers such as Amazon, which are produced by companies that have been making e-readers for years and are conceived to read digital books, but can also – and sometimes very well – allow you to read and even annotate PDF documents.
Screen size and type
Not all e-readers have the same screen size. While most have 6-inch screens, some are larger, up to 7.8 or 10.3 inches. While a 6-inch e-reader is perfect for reading epub or mobi files, it’s too small for PDFs, even if it can work fine for some books, such as novels or mangas. For greater versatility (for example if you want to read non fiction, academic articles, or documents in A4 format, a bigger screen is preferable. In my opinion, an 8-inch diagonal is the absolute minimum, and a device with a 10-inch screen will allow you to read most documents comfortably.
Indeed, PDF is a specific format that imposes a certain layout – and this is one of its charms, as this makes a PDF document closer to a paper book than an eBook a flexible layout (ePub, Mobi, etc.) that can be read very comfortably on small diagonals. It’s therefore important to define the type of PDF documents you plan to read: this will help you determine whether a large screen is necessary or not on your eReader.
You also have to take into account that there isn’t only one e-Ink screen tech. Most e-readers have a “Carta” screen. This is made with a thin sheet of glass, that means that the screen can break if your eReader falls on the floor. Larger format e-readers (from 8 inches upwards) are often – but not always – built around a “Mobius” screen, which uses a different technology: it is glassless – possibly foldable – and therefore much more resistant.
This should be taken into account, as the type of screen used has a major impact on the lifespan of your e-reader, as it is the most fragile component, increasing the ecological impact of your device in the event of breakage; and you have to know that the cost of repair is in general pretty close to the price of a new device. If you decide to go for an e-reader equipped with a Carta screen, be sure to carry it protected!
Software capabilities for PDF reading
The hardware side of the most devices is not what differs the most : all eReaders have roughly the same processor and RAM (that’s a totally different story for e-Ink tablets!). It’s the firmware, the device’s internal software, that brings the biggest differences : while some e-readers can read PDFs comfortably out of the box the software on some models is too limited. The quality of the apps the device comes with, or the ability to easily install a third-party reader, is more important than CPU performance, and maybe even than the size of the e-reader’s screen, for those looking to choose the right device to open files in this format!
That’s why we are going to take a look at the reading capabilities of the main e-readers on the market: Kindle, Kobo and Pocketbook. If you’d like to find out more about e-Ink devices dedicated to reading and annotating PDF files or e-Ink tablets that are usually more suitable for this task than than consumer e-readers, I’d advise you to read our article on these devices, which are more expensive but (inevitably) more powerful than consumer e-readers (which can nonetheless work great for most users!).
Reading PDFs with a Kindle e-reader.
The PDF reading capabilities of Kindles is really good. A kindle can be a very good choice. But with device from Amazon you are somewhat tied to their ecosystem unlike the e-readers we’ll look at next, which will open almost any file you throw at it. That said, this isn’t a real problem, given that with a free software named Calibre, you can quickly convert .epub files into .mobi or .azw3 (files that are easy to open on a Kindle) ans then send them to your device in a matter of seconds. With its 8-inch diagonal, the Kindle Oasis offers a great bang for the buck if you plan to read PDF documents on an occasional basis.
If you want to read PDF documents on a more regular basis, you’ll be better off with the Kindle Scribe, which not only lets you read these documents, but makes it possible to annotate them with a stylus. The experience isn’t similar to what the most sophisticated e-Ink tablets offer, but it’s perfectly usable, and the device’s value for money is impossible to beat. Sftware updates are guaranteed over the long term, and Amazon’s customer support is good, making the purchase of a Kindle a fairly safe investment in the long run.
In terms of UI, Kindle e-readers are among the most responsive and pleasant devices to use on the market; and if you want to read formats other than PDF, all you have to do is convert your books (ePub, etc) to azw3. Not so complicated once you get used to it!
Kobo e-readers & PDF reading.
Reading a PDF on a Kobo e-reader isn’t as comfortable as it is on a Kindle. It is possible to install koreader, an alternative reader adapted to PDF, but you then have to open the reader, select the files to be read: you can’t launch your PDFs directly in Koreader, browsing your files from nickel, Kobo’s system. It’s sad, because otherwise Kobo makes excellent readers!
For years, I’d have said that unless you’re willing to install Koreader, a Kobo isn’t the right device for PDF reading. The Kobo Elipsa is a game changer, because with a bigger screen, the limitations of Kobo’s software isn’t a real problem anymore : the 10″ screen makes it possible to read most PDF documents comfortably. Kobo e-readers are much more open than a Kindle: you can read most file formats by default, and can easily install a third-party reader if required. In my opinion, buying a Kobo e-reader is a better choice for those who aren’t tied to the Amazon ecosystem and don’t have dozens of books in their Kindle library. With a Kobo e-reader, you can easily read books downloaded from various platforms, as well as PDFs you’ve created yourself. The interface is very nice to use, UI is great and the software support is very good over the long term.
What about PocketBook/Inkpad?
The PocketBook Inkpad 4 is a great alternative for those looking to read PDF documents on a tight budget: this e-reader features a 7.8″ Carta screen and comes with a very user-friendly reading app. If that’s not good enough for you, you can very easily install alternative software (like koreader), and choose which software will open which file type, just like you’d do on a computer. You can open your epubs with the native reader, and your pdfs with koreader.
That being said, its 7.8-inch screen, while perfect for fiction and PDF documents with wide margins, will be limited for A4 documents or academic articles, even if it is possible to read them in “landscape” mode. For those wishing to read this kind of documents, a dedicated 10″ or larger e-reader would be more appropriate. Pocketbook does offer a device in this diagonal, the Inkpad X, bu it seems to me that for this price it’s better to look at what Kobo or Kindle have to offer, as these readers allow you to annotate documents and their interface is more polished.
Conclusion: which e-reader brand is best for reading PDFs?
With the arrival of 10-inch models that make it easy and comfortable to read most PDF documents, the two main manufacturers of this sector, Amazon and Kobo, are clearly leading the way. The Kobo Elipsa seems preferable to the Kindle Scribe if you value openness and want to read files of all origins on your e-reader as easily as possible. If you plan to buy most of your books from Amazon, a Kindle Scribe will be great and will come with the Kindle store integrated out of the box.
A Pocketbook reader is a great alternative : on this device, it is really easy to install a third-party reading app, and this makes the Inkpad 4 an ideal choice for those who want to read PDFs and have a small budget. With its 8″ screen, it is very light and easy to carry.
For professional or academic use, these e-readers can be too limited… E-Ink tablets are focused not only on reading, but also on writing and are great for note taking as well as annotating documents. If such a device can be of interest to you, I recommend reading our article dedicated to the best e-Ink tablets for reading and annotating PDFs.