Kobo Clara Colour review
A colour E Ink screen for comics and highlights, and a realistic description of what colour E Ink actually looks like.
The verdict
Give the Clara Colour to a reader who wants comics, illustrated books or colour highlighting, or who borrows heavily from a library, because Kobo handles open formats and library lending more gracefully than a Kindle. Skip it if they read plain novels and already buy from Amazon, where a Kindle is simpler and the colour adds nothing.
Kobo Clara Colour Colour eReader, 6 in Kaleido 3, White
~$160
A 6 inch colour E Ink e-reader with a Kaleido 3 display, dark mode, waterproofing, audiobook support and 16GB of storage.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Display | 6 in glare-free colour E Ink Kaleido 3 |
|---|---|
| Colour uses | Book covers, comics, graphic novels and illustrations |
| Highlighting | Multiple highlight colours, viewable by chapter |
| Modes | Dark mode option |
| Water | Waterproof |
| Audio | Audiobook support |
| Storage | 16GB |
Specifications above come from Kobo's published feature list. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Colour E Ink is the only way to read comics and illustrated books on a screen that still works in sunlight and runs for weeks.
- Kobo handles the common open ebook format directly, which makes library borrowing and buying from other stores far less awkward than on a Kindle.
- Multiple highlight colours sound trivial and are the feature students and non-fiction readers use constantly.
- Waterproofing means baths, pools and beaches, which is where a lot of reading actually happens.
- Audiobook support means one device covers both reading and listening.
Where it falls short
- Colour E Ink is muted. It is not a tablet screen, the colours are desaturated, and anyone expecting vivid comics will be disappointed. This is the technology, not the device.
- Colour resolution is lower than the black and white resolution on the same panel, so fine coloured detail is softer.
- A 6 inch screen is small for comics regardless of colour. Full-page comic reading wants a larger device.
- Kobo's store is smaller than Amazon's, and someone with an existing Kindle library cannot bring it across.
- It is a less familiar ecosystem, which matters if the recipient will need help using it.
What owners report
Reports on colour E Ink converge on one honest point: it is genuinely useful and it is not vivid. Readers who understood that in advance are pleased; readers who expected tablet colour are not. Saying so plainly is the most useful thing a review of this device can do.
The second theme is the ecosystem, which is the real decision rather than the screen. Our Kindle versus Kobo comparison covers it properly: Kobo is friendlier to libraries and open formats, Kindle is simpler and better integrated with the largest bookstore. Choose based on where the recipient already gets books.
The third is size. For comics and graphic novels specifically, 6 inches is small no matter what the panel does. If comics are the main reason for the gift, a larger colour reader is the better fit even though it costs more.
Who it suits
- Heavy library borrowers, especially outside the Amazon ecosystem.
- Readers of comics, manga or illustrated non-fiction who accept muted colour.
- Students and non-fiction readers who highlight.
Who should skip it
- Anyone with an existing Kindle library, which cannot move across.
- Readers of plain novels, for whom colour adds cost and nothing else.
- Anyone expecting tablet-quality colour.
Alternatives worth considering
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB
~$220
A larger 7 inch screen, longer battery and the smoothest possible experience if they already buy from Amazon and read text rather than comics.
Check price on AmazonBose QuietComfort Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
~$249
If most of their books are audiobooks, good headphones do more for them than any reader.
Check price on AmazonAURA HD Digital Picture Frame, Carver Mat
~$179
Similar money for a gift that works for someone who does not read but would like to see family photos daily.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
What does colour E Ink actually look like?
Muted. Kaleido 3 adds a colour filter over an E Ink panel, so colours are desaturated compared with any tablet or phone, and coloured detail is softer than black text on the same screen. It is genuinely useful for covers, highlights and comics, and it is not vivid.
Kobo or Kindle: which is the better gift?
Kobo if they borrow from libraries, buy from multiple stores or want colour. Kindle if they already buy from Amazon and want the simplest experience. The ecosystem is the decision, and it is not easily reversed once they have bought books.
Can you borrow library books on a Kobo?
Kobo works directly with the common open ebook format and with the main library lending systems, which is generally smoother than the Kindle route outside the United States. Check what your recipient's library actually supports before buying.
Is 6 inches big enough for comics?
Not really, for full-page comic reading. It works for manga and for illustrated non-fiction, and a larger colour reader is the honest recommendation if comics are the main purpose.
Does it play audiobooks?
Yes, it supports audiobooks, which means one device covers both reading and listening. Bluetooth headphones or a speaker are needed, since there is no speaker built in.
Keep reading
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. Confirm current prices and specifications before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.