Wednesday, March 27

PocketBook InkPad Lite Review: Size Matters, But It’s Not Everything


In the summer of last year I was able to test the PocketBook InkPad Color for a few days, an electronic book reader that could display more than 4,000 colors, overcoming (in a way) the main stumbling block of electronic ink screens. It made PocketBook stand out as a manufacturer of this type of device beyond what we are used to seeing with Amazon and Kobo.

A year later we have not seen progress in this regard, but PocketBook has not been quiet. The brand also has the InkPad Lite as a more standard reader, looking to take on its competitors with a more traditional e-ink screen and a smaller size. We have been able to test it for a while and now we can offer you our conclusions.

PocketBook InkPad Lite, technical characteristics

pocketbook inkpad lite

dimensions

236 x 173 x 8mm

weight

369 grams

screen

Electronic ink E-Ink Carta

825 x 1200 Pixels (150 dpi)

9.7 inches with backlight

processor

two cores

RAM

512GB

storage

8GB

ebook formats

ACSM, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DJVU, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, EPUB(DRM), FB2, FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF, PDF (DRM), PRC, RTF, TXT

image formats

BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF

connectivity

Wifi

Bluetooth 5.1

battery

Lithium polymer, 2,200 mAh

operating system

Linux based

price

263.14 euros on Amazon

PocketBook InkPad Lite - Mist Gray

PocketBook InkPad Lite – Mist Gray

In a word: great

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Size

The peculiarity of this InkPad Lite is obvious as soon as you take it out of the box: is big. Very big. It is an e-book reader intended for those who want to see very large text or large amounts of it on each page they read. That already makes it special, it is not for everyone and much less for those who are looking for portability.

But just because it’s big doesn’t mean it’s heavy. Those 369 grams can be scary, but they are comfortable in the reader’s grip. Maybe with just one hand you can end up exhausting yourself, but with two hands the device can be used without problems during a good reading session.

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Rear

The finishes are in plastic, with a scratched back that prevents the InkPad Lite from slipping at the tips of our fingers (and gives it an elegant aesthetic contribution). Not having a metallic exterior takes away from a high-end feel, but the material is still robust enough for us to quickly trust it.

And speaking of materials: the InkPad Lite box is completely made of cardboard and the bag that protects the product is made of biodegradable organic plastic. Hopefully the rest of the brands take note for any of their devices.

The reader’s frames are quite thick (perhaps a bit too much for these times), but that allows our fingers to rest well on them without invading the screen. And in the case of a device of almost 10 inches, that ends up being appreciated. On the right side we have four buttons to navigate between the pages of the book, turn the device on and off and access the system screen. They are thin, but this way they avoid involuntary pulsations of our fingers and their tactile response is good.

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Port

The USB-C port is something that we appreciate and that we already ask of any e-book reader.

A good asset of this InkPad Lite is that it has a USB-C port, thus standardizing with the rest of the devices that have adopted this standard. A USB-C to USB-A cable is included but not a power adapter, in the style of the most modern models of many mobiles. We can use any that we have at home or even a computer: the reader will load without any problem. If you have a USB-C to USB-C cable, you can also use it with its corresponding adapter.

pocketbook inkpad lite microsd

The microSD card slot may be perfect for someone who prefers this to any content sync service.

Another good point is microSD card slot, which allows you to upload electronic books without the need to synchronize anything through services or applications. My own experience with some clients tells me that there are users who prefer to do it this way.

Screen: the size is appreciated but it is not everything

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Screen

A big screen, big pixels.

As I mentioned before, the screen and its dimensions are the main asset of this PocketBook InkPad Lite. And though size matters, also matters the quality and behavior of this screen. And we are not facing the best in these points.

The resolution of the InkPad Lite is 825 x 1200 pixels, which gives us a rather basic density of 150dpi. Whoever reads large-size text will not have a problem with this, but whoever is used to readers with a resolution and pixel density of 300dpi (typical of the Kindle Paperwhite or the Kobo Forma) will notice it right away. The pixels in the text are visible, and although this is not a reason to discard this reader, it does make lose points in the battle of the high ranges.

The response to the touches of our fingers is sufficient, but it is not the fastest we have seen. The page changes at approximately 0.5 seconds, it is not annoying at all, but again we find something more typical of mid-range than high-range.

Also Read  Vivo X Fold: a foldable beast with custom chip and periscope camera

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Options

The settings to modify the line spacing and the margin of the text on the screen are appreciated. Few readers give so many options.

The panel of this InkPad Lite is tactile, and we can press anywhere on the screen to turn the page. If we click on the upper right corner we will place a reading point to be able to resume it from there, and if we click on the upper left corner we will access the menus and options of the device. The side buttons also provide those functions for those who prefer not to touch the screen at all.

Reading is enjoyable in any situation, even in direct sunlight

In terms of brightness and color temperature there are no problems and reading is enjoyable in any situation. I have had no difficulty reading either in dark environments or in direct sunlight, and in a room with more yellowish lights (a higher color temperature), the panel has been adapted to make reading more relaxed without have noticed it at all.

Autonomy stands out again as a strong point of electronic ink

The big screen of the InkPad Lite It has not given me any problem in terms of battery. As with all e-ink readers, I’ve been able to use it for weeks without having to worry about charging it. And since it also charges through a USB-C port, I can forget about the included one and use the USB-C cable that I use to charge other devices.

The charging speed is not fast, but the autonomy makes that unnecessary. The best we can do with this reader (and with any other of its kind) is to leave it charging during a morning or afternoon that we do not use it and we can forget to do it again in several weeks. It will depend on whether we are book eaters or casual readers, but it is not something that should worry us in any case.

The software wants to be that of a complete tablet, but the hardware limits it

pocketbook inkpad lite browser

Enter Xataka from an ebook reader? Of course.

When it comes to actual book reading, the InkPad Lite’s system and interface is intuitive enough for everyone to get used to using it in just an hour or two. The cover shows the books that are available and we can press to access them.

The remarkable thing about this reader is that has a web browser included, which moves the InkPad Lite closer to a kind of basic tablet than a book reader. The function is not bad and can save us from a pinch in times when we have nothing else at hand, but I would discard it to use it on a regular basis. The screen’s reaction time is too long to navigate comfortably, and the single-color electronic ink is too limiting. Even so, it is curious and it may help us to read a long article that has interested us.

Also Read  Guide to buying on AliExpress in 2022: find the best deals and avoid scams and bad experiences

InkPad Lite Apps Seek to be a ReMarkable, but Overall Tablet Performance Prevents It

Also noteworthy is the presence of some basic applications such as a calendar, a notepad or a photo gallery. A hint of seeking the usability of electronic ink tablets for more general use such as reMarkable 2, but which does not achieve performance. We could find some use for it to the RSS reader for occasional use with some sourcesyes indeed.

pocketbook inkpad lite

As in other models of PocketBook readers, highlights the number of options we have for uploading e-books to the device beyond its official integrated store. We can do it through Dropbox, or we can even send them as attachments in an email message. We can also do it through an integrated MicroSD card, from which we can save books using a computer.

PocketBook InkPad Lite, Xataka’s opinion

Pocketbook Inkpad Lite Table

This InkPad Lite is in a difficult position. It has a great screen, but other than that it doesn’t excel in other features enough to be considered an experience. premium. They are 9.7 inches, but at a rather basic resolution and behavior. That leads me to say that this reader is suitable for those who want a big screen and nothing else, without more quality that makes the price of the device go up too much.

Its price of 263.14 euros (at Amazon) is also a challenge, because there are smaller screen readers but of much higher quality for considerably less money. It is a device that asks the buyer if he is willing to sacrifice quality, performance and a few extra euros just for that extra size. The challenge becomes more difficult when even modern tablets with LCD screens become cheaper.

Therefore, the recommendation to buy this InkPad Lite is purely for size, for those who need text at a good size. In that context, it can be a great companion for your nightstand or even your backpack if you don’t mind taking it on a trip.

PocketBook InkPad Lite - Mist Gray

PocketBook InkPad Lite – Mist Gray

The terminal has been loaned for testing by pocket book. You can check our company relations policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *