Kobo released a new 6-inch ebook reader last month called the Kobo Clara 2E. It’s an upgraded version of the Kobo Clara HD that was released in 2018. Here’s a quick comparison review outlining the differences between the two.
I have the same software installed on both devices, version 4.34.20097, and both are using the new Rakuten Serif font in the video to compare the screens.
Both have the same 1GHz processor, and overall response times for navigating menus, opening books, turning pages is identical. There is no speed improvement with the Clara 2E.
The frontlights are pretty much the same as well. The lights have slightly different color tones on my Clara 2E, but that’s common among devices of the same generation so that’s not unexpected. I can’t say one is better than the other, just slightly different.
Kobo Clara 2E Upgrades
- 16GB of storage instead of 8GB
- Added Bluetooth for audiobook support
- Waterproof
- Carta 1200 E Ink screen (slightly darker blacks)
- Dual-band WiFi support added
- USB-C port
- Dark Mode officially supported
The overall dimensions are slightly different, just enough to make it so covers aren’t interchangeable: Kobo Clara HD measurements: 110 x 159.6 x 8.35 mm; Kobo Clara 2E measurements: 112.05 x 159.02 x 8.66 mm.
The Clara 2E has a newer Carta 1200 screen, so blacks are a bit darker than the Clara HD, and it helps make the text stand out a little more. The difference is very subtle but it is noticeable under certain lighting conditions.
Conclusion
It’s interesting how similar the Clara 2E is to the Clara HD. Looking at them from the front the two are virtually indistinguishable from each other. The Clara 2E has a blue back so it’s easy to tell it from behind, and they moved the power button from the bottom to the back, which helps avoid accidentally hitting the power button.
Most of the changes are very subtle, which is kind of surprising considering the Clara HD was released nearly four and a half years ago now. I guess Kobo really likes that design and didn’t feel like much needed changing. The upgrades are nice but when it comes to reading ebooks both models pretty much perform identically.
The Clara 2E at least does Dark Mode more easily than the workaround on the first Clara. It’s nice to be able to use the same charging cords for all of my Kobo devices . Those two reasons are why I upgraded from the original Clara.
Before you buy the Clara 2E, make sure you really want it. I’m trying to return mine and it’s a nightmare. I’ve spoken with them 4 times across 10 days. They keep saying, “It’s in progress, be patient, we’ll email you.” My guess is another 2 weeks and they will tell me “Oh, too bad, you missed the 30-day return window.”
Seriously bad customer service.
Always buy Kobo from Walmart, they are simple to return. Especially if there is a store nearby, takes minutes, no shipping.
Lesson learned, to be sure. I was lazy. Ordered online, no problem. Nearest Walmart is 45 minutes away.
I have returned defective Kobo products before and have never had any problems with their customer service. I have never called them, always have used the chat process and have been very satisfied. I guess it all depends on which Kobo rep you have reached.
You should be sure you want anything before you buy it. People who abuse Amazon’s 30-day return policy and use it as some kind of try-before-you-buy feature make everything more difficult and more expensive for the rest of us.
Nathan. Thank you so much for the comprehensive comparison between the original Kobo Clara HD (issue around 2018, I think) and the more recent model (about 2022-23). I currently have the original model but dropped it and the case is getting less & less stable (cracked, separating from eReader) and so I’ve decided to replace it while it’s still working rather than waiting until it’s no longer useable (I’m a voracious reader & will be lost without my eReader : ( The majority of the reviews of the Clara were based on it vs Kindle, several saying the Clara’s performance was sluggish. However, your observations between the Kobo Clara models reassured me that there isn’t likely to be a huge difference in my experience with its performance. Thanks! This was just the information I needed to make an informed decision : )
The new Clara BW is even faster than the Clara 2E, and is pretty much on par with the Kindle Paperwhite now. It’s also repairable and they sell replacement casings, among other parts, so that could be fixed if it happened again.
Thanks for mentioning that it can be repaired. I noticed that when I was researching my replacement choices. I like that option & hope Canada will enact some legislation similar to EU regarding repair (rather than having to replace) for many more appliances.
I purchased the new model Kobo Clara. It’s quite nice & certainly works well!!! Glad to hear it’s even faster. However, one con, for me, is that I couldn’t choose to setup via USB/computer; instead I was forced to use wifi. This resulted in ALL my Kobo Library either downloading or being listed as available for downloading on the new Clara. I prefer to have control on which books I download for reading. The Kobo developers & I don’t see eye-to-eye on the approach to download management. Sigh.
Thank you for your review & comments.