Over on the ereader section of Kobo’s website, they have the new Kobo Elipsa 2E and the older Kobo Elipsa Pack listed side-by-side, and both are the same price at $399.99.
I can see this being confusing for potential buyers that don’t follow Kobo’s every move and know the differences between the two versions.
It’s entirely reasonable to see the “Kobo Elipsa Pack” and think it’s a better deal because it includes a cover like a typical bundle package, and it’s not very obvious they are two completely different models since they look exactly the same and the have the same name; the “2E” is a bit ambiguous considering it’s not normal to have an “E” planted at the end of a model generation number.
Frankly, there really isn’t a good reason to buy the Kobo Elipsa Pack now that the Kobo Elipsa 2E has come along, especially when they’re the same price.
If the Kobo Elipsa were $50 less than maybe it would make sense to get it instead, but it doesn’t make any sense to pay the same price for an outdated model even if it does include a cover, which a lot of people, myself included, don’t like anyway because it’s too big and bulky.
There are a few differences with the newer Kobo Elipsa 2E when it comes to hardware that may or may not make a difference to your usage scenario.
Most of the improvements are software related, but those will most likely come to the 1st gen Elipsa with a software update. We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out exactly what they’ll port over to the older model, but Kobo has a long history of supporting older models with software updates.
Below is a list of the main differences between the Kobo Elipsa 2E and the “Kobo Elipsa Pack” (the 1st gen Elipsa was only sold in a bundle package with a cover).
Kobo Elipsa 2E Differences
Adds warm frontlight so you can adjust the light temperature from cool to warm (the first gen Elipsa has a cool-colored frontlight only).
Different processor (2GHz vs 1.8GHz on the 1st gen), but that doesn’t always equate to improved performance on E Ink devices—we’ll have to wait and see once the Elipsa 2E gets released.
The “E” in 2E means the device is partially made from recycled plastic.
Kobo revised the stylus for the 2E. It has a redesigned tip and they added an eraser to the opposite end. The battery also recharges via USB now instead of having replaceable batteries like the previous version.
Unlike the 1st gen model, the Kobo Elipsa 2E does not come with a cover. Kobo is selling the cover separately this time and it’s been completely redesigned as well.
The overall dimensions and weight are slightly different, but not by enough to be noticeable.
All the other changes that Kobo lists are software related, so we won’t know the exact differences on that front (if there are any) until the next Kobo software update drops, which will probably happen soon since the Kobo Elipsa 2E is getting released on the 19th.
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