I love Kobo’s E Ink writing tablets, but there’s one crucial area where Kindle lets them get beat
Having tested ereaders for about seven years now, I can honestly say I’ve tried most models from the mainstream brands: Amazon Kindle, Kobo, reMarkable, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. These companies make some of the best ereaders and writing tablets, but I favor a Kobo because of the user interface and the fact that I can borrow ebooks from public libraries in Sydney, Australia (where I’m based). I also have a Kobo Plus subscription.
Currently my daily e-ink device is the Kobo Elipsa 2E. I prefer the writing features to the Kindle Scribe, and the interface is much sleeker than any Onyx Boox device I’ve tested. It also gives me a screen light that the reMarkable 2 doesn’t have, so I can read in bed at night or jot down an idea at 2am without turning on the lights.
However, if you were to ask me for an e-paper writing tablet recommendation, I’d probably suggest something other than the Elipsa 2E, for one simple reason: how the Kobo Stylus 2 feels on screen. If Kobo can fix one little bit of hardware, I dare say that all of the Japanese-Canadian brand’s writing tablets – the Libra Colour, the Kobo Sage and the Elipsa 2E – would become my most recommended devices.
That little hardware bit is the point or tip of the stylus.
Do it gently
While most brands use plastic for the styli tips, the Kobo Stylus 2 has a harder tip than those of Amazon’s Basic and Premium Pens, Onyx Boox’s Pen Plus, and reMarkable’s Markers. The softer plastic allows the device to glide very smoothly over the various E Ink screens of the respective writing tablets, and this is especially true for the 2022 Kindle Scribe (we have yet to fully test the new 2024 Kindle Scribe).
The Kobo Stylus 2, on the other hand, creates a lot more friction than any other brand I’ve tested. It’s not really reminiscent of a pen – fountain or ballpoint – on paper, because it feels like you’re actually writing on a sheet of plastic. But let me be clear: the overall writing experience on the Elipsa 2E, the Kobo Libra Color, and even the Sage isn’t that bad; it’s just that the other brands are doing better.
That said, I think the harder nib can also mean there isn’t as much wear compared to the softer nibs. When I first started using the Elipsa 2E, I noticed that the tip of the Stylus 2 started to show signs of wear quite quickly (within a few days), but then it disappeared and in the year I’ve been using it, that is no longer the case. it hasn’t gotten worse.
That may be because I don’t put as much pressure on the pens when writing as I’ve seen other people do. Take my colleague’s experience as an example: Philip uses the reMarkable 2 for notes and “burns through the plastic pen nubs (sic) faster than expected”. So he turned to third-party titanium alternatives, which unfortunately ultimately turned out to be a “pen-wrecking mistake.” I have another friend who got through the reMarkable’s Marker Plus tip in about two months, almost flattening him! This may sound like something surprising, but I’ve seen similar conditions on Kindle Scribe Pens.
The pen is mightier
Kobo is no stranger to redesigning its digital pen. The first version of the Kobo Stylus was a pen powered by AAAA batteries, which meant it was a bit on the heavy side. Additionally, most people would probably have a spare AA or AAA battery lying around, not necessarily an AAAA. So you not only had to take into account the ongoing costs of replacing the nib, but also the battery.
This older pen did not have an eraser on the top, but had a button on the side (or is that ‘length’ on a cylindrical object?) near where the thumb would be. There was also a second button nearby to use as a highlighter.
Debuting in April 2023 with the Elipsa 2E, the Kobo Stylus 2 was a significant improvement over its predecessor. The battery is gone; instead, a USB-C port keeps it topped up, so it’s both lighter and a little bit thinner by comparison. There’s an eraser on the top of the Stylus 2, so it only has one button for highlighting. I also like the touch of white on the eraser – it adds to the design aesthetic, I think.
If Kobo is still interested in innovations, the one change I would really like to see is a softer nib for a potential Stylus 3 that offers a smoother writing experience. Although I hope this doesn’t come at the expense of having to replace it often.