Should The Best eReader Come In Color or is e-Ink Better?

If you're on the search for the best eReader then you'll undoubtedly face two options: a color screen or e-Ink. The latter is designed to look more like a book, whereas the former gives you more options for viewing multimedia and pictures. Here's a guide to the pros and cons of each option to help you make your decision.

Eyestrain

The first issue that many people bring up with color eReader screens is eyestrain. Because they use an LCD, like a computer does, this can lead to your eyes getting tired after a while. E-Ink, on the other screen, is not backlit and does not make use of a refreshing image - so your eyes won't get tired.

The issue of eyestrain is a tricky one, as many people don't believe it exists at all. Barnes & Noble, for example, did a lot of research before releasing the Nook Color, and state that they don't believe eyestrain to be an issue. It depends on you personally.

Battery Life

Nobody can deny that the battery life is vastly improved with e-Ink screens over LCD screens. This is because the former only uses battery to turn the page, whereas the latter uses it constantly just to keep the page displaying on the screen. If battery life is a concern, the best eReader will have an e-Ink screen.

Page Turning And Other Functions

Where e-Ink falls short is the fact that page turns are far slower. You'll notice that the whole screens flashes dark for a second when you turn the page, and that it can be slow to browse through text or quickly skip a number of pages at once. This isn't an issue with LCD screens, and LCD screens have the potential to perform more complex features as a result.

Reading In Sunlight/ At Night

Lastly, if you're the kind of person who travels a lot and likes to read on the beach, you'll be better off with e-Ink. LCDs are notoriously difficult to read in bright daylight due to reflections, whereas e-Ink looks just like a real book. On the other hand, the backlight of LCD screens mean you can read in the dark, whereas you'll need to purchase a separate reading light if you want to do the same with e-Ink.

As you can see from this article, there is no best eReader screen: it all comes down to personal preference. Those who want their eBooks to perform as much like real books as possible often opt for e-Ink, as it's easier on the eyes and looks great in the sun. Those who want faster performance, or the ability to see color photos, will choose color eReader screens.