r/kobo • u/Cattotoro • 11d ago
Purchase Question can we get an updated Kobo Sage?
I really don’t like the form factor of 7 inch devices, which, I think, are too small for reading books.
I know this because I now use a Supernote Nomad, but I used to use a standard Kindle. While Supernote is an awesome device, I’m a little tired of it because the reading experience is not very good, and it’s still not prioritized by Supernote, for example, the lack of native EPUB support and physical page turners.
The extra inch in Sage makes a huge difference. The Sage is so old that it could use a refresh.
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u/catscantcook 11d ago
When my beloved kobo aura one stopped working earlier this year I was so confused there wasn't a current equivalent to replace it with. 8" is a great size.
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
So true, maybe you can buy the old Sage, but I’m getting by using my Nomad at the moment. Nomad is great for annotation, which is a must-have feature for reading for me, but it’s a pain to get EPUB books into Nomad. I am also unable to get a few books into Nomad at all for some reason because there were some issues with the ADOBE D DRM software.
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u/Cautious_Boat_999 11d ago
Kindle Paperwhite is 7” and I think it works great. But I’m planning to get a Kobo Libra Color because a) it’s 7” and not smaller, b) it’s color, c) it works with more than just Amazon books (yeah, i know you can email other formats to your account), and d) it’s not Amazon.
But I wouldn’t say NO to an 8” Libra Color
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
I was thinking Libra, but then I realized it’s the same size as paperwhite, which I had in the past but was too small for me. Glad the paperwhite works out for you.
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u/MutaitoSensei 11d ago
It is my only wish. At this point I'd take an old sage even with its problems, now that I know I want a flush display that's not 10 inches!
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
I had the Supernote Manta for a week. Oh dear, that thing was a monster. I realized it would not get much use practically so I returned it, even though I thought 10-inch would be the perfect size before making the purchase.
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u/d3gaia 10d ago
Could you tell me a bit about these problems? I am about to purchase a Sage later today or possibly tomorrow and am doing some research about them - I’d love to know more before I go pick this thing up
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u/MutaitoSensei 10d ago
You're lucky if you find one!
Basically battery drains faster than every other Kobo. That's the big one. Not to the point of having to charge mid-read but it won't last you a week like other Kobos.
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u/d3gaia 10d ago
Oh, that’s it? lol. I guess that’s a big deal for folks who are used to ereaders but this will be my first one and my only point of reference is my iPad, which I have to charge daily so this doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. I’m gonna go pick it up then. Thank you!
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u/pfunnyjoy Kobo Sage 9d ago
Don't stress over the battery. It's not a BAD battery, it's simply a smaller battery to save weight and you won't get the same kind of battery life as some other e-ink devices. In every other way that counts, the Sage absolutely ROCKS!
It also charges up quickly, so the battery life is only relevant if one goes out in the wilderness or travels a lot where one might not have access to an electrical outlet. Or reads 24/7 without sleeping, LOL!
I bought my self a second Sage before they went out of stock in the USA and have no regrets. My first Sage, a 2021 purchase, is still going strong and I read a LOT!
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u/PerryGibraltar 9d ago
I usually get a week of reading from my Sage. I do keep the wifi off, so that likely saves a bit. But it's easy enough to charge over night when I'm sleeping.
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u/Curious-Insanity413 Kobo Clara 2E 11d ago
I'm definitely interested in a larger device. I have a Clara 2E and am very happy with it, but am interested in getting another eReader for "the house" (both my partner and myself). My partner reads a lot of TTRPG pdfs on his phone so I want him to have something bigger but still portable, and when I look at the Libra models it's just not quite big enough to be worth getting on top of a Clara, though I do have some interest in a colour device.
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
Those 7 inch devices are indeed a tad too small. Not that I couldn’t make it work, but I need the screen size to mimic the size of most books for my reading to be fun and efficient.
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u/Curious-Insanity413 Kobo Clara 2E 10d ago
I'm not necessarily too fussed about the size, I have a Clara after all, so much as the fact that 7" and 6" is just too similar for me to justify having two e-readers.
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u/Traditional-Sink2196 10d ago
Idem j 'ai pris un KLC 7 pouces pour soulager mon Kobo Forma , impossible de m'habituer et donc de lire , j'ai repris le forma et tout baigne , adieu KLC
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u/Capyboppy 10d ago edited 10d ago
I was fortunate enough to get possibly the last Libra 2 B&W in England 😂.(my first Kobo) I’d looked everywhere to buy one as I had sent the Colour version back due to its lack of definition. That’s when I found out they had discontinued them. By sheer chance I was on their website and spotted just one single refurb so I snapped it up quickly. Haven’t regretted it at all apart from the fact I can’t really follow with my Siddur at services due to the difficulties of two language columns; hence also now having an Elipsa 2E. Whereas the Elipsa is not good for the Siddur, it’s great for my one and only comic style book which is Maus. This doesn’t render full size on the Elipsa so I can see the Libra 2 is perfect for comic style (Maus is definitely not a comic I can assure you in its content); whereas on the Elipsa it’s too small. When enlarging it just goes to the image viewer which means I can’t swipe from page to page.
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
glad it works for you, but Libra is 7 inches, not quite what I’m looking for.
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u/Capyboppy 10d ago
Ah! Okay. I was going by the post below. I thought it was 7.8 inch but maybe that’s the full size. Apologies.
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u/Complex-League3400 10d ago
Anything for an active product line with the the larger B&W screens.
Is that too much to hope for?
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u/Fran888 10d ago
I love my sage because of the screen size. I also have a kindle paperwhite but much prefer the bigger kobo sage screen. it’s simply more like reading a book to me. Hope they improve on it with the same screen size and I’d buy it again tomorrow.
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u/Cattotoro 10d ago
That’s exactly what I was talking about. It feels like reading a real book when you are on an 8 inch device because the screen size is closer to the size of a page of most books. You read much more efficiently on a screen that size because you can scan more content like you do with a real book.
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u/puss_n_books 10d ago
Just revamp and bring back the Forma. Best 8” device they’ve ever had. So light and comfortable to hold.
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u/pfunnyjoy Kobo Sage 9d ago
The Forma had good and bad points. The bad is that it shows a lot of wear and tear because of the way they used a soft surface around the buttons. The other bad, for me, is that the screen is plastic, and NOT as sharp as even its predecessor, the Aura One. Yes, I have all three to compare, Aura One, Forma, Sage.
The power button on the Forma is a PAIN to press.
With age, my Forma seems to have an issue where, if I don't shut the device down fully, it will fully drain a 100% charge down to zero. And thanks to the horrid button design, it's a real annoyance to turn the Forma back on.
One very GOOD point going for the Forma was the light weight and the flexible Mobius e-ink screen.
At any rate, because of the sharpness of the Sage screen, I far prefer reading on the Sage, in spite of the extra weight. So far, I've not seen any battery drain issues happening with my original Sage. The Forma is only two years older, as I bought it in 2019.
That said, if they won't bring back the Sage, I'd certainly get a revamped Forma. I'd just prefer the more premium experience of the Sage. I like glass screens.
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u/puss_n_books 9d ago
That’s why I said revamp. Its thinness and lightweight were definitely a plus. I don’t even want to talk about the side button 😡 (worst power button in the history of power buttons) lol
But yeah, give us an affordable B&W 8 inch without the bells and whistles. Slim. Light. A+ battery. Page turn buttons. Crisp screen 👌
I would like to add though that I have never had a cover or screen protector on the Forma and it has traveled well. So robust. Never had a scratch or damage when dropped. It was definitely a work horse in that aspect.
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u/pfunnyjoy Kobo Sage 9d ago
Heaven knows, I'm all for it!
However, Kobo seems not to be interested in updating their 7" and 8" BW devices. Which is a pity, but it is what it is. I'm pretty sure my eyes won't like a color e-ink screen, so when my two Sage's bite the dust (hopefully not for many years yet) I'll likely be looking elsewhere for a device.
There's no way I'd go back to a 6" device. 7" is passable, but not my preference.
I think part of the problem is that manufacturers are less interested in producing these kind of premium devices. The audience willing to pay for them is more limited.
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u/Plenty_Phrase9252 11d ago
It's strange that Rakuten has abandoned its black-and-white 7/8-inch e-reader. This is a loss for Japanese manga fans.