The Kobo Elipsa 2E is Rakuten’s answer to an eReader and a smart notebook. Combining reading, annotating, and note-taking activities within one device will appeal to students, educators, and those who endeavor never to stop learning. With an eco-conscious design, it boasts a composition of 85% recycled plastic, 10% of which would have been bound for the oceans, and a sleek design perfect for those on the go.
No attribution – Amazon screenshot
Kobo Elipsa 2E
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is an eReader with a large, 10.3-inch display with features that make it perfect for taking notes. It also comes with an excellent stylus that allows you to write, draw, and annotate PDFs and ebooks.
In The Box: A Complete Package
TheKobo Elipsa 2Eby Rakuten offers a combination of eReader and digital notebook in one slim package, which comes with everything you need to read and write using the Kobo Elipsa 2E as well as keep it protected during travel.
The Kobo Elipsa 2E Reader, accompanied by a manual, USB-C charging cord, a stylus, and two stylus replacement tips, is included in the basic package. A SleepCover is available for an additional cost to protect the screen and automatically turn off when not needed. It is important to note that a charging adapter is not included and will need to be purchased separately.
When fitted to the optional SleepCover accessory, you’ll also find a Kobo Stylus 2 magnetic attachment point. The SleepCover makes for a sleek and easy way to protect your device while also providing a secure location to store the stylus.
The device itself measures 193 x 227 x 7.5mm (7.60 x 8.94 x 0.30 inches). Weighing in at less than one pound, the thin and light design of the device makes it very easy to slip into the laptop sleeve portion of most backpacks and work bags. It also stacks well with other books, as the cover sits flush when open, and angles appropriately to avoid rocking when closed. This design also allows for ease when writing on the device with the cover attached.
The Kobo Elipsa 2E comes equipped with a large 10.3" E Ink Carta 1200 Touchscreen, offering 227 PPI 1404 x 1872 resolution, and features a dark mode and blue light reduction. The display allows for the adjustment of brightness as well as color temperature, making it customizable for use at any time of day or night. These features add up to a device that is much easier on eye strain than traditional screens. A large benefit of the screen is its matte finish, which is ideal for the use of a stylus and gives the surface a more paper-like feel.
For storage, it offers 32GB locally, and the ability to store content on the cloud, but there’s no microSD slot for expansion. It is both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, and the 2GHz CPU allows for minimal delay in page turning.
While only offered in one color—black—the design of the outer shell has a soft touch feel with texture to aid in gripping the device. When paired with the black SleepCover, it is easy to tote around, and the stylus remains secure within the cover.
Versatile Capabilities
The Kobo Elipsa 2E features an interface for note-takers which includes the ability to write directly onto eBooks and PDFs. For many, this may be the highlight of the device, as it allows for direct interaction with written content, all within a digital format.
The Elipsa 2E includes multiple notebook templates and a lasso tool for a user-friendly note-taking experience in portrait and landscape orientations. Notebook templates range from blank pages that are perfect for sketching to classic notebook paper lines, dotted pages, graphs for aiding in adding diagrams, and blocks for math equations. The lasso tool allows users to select text with the stylus, adding ease for cutting and copying text. Users can also convert handwritten notes to typed text and search for handwritten text as quick reference points when needed.
The Kobo Elipsa 2E allows for the organization of notes in local files, but due to its 32GB storage, it also allows you to share files via Kobo cloud services. With the added ability to export via Dropbox, this feature is highly beneficial for students or educators to easily store and share notes, diagrams, PDFs, and more with a group.
The 2GHz CPU allows for minimal delay when turning pages, while the large screen size makes the Kobo Elipsa 2E a great option for educational reading as content does not have to be rendered in such a small space. I also found that the improved speed of page turning compared to competing devices made for a more seamless experience.
Kobo’s TypeGenius feature allows content to be displayed in 12 fonts and more than 50 font styles. This feature was particularly helpful in customizing the experience for what I found to be the most straightforward font style to read.
Local libraries are consistently an excellent resource for accessible literary content. The Kobo Elipsa 2E capitalizes on this by supporting OverDrive directly on its platform.OverDriveis a common tool used by public libraries to easily disseminate digital content, such as eBooks, to their members. Not only does the Kobo Elipsa 2E allow users to read library books on the device, but library cardholders can access their library’s catalog directly on the device, which is a significant improvement in user accessibility for voracious readers.
If you do not wish to connect to your local library or purchase directly from the Kobo store, the Kobo Elipsa 2E also supports other common file formats such as:
However, it is important to note that if you choose to utilize your Kobo Elipsa 2E for audiobooks, you will need to pair it with headphones or a speaker; it doesn’t have an internal speaker. Additionally, Kobo audiobooks are only available in select regions.
User Experience
Compared to similar devices I’ve used, I found the Kobo Elipsa 2E was very quick to turn on, unlike many eReaders which have an initial delay. It was also quicker when turning pages, or changing from one publication to another.
Additionally, the device is designed very intuitively, which lends itself to quick adoption by users. It’s well organized and designed in a way most are accustomed to. For example, the stylus design has a working eraser on the end, which functions like a traditional pencil. The matte feel of the screen creates a paper-like surface for which to utilize the stylus, making the entire experience akin to using traditional pencil and paper. This led to a more pleasant experience than using a traditional glass screen tablet and smart stylus.
The device comes equipped with a multitude of customizable features, from pencil line thickness to font size, and screen brightness. All of these options, once customized to the user’s preferences, allow for a more tailored experience. These features significantly benefit those who may require a large type set, specific font, or bright screen to read material. I was easily able to customize the text to my preference. Additionally, the option to read in landscape orientation, on such a large screen, is great for enjoying digital comic books. For this reason, I preferred the Kobo Elipsa 2E screen crispness and orientation options to other eReaders I have used in the past.
For those who enjoy annotating traditional books, the Kobo Elipsa 2E has a huge advantage over other eReaders. Not only can users annotate directly onto the page of their purchased eBooks or uploaded files, but they can also annotate library books they may borrow. Additionally, they can search for their annotations at any time in the future. Alongside a traditional table of contents, users can also comb through annotations they have made within an eBook or document to locate a thought or passage they may have highlighted.
For those who enjoy setting reading goals for the year ahead, the Kobo Elipsa 2E has a fun feature that provides users with their reading stats and assigns awards for milestones accordingly. you may see how many hours were spent reading, how many books were completed, and how many minutes it took, on average, to read a page.
Rakuten lists the Kobo Elipsa 2E’s battery life as multiple weeks based on the independent usage of the owner. I found that a fully charged battery lasted around 11 days, averaging 3 hours per day of active usage. The usage varied from reading eBooks to taking notes and bouncing between the two; I also varied the screen brightness to accommodate different lighting conditions. As all of these factors play a role in the overall battery life, I would say the average reader would get around two weeks, while someone utilizing the device for both reading and extensive note-taking could expect closer to a week per charge. Within two weeks, I didn’t need to recharge the stylus at all.
Drawbacks to Consider
While using the device, a few drawbacks became apparent that I did not expect to find in a device with such a high price point. Firstly, the stylus does not charge when placed within the SleepCover; it must be plugged into the USB-C charge cable, the same as the Kobo Elipsa 2E itself. So you may’t charge both simultaneously unless you purchase another cable.
The stylus occasionally experienced some latency and errors, likely due to poor palm rejection. Resting my arm on the screen of the device was sometimes registered as writing. Additionally, the stylus isn’t pressure sensitive. To change line thickness, you need to adjust the setting on-screen. The highlight button is situated in a somewhat inconvenient location on the side of the stylus. While it is nice to be able to quickly switch from writing to highlighting, I found that where I naturally hold the pencil, I often engage the highlight button.
The large screen size is an asset when using the device as a note-taking or studying tool. But when used to simply read an eBook, especially when not laying it on a desk or table, it can become cumbersome. The weight, though still relatively light, paired with the large size, does not allow for the device to be held in one hand while reading, as a traditional book or smaller eReader would be able to. For this reason, I did not find it comfortable to read in an inclined position.
Additionally, unlike other eReaders on the market, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is not waterproof. This makes the device perhaps not ideal for beachside reading, but more suited for within an office or academic setting.
The lack of a charging block is a small complaint, but something to factor into the purchase price if you don’t already own one.
Is the Kobo Elipsa 2E the Right Choice for You?
Overall, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is an excellent tool for those who need to read, write, and gather ideas all in one place—especially for those who may be consistently on the go. These attributes make it an asset to academics or those who wish to utilize the device within an office or school environment.
For recreational users who wish to simply have an eReader on which to enjoy eBooks or audiobooks, its screen size may be more cumbersome than beneficial, and there areplenty of smaller, and more economical, devicesavailable on the market.
If you have the luxury of being able to carry multiple devices, you may be better off choosing a separate smart notebook and eReader. The Kobo Elipsa 2E is great in theory but has some lagging and technical issues that can make it frustrating to use for heavy note-takers.
If you are hoping to primarily use the device as an eReader, maybe with the occasional annotation, it is a great choice of device and will most likely serve you well. But, if you want to take extensive notes, especially while reading on the same device, you may become frustrated with the lack of a seamless interface, needing to switch back and forth between the notebook and the content you are reading, or the overall glitchy stylus functionality.
I believe this device is headed in the right direction. The hardware is well-designed, it feels like a quality product, and certainly serves multiple purposes for consumers. However, for the price point, I had hoped for a more seamless and error-free operation. With future updates, I’m sure the Kobo Elipsa 2E will become an excellent tool.
