![]() ![]() We side load a lot of content onto all our ebook readers, and what the Kindle would choke on (and then spend several minutes indexing and grinding through), the Aura HD would index in around 15-20 seconds. Where we did find that the faster processor helped is when adding lots of books to the device the Aura HD added and indexed books significantly faster than the Kindle Paperwhite. In day to day use, a slightly faster chip doesn’t translate into radically faster rendering and page turns. While this puts the Aura HD a full 20% faster than any other ebook reader, it’s honestly a negligible benefit in most cases. Under the hood, the Aura HD sports the snappiest ebook reader chipset on the market with a speedy 1GHz processor. Regardless of any complaint we might have about any other element of the Aura HD design, interface, or user experience, the screen is undeniably the best around and the sharpest one we’ve had the pleasure of reading on. It’s the first ebook reader we’ve ever used where we’ve completely forgotten we’re looking at a digital screen. While there’s nothing wrong with the lower-resolution Kindle Paperwhite screen (and it’s certainly better than just about any other ebook reader screen out there), the Aura HD’s screen is beautiful. The Kindle Paperwhite sports a nearly-XGA resolution screen (6″, 758×1024 pixel, 212 ppi) where as the Aura HD sports a bigger and better WXGA+ resolution screen (6.8″, 1440×1080, 256 ppi).ĭo those extra pixels and ppi make a difference? Absolutely. If you read our review of the Kindle Paperwhite, you’ll recall how much we liked the crisp screen. In that arena, the Aura HD’s screen is both objectively and subjectively the most beautiful screen on in the ereader market right now. Given that you’ll spend more time staring at the screen of your ebook reader than you’ll spend doing anything else with it, the screen is the most critical component. The spacing of the finger holds on the back definitely, however minutely, favorites holding the device with you right hand. Interestingly enough, we didn’t notice that the angles/grooves are spaced differently until a left-handed friend tested the unit out. While we were at first apprehensive about the design choice, the slight angling of the body does in fact make it more comfortable to hold the device as it provides a slight and natural groove for the fingers to press into. The body of the Aura HD has a distinctly angular construction not seen on the bodies of competing ebook readers. ![]() Where the Aura HD begins to stand out in the form and styling department, is when you view it from the side or flip it over. Also like nearly every modern ebook reader, there are no external page turn buttons as everything is handled via the touch screen. Viewed head on, the Kobo Aura HD (herein referred to as the Aura HD for brevity) looks like most ebook readers: it’s rectangular with a matte black bezel, it has a recessed matte finish screen, and it’s branded with the company logo at the bottom center of the bezel.
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