How to decide which 6-inch e-reader is the right buy for you

Unravel the world of E Ink tech with our handy guide

There are a lot of e-readers to choose from, but if you’re just getting started in the scene, or you want to update your 10-year-old device, it might be kind of overwhelming trying to decide which e-reader is right for you. Thankfully, here at Guilty Gamer, we’re big ‘ol nerds for E Ink devices, and we’ll help you navigate the world of six-inch e-readers (the best place to start for beginners) to find the best one for your needs.

Keep it simple with the Amazon Kindle Basic

If you want the easiest out-of-the-box experience possible and don’t want to worry about sideloading or offline libraries (and you don’t have any qualms about swimming in the Amazon ecosystem), the six-inch Kindle is the device for you. Not only are e-books automatically available to download to your Kindle when you purchase them through Amazon, but they’re synced to all the devices you might want to read on (eg, computer, tablet, or phone).

If you need another reason to go with Kindle’s base model, it’s one of the most affordable e-readers on the market. The current ad-supported version is priced at $110 ($130 without ads), and used models sell for less than $100. 

Pros

• Low price
• Easy to use

Cons

• No warm light
• Ad-supported at lowest tier

The Kobo Clara has what Kindle lacks

The Kindle has a lot of inertia behind its top spot as the number one e-reader in the world, but the Kobo Clara BW delivers more features for almost the same price. The only catch is that it’s not compatible with Amazon’s ecosystem without getting your hands dirty. But for that minor concession, you get a device that’s waterproof, has better contrast, has a warm frontlight (if you’ve never had one, it’s nicer than you think), and is easier to repair.

If you feel like dabbling with a color e-reader, Kobo also offers the Clara Colour for just $160, in both black and a new white color. It’s the cheapest color e-reader available. Did I mention you can add third-party software to Kobos without jailbreaking them? KOReader is one of the best third-party reading apps available, and it’s a cinch to install on the Clara.

Pros

• Warm light
• Libby/OverDrive built-in

Cons

• Underpowered
• Closed ecosystem

Don’t sleep on the Nook Glowlight 4 and 4e

Although Barnes & Noble’s Nook has a reputation for being the e-reader that showed up late to the race, its devices aren’t terrible, but they certainly have mixed reviews. Like the Clara and the Kindle, Nooks exist in a mostly closed ecosystem where accessing e-books you have bought from Barnes & Noble is easy, and everything else requires a bit of work.

Why should you consider the Glowlight 4 or 4e? For starters, it’s no longer sold by B&N, so you can pick up either model for less than $100 refurbished. It’s also one of the few devices at this size to come with physical buttons for turning pages. If I’ve piqued your interest, I say splurge on the 4 so you can get that warm front light that the 4e lacks. There’s even a new Ocean Teal Edition for those who want their e-reader to stand out.

Pros

• Lowest price available
• Page-turn buttons

Cons

• No longer available new
• Buggy software

Do you want something different, perhaps a PocketBook?

PocketBook isn’t doing anything that the previous e-readers don’t already do (other than offer an SD card slot), but if you’re comfortable with sideloading your e-books, and you want something unique, PocketBook might be the brand you’re looking for. What’s more, it has five six-inch e-readers currently available on the US Amazon store, more than any other OEM. 

Five models on offer is pretty cool, but the only two you need to worry about are the $120 Basic Lux 4 and the $120 Verse. On paper, the Lux 4 is pretty outdated with its Micro-USB port and first-generation Carta display with 212 ppi, but it’s lighter than a Kindle with a bigger battery to boot. The Verse basically updates the Lux 4 with a 300 ppi display, USB-C, and a warm light. There’s no good reason to get the Pro models since they’re pricey and abandon the SD card slot, one of PocketBook’s best features. 

Pros

• SD card slots
• Page-turn buttons

Cons

• No US store
• Higher price than competitors

Get the Bigme B6 Color if you need Android

Bigme may have an earned reputation for fumbling with software, but there’s no denying that it makes powerful machines, and even fancy photo frames. The B6 is one of the first e-readers to come with Android 14, and it offers more horsepower (4 GB RAM, 2.3 GHz processor) than any other six-inch device.

There are more six-inch Android e-readers out there, but on paper, the B6 Color blows them out of the water. The Boox Go 6 was lamentably underpowered with just 2 GB of RAM (though a few tricks could help to unlock its potential), as was the Meebook M6C with 3 GB. There is a case to be made for the black-and-white display of the Meebook M6, but it’s harder to find and costs the same as the B6 Color.

Pros

• Most powerful 6″ e-reader
• Android 14 OS

Cons

• Unintuitive UI
• Poor Mac support

Go get your read on

Hopefully, our breakdown got you squared away and you’ve already ordered your next e-reader. There may not be a “perfect” six-inch e-reader for you, but there’s bound to be one that checks most of your boxes. And if you’re not ready to pull the trigger today, don’t worry, because there’s bound to be something new just around the corner.