Tablet Vs E-reader – Which is Better for Reading E-books?

Ever since the advent of the Tablet, the popularity of dedicated e-readers has been dwindling. After all, why not get a device on which you can read e-books, surf the Web, play music and watch movies – all on an amazing High Definition LED screen? This is what I thought when I bought my Arnova tablet in 2011. However, this Christmas my husband and I bought Kindle Paperwhites for each other. Why? Because the tablet provided a very disappointing reading experience, so much so that I became totally discouraged about the whole e-book thing. Not one to give up easily, I thought I'd try again on a dedicated e-reader such as the Kindle. I'm glad that I did, because reading on the Kindle is so much better.

Based on my experience, here are the four main reasons why I think an e-reader is better for e-books than a tablet.

1. An e-reader is easier to handle. My Arnova has an 10.1 inch screen, and weighs 20.1 ounces. It was just too bulky and heavy to read comfortably, especially when trying to read in bed. My Kindle Paperwhite e-reader weights only 7.5 ounces, and at 6.7 x 4.6 x .36 inches, it fits easily in my hands. I can actually curl up with my Kindle just as I can with a book, and read for hours without feeling fatigued.

2. E Ink screens are better than LED screens for reading. Although tablets provide amazingly brilliant high resolution screens, the E Ink technology of e-readers is superior for reading. My tablet's screen has too much glare to be able to read outdoors. The Kindle Paperwhite's E Ink screen has absolutely no glare, and combined with its back-lit display it provides easy reading anytime, anywhere – outdoors, indoors, day and night. The lighting of the Kindle seems gentler on the eyes and is more natural than the back lighting on the tablet.

3. An e-reader is more portable. Again, the weight and size of a tablet is a detracting factor. I can easily fit my Kindle in my jacket pocket or in my pocketbook. I'm much more likely to take my Kindle along with me wherever I go.

4. An e-reader offers extended battery life. The Kindle's battery will last for eight weeks if you read a half an hour a day. From my experience, I've had to charge it up about once a week, but I've been reading about 2-3 hours a day. This is a great improvement over my tablet. I'm lucky if I get 6 hours on the tablet battery.

I don't believe that any one device is perfect for everything. Tablets have their place, and so do e-readers. I love my tablet for watching movies while I'm traveling, playing Angry Birds, looking up something quickly on the Internet or getting on Facebook. However, the tablet failed miserably as an e-book reader. I practically gave up on e-books, and never thought that I'd prefer e-books to traditional books – that is until I bought my Kindle Paperwhite. Now I'm an avid e-book fan.