For years, e-readers have focused on delivering the best possible black-and-white reading experience. With the Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo takes a confident step forward by introducing colour E-ink to a familiar and well-loved form factor. The result is an e-reader that not only handles novels beautifully, but also opens the door to comics, illustrated books, cookbooks, and study materials all without the eye strain and battery drain of a tablet.
Positioned as a premium colour e-reader, the Kobo Libra Colour blends practicality, flexibility, and thoughtful design into one of the most versatile Kobo devices to date.
Design and Ergonomics
The Kobo Libra Colour stays true to the Libra series design language. It features an asymmetrical body with a wider grip on one side, allowing for comfortable one-handed reading. The inclusion of physical page-turn buttons remains a standout feature, especially for readers who prefer tactile controls over constant screen tapping.
The casing is made from recycled plastic, which keeps the device lightweight and environmentally friendly. While it may not feel luxurious, the build is sturdy and well-suited for daily use. The textured back improves grip, making it less slippery during long reading sessions.
Another practical addition is the IPX8 waterproof rating, meaning the device can handle accidental splashes or short submersions. Whether you’re reading by the pool or in the bath, the Libra Colour is built to handle it.
Display: Colour E-Ink in Practice
The defining feature of the Kobo Libra Colour is its 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 colour display. This technology allows the screen to show thousands of colours while maintaining the paper-like comfort E-ink is known for.
For standard reading, black-and-white text appears sharp and clear, making novels and long articles easy on the eyes. When viewing colour content such as book covers, charts, comics, or illustrations, colours appear softer and more muted compared to smartphones or tablets. This is a limitation of current colour E-ink technology, but it still adds meaningful value to visual content.
The display is supported by ComfortLight PRO, which lets users adjust brightness and warmth. Warmer tones are particularly useful for night reading, while the optional dark mode offers an alternative reading style for low-light environments.
One thing to keep in mind is that colour E-ink screens are slightly darker than traditional monochrome panels. Using the front light helps offset this, especially indoors.
Performance and Software Experience
Under the hood, the Kobo Libra Colour delivers smooth performance for an e-reader. Page turns are responsive, menus load quickly, and navigating a large library feels noticeably faster compared to older Kobo models.
Kobo’s software continues to be one of its strongest advantages. The interface is clean, intuitive, and designed around reading rather than distractions. Users can customise fonts, margins, line spacing, font weight, and alignment, allowing the reading experience to be tailored precisely to individual preferences.
The device includes 32GB of internal storage, which is generous for an e-reader. This is more than enough space for thousands of books, graphic novels, PDFs, and even audiobooks.
Note-Taking and Stylus Support
The Kobo Libra Colour supports the Kobo Stylus 2 (sold separately), expanding its functionality beyond simple reading. With the stylus, users can highlight text in colour, write handwritten notes, and annotate PDFs directly on the screen.
This feature is particularly useful for students, professionals, and readers who enjoy marking up non-fiction or study materials. While it doesn’t replace a full tablet for heavy note-taking, it adds meaningful versatility to an e-reader form factor.
File Support and Ecosystem Flexibility
One of Kobo’s biggest strengths is its open ecosystem. Unlike some competitors, Kobo allows users to sideload content easily and supports a wide range of file formats, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, CBR, and CBZ.
Built-in OverDrive and Libby integration allows users to borrow e-books directly from supported public libraries, a major benefit for frequent readers. Cloud support via Dropbox and Google Drive also makes it easy to transfer documents wirelessly. To add, the OverDrive account sync includes full support login and loaning books online with the Malaysia National Library.
Bluetooth support enables audiobook playback through wireless headphones or speakers, though there are no built-in speakers on the device itself.
Battery Life
Despite its colour display and additional features, battery life remains excellent. With typical use, the Kobo Libra Colour can last several weeks on a single charge. Heavy use of colour content, Bluetooth audio, or stylus input will reduce battery life, but it still far outperforms tablets and smartphones in this area.
Malaysia Pricing and Where to Buy
In Malaysia, the Kobo Libra Colour (32GB) is widely available through local retailers and online marketplaces.
Estimated Malaysia Pricing:
- RM1,079 – RM1,119 for the standard Kobo Libra Colour unit
- Bundle listings or imported sets may go higher depending on seller and accessories
Where to Buy in Malaysia:
- Shopee Malaysia (official and authorised sellers)
- Lazada Malaysia
- Selected local tech retailers and speciality gadget stores
Accessories such as the Kobo Stylus 2 and official sleep covers are sold separately, with prices varying depending on retailer.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Colour E-ink display adds value for comics and illustrated content
- Sharp and comfortable black-and-white text for novels
- Ergonomic design with physical page-turn buttons
- Waterproof build for worry-free use
- Open ecosystem with wide format support
- Library borrowing and cloud integration
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Colour display is less vibrant than tablet screens
- Stylus not included in the box
- Plastic construction feels practical rather than premium
Final Verdict
The Kobo Libra Colour is a thoughtfully designed colour e-reader that successfully expands what an E-ink device can do. It maintains everything Kobo does well from comfortable reading, strong battery life, and ecosystem freedom while introducing colour in a way that genuinely enhances certain types of content.
For readers who enjoy a mix of novels, comics, illustrated books, and PDFs, the Libra Colour stands out as one of the most versatile e-readers available in Malaysia today. While it won’t replace a tablet for multimedia, it was never meant to. Instead, it excels at delivering a focused, eye-friendly reading experience, now with the added benefit of colour.
At around RM1,100, it is not cheap, but for readers who want a future-ready e-reader with colour and flexibility, the Kobo Libra Colour is well worth considering.