Kindle Oasis vs Kobo Forma - Battle of the PREMIUM.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- If you're in the market for a premium e-reader, you're probably debating between the Kindle Oasis or Kobo Forma. In this video we put both devices head to head!
Kobo Forma: us.kobobooks.c...
Kindle Oasis: geni.us/RAHgAIp
Music by T.A.V (Artusion Music) - artu.sn/music
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i always wanted a kindle growing up but never got one, now i’m 23 and finally decided to treat myself and ordered the oasis, so excited for it to arrive
Congrats! That’s so awesome. I’m excited for you!
I went with Kobo Forma because of the larger screen and more open source with file types. I would have liked the ability to play audio books, but it wasn't a deal breaker.
I have both and I stick with Forma
1. Bigger screen: more text and immersive reading.
2. EPUB compatible
3. This rubber feeling is warm and comfy to the touch instead of the cold aluminum
4. Flat, unlike the Oasis’s hump.
5. You can install another OS
6. Dropbox
7. Fak Amazon
man I'd love to get something else. But I've come to depend on the goodreads sync in my oasis. Its how I save the books I read
Great comparison. I own both and here are my thoughts:
1) Kobo Forma’s power button just has to depressed firmly for it to work.
2) huge advantage of Kindle is the ‘Send to Kindle’ app on desktop. So much easier to transfer files directly to Kindle without a wired connection.
3) kindle syncs all books (purchased and downloaded mobi files across platforms - ie kindle app on tablet, kindle on iPhone, kindle e reader,.. etc). Kobo only syncs books purchased on Kobo store
4) Kobo’s larger screen is a big advantage if that is important to you
Both are fantastic and I am happy with both. Still, if I had to choose one, I’d go with the Kobo for screen size and more flexibility for other book formats like epub.
Great notes, Matthew! I agree with all of them!
Just got my Oasis in yesterday after owning the base model Kindle for the last 2 years, wouldn’t have down it without your videos on the Oasis! It still hurt spending so much on an eReader though.
Nice!! I hope you enjoy it man. It’s definitely an investment but I’ve read so many books because of this thing. Can’t put a price on that, it’s just a pleasant experience to use compared to the other Kindles. Let me know your thoughts! Would love to hear from you on if you think it was worth it.
I've been looking for a good device to read all my EPUBs and PDFs on, so the Amazon is right out. Thanks for pointing that out, since I doubt most people would care enough to really mention it.
Thanks for this good comparing review. I bought kibo libra a month ago, and I am very happy with it. It has all the advantages of these two expensive products but $100 cheaper.
Thanks for watching!!
I think the bigger screen alone od the Forma used for many years much more worth then 100 mere dollars.... You will use these readers for a long time..... The ability to read PDF without zooming in all the time plus better manga books reading is a huge benefit. 100 dollars you can make it up back not going in a restaurant once with your family and eat at home instead.
I have a Kobo Libra H2O, and I absolutely love it. It's not a great size for reading manga though, so I'm considering upgrading to the Forma for that reason.
You forgot to mention one BIG thing, they both have warm lights! I’m looking to upgrade from my Paperwhite to one of these just for that reason, it’s much easier on the eyes if you’re reading at night. May I suggest doing a comparison video of both warm lights, and which device has the more even-lit screen?
Yes absolutely, the warm light is AMAZING. It’s the main reason why I choose to use the Oasis over all the other Kindle models. Thank you for the video suggestion, I’ll keep that on my list!
Did you end up doing a comparison of the warm lights and eye strain? I’m comparing these too and really only care about eye comfort reading at night…
I have a lot of books bought on Humble Bundle, most in EPUB format, some in MOBI, and a few in PDF. For those of us who own the actual files, Kobo seems to be the winner, as it supports all of these. It looks like the Oasis does in fact support EPUB (finally), and it 'did' support MOBI, but Amazon dropped MOBI support on August 1st, 2021. Kobo also supports CBZ and CBR, which are comic book formats. Maybe I'm just jaded from the lack of file support on the Paperwhite, and the painful process of putting external books on it, but I think I'm going with the Kobo Forma this time. Amazon likes to make things difficult when you're not buying books through them, and I'm tired of supporting a business model like that.
You are right and I don't like to support business model like what Amazon is doing. I live in Singapore and have a Kindle Oasis. I was just appalled that Kindle doesn't support my local library through Overdrive, and this got me thinking of getting the Kobo Forma this time!
Books owned in any format can be loaded in calibre program and converted in mobi for the kindle.
Great video, thanks. Putting a Popsocket on my Kindle Oasis makes it so much easier to hold.
Haha love it! That’s a great idea
I stumbled across your channel as a result of recently acquiring an oasis. Very informative and non-biased in my opinion. My own review of the oasis is that coming from iPad and kindles, it requires a bit of adjustment because of its form factor. That being said, it's more pleasurable to read on easier to carry. The kobo would negate that practicality in my opinion.
Thank you for the kind words and for also sharing your experience!!
Excellent comparison of the two premium e-reader market leaders and thanks to the author for the timely information. Though I'm not at all interested in Amazon's locked-down ecosystem, it's good to know what's out there and the decision to stick with microUSB connectors is a fail for both devices in 2021.
It should be noted that there are far more sources of books available in epub format than there are for Amazon's mobi/AZW formats. Kobo readers accept many formats from any of several online book stores, including Amazon, in multiple languages allowing readers to shop for cheaper prices. After all, the device is a minor expense compared to acquiring a library at retail prices. By using Calibre with the Kobo plugin you can manage the device and a library with books from a variety of sources as opposed to the Kindle which makes it very difficult to use anything other than Amazon and paying what they tell you to ... I'm just not interested in paying for Jeff Bezos' next trip into space.
Thanks for this comparison! My Nook just died so I've been trying to figure out what to get as the replacement... I'm leaning towards to Forma and this did not change my mind. Have you heard any rumors of a new version coming out later in 2021?
How is the battery life on both of these devices and how long do they take to charge up ?
The Barnes and Noble Nook Glowlight 3 and Nook Glowlight Plus do have page turn buttons on both sides. The Glowlight 3 has a six inch screen and is around $119 and the Glowlight Plus which is 7.8 inches is around $200.
I'm going to look into these!! Thanks for sharing.
Larger screen and drop box are the most appealing features to me. Disappointed there was no mention of battery life. That would be another big factor in my choice.
I’m just purchased the KindleOasis.
A case on the kindle oasis makes the aluminum premium construction completely useless. Hence the Forma is the better device overall if someone does not need the audio books.
Hey Maneetpaul, thanks for the excellent review! Compared side by side, which one has the better display (crispness, clarity, darker text)?
Thank you for watching! I didn’t do a very in depth comparison because they are very similar. I didn’t notice much difference personally! But I’m sure there are small differences if you looked closely side by side.
I have the 8gb Oasis without ads and love it. I use Calibre to get all of my open source books on the Kindle and I'm a fan of the build quality. Just wish Kindle would upgrade to a USB C.
I wish it had USB-C too! I'll have to look into Calibre! Thanks for sharing.
I thought you dont need calibre for the oasis because the oasis is able to read pdfs?
@@Shinichi4Heiji good question. I mainly use Calibre for free books I've downloaded from libgen. 🙂
After getting my Kindle Oasis, I found out that it doesn't support my local library via Overdrive (I live in Singapore)! I'm considering to get the Kobo Forma 8" now, and should I sell away my Kindle Oasis or just have both? I don't see the reason for having a Kindle Oasis if I need to purchase books through Amazon.
Luckily we don’t have this ads on Kindles sold in Brazil. I have the latest version of Kindle Oasis (the best Kindle I have ever had so far) and the only thing I miss from Kobo is the reading daily tracker.
I hope someday Amazon will give it to us in general, not only for kids account.
Can we read Readoo ebooks via both devices?
Hi there and thanks for a really good comparison! Now, coming from a Kindle Paperwhite, I have two questions: how is browsing the internet for static pages, e.g. a newspaper , and how well is panning/zooming pdfs working, both are close to useless on the PW.
Kindle Oasis does not have ads. at least in UK.
You have to buy the one without special offers to remove the ads! It costs $20 extra.
@@Maneetpaul In the UK Amazon does not sell an Ad-Supported Oasis. You can only buy 8/32 GB (4G as well) without ads. Again No special offers on K.O. in the UK at least.
@@FirstLastth Ah got it! That’s pretty awesome. I wish it was like that everywhere. Thanks for sharing this!
I honestly want a kobo but i have too many books in my kindle cloud library, I can’t just turn and switch.
How are you liking the new Kindle software? I have been using it for a few months and dislike it greatly. Ended up buy a Forma and haven't gone back to the Kindle Oasis. Love the Overdrive support.
I’m download the Kindle app. But I can’t see my reading stats from my kindle paperwithe
Man, I'm really torn! I want to use ReadWise big time, but I need better functionality for EPub files and PDF's. There is really no way to sync highlights into ReadWise? What about another e-reader? What about running the Kindle app on another e-ink device?
I hear that the forma’s glowlight has a slight flicker that can cause headaches-but not the other kobo models
I haven't noticed that personally! Maybe it's one of those things that you have to look at for several weeks/months before it makes an impact. If I notice anything, I'll report back here!
I put a skin on my Kindle Oasis to avoid fingerprints, scratches, and for better grip. I don't feel the need for a case.
Nice!! I should look into one of those!
I bought Kindle Voyage back in 2014. I waited for 300dpi display with good contrast. But to this day I hate lack of physical buttons. Once in while I look for alternative, but I don't want to waste money on new reader, when the old one is still working. I hate when I sometimes turn two pages at once. All I need for that to be solved, is to have toggle in settings. Something like "do not turn more than one page in x seconds". Sadly, it is a dead product after all.
How about the Oasis vs Kobo Sage?
What do you prefer? Kobo libra or kindle oasis?
I have the Kobo Aura H2O 2nd edition and I love it
Haven't heard of that one! So glad it's working for you!!
Why is no one mentioning the battery????? I’ve seen hundreds of complaints about oasis battery life people saying with everything turned off they get two days max.
At the moment for me I would say that the kindle oasis is the best because I don’t yet have the kobo forma but i am looking to get one in the coming months
Thanks for watching and enjoy the Forma when you get it!!
@@Maneetpaul. I’ve actually gone for the libra h2o because the forma is out of stock everywhere where I live but 8 probably will end up with the forma.
i have owned them all. All kindle, all kobo. When it comes to the ones i would keep.
The choices were pretty easy...
For 6 inches screen...the Kobo Clara HD Or 2E is the best choice.
For above 6 inches screen...The Kindle Oasis is the best choice despite the poor battery life and the amazon ecosystem. That form factor of the oasis is a KILLER, once you use it, anything else seems improper.
Both e-reader are fast and perform great. 2E faster than HD and the Kobo clara has in my opinion no drawbacks.
All the others Kindle or Kobo had drawbacks i just couldn't live with.
Do you know if the Oasis syncs highlights and last page via cellular when you have that option?
Not too sure about this one. That would be cool if it does!
Yes. You can syncronize your last page read, your highlights and your bookmarks from your kindle with the Kindle App, which you can install in any of your other devices like tablet, smartphone,...
Very good review, thanks!!
Hey! Thankyou for the reviews :)
I wanted to know if we can sideload audiobooks to the kindle ?
No you can’t
I am a heavy user of Readwise. I review my highlights everyday on the Readwise email I receive. It is a great way to recall what you have read. Kobo will not work for me because it is not tied to Readwise. Also, if the book selection is more limited with the Kobo, that seals the deal for the Oasis.
you like the blue, dontya
Blue is my favorite!
I already have a Kindle Oasis 1 for books and Kindle Oasis 3 for manga comic books. I’m looking to get a 32GB Kobo Forma for more manga comic books. The Rakuten store carries titles that Amazon US has deleted due to their pro-censorship stance, so I’ll get those titles in a Kobo 📚🤔🧐
Koboooooo Thanks🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Does the Kobo have an offline dictionary?
Yes. You can highlight a word to look up the definition and do not have to be connected to wifi.
Me trying to convince my mom to purchase the Kindle Oasis.😭
Hahaha. If you’re on a budget get the Paperwhite. All the functionality is exactly the same. All that matters is you get to read more books because of it 🙌🏽
@@Maneetpaul And were back lol three weeks later,I’ve raised $600, enough money to purchase the Kindle Oasis finallyyyyy
@@maida4608 oasis is just $200+ though…
I reeeally want the Kindle Oasis. Im just waiting for a discount at this point. 😆
Prime Day was just announced: June 21st-22nd! That's when I'm going to pick up my Oasis :)
@@DaraAlston yeeees. Saw this today. I hope they give a discount. However, im getting really impatient. 😂
But if I waited this long, i think i can wait a little bit longer. jejeje
I’m sure there will be a discount! Hopefully on all of the models, including the Oasis!
Is a new kobo being released next month?
I heard one was supposed to come out a couple months ago but it never did!
@@Maneetpaul I had a quick google and apparently it takes 3 months from when they apply to release the new model so maybe in may?
@@yourlotusflower4414 really hope so
@@SaiyaraLBS the kobo elipsa is available for preorder now
Prefiero el Oasis , ya 7 pulgadas están como en el tope de lo aceptable para mi , 8 pulgadas es excesivo para un e reader ( la idea de estos dispositivos es que sean fáciles y cómodos de llevar, más que un libro) el Kobo forma lo encuentro muy grotesco
7 inches is a great screen size. I agree that 8 is a little big for traveling around with. My Kindle Oasis fits perfectly in one of my backpack pockets. My Forma wouldn’t!
You forgot the battery bro
Kindle all the way
🙌🏽
Funny how your reviews about the oasis aren’t consistent from one video to the next. Here you felt it’s so slippery and you needed a case while the kobo is nicely grippy. On the video where you compared the oasis to the kobo h20 you only said the oasis feels so premium and the kobo so cheap, while not mentioning the grippiness.
The H2O is more grippy, I should have mentioned that. But the quality definitely isn't the same as the Forma. And has no comparison to the premium feel of the Oasis.
Yo bro you're dripping
¨only the front gets fingerprints¨ you mean the most important aspect of the device? the back is not something you´ll be seeing most of the time, who cares about finger print on the back?
I care!!! Haha. When I place devices down on my desk I always see the fingerprints on the back. And even if I don't see them a lot, just knowing they're there makes me feel weird!
The cost doesn't make much sense to me. If I was convinced that I would never read a physical book again, it might make sense, but since I will always read physical books an e-reader is a supplemental device. How many books could I buy for 250+ dollars? Let's say they are somewhat expensive books at 25 dollars apiece. That is at least 10 books worth of reading material, but probably closer to 20 books.
This is kind of like spending a lot of money on a wallet to put your money in. Well sure you spent 200 dollars on a fancy wallet, but you could have spent 20 dollars and put 180 dollars inside it. Similar logic.
Ok, but technically $250 gets you the e-reader and a 3 month kindle unlimited subscription.... which gives you more than 10 books. And ebooks are cheaper thereafter.
Also, the e-reader allows you to carry many books in a tiny package while traveling. It lights up for a night read that won’t disturb your partner (saving you $35 on a book light).
I still read physical books. But an ereader has its place.
The biggest benefit to me is the Overdrive support. I can search a book on my Kobo and borrow it from my local library without actually having to go to the library. Pretty great feature.
Plus, weighs much less, holds thousands of books (not that you really need it to), has a built in book light, supports audio books, dictionary at your fingertips.
Lots of benefits to me so it is worth it.
You could get any book for free. So the wallet analogy would be more like 'paying $200 for a wallet that gives you unlimited money'
@@wge621 yes, but legally, no no you cant
@@mentalish9417 yeah I mean if you want to care about that, go ahead.