BURO Bytes: 5 Features on the Rakuten Kobo Sage That Made Me Believe in E-Readers

We spent a few weeks with the Rakuten Kobo Sage and got to know some of its best features that make it worthy of adding to your reading kit. 

Standing out in the world of e-readers might be a difficult task—but not for the Rakuten Kobo Sage. Especially great for first-time users of this genre of devices, it has been a welcome addition to my everyday bag. Having never used an e-reader before, I didn’t know what to expect nor did I know what exactly would be considered a standout feature. Plus, I was always unshakeable in my loyalty towards physical books, using my habit of annotating and dog-earing pages as a defense. However, after a few weeks having the Kobo Sage with me, it easily fell into my routine, showing its biggest strength: simplicity. Though, that is not to say that it keeps things basic. With Kobo stylus compatibility, adjustable display temperatures, Dropbox integration, and more, the Kobo Sage is anything but plain. Here are the five of its best features that converted me into an e-reader lover.

ComfortLight PRO

As someone who has her laptop and phone screen on blue light reduction mode at all hours of the day, the ComfortLight PRO display on the Kobo Sage was immediately a major plus for me. I could do away with my blue light glasses and read with comfort, especially at night when winding down. 

While Night Mode—which you can find on other e-readers too—does make it easier for reading in low light environments, the ability to change the display’s temperature is a total game changer. Not to mention, the display adjusts the blue light level automatically as the day goes by so you don’t have to do it yourself. 

Kobo Stylus support

The biggest thing that kept me from venturing over into the e-reader world was my love for annotating my reads and highlighting new vocabulary words. I also love adding little snippets of commentary on the margins of my book. With the Kobo Sage and Kobo Stylus, I had no reason to give those habits up. On other e-readers, users can add notes by highlighting a word and adding a typed memo. However, not many allowed for scribbles and jottings to be written directly onto the book’s “page”. That’s why the Kobo Sage stood out pretty quickly. 

With Kobo Stylus support, I was able to quickly add my thoughts or circle new words in my books. I could also use the notebook feature to write down lists, reports, and more. Plus, it allows for my handwriting to be converted into clean text for easier reading and sharing. Those who are heavy e-reader users can also access their PDFs on the Kobo Sage and mark them up too. As the cherry on top, the pen type (ballpoint, calligraphy, and brush), thickness, and shade can all be customised to suit your style!

A versatile screen

The Kobo Sage is nothing without its screen—quite literally. The E Ink Carta 1200 screen is worthy of praise, offering crisp lines and deep contrasts. On top of that, it also supports reading in both landscape and portrait orientations, so it can fit your reading style and position at all times. 

IPX8 waterproof rating

Now this is one of those features that I wasn’t brave enough to test out but knowing it was there was a major comfort. The Kobo Sage comes with an IPX8 rating, which means it is virtually waterproof (for up to 60 minutes in up to two metres of water). If you’re one to read in the bathtub or by the pool, this would be a major plus point for you! And if you’re like me and just like having the peace of mind that getting caught in a little rain wouldn’t hurt your Kobo Sage, this is also another upside to 

Comfortable build

An e-reader is a rather simple device, which means there isn’t any room for error on two major components: its display and overall build. We’ve already touched on how its display excels above and we’re also happy to report that it also passes the test on its build quality. It comes with physical buttons and an ergonomic grip, so everything stays comfortable and easily accessible. This means no matter how long the reading sessions last, holding on to your Kobo Sage won’t be a problem. 

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