The battle between e-readers continues to be a heated affair in 2022, much to Amazon’s chagrin. Naturally there’s the Amazon Kindle range, the Kobo Libra 2, and Barnes and Noble’s Nook series, are to name but a few. The latest from Barnes and Noble is the Nook GlowLight 4e, and hosts a myriad of improvements.
Features of the Nook GlowLight 4e
The Book GlowLight 4e from Barnes & Noble boasts an improved resolution of their prior e-readers. Due to being a dedicated e-reader, the Nook GlowLight 4e continues to use a dedicated anti-glare screen, which displays crisp, easily visible, text for an excellent reading experience.
Barnes and Noble boast that their GlowLight technology is “strong enough to read in bed or in bright sunlight.” In addition, the GlowLight 4e includes a night mode that can be activated manually or configured to turn on automatically when the room darkens.
The lightweight, and comfortable to hold, form-factor allows reading for an extended amount of time. Due to the black and white display, battery life is excels, lasting for weeks.
Thousands of books can be loaded onto the Nook GlowLight 4e. There is sufficient storage (about 29GB of usable storage), and the device, of course, supports Wi-Fi. Furthermore, the entire collection is synced across all Nook Reading App devices. Because Barnes and Noble do not charge for cloud storage, all books are saved on the cloud at no cost.
The Nook e-reader has a 6-inch screen that is ideal for reading. The display is anti-glare, scratch-resistant, and fingerprint resistant at 300 dpi. Unlike some other reading devices, Nook has page turn buttons. USB connector for connecting to a computer or charging, built-in Wi-Fi, and 32GB memory.
How Does It Stand Up to Other e-Readers?
Book enthusiasts appreciate being able to travel with access to dozens of titles without toting around a myriad of actual physical books. The allure of e-readers is as obvious today as it was upon the release of the first models. Kindle and Nook users swear by their devices for good reason.
Picky users will compare products within the same series, such as the Kindle Oasis vs. Paperwhite. However, the jury is still out when comparing Nook GlowLight 4e to the oft sold-out Nook GlowLight 3.
Statistics suggest that most readers prefer the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite over the Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight when compared side by side. According to critics, the Nook has outdated technology and a stale appearance. On the other hand, the constantly updated Kindle can be off-putting to some users who want to maintain a consistent reading experience. The Glowlight’s recessed screen, which draws more dust, seems to be disliked by reviewers. Another missing feature is waterproofing; by contrast, the Kindle and the Kobos both have a waterproof case.
Conclusion
The newest Nook’s reading experience is relatively straightforward without needless bells and whistles to distract you from the reading experience. The glow light is perfect for reading, the contrast is excellent, and the tactile page flip buttons are a nice touch. In the end, it is a solid e-reader, though it’s a little pricey for the construction type. The Nook Glowlight 4e won’t transform the e-reader into a game console, but it’s good to see Barnes & Noble back in the game.