Nook Vs Kindle: Which Ebook Reader Should You Choose?

There have been Nook vs Kindle comparisons in the past year, but with upgrades recently made in both devices, it's time to revisit the battle ground, with this round evaluating the latest releases of the top two ebook readers.

It was easy to see in the earliest comparisons of the two ereaders that the Amazon Kindle had the upper hand, having had a head start in the game and therefore being the more "polished" device. When the Barnes & Noble Nook first came out, reviews weren't too kind, citing the device as "buggy" among other things.

This time around however, things have looked up for the B & N device. A couple of firmware upgrades have given it a much improved performance. On the other hand, Amazon has also unveiled a smaller, lighter, and generally, better Kindle. The question now is, which is the better ereader?

Design and Size

Amazon has down sized its ebook reading gadget by 21% and slashed off a few ounces, revealing a more compact, more portable reader. While the Kindle's 7.5 inches by 4.8 inches by 0.335 inch don't differ all that much from the Nook's 7.7 inches by 4.9 inches by 0.5 inch, when you put these dimensions together with the weight difference - 8.7 ounces for the former and 121 ounces for the latter - the Amazon ereader gets the edge.

Display Type

The Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook both utilize e-ink, the technology that renders ebooks just like a physical book. They even have similarly sized 6-inch diagonal screens. But even with the similarities, K3 still manages to one-up the Nook as it is now equipped with Pearl technology, the latest in e-ink, which improves contrast by 50%.

User Navigation

When it comes to navigation, the Amazon device keeps it simple and easy, while the Nook goes for a hi-tech interface. You can navigate within the K3 by pushing buttons and using the 5-way controller, and searches and annotations are made using a physical keyboard. With the Barnes & Noble ereader, you get a color touch screen right below the e-ink screen which enables you to choose books, find pages, and search through the Nook Bookstore.

Battery Performance

Battery life is a big factor in an ereader's performance and in this category, the Kindle wins hands down. The Nook's 10-day battery life (with wireless off) is no match for the battery of the K3 which can go for 30 days without needing a recharge. Still, the battery of the B & N gadget is replaceable (unlike the Kindle which has to be sent back to Amazon for battery replacement) so that has to count for a few points in its favor.

Storage Capacity

With 2G of internal memory, the Kindle can already carry up to 3,500 books and documents. The Nook can store a lot less books in its internal memory - about 1,500 in all - but it does have a microSD slot for additional storage.

Kindle vs Nook: Which Ebook Reader Takes the Title?

The features we've evaluated in this Kindle vs Nook review are only a few of what these devices can offer, but it's easy to see what great ebook reading gadgets these two have become. What's not so clear though is who takes the title of "best ebook reader". But if we've got to pick one, I'd say the Amazon Kindle still gets it. Though it can't be denied that the Nook now offers the K3 some real competition, it still lags behind in the more important factors such as size, battery life, and global coverage.

But still, it's all your choice. Is the Nook's dual-screen an interesting feature for you? Or is the more portable Kindle a better fit for your lifestyle? It's decision time.

What are your thoughts on this Kindle vs Nook review? Visit us for other reviews and comparisons and find out which one is the best handheld ebook reader (in our opinion anyway).