The Kobo Sage is another top-notch ereader from the business that creates our favorite models, as is tradition. It has a ton of features, like Bluetooth audiobook connectivity, stylus compatibility, and a huge 32GB of storage. Although the high-contrast screen makes for a great writing experience, the Sage’s battery life falls short.
Features and usability
The Sage offers the same versatility and selection of features that we’ve grown accustomed to from Kobo’s ereaders. IPX8 waterproofing is available on the hardware side, and useful features include wide file-format support (ePub, PDF, TXT, RTF, Mobi, CBZ/CBR, BMP, PNG, and more), the ability to sign into Adobe Digital Editions to read DRM-protected ePubs or PDFs you’ve purchased from third-party ebook stores, and the ability to sync web articles via the Pocket “read it later” service.
Dropbox integration is a more recent improvement; it was first offered on the Forma and is now only available on the more expensive Kobo ereaders. This eliminates the need for you to ever connect your ereader to a computer and enables you to save your own digital library in the cloud and transfer files and ebooks wirelessly back and forth.
Not to be overlooked is the important Kobo feature: built-in OverDrive support. The majority of libraries in nations where Kobo is available now allow users to borrow ebooks via the app; all you need is a library card. Every Kobo ereader includes this, even the Sage.
Support for audiobooks is brand-new, even though Bluetooth headphones must be paired. Thankfully, it’s simple to accomplish and operates similarly to how a phone does. One significant caveat applies to audiobooks, though: Kobo has for the first time closed its welcoming and inclusive ecosystem by only allowing audiobooks bought from its own store to be played on the Sage (or Libra 2). Still, the selection is extensive, and the Kobo Shop has a lot of well-known books.
The Sage has 32GB of internal storage by default in order to accommodate those audiobooks; a smaller (and less expensive) model is no longer available for individuals who may only wish to stick with books.
Price information and content locations
The Kobo sage is significantly more expensive than the Kobo libra, which has a suggested retail price of just £159.99. Naturally, since this ereader supports styluses, we would anticipate it to cost more. But, you might be disappointed to see that the stylus isn’t included. You’ll need to fork up an additional £39.99 to get a stylus.
There are still more accessories. The new “power cover” and “sleep cover” are both compatible with the Kobo Sage. The Kobo sage fits nicely in the sleep cover (£49.99, Uk.kobobooks.com), which features a two-way stand so you can use your sage hands-free in either portrait or landscape mode. When you open it or close it, it will automatically wake up to protect your screen and go to sleep.
While the power cover contains a built-in battery that may be used to recharge the Sage when the power is low, the sleep cover is available in a range of colors. While not in use, you can dock your pen in a dedicated slot on this cover to prevent it from falling out, which is especially useful when you’re on the go. Released in 2022, the power cover has a suggested retail price of £69.99.
Similar to previous Kobo devices, the built-in Kobo ebook store allows users to download books and audiobooks. There is a wide variety, and they frequently run promotions where you can purchase ebooks for as little as 99p. Because DropBox is integrated and the Kobo reader supports 15 file formats, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPG, and PNG, Kobo has made it much simpler for you to enjoy ebooks and documents than the Amazon Kindle.
Features and software
The Kobo sage, which was released at the same time as the Kobo libra, includes a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage. Bluetooth is also included, and wifi 802.11 allows you to access the internet.
One of the most recent ereaders to enable audiobooks is the Kobo Sage. You’ll need to connect your wireless headphones since there aren’t any built-in speakers. Also, you may only play audiobooks that you have purchased from the Kobo store, so keep that in mind if you already have a library of audiobooks or an Audible subscription.
The Sage is waterproof for up to 60 minutes in a maximum of two meters of water, just like previous Kobo devices. The Sage is the ideal companion, so whether you want to read in the bath or while lying by the pool.
Use a stylus.
The stylus, which enables users to take notes, annotate, and highlight significant passages while reading, is now the Kobo Sage’s standout feature. Since the stylus is constructed of aluminum, it feels quite sturdy and has a rough area for a better grip all the way around. It’s a very easy pen to handle and use. It has a good weight, similar to what you’d expect from a conventional pencil, because it is made of metal. Although it takes some getting used to how much pressure to apply because it is pressure-sensitive, overall performance is excellent. On the side of the stylus, there are two buttons: one activates the highlight feature, and the other activates the eraser.
The Kobo has a dedicated note-taking software; it has a few capabilities, but it has all you need, including the ability to clean and delete pages and alter the background of the page. There are many different pen designs available, including ballpoint, fountain, brush, and highlighter pens. Also, you may choose the pen size, and there are five different shades of grey for the color. One oddity we saw was that until the entire thing is deleted, the pixels on the screen will still be visible when you erase something. Nevertheless, these vanish when the page is refreshed.
Battery power
The battery life is excellent and, as you might expect from an e-ink ereader, it may last up to six weeks with regular use. Of course, we would anticipate the battery to discharge a little more quickly if you use it frequently for notes or audiobooks. We used it daily for at least an hour for two weeks, and there is still plenty of juice. You could use this eReader for a two-week vacation without even thinking about charging it. The Kobo Sage sports a USB-C charging port in place of the Micro USB, which is good news when it comes to charging.
