Kobo Elipsa 2E Release Date, Price and Specs

The launch of the Kindle Scribe was a big moment for Amazon eReaders, but it was far from the first E Ink tablet designed for note taking.

ReMarkable, Huawei and Boox have all launched similar devices in the past, although Kobo’s Elipsa is the most obvious Scribe alternative. The new Elipsa 2E is an upgraded version of the 2021 original, while retaining the same starting price of $399.99 / £349.99.

Its principle is simple: a large E Ink tablet of 10.3 inches, 1404 × 1872 pixels that allows you to read, take notes or annotate books and other documents. Most of this is made possible by the updated Kobo Stylus 2 stylus, which is included in the box.

I had a few minutes to try it out, and it’s smooth and responsive to use, yet precise enough to select very specific areas of the screen.

The plastic exterior of the Elipsa 2E is made from 85% recycled plastic, 10% of which would otherwise end up in landfills or the ocean. It doesn’t feel particularly premium, but helps the device stay nice and light at 390g.

Even with the magnetic SleepCover attached (an extra $69.99 / £69.99), it can easily be carried wherever you travel. But unlike other Kobo eReaders, there’s no waterproofing.

Performance comes from an unnamed 2GHz processor, and in my hands-on time the device was quick and responsive. Kobo claims “weeks of battery life” from the 2400mAh cell, although using the stylus will drain it much faster than reading. Charging is via USB-C, but don’t expect anything particularly fast, and only the cable is included in the box.

However, it’s the software experience that sets the Elipsa 2E apart from other E Ink devices. It supports a wide range of file formats, such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF and JPEG and HTML. You can take notes directly on any of them, a key advantage over the Kindle Scribe.

You’ll find plenty of choices in Kobo’s e-book store, which includes both text books and audio books. There are no speakers, but the Elipsa 2E can connect to headphones or speakers via Bluetooth.

Like all Kobo e-readers, the Elipsa 2E integrates OverDrive. This means you can link your library card and borrow books rather than having to buy them like you would at a physical library.

Importing and exporting documents is possible via Dropbox (with Google Drive coming soon). Pocket integration makes it easy to read your saved online articles from any of your devices.

There’s also Readwise support, so highlights and annotations can be moved to various third-party note-taking apps if you pay a subscription (from $4.49/around £3.60 a month).

Another plan you may have heard of is Kobo Plus, which offers unlimited access to 1.3 million eBooks and over 100,000 audiobooks. It was previously available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Italy, France and the Netherlands, but has now arrived in the US and UK.

After a 30-day free trial, Kobo Plus is $7.99/£8.99 per month for eBooks or audiobooks, or $9.99/£11.99 per month for both.

Pre-orders for the Kobo Elipsa 2E are now live on Kobo’s website, where purchases through April 18 include a free £25 gift card for eBooks and audiobooks in the UK. It will then be released in the UK, US and many other countries around the world on April 19.

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