PocketBook InkPad Color 3 Review
The PocketBook InkPad Color 3 is the reader for people who have a messy folder of ebooks in every format imaginable and just want them all to open. PocketBook is the quiet European specialist, and its party trick is format support: it reads almost anything you throw at it, natively, no conversion. Add a large colour screen and built-in audio, and you have a genuinely versatile reader that most people outside Europe have never heard of.
Specifications
| Screen | 7.8" |
|---|---|
| PPI | 300 |
| Colour | Yes |
| Frontlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | No |
| Stylus | No |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Weight | 225 g |
| Price | $329 |
Verdict
The PocketBook InkPad Color 3 is the format omnivore of colour e-readers. If your library is a jumble of EPUB, PDF, MOBI, comics and more, nothing opens it all as effortlessly, and the built-in audio is a bonus. You give up the polish, the big store and the easy library integration of the Kindle and Kobo giants, and colour is the usual muted e-ink. For format-juggling readers, especially in Europe, it is a hidden gem worth knowing about.
What we like
- Unmatched native format support, from EPUB to comics
- Colour screen plus built-in speaker and Bluetooth audio
- Warm-adjustable frontlight and generous storage
- Great for owners of mixed, DRM-free libraries
Worth noting
- Colour e-ink is muted and dimmer than mono
- Software is functional rather than slick
- Smaller, Europe-focused store and ecosystem
- Less easy library borrowing than Kobo
The Format King
This is PocketBook's real selling point. The InkPad Color 3 opens a huge range of ebook and document formats out of the box, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, FB2, CBR and CBZ comics, and more, with no need to convert or side-load through a service. If you own DRM-free files from many sources, nothing is more accommodating. It even has a speaker and Bluetooth for audiobooks and text-to-speech.
The 7.8 inch Kaleido 3 colour screen suits comics, magazines and illustrated books, with the usual colour e-ink caveat that colour is muted and the panel is dimmer and softer than mono.
Reading Experience
As a reader it is comfortable and capable, with a warm-adjustable frontlight and generous storage. The software is functional and flexible rather than slick, reflecting PocketBook's utilitarian, format-first approach.
The trade-offs are that the store and ecosystem are smaller and more Europe-focused, and the software polish is a step behind the Kindle and Kobo giants. This is a device you choose for what it opens, not for a glossy experience.
Price and Who It Is For
At around 329 USD it is a premium colour reader, priced against the Kindle Colorsoft and Kobo Libra Colour. What sets it apart is that unmatched format support and the built-in audio.
Buy it if you have a mixed library of formats you want to open natively, you want colour and audio in one device, or you are in Europe where PocketBook is well supported. Choose a Kobo or Kindle if you value polish, a bigger store and easier library borrowing.
Frequently asked
What file formats does the PocketBook InkPad Color 3 support?
A very wide range natively, including EPUB, PDF, MOBI, FB2 and CBR/CBZ comics, with no conversion needed. That broad format support is PocketBook's biggest advantage.
Does it have colour and audio?
Yes, a Kaleido 3 colour screen plus a built-in speaker and Bluetooth for audiobooks and text-to-speech. The colour is the usual muted e-ink, but the audio is a genuine bonus.
How does it compare to a Kobo or Kindle?
It beats them on raw format support and built-in audio, but trails on software polish, store size and easy library borrowing. Choose PocketBook for flexibility, Kobo or Kindle for a slicker overall experience.
Is it a good choice outside Europe?
It works worldwide, but PocketBook is best supported in Europe. Elsewhere you can still enjoy the format flexibility, just with a smaller local store presence.