Kindle Scribe as a Manga Reader Review

Date: 2025 January 26 18:14

Posted by Joe

There's nothing we here at Otaku News like better when the days are short and the weather is cold than to curl up on the sofa with the latest manga releases. Although we love the experience that you can only get reading on paper, we have been on a quest for many years to find a digital alternative for those times when it is just more convenient.

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When eBook readers were new, the manga selection was pretty limited. The content available was low res and did not do justice to the detailed and beautiful artwork of some of our favourite titles. Now the selection of digital manga is huge! In most cases publishers will offer manga in print or digitally through an Amazon Kindle edition or other eBook service. The digital version is often cheaper than the print edition too. Pretty much every device now supports eBook software, so you can read it on your desktop computer, laptop, phone or tablet. Thank goodness because we are running out of space to put new Billy bookcases at Otaku News HQ, so having some good digital options will help!

We decided to try the Kindle Scribe because we wanted something with a bigger screen. It is primarily designed for note taking, but also can be used to read manga on via the Kindle books integration.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.

One of the biggest selling points for the Scribe is the screen. The display on the Kindle Scribe is 10.2 inches (almost 26 cm) diagonally. It has a monochrome display with 16 level greyscale. When looking at e-Ink readers for manga reading, the pixel density is critical for making the artwork as detailed and crisp as possible. The Scribe supports 300 PPI, which was higher than the other e-ink eBook readers of the same size. The screen is sharp and its glare free.




When comparing to print you can see that the display quality is sharp. Sure it's not colour, but it still does render very well. The detail of the artwork is clearly visible.

The line work and screen tone looks fine if you are reading the device while you hold it. On closer inspection, you can see it's not quite as sharp as the print version.

However, it's is perfectly readable and enjoyable and you can see a good level of detail. How much the difference matters really depends on the artwork and often it's not noticeable at all. It's only when you start zooming into the pages that you'll actually notice.

Note. When we use the term close up in this article, we're showing you the same image but higher resolution as taken from the camera. When we use the term zoomed in we using the Kindle's pinch to zoom feature, and it's the manga zoomed in as viewed through the eBook Reader.


On close inspection you can see the level of detail of the physical manga cover.


In comparison here's what it looks like close up on a Kindle Scribe





Above is a close of page a from the print edition of Atelier Volume 11 Manga.


Above is a close up a page from Atelier Volume 11 Manga as viewed on the Kindle Scribe


Above is a page a from the print edition of Atelier Volume 11 Manga.


Above is the same image as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.


Above is a close of page a from the print edition of Atelier Volume 11 Manga.


Above is a close up a page from Atelier Volume 11 Manga as viewed on the Kindle Scribe


Above is a zoomed in page from Atelier Volume 11 Manga as viewed on the Kindle Scribe using the pinch to zoom feature.

One thing the Kindle Scribe does allow is pinch to zoom. With a book you can move your eyes closer to the page, or even use a magnifying glass to look at more detail on the artwork. With the Kindle Scribe, you can use the pinch to zoom gesture to look at more detail. Of course this often depends on the quality of the source file used, but in the case of the manga titles we've tried, the data is there if you want to zoom in.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 a close up of the same panel as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 a close up of the same panel as viewed on the Kindle Scribe.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 Zoomed in using the Pinch to Zoom feature.


Emanon: Memories of Emanon Volume 1 Zoomed in using the Pinch to Zoom feature - Close Up.


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe.


Kindle Scribe Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga - Close Up.


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe. - Pinch to Zoom Image.


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe. - Pinch to Zoom Image - Close up.

The Kindle software supports a number of features that manga readers will love. You can easily switch between single and double-page spreads. You can change the colour warmth of the page between a cold blue tint and a warm orange that looks like it's drifting into sepia. The screen can also light up, with adjustable brightness, along with an auto brightness setting.

Double Page Spread


Atelier Volume 11 Manga as viewed on the Kindle Scribe. Note at the bottom of the page, there's a double page spread preview, indicating that the page in question is actually part of a double page spread. If you press it, the Kindle will switch to double page spread mode.


Atelier Volume 11 Manga as viewed on the Kindle Scribe. Above is a double page spread.

Colour Warmth Adjustments


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe. 0 Warmth.


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe. 13 Level Warmth. 13 is the middle setting.


Yotsuba&! Volume 11 Manga on the Kindle Scribe. 24 Level Warmth. 24 is the maximum setting.

You can load up files onto the kindle that don't come from Amazon, which is handy if you have any content outside of the Amazon ecosystem. The Amazon send to Kindle Web site allows you to upload compatible files up to 200MB per file. The trouble is a lot of manga is over 200 MB. So you'll have to plug the Kindle into a computer and copy the files across that way.

Other Minor Drawbacks

Other model Kindles are waterproof up to IPX8 standards, which means you can read it in the bath (although you shouldn't drop it into the bath). All the marketing material makes a point of the Kindle being waterproof and you can read it by the pool or the bath. However unlike other models the Kindle Scribe is not waterproof. If you're looking for an eBook reader that you do intend to take into wet environments, the scribe isn't for you.
Like all eInk readers, there's input lag when loading pages as the eInk redraws. It's more prominent when you're accessing menus or using the scroll bar to jump through multiple pages. This is noticeable, and you soon get used to it, but it is there. It is a minor user experience niggle. If this bothers you a tablet such as the Apple iPad or one of the many available Android Tablets might be a better bet.

Competition

There are other comparable eBook readers available, but for manga readers the displays won't be as sharp. For example the Kobo Elipsa 2E supports only 227 PPI compared to the scribe's 300 PPI. It is also more expensive, setting you back $400 USD / £349 GBP / €400 EUR.

Affiliate Links
Buy the Kobo Elipsa 2E on Amazon.com
Buy the Kobo Elipsa 2E on Amazon.co.uk

There are also other eBook readers available that look very impressive but are more expensive. We've heard good things about the BOOX Note Air4 C, which includes a slightly larger 10.3 inch screen. It equals the Kindle Scribe with black and white at 300 PPI but also renders colour at 150 PPI. Another tempting features is that it runs the Android operating system, which supports most official manga apps, including Kindle, the official VIZ Shonen Jump Manga App and the official VIZ Manga App. The only downside is that it's significantly more expensive at $500 USD / £500 GBP / €549 EUR.

Affiliate Links
Buy the BOOX Note Air4 C on Amazon.com
Buy the BOOX Note Air4 C on Amazon.co.uk

Conclusion



We think the Kindle Scribe fits a niche of a big eBook reader nicely. We have been using it as our main digital manga reader since mid 2024. Sure it's a bit of a gadget and you can use tablet instead, but the sharpness of the screen, the fact that it's glare free and easy on the eyes are great. It's battery life is amazing, and we only have to infrequently charge it, with the battery lasting in weeks rather than days / hours. Plus as a dedicated reading device it's free from distracting apps and notifications.

At the time of writing the Kindle Scribe 2022 model starts from $340 USD / £330 GBP / €370 EUR and the 2024 model starts from $400 USD / £380 GBP / €420 EUR.

Disclaimer. This article does contain affiliate links. We paid for the Kindle Scribe using our own money.

Affiliate Links
Buy the Kindle Scribe 2022 model on Amazon.com
Buy the Kindle Scribe 2022 model on Amazon.co.uk

Buy the Kindle Scribe 2024 model on Amazon.com
Buy the Kindle Scribe 2024 model on Amazon.co.uk