On the e-reader market, Amazon’s Kindle and Fnac’s Kobo are the most recognized names, yet French company Vivlio has made its mark over the past decade. Recently, Vivlio introduced two new models: the InkPad Color 3 and Light HD Color, both featuring color displays appealing to comic and manga enthusiasts. This article focuses on testing the entry-level Light HD Color, highlighting its lightweight and portable design, customizable interface, and compatibility with multiple formats. With a promising battery life of up to a month, it showcases both pros and cons, making it an intriguing option among other e-readers. The price is set at €179.99.
In the realm of e-readers, Amazon’s Kindle and Fnac’s Kobo are often the most mentioned. However, there are other capable manufacturers in this sector, such as the French company Vivlio. If you haven’t heard of them, this Lyon-based firm has been in the market for a decade now.
Like its competitors, Vivlio aims to provide a comprehensive catalog that meets the diverse needs of readers. Recently, they introduced two new models: the InkPad Color 3 and the Light HD Color. Both devices showcase a color screen designed to attract fans of comics, manga, and graphic novels. Although such devices are relatively rare, Kobo recently launched two new color readers as well, alongside Amazon’s announcement of its Colorsoft.
Having previously tested the Libra Color from Kobo, we were eager to explore Vivlio’s latest offerings, beginning with its entry-level model, the Light HD Color. Let’s dive into its features…
Technical Specifications
This review is based on a Light HD Color provided by Vivlio.
Design: Lightweight, Portable, and Durable
This is my first experience using a Vivlio e-reader, and it resembles other electronic books I have used. Its dimensions are quite similar to the 2022 Amazon e-reader but with less rounded and more rectangular edges. Measuring 156 × 108 × 7.6 mm and weighing 182 g, it is notably pleasant to handle.
It fits comfortably in one hand, making it a perfect companion for extended reading sessions. Its back features a non-slip coating, which enhances grip but may quickly trap fingerprints and dirt due to its grooves. It is also very easy to transport, taking up minimal space in your bag.
While many e-readers utilize a touchscreen interface, the Light HD Color offers a practical alternative with four physical buttons located below the screen. These buttons allow the user to navigate to the homepage, turn pages, and power the device on or off, providing quick access to essential functions.
The bottom edge houses a USB-C port for everyday convenience. Additionally, it is IPX8 certified, which means it can be safely used in the bath or by the pool; according to the manufacturer, it can withstand depths of up to 2 meters for 60 minutes.
We also appreciate Vivlio’s eco-friendly approach, opting for simple recycled cardboard packaging that contains just the essentials: the e-reader, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a quick start guide.
A Limited Yet Attractive Color Screen…
As expected, the Light HD Color features an e-ink display, notable for its ability to show colors thanks to E Ink’s Kaleido 3 technology.
While color electronic ink shows promise, it is still not fully perfected. The colors appear faded and do not completely capture the vibrancy of the actual books displayed. The refresh rate for displaying new pages is also less than optimal, resulting in pixelation that can disrupt visual comfort. To correct this, a second tap is needed—either using the physical button or touching the screen—to achieve clearer text, during which the screen briefly flickers.
This is forgivable, as color screens cannot match the accuracy and saturation found in LCD or OLED screens of smartphones or laptops.
Nonetheless, these color displays offer a significant advantage for illustrated books. Comics, certain pages of manga, cookbooks, travel guides, magazines, and graphic novels truly come alive on this screen. The colorful covers of books are visually striking on the homepage.
However, its smaller 6-inch diagonal is not well-suited for colored books, which are usually in larger formats. When reading comics, for instance, speech bubbles can be slightly cropped, necessitating a zoom-in to read the text fully. This can become tedious, especially with the slow page transition. Manga illustrations, on the other hand, display better.
On the technical side, you get 150 pixels per inch in color and 300 pixels per inch in black and white, which meets the standard for monochrome e-readers. When tested in black-and-white mode without the backlight, the display appears darker compared to standard black-and-white e-readers. While not a major issue, it’s advisable to activate the backlight, which offers various brightness levels.
The backlight can automatically adjust to your surroundings and allows for manual or automatic temperature settings, transitioning from blue to yellow or even orange lighting for enhanced eye comfort. The reader also includes a dark mode to reduce glare, making it less harsh on the eyes, especially for nighttime reading without disturbing a sleeping partner. Note that this mode is only suitable for novels and does not affect illustrated books which