Nook Glowlight 4 Review

The Nook Glowlight 4 e-reader enters the e-reader market with its affordable price of £120, and a feature set that promises a smooth digital reading experience. This review will delve into the Nook Glowlight 4’s attributes, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and examine its fit for various user types.

Design and Construction

The Nook Glowlight 4’s design can be described as minimalist and functional. Available in Black and White, it maintains an appealing simplicity with its colour options. The device’s dimensions, 155.2mm by 120mm, and its slimness at 8.2mm thickness make it easy to handle and carry around. Weighing in at 170g, the Glowlight 4 is sufficiently lightweight to be held for extended reading sessions without causing discomfort.

A notable feature of the Glowlight 4 is the presence of page-turn buttons, providing tactile feedback that some readers may prefer over solely touchscreen-based navigation. However, the device doesn’t offer a flush screen, and this could impact the smoothness of the touchscreen experience.

Screen and Readability

The Nook Glowlight 4 sports a 6″ screen, an industry-standard size that marries portability with readability. The device’s 300ppi resolution ensures that text appears sharp and easy to read, mirroring the clarity of printed text on paper.

The Glowlight 4 features both a frontlight and a warmlight. The frontlight ensures readability in low-light conditions, while the warmlight allows users to adjust the colour temperature of the light, which can be particularly useful for late-night reading sessions that require a warmer light to reduce eye strain. However, the lack of an auto-brightness feature means that users will have to manually adjust the brightness to suit their environment.

Operating System and File Compatibility

The Nook Glowlight 4 runs on Android 8.1. While this isn’t the most current Android version, it is capable of supporting a solid e-reading experience. However, the absence of Play Store access is a significant limitation, as it reduces the available options for users to download reading apps.

The Glowlight 4 supports a modest array of file formats, including EPUB, PDF, and various image formats like JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP. While the range of supported formats might suffice for basic e-reading needs, it falls short of offering the extensive compatibility seen in some other e-readers.

Storage and Connectivity

The Glowlight 4 impresses with its 32GB internal storage, which offers ample space for users to store a large library of e-books (in contrast, the more affordable Nook Glowlight 4e has a more modest 8Gb of storage). However, it doesn’t include a Micro-SD slot, so users can’t expand the storage capacity if needed.

In terms of connectivity, the Glowlight 4 lacks both Bluetooth and mobile connectivity. Users will need a Wi-Fi connection to download content onto their device. The absence of Bluetooth connectivity also means that users can’t connect headphones or speakers for listening to audiobooks or using the text-to-speech functionality.

Additional Features

The Nook Glowlight 4 does offer text-to-speech, a useful feature for users who like to listen to their books or for those with visual impairments. The device also doesn’t display advertisements, offering an uninterrupted reading experience. However, the lack of features like waterproofing, auto-rotation, and wireless charging may disappoint some users – the more premium Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition may be a better choice for such users, however it

Conclusion

The Nook Glowlight 4, with its affordable pricing and decent feature set, is a solid entry in the e-reader market. Its high-resolution screen, ample storage, and physical page-turn buttons make it an appealing choice for basic e-reading needs. However, the lack of certain features like Bluetooth connectivity, waterproofing, and Play Store access may limit its appeal to users looking for a more feature-rich e-reading experience.

In conclusion, the Nook Glowlight 4 might be an ideal choice for users who prefer a straightforward, no-frills e-reading experience. Those who need more advanced features or extensive file format compatibility might want to consider other options in the market.

Alternative entry-level e-readers include the Kobo Nia and Kindle 2022.

Check out our fully searchable e-reader comparison table here.

Full Specs