Aluratek Libre eBook Reader Pro Review

Aluratek Libre Pro reviews agree that the big draw for this ereader is its low price. PC World says in an Aluratek Libre Pro review that the device is a pleasure to use and a real bargain, to boot. The cheapest ereader that we researched, the Libre Pro has also been around for a while. That shows in its price and underlying display technology; indeed, part of the reason the Libre Pro costs less than the competition is the reflective LCD screen. ZDNet reports in an Aluratek Libre Pro review that the screen is easy to read in high and low light, but adds that the newer E Ink display found on other, more expensive ebook readers is preferred. Still, there's no refresh flickering when loading pages like you get with E Ink, and page turns are actually a bit faster (battery life, however, is worse). The button and arrow navigation is intuitive, say expert reviews, and switching to landscape mode merely requires the push of a button rather than messing around with settings. In fact, consumers like the device and the reading experience, according to Aluratek Libre Pro reviews on sites such as Newegg, where they say text is clear and sharp, easy to read, and easy to use. They also appreciate the absence of what one calls "unnecessary junk" that doesn't relate to the activity of reading.

But from an overall feature and functionality perspective, the Libre Pro lags behind the best in class. An Aluratek Libre Pro review on The Gadgeteer points out that it doesn't include a Wi-Fi connection or onboard storage -- you have to connect the Libre Pro to a PC to load content, or pop in an SD card already loaded with the books you'd like to read; it does, however, come preloaded with 100 titles from the public domain. And while the button controls found on the Libre Pro are quickly mastered, there's no touchscreen, which has become the interface of choice for most manufacturers and users. Moreover, the five-inch display is a little smaller than average and the aesthetics seem dated. The Libre Pro supports several formats, including EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT, BMP, and JPEG. It also supports MP3 files should you want to listen to an audio book.

The Libre Pro may be a low-priced ereader, but it's not significantly cheaper than many other ebook readers that have more features, including EI Ink displays and Wi-Fi connectivity. Its age is starting to show.