Best E Ink Tablets · head-to-head

Kobo Elipsa 2E vs Supernote Manta (A5 X2)

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Kobo Elipsa 2E is cheaper at $399.99. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Kobo Elipsa 2E or Supernote Manta (A5 X2)?

The Supernote Manta (A5 X2) wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Kobo Elipsa 2E is the cheaper at $399.99. Get the Supernote Manta (A5 X2) for the stronger spec sheet, the Kobo Elipsa 2E to spend less.

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Key specs, head to head

The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.

Ppi
Kobo Elipsa 2E 227
Supernote Manta (A5 X2) 300

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Kobo Elipsa 2E Supernote Manta (A5 X2)
US price $399.99 $459
BrandKoboRatta Supernote
Released20232024-12
Screen size (in) 10.3 10.7
Ppi 227 300
Storage (GB) 32 32
Color display No No
Front light Yes No
Pen included Yes No
Waterproof No No
Battery weeks

Sources — Kobo Elipsa 2E: us.kobobooks.com (verified 2026-07-11). Supernote Manta (A5 X2): supernote.com (verified 2026-07-11).

What's the difference between the Kobo Elipsa 2E and Supernote Manta (A5 X2)?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Screen size (in): Kobo Elipsa 2E 10.3 vs Supernote Manta (A5 X2) 10.7
  • Ppi: Kobo Elipsa 2E 227 vs Supernote Manta (A5 X2) 300
  • Front light: Kobo Elipsa 2E true vs Supernote Manta (A5 X2) false
  • Pen included: Kobo Elipsa 2E true vs Supernote Manta (A5 X2) false

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Kobo Elipsa 2E

Two whitelisted hands-on reviews cover the exact Kobo Elipsa 2E and both survive verification: TechRadar (measured) and Reviewed/USA Today (qualitative). Both praise it as a versatile note-taking ereader with a well-lit 10.3-inch display and ecosystem integrations (Pocket, OverDrive, Dropbox) that Amazon can't match, but flag an eraser that forces distracting screen refreshes and a sleepcover that is no longer bundled. TechRadar additionally rates the Kindle Scribe ahead on writing smoothness and battery life. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Much-improved note-taking experience over the previous Elipsa, with more templates and pen options; Pleasant, well-lit 10.3-inch display comfortable for long reading sessions; Strong ecosystem integrations (Pocket, OverDrive library, Dropbox sync).

Flagged: Digital eraser triggers distracting screen refreshes / ghosting (Reviewed also finds it inaccurate); Sleepcover no longer bundled, sold separately (~$69.99); Writing has more friction than the Kindle Scribe.

Supernote Manta (A5 X2)

Only one whitelisted outlet (Engadget) has hands-on time with the Supernote Manta A5 X2, and it appears inside a combined Supernote buying-guide entry (nominally the A6 X2 Nomad) rather than a dedicated Manta review. The take is qualitative with no measured benchmarks: the reviewer praises the larger 10.7-inch writing surface, the user-repairable build and the smoother FeelWrite 2 protector, while flagging the absent backlight and the pen sold separately. Dedicated Manta reviews came only from non-whitelisted outlets and were excluded. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Larger 10.7-inch writing surface vs the smaller Nomad, better for big or cursive handwriting; User-repairable with replaceable battery and microSD slot; Smoother, less-scratchy FeelWrite 2 screen protector for a paper-like writing feel.

Flagged: No backlight / front light, useless in dark environments; Stylus costs extra ($89 or more).

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