# Kobo Clara BW: specs and price

**Price (US):** $129.99 at en.wikipedia.org (US launch price April 2024. Price increased ~$10 globally in Feb 2025.), as of 2026-06-27. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 17 e readers we track it is #2 cheapest of 17; category median $239.99.
**Brand:** Kobo
**Released:** 2024-04
**Deskmark:** Silver Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 78/100, #6 of 19 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $129.99 |
| Brand | Kobo |
| Released | 2024-04 |
| Screen (in) | 6 |
| Ppi bw | 300 |
| Storage (GB) | 16 |
| Color display | No |
| Warm light | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Page turn buttons | No |
| Battery weeks | 7 |
| Stylus included | No |

## Where it stands

At $130, the Kobo Clara BW is #2 cheapest of the 16 e readers we track, where the median is $235. On the spec sheet, its screen of 6 in is the lowest of the 19, its ppi bw of 300 is the highest of the 19, and its storage of 16 GB is the lowest of the 19.

## What reviewers say

Both whitelisted sources reviewed this exact model, the Kobo Clara BW: TechRadar (Sharmishta Sarkar, 29 May 2024) with lab-style measured battery and charge figures, and Digital Trends (Mark Jansen, 15 March 2025) as a hands-on comparison against the Clara Colour. Both praise the crisp, sharp display and reading experience, iFixit repairability, the compact waterproof build with weeks of battery, and the low price. Both flag the carried-over 16GB/1GHz internals, the lack of Google Drive/Dropbox cloud transfer, and the plain plastic design. They split on the verdict: TechRadar recommends it as the best entry-level ereader screen, while Digital Trends says the ~$20-pricier Clara Colour makes it impossible to recommend. (Based on 2 reviews, 1 lab-tested, 2024-05-29–2025-03-15.)

Praised: Crisp, sharp, clear display and an excellent reading experience; Best grayscale contrast the reviewer has tested on a 6-inch ereader, thanks to the new E Ink Carta 1300 panel; Repairable with iFixit parts and step-by-step guides; Compact, lightweight, waterproof (IPX8) with weeks of battery life; Affordable / good price.
Flagged: No cloud file transfer (Google Drive / Dropbox); Dated, plain plastic design (Digital Trends adds slippery and boring); Aging internals carried over — 16GB storage and a 1GHz processor; Value undercut by the color-screen Clara Colour, which adds a faster CPU for only about $20 more; 6-inch screen too small for some readers.
Disagreement: Overall verdict splits cleanly. TechRadar calls the Clara BW easy to recommend, with the best grayscale screen and reading experience in an entry-level ereader. Digital Trends concludes you should not buy it: the Clara Colour costs only about $20 more (~$140 vs ~$160) yet adds a color display and a faster dual 2.0GHz processor, so 'it's impossible to recommend' the BW at its current price.
Sources: TechRadar (2024-05-29, techradar.com), Digital Trends (2025-03-15, digitaltrends.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the Kobo Clara BW?**

Both whitelisted sources reviewed this exact model, the Kobo Clara BW: TechRadar (Sharmishta Sarkar, 29 May 2024) with lab-style measured battery and charge figures, and Digital Trends (Mark Jansen, 15 March 2025) as a hands-on comparison against the Clara Colour. Both praise the crisp, sharp display and reading experience, iFixit repairability, the compact waterproof build with weeks of battery, and the low price. Both flag the carried-over 16GB/1GHz internals, the lack of Google Drive/Dropbox cloud transfer, and the plain plastic design. They split on the verdict: TechRadar recommends it as the best entry-level ereader screen, while Digital Trends says the ~$20-pricier Clara Colour makes it impossible to recommend. Praised: Crisp, sharp, clear display and an excellent reading experience; Best grayscale contrast the reviewer has tested on a 6-inch ereader, thanks to the new E Ink Carta 1300 panel; Repairable with iFixit parts and step-by-step guides; Compact, lightweight, waterproof (IPX8) with weeks of battery life; Affordable / good price. Flagged: No cloud file transfer (Google Drive / Dropbox); Dated, plain plastic design (Digital Trends adds slippery and boring); Aging internals carried over — 16GB storage and a 1GHz processor; Value undercut by the color-screen Clara Colour, which adds a faster CPU for only about $20 more; 6-inch screen too small for some readers. (From 2 tester reviews, 1 lab-tested.)

**How much does the Kobo Clara BW cost?**

The Kobo Clara BW has a US price of $129.99 (US launch price April 2024. Price increased ~$10 globally in Feb 2025.), as of 2026-06-15.

**How does the Kobo Clara BW compare on price?**

At $130, the Kobo Clara BW is #2 cheapest of the 16 e readers we track, where the median is $235.

**When was the Kobo Clara BW released?**

The Kobo Clara BW was released 2024-04.

**What are the Kobo Clara BW's key specs?**

Kobo Clara BW (Kobo): screen in 6, ppi bw 300, storage gb 16, color display No, warm light Yes. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobo_eReader (en.wikipedia.org, accessed 2026-06-15)
Corroboration: https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/kobo-clara-bw (accessed 2026-06-15)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/e-readers/kobo-clara-bw/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the Kobo Clara BW price of record was $129.99 as of 2026-06-15 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/e-readers/kobo-clara-bw/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl