Kobo Forma Waterproof Landscape-Mode E-Reader, 8-Inch

Last updated: January 28, 2022


This high-end reader holds up to its Kindle competition with a large screen and impressive memory capacity. It's also waterproof, and it comes with an array of LED lights around the screen for nighttime reading. Though the added size and weight may make this reader less travel-friendly, it's an overall great option for an e-reader.

We looked at the top E-Readers and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best E-Reader you should buy.

Product Details

In our analysis of 69 expert reviews, the Kobo Forma Waterproof Landscape-Mode E-Reader, 8-Inch placed 10th when we looked at the top 13 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

Designed with the help of our most passionate customers, Kobo Aura ONE was crafted to deliver the absolute best reading experience, period. At Kobo, we are 100% focused on making the reading experience better for Booklovers around the world. With Kobo Aura ONE, we took it one step further. We invited a group of our customers to work alongside us from start to finish. They challenged us to push the limits on screen size, front-light technology and easier access to the stories they love. The result? An eReader unlike any other. Bedtime readers rejoice with ComfortLight PRO. By reducing blue-light exposure, the front-light technology protects your eyes and provides the best nighttime reading experience without impacting your sleep.

Our Expert Consultant

Molly Thornberg   
Technology and parenting blogger

Molly Thornberg is a professional writer, creative and mom to four kids, living her best life outside of Dallas, Texas. With a love for all things tech, she is passionate about helping parents raise kids in the digital age. She writes about technology, parenting and humor on her blog Digital Mom Blog.

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

And Kobo’s high-end reader, the Aura One, has a 7.8-inch display. The value of these Kobo models’ larger screens is debatable. Some people will benefit from being able to use larger text and to see more on the screen
The Kobo Aura ONE is an e-reader built by and for readers. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to features, comfort and convenience.
Kobo Aura One is water-resistant – and that alone makes it great.
The larger screen mimics the full-page experience you’d have with a hardcover book. You get more words on each page, even when you crank up the font to an enormous size that would lead to lots of page flipping on a 6-inch reader.
The Kobo Aura One is a solid waterproof ebook reader with an extra large display.
The Kobo Aura One sports a 7.8-inch e-ink display that's significantly larger than the 6-inch e-ink displays found on all of Amazon's Kindle e-readers.
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The Kobo Aura One's headline feature is its size. This is different to any other ereader we've seen, and if you've always thought the current crop of devices were a bit small for your liking then this might be the ereader you’ve been waiting for.
The Kobo Aura One is a big e-reader with a 7.8-inch, 300 ppi display and twice as much storage as any product we reviewed.
The Kobo Aura One is a solid waterproof ebook reader with an extra large display.
The Kobo Aura One features an IPX8-rated waterproof design that allows it to last up to 60 minutes in up to 6.5 feet of fresh water.
The Kobo Aura One comes with nine white LEDs and eight RGB LEDs around the frame. It’s one of the very rare ebook readers on the market with RGB LEDs. And they are truly the icing on the cake!
As one of Kobo's flagship e-readers, the Aura ONE packs a punch. There's a lot to love here from the screen size, to the water resistance, to the multitude of software features.

What reviewers didn't like

Aura One, has a 7.8-inch display,we think it would be a drawback for many others, because the H20 and Aura One’s size makes them harder to carry around, and they won’t fit into a pocket, whereas 6-inch readers can.
Touch screen occasionally didn't respond well
The one thing that I’m not a fan of is the Kobo logo that’s stuck on both the front and rear of the device.
I did miss having page-turn buttons, which I had gotten used to after using the Kindle Oasis for the past few months. Swiping the screen to turn the page will be intuitive enough to anyone with a smartphone, but hard buttons would feel better.
may be a little too large for some people's hands.
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Design-wise, the Aura One doesn't feel as premium as some Kindle products. The back panel is covered in dimpled plastic that makes gripping it easier, but it doesn't feel as nice as the Kindle Oasis.
We weren’t impressed with its backlight, which the manufacturer claims doesn’t emit the type of blue light that can interrupt sleep cycles
Screen has slightly shadowy edges
The Aura One's ambient-light sensors enable the most comfortable reading I've experienced on an e-reader.
Heavier (8.1 oz or 230g) than most Kindles
The device is heavier than other Kobo devices because of its larger screen and it gets close to the Kindle Oasis in cost.
View our E-Reader buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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