Which Is Better for Reading Manga: Ebook Reader or Tablet?
With various ways to read manga available, the common dilemma is "Should I read manga on an ebook reader or a tablet?" This article summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of each, and recommends the best device depending on how you intend to use it.
Modified at: 2025.9.22Posted at: 2022.5.11
Advantages of Ebook Readers
The advantages of ebook readers include:
- Eye-friendly electronic paper display
- Long battery life on a single charge
- Lightweight design
The eye-friendly electronic paper display is especially addictive once you try it.
For reading manga whenever you want, the long battery life on a single charge is a big plus. If you read for a few hours daily, the battery easily lasts a week.
While ebook readers initially may seem limited due to their monochrome screen, unlike magazines, manga is mostly black-and-white, so the monochrome display is sufficient for reading manga.
Advantages of Tablets
The advantages of tablets include:
- Ability to use favorite manga apps
- Beautiful full-color display
- No restrictions from ebook stores
Ebook readers generally lock you into content from specific stores like Amazon or Rakuten, so the freedom of tablets is attractive.
Because you can use your preferred manga apps, you can enjoy completely free manga or read manga not available on ebook stores.
Some full-color manga can also be beautifully displayed on tablets, including covers and color illustrations at the beginning of volumes.
Which Is the Best Choice?
If Reading Manga Through Apps, Tablets Are the Best Choice
In the past, buying digital versions of manga volumes via ebook stores was the norm for digital manga reading, but manga apps offering individual chapters or free distribution have become the standard new way of reading.
If you enjoy manga through such apps, tablets that allow free app installation are the clear choice.
If Buying and Reading Ebooks, Either Works Well
If you buy ebooks, the reading experience is mostly similar on tablets and ebook readers. Tablets offer more screen size options, but the ebook reader’s strengths—lightweight and long battery life—are also big pluses in reading scenes.
Both have their merits, so choosing based on personal preference and lifestyle is best.
For Reading Self-Scanned Manga, Ebook Readers Are Recommended
If you read manga by self-scanning your physical volumes, loading lots of self-scanned data into an ebook reader is recommended. Although converting for ebook readers is necessary, you can store hundreds of volumes.
Above all, the 6- or 7-inch screen size of ebook readers closely matches the size of physical manga volumes, and the display is optimized for manga page proportions, allowing you to read manga with the feeling of holding a real book. This is a major advantage of ebook readers.