Other than my work monitor, my e-reader gets the most amount of use on a weekly basis. I aim to go through 100 books a year, and these days, I use Kobo's Libra Colour because of the E Ink Kaleido panel, physical controls, and USB-C connectivity.
While I like the Libra Colour a lot, the 7-inch panel means it goes in my EDC bag — that in itself precludes me from using it when I'm out and about. This is where the DuRoBo Krono comes in; this is an e-reader as well, but it has a design that's similar to most modern phones, and the 6.13-inch screen means I can just slip it into my pocket without any issues whatsoever.
Article continues belowThe portability is unmatched
The Krono has a minimalist design, and the e-reader comes with a matte texture that's great to hold and use. I like the cylindrical bar that runs across the width at the rear, with one end housing the power button and the other featuring the Smart Dial.
With dimensions of 154 x 80 x 9.0 mm and a weight of 173g, the Krono feels just like a phone, and while the bezels are huge — at least next to my Find X9 Ultra — the 6.13-inch panel is adequate to read books on the go. It is wider and thicker than a regular phone, and if anything, that makes it easier to hold; it's designed to be used one-handed, and the relatively lighter weight means it is much more comfortable than a standard 7-inch e-reader.
The in-hand feel makes a big difference when using an e-reader; I don't like how plasticky the Libra Colour feels even after a year of use, and I much preferred the metal chassis of the Kindle Oasis. Although the Krono is made out of plastic, the material choices give it a much better feel, and the matte finish goes a long way it making it easier to use.
This is an E Ink panel you'll actually want to use
DuRoBo outfitted the Krono with a 6.13-inch E Ink HD Carta 1200 panel. While there are quite a few color-based E Ink panels around, the Krono uses monochrome, and that actually works to its advantage. With a resolution of 1648 x 824 and standard pixel density of 300PPI, the panel is just as clear as any other modern e-reader, and just as enjoyable to use.
You get a decent selection of fonts on the device, and the ability to change font scaling to suit your preferences. Page refresh is smooth, and there isn't any noticeable ghosting. While I was initially hesitant about using a smaller-sized e-reader, that only lasted until I actually got started with the Krono; once I started reading on the device, I didn't see any issues whatsoever.
In fact, the phone-sized design made it usable in those times I'm just waiting around between chores. I usually just pull out my phone and play something — Balatro or its derivative Cardwheel, or Wordle — but in the last two weeks, I used the Krono to read instead.
The physical dial makes all the difference
I prefer physical controls while reading a book, and the Krono has a dial on the left side that lets you scroll to turn pages. You can use the dial to navigate the interface as well, and it's delightful to use. But it is best-utilized while reading, and the built-in motor delivers good feedback.
By default, the dial is used to adjust the brightness of the Krono; the e-reader has a traditional LED light alongside a warm light, and you can easily adjust the warmth as well as the brightness. I like that the context of the dial changes automatically based on what you're doing, and this makes using the e-reader just that little bit more intuitive.
The interface is thoughtfully designed
I used enough Boox products to know that the interface on these products can get cluttered, and that's why I like that DuRoBo went with a minimal design here as well. You get Read, Music, Spark (a way to take voice notes), a digital assistant called DuRoBo AI, settings, and a list of apps. DuRoBo includes custom widgets, and they're just as thoughtful as the rest of the interface.
You get Android 15 as standard, with the Play Store pre-installed, so you can easily download all the apps you want. I like that the apps don't clutter up the home screen, and are instead in their own sub-menu. The Krono uses a basic octa-core platform and comes with 128GB of storage, and this lets you store thousands of e-books, voice notes, as well as music. While a 3.5mm port would have been ideal, you can use Bluetooth to pair buds with the device and listen to music that you store locally on the device, or any streaming platform like Spotify.
On the whole, I liked the Krono much more than I thought I would. The smaller size makes the e-reader that much more accessible in daily scenarios, and I got plenty of usage in the last two weeks. I still prefer a bigger device while I'm on the couch, but in all other situations, I've started using the Krono.
The Krono is an e-reader that's different to just about any other device, and the smaller size along with the minimal interface, Android 15, and E Ink panel makes it a good choice if you need a new reader.
