Tolino Page 2

Tolino Page 2: At a Glance

The Tolino Page 2 takes over from the entry-level device first introduced to the Tolino universe back in 2016. With this new release, two major changes have been made once and for all:

Firstly, the familiar Tolino design—which the original Page closely followed with its Shine-inspired look—is now officially a thing of the past. The Tolino Shine 3 had already broken with tradition by introducing its own unique design.

Secondly, there are no longer any unlit eBook readers in the Tolino lineup. The Tolino Page 2, even as the entry-level model, now features an LED front light and also boasts a higher resolution display.

Just like the other Tolino models, the screen is now illuminated from below using built-in LEDs and a light guide layer. While the resolution of 212 ppi (1024×758 pixels) is a bit lower than that of the pricier models, it’s still perfectly sufficient for comfortable reading. Differences in text sharpness are only noticeable if you compare devices side by side—and even then, it’s not particularly striking. Thanks to E-Ink Carta technology, the contrast is excellent.

Weighing in at just 166 grams, the eReader is impressively light, though the battery is relatively small at 1,000 mAh. As a result, battery life may be a bit shorter than its unlit predecessor.

With 8 GB of internal storage (6 GB of which are available to the user), there’s ample space for even large eBook libraries, though the memory is not expandable.

Conclusion

Even if it’s a shame to see the Tolino look go, the Tolino Page 2 is still a solid step forward. The screen has been improved and now allows you to read even in the dark. Thanks to the simple and familiar Tolino user interface and its affordable entry-level price, the Page 2 is a great way for newcomers, occasional readers, and skeptics (who aren’t sure if eReading is right for them) to get started with digital reading.

Compared to the basic Kindle, the Tolino Page 2 also stands out with its better display and ePub support, which lets you use eBooks independently of any specific shop.

Tolino Page 2: Full Review

For many years, the Kindle was the only affordable way to get into digital reading. Eventually, though, the Tolino alliance stepped into the ring and sent the Tolino Page 1 into the fray. That entry-level model could not only keep up with the Kindle’s display, it actually beat Amazon’s contender thanks to E Ink Carta technology.

With the Tolino Page 2, the rivalry under similar conditions enters the next round. Like the Kindle, the new Page comes with a built-in light, but it offers a higher resolution.

With the Page 2, the era of unlit e-readers is also slowly but surely coming to an end. Let’s take a look below at whether the Tolino model is worth buying.

Note: The device tested here was purchased through regular retail channels.

Tolino Page 2 (left) and Page 1 compared

Build and features

Visually, the Tolino Page 2 is very reminiscent of the Shine 3. The classic Tolino design, which the Page inherited from the very first Shine, is history. Instead, the device follows the same path as Amazon and Kobo, which unfortunately also makes the eBook reader a little easier to confuse with others.

That’s especially true when you compare it to the Tolino Shine 3. You have to look twice to tell the two apart with certainty. But as soon as you pick up the Tolino Page 2, the difference becomes clearer.

The Tolino Page 2’s hard plastic body is very well made, but feels a bit cheap

In the hand, the newcomer feels a bit cheaper—as you’d expect at this price—which is down to the rough hard-plastic shell, the slightly thicker body, and the more deeply recessed display. Don’t get me wrong: the Page 2 doesn’t feel flimsy, because the build quality is excellent. But especially in a direct comparison, the Kindle feels and looks better.

One upside to the rough finish on the front, though: fingerprints and greasy smudges are practically never visible.

The screen is set relatively deep

Despite the capacitive touchscreen, the screen sits relatively far recessed in the housing. Compared to the Shine 3, the back has been improved in my view: the patterned embossing in the plastic is no longer quite as fine and also appears shallower, so dust and crumbs don’t get trapped as easily. The Page 2 isn’t completely immune to it, though.

Back

At 179 grams, the Tolino Page 2 isn’t noticeably heavier than its predecessor (170 grams) and is easy to handle even during long reading sessions. The dimensions (159.5 x 112.5 x 9.1 mm) have shrunk in every direction (Page 1: 175 x 116 x 9.7 mm), making the device more compact overall.

The only button on the device is on the bottom and is used to turn it on and off. It has a crisp, firm actuation point and sits slightly recessed into the body. That makes it a bit harder to operate at first, but it becomes easier once you get used to it. Next to it is the Micro USB port, which, unlike its predecessor, thankfully is no longer hidden behind a somewhat fiddly flap.

Internal storage has doubled to 8 GB, and you access the built-in eBook store via Wi-Fi.

Tolino Page 2 (left) and Kindle (2019; right) compared

Display and lighting

As with the housing, there are a few bigger changes to the screen: the Tolino Page 2 still has a 6-inch display, but now offers a resolution of 1024×758 pixels, increasing pixel density from 167 ppi to 212 ppi. Text and icons are noticeably sharper, and the gap to the “retina” screens of the Shine 2 and Vision 5 narrows visibly.

Readability is correspondingly very good, as it still uses E Ink Carta, which also delivers high contrast.

In a direct comparison with its predecessor, however, you notice that the unlit background of the Page 1’s screen is brighter and thus looks a bit more appealing. To be fair, though, the Page 1 was truly in a class of its own in that regard, and even top models of the same generation couldn’t keep up.

The lighting improves readability even during the day

Illumination quality and brightness

The second major new feature is the integrated lighting. The first Page had no built-in light; the Page 2 now illuminates the display via five LEDs housed in the bottom bezel.

The LEDs provide a surprisingly uniform illumination of the screen—something I wouldn’t have expected at this relatively low price. Even if a slight gradient is visible in the following photo, to the naked eye the Tolino Page 2 looks very evenly lit.

Only along the bottom edge—where the LEDs sit—is some shadowing visible, reminiscent in its character of the Tolino Vision 4 HD. As the shadows are very low and don’t extend into the text, they aren’t distracting.

Cool color temperature, but uniform illumination

With a color temperature of 6900 Kelvin, the light falls on the cool end of the spectrum, and subjectively it skews slightly greenish. This greenish tint isn’t noticeable in bright ambient light during the day, but it is visible in a dark environment.

You have to forgo a blue light reduction feature—that only arrives in the next price tier with the Tolino Shine 3.

The maximum brightness of the lighting is 126 cd/m² (with the increased brightness mode), which is a good level and improves readability even in daylight.

The lowest brightness setting is fine at 3.1 cd/m², but it may already be borderline high for light-sensitive people. Personally, even in the dark I had no issues with glare. Other e-readers, however, are noticeably dimmer at their minimum setting.

Touchscreen, ghosting, and screen verdict

As already mentioned, the Page 2 no longer uses an infrared touchscreen, but capacitive tech, which has become increasingly established in e-reading in recent years. Responsiveness and accuracy are flawless.

There is some ghosting, and with a closer look you can see it with the naked eye. To me, however, it isn’t bothersome. In the reading settings you can adjust the full-page refresh (every page, every 10th page up to every 100th page, in steps of 10 or 20).

A good screen at a good price

Bottom line, the Tolino Page’s screen convinces. Readability is very good thanks to E Ink Carta, and the lighting surprises with a uniformity you’d expect from more expensive devices. Only the slightly visible ghosting and the borderline minimum brightness take a little of the shine off an otherwise very good showing.

Reading and usability

As for the interface, I’ll refer you to the review of the Tolino Shine 3. The Page 2 uses Tolino’s familiar UI, which hardly differs from the Shine. The two 6-inchers offer largely the same options and, in firmware 13.1.1, even share the preinstalled manual.

Tolino Page 2 (left) and Tolino Shine 3 (right) are very similar not only in looks, but also in operation

Suffice it to say here that using it is as straightforward as ever. The interface is clearly structured and largely self-explanatory. Options for customizing the font, note-taking, and the dictionary function are also available on the Tolino Page 2. Even non-techies should get along with the device after a short familiarization period.

Familiar home screen, shown here without the initial setup of the built-in store (lower half of the display)

Compared to the Vision 5 and Epos 2, however, you have to forgo the magnification mode that increases font and icon sizes in the menus. This option is only available from a 7-inch display size upward.

The night mode to invert the screen colors is also available on the Page 2 as a beta version. At the moment, however, it shows the same issues as on the Vision 5.

Conclusion

It took a long time for the Tolino partners to serve the entry-level e-reader segment with the first Page. Now the Page 2 arrives as a worthy successor that carries over the strengths of its predecessor and improves on them further.

Thanks to the built-in light and higher pixel density, the Tolino Page 2 offers even better readability—something you would have found in the mid-range just two e-reader generations ago.

The practical execution is also very well done, so despite the low price you don’t need to worry about poor light distribution. On the contrary: the uniformity of the screen lighting would earn praise even in the higher price bracket. Only the minimum brightness and the ghosting warrant small deductions.

The Page 2 is a great way to get started with digital reading

The casing could be a bit better too. While the workmanship is impeccable, I don’t find the choice of rough hard plastic particularly appealing. Other e-readers—like the equally priced Kindle (and the Page 1)—feel better in the hand.

If you can look past these points, the Tolino Page 2 is a good entry-level device that will no doubt win over more than a few digital skeptics. As a gift or for yourself as an alternative to the pricier Shine 3 or the competing Amazon Kindle, the Page 2 is already easy to recommend. The Page 2 thus earns a solid test score of 1.8.

Tolino Page 2: Technical Specifications

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