Sony Reader PRS 300 review

If you’re a fan of Sony ereader technology, but are after an ebook reader that’s lightweight and portable, the ultra slim Sony PRS300 is worth considering. Weighing in at just 220g, which makes it lighter than the average paperback, it certainly wins in the convenience stakes. It can be easily slipped into a coat pocket or handbag, yet has an internal memory with the capacity to hold up to 350 ebooks.

It’s worth bearing in mind that this memory cannot be expanded as there are no memory card slots. But a 350 book capacity should certainly be substantial for most but the most avid ebook collectors.

What you lose in memory, you gain in convenience, ease of use and stylish design.

Screen quality & resolution

A respectable 5 inch display ensures that you’re not compromising on screen-size, even on this compact Sony PRS-300 ebook reader.

The presence of E Ink® Vizplex™ technology makes the screen a pleasure to read from. This technology uses no backlight or flicker so it doesn’t cause eyestrain, even for people with sensitive or poorer vision.

Another great benefit is that you can read even in direct sunlight, and at virtually any angle – rather like paper books. So you can feel free to whip it out and read in the park on bright days or on window seats. And because it only uses power when you turn a page, battery life can be measured in weeks.

Eight levels of grey offer good contrast and the ability to read ultra fine print with no discomfort.

Battery life

With up to 6,800 page turns from each battery charge, you can get away with charging it just every 2 weeks. This is especially useful if you’re on a short holiday as your charger will be one less item to forget to pack.

When it does need charging, you have two options. You can either connect it to your computer using the USB cable that comes with it, or charge it directly from a mains or car adapter. A USB charge takes 4 hours, whereas it takes only 2 hours to use the mains charge. Bear in mind though, that the USB cable is included when you buy the Sony PRS 300, while you have to pay extra for the adapters.

Ease of use

Navigation is easy, thanks to considered button controls that are both practical and comfortable to use. Finding the page you were last reading is done automatically for you, and searching through your ebook library is a whizz, thanks to the option to search by Date, Title or Author.  You’ll find scrolling or fast-forwarding through pages an effortless experience.

Beneath the screen is where the magic happens. Home, Back, Bookmark and Zoom buttons all sit under the screen, next to a four way controller and OK button. Down the right hand side of the screen are numbers that can be selected when you’d like to jump directly to a page, or use as a way to navigate through menu choices.

The ebook experience

The PRS 300 Reader Pocket Edition is compatible with both PC and Mac, and you can transfer ebook files from your computer by using the USB cable.

Before you download files, you’ll first have to install Sony’s eBook Library Software for both PC and Macs. Once installed, you’ll find it easy to manage your ebook collection, download books  and buy titles from online stores such as Waterstones, WHSmith and Borders.

Another bonus is this ebook reader’s compatibility, as it has the ability to read several types of ebook files.

Our verdict

Practical. Compact. Intuitive. A pleasure to use. What more could one ask for? Well… the only two points we could fault this great little device on are an inability to add additional memory and an absent audio facility.

Minor points really, considering the impressive design, usability, screen quality and battery life that are packed into this compact gadget that can be slipped into a pocket. Of course, more of a suit pocket than a skinny jeans pocket – but that’s neither here nor there.

Product details

Physical appearance

Key features

Accessories that are included:

• Soft cover / pouch
• USB cable
• Quick Start guide
• eBook library software