The PocketBook e-reader range has models to suit every taste and budget. There are basic models, top-of-the-range with colour screens and in-betweens. But today, we’re going to talk about the new 2025 model called PocketBook Verse Lite, which is positioned as the most affordable e-reader in the Verse series.
Has the company managed to create a balanced device for beginners, or is it just a stripped-down version of the regular model? You’ll find out all this and much more in this review.
Packaging and Content
The PocketBook Verse Lite comes in the brand’s classic box. It is compact, eco-friendly and has a minimalist design. The packaging features an image of the reader itself and its main specifications, as well as various information about the model.
Inside the box is the e-book itself, a short USB Type-C cable for charging and data transfer, and standard documentation with a user manual in several languages. A power adapter is not included.
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Design and Ergonomics
The PocketBook Verse Lite does not try to impress with its advanced design, so everything here is as practical and functional as possible. At the same time, however, the new e-reader copies the external style of all the company’s new readers.
The front of the device is flat, with wide bezels around the screen, which allows you to hold the book comfortably without accidentally touching the touchscreen area. It has no buttons, unlike the older models in the Verse series.
Some people may not like this, because all e-books from this manufacturer had buttons, but they were not added here. However, you quickly get used to this, especially since this practice was introduced long ago by competitors from Amazon and other brands.
The PocketBook Verse Lite has a plastic body and resembles a soft-touch. There is no protection against water or moisture. The back panel has an interesting texture, and the material itself is pleasant to the touch and provides a secure grip.
However, it collects dust and fingerprints very quickly and easily, but this is a common issue not only with this model, but with all e-readers in general. The colour of the body is black, or rather dark grey.
There are no buttons, memory card slots or headphone jacks on the sides of the device. All the functionality is concentrated on the bottom edge. Here we see a USB Type-C port for charging, an LED charge indicator and a power button. Incidentally, the lack of a microSD slot is one of the key differences between this model and the older versions.
The PocketBook Verse Lite weighs only 170 grams and measures 108×156×7.6 mm, which makes the e-reader almost imperceptible in your hand. Its compactness is also impressive, so the device can easily fit into a small bag or even a jacket pocket or wide trousers.
It is worth mentioning the absence of any sensors. There is no G-sensor for automatic screen rotation, nor is there a cover sensor that would automatically turn the device on or off. These simplifications are deliberate and aimed at reducing the cost, but for the basic model, this is a perfectly acceptable compromise.
Overall, the design of the PocketBook Verse Lite is ascetic and focused on simplicity. There is nothing superfluous here, so it is simply a lightweight, convenient reading device that does its job without any pretensions to status.
The reader is very compact in size and can fit literally anywhere: in a delicate woman’s hand, in a pocket or a small handbag. It is very easy to hold, and you can read on it for hours without any problems.
PocketBook Verse Lite AI-like Features
- PocketBook Verse Lite has several AI‑like features that make for smarter and more helpful reading experiences. For one, it has 11 pre-installed dictionaries, and dozens more can be downloaded. They collectively deliver quick definitions and translations, similar to how an AI assistant helps achieve comprehension.
- The dictionaries can work in multiple language pairs, and the device allows reading in many formats. This is useful for people trying to learn new languages.
- This reader supports 25 different e-book and graphic formats with. Handling such a wide array of formats makes the PocketBook reader feel like an intelligent device. It automatically adapts content for reading without user effort.
- PocketBook reader has a news reader that synthesizes content streams into one interface that simulates a personalized reading feed.
PocketBook Verse Lite Display
The PocketBook Verse Lite is equipped with a 6-inch E Ink Carta touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. The pixel density is 212 ppi, which is slightly lower than the standard 300 ppi found in most modern e-readers.
However, in practice, this is not as critical as it may seem, and unless you have another, more expensive e-reader nearby, you won’t notice the difference. For reading novels or popular science, a resolution of 212 ppi is quite sufficient. The fonts remain clear and legible, and your eyes don’t get tired even after several hours of reading.
Problems may arise only with small fonts in PDF files or with detailed illustrations, where lower clarity becomes more noticeable. However, due to its super-compact size, I do not recommend reading comics or anything in PDF format on this model, and you won’t be able to do so normally anyway.
E Ink Carta technology mimics the look of real paper, making reading comfortable for the eyes. This screen does not emit its own light and does not flicker, so there is no glare. This is a very important, I would say key, advantage over smartphones or tablets, where LCD or OLED screens tire the eyes after a few hours of reading. The display also has an anti-glare coating, so you can read even in direct sunlight, as the screen does not glare.
PocketBook Verse Lite also has a display backlight. As with any other e-book, it is front-lit, i.e. the LEDs are located around the screen frame and gently illuminate the surface. This allows you to read comfortably in twilight or complete darkness.
The brightness is smoothly adjustable, which is sufficient for different lighting conditions. However, unlike the older models, there is no SMARTlight function. The latter allows you to adjust the colour temperature of the backlight. This means that with the PocketBook Verse Lite, you cannot make the light warmer for evening reading, and it will always be cool white.
