What do you prefer – Ebooks or Paper Books?

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What’s better? Holding up a book in your hand or reading on your Ebook?

It’s not exactly the topic of a hot debate, but it’s something that book lovers all around the world have been talking about for quite a while now, and it doesn’t seem to stop.

Now, let’s be honest, reading is already pretty badass no matter how you’re doing it BUT, it’s a fact some people prefer good old classic paper books, while others prefer Ebooks, the real question is, which one is actually better?

Personally speaking, I love the feel of the pages, the whole aesthetic of holding a physical book and flipping through it. I can’t read a book without a pencil and a highlighter. There is barely any book in my library which doesn’t carry handwritten notes and highlighted pages.

Obviously, I can’t decide for every book lover out there, but I’m going to do my best to answer this pulsating question and settle down this argument. So… Are you ready?

But… What even is an Ebook?

Unless you have been living in a cave, you’d know what an ebook is. It’s kinda like a book, except it’s electronic. Now, if you didn’t get blown away by my definition, let’s try another one.

An Ebook is basically a virtual version of a book. Yep, that’s right, a book with no paper, and that you can read pretty much in any electronic device (A laptop, your phone, your PC, and of course an Ebook device such as Kindle).

You’re probably thinking “Isn’t that the SAME as a PDF file?” and to be honest, it kinda is, but not really. You can also find your favorite book in a PDF format, but the most convenient way to read a book on a digital device or via your computer is by Ebook format.

Let’s talk about the Differences between paper books and Ebooks

Before we get to the bottom of the question, it’s time to talk about the real differences between paper books and Ebooks to see which one you should prefer.

Ebooks are electronic/Paper Books are not

This seems kind of obvious so let’s get it out of the way. The biggest difference between these two is that of course, paper books are made, well… of paper, and Ebooks are completely electronic, they live in your computer.

To put it even more simple, one is a digital file you can carry in different devices and the other one is made of classic paper (some are made from recycled paper so don’t worry!)

Price Range

This is where Ebooks punch the paper books in the face. Any book lover knows paper books are usually more expensive than Ebooks, although paper bag books (meaning books made with recycled paper) are pretty much the same price.

There’s no much to say about it. Ebooks are cheaper because they aren’t physical, so of course, it is way more easy to reproduce them.

You need an extra device to read Ebooks

Another huge difference is that you can pretty much grab your book and that’s it, you can read anywhere without any problems. You don’t need any extra thing to ready it (Unless you use glasses, aha!)

But with Ebooks you DO need something to read them on, whether it is your computer, your laptop or you Ebook reader, if you don’t have any of these, you can’t read that precious little book you’ve been dying to read.

Pros and cons of Paper Books and Ebooks

I don’t know about you, but I already know which one I personally prefer, however, if you’re still a little bit confused about what to do, here are some pros and cons you should take into consideration.

Pros of reading Paper Books:

• The smell of a new book!!
• There are no ads.
• You actually concentrate more when reading.
• You can stock them up on your bookshelf.
• You can highlight your favorite quotes and mark your pages.
• You can get your copy signed at a book launch.

Cons of reading Paper Books:

• If you are reading something like ‘The Civil War‘, the reading experience could go for a toss. It runs to 2968 pages and is unwieldy.
• Sometimes you don’t seem to find a correct reading position.
• Paper books take quite some space wherever you put them.

Pros of reading Ebooks:

• If you read it on an Ebook Device it looks like a page from the real book.
• On an E-reader, you can enlarge the text.
• You can mark where you left it.
• It doesn’t get damaged by time.
• You can download thousands of Ebooks on your E-reader.
• The built-in dictionaries come in handy.
• Ebooks allow the readers to access lesser-known works of the same author, something difficult to do in a bookshop.

Cons of reading Ebooks:

• The tactile feeling isn’t quite the same.
• It can hurt your vision if you read it for too long.
• You need a device to read it.

So… Which one is better?

There is no doubt that Ebooks have carved their own niche. However, let’s be realistic, paper books are, and will always be better than Ebooks. We read the Ebooks that are most similar to a real book, so why don’t just go out there and get the real thing?

There’s nothing in the whole world like the smell of a new book, that feeling of flipping page after page because you can’t get enough… And no virtual vision of it can ever beat that feeling.

And that’s the truth, honestly.

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