I've been using eReaders for years, starting with a Kindle Keyboard model back in 2011. I later used an Android tablet with Moon Reader in 2017 or so, got a Kindle Paperwhite 4 in 2018 but wasn't happy with the size. In late 2020 I bought a Boox Nova 2 and liked it a lot, but in early 2023 I found myself impressed with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature and now also own that.

I primarily use the Paperwhite Signature now, but I still prefer to use the Boox Nova 2 periodically. I'm looking to update to a newer non-Kindle device, but not really sure what I want.

What I like and don't:

Paperwhite Signature:

• Snappy menus and page turns, very fast
• High contrast, good readability
• Sharp, crisp clarity
• Uniform formatting and line spacing

• - Pee yellow "warm" light is awful
• - White/blue light seems like it's still on with warm light, can't turn off
• - Collection management is kind of trash
• - Limited line spacing / margin options
• - Paid for ad free version, it still feels like an ad platform.
• - No proper EPUB support

Boox Nova 2:

• Great Library UI and Collections layout
• Nice orange warm light, and white light can be fully off
• Full customization of margins, line and paragraph spacing, etc.
• App flexibility if you don't like the defaults
• Bottom "back" (configurable) button is useful
• Customizable screen savers
• Many format support, especially EPUB, and even Kindle formats

• - Sluggish performance, slow page turns and UI
• - Inconsistent line and paragraph spacing from book to book
• - various odd formatting issues within books
• - Android reading apps are hit and miss
• - App Optimization for 3rd party apps has gotten worse with every update
• - Screen quality is "fuzzier" than the Kindle line (even compared to my PW4)

I really like the Boox reader and especially its nested library collections and layout. Except Moon is trash on it now, and Neo Reader can be great, but can equally be janky as hell depending on the book features. I also really like the speed and crispness of the Kindle PW Signature.

I'm looking for "the one" eReader, something 7-8" that combines the best aspects of these while getting me out of the Kindle ecosystem, or at least not so entrenched, but I'm not sure it exists. I've considered Kobo, but the Sage has awful battery life, and the Libra 2 seems sluggish from what I've seen, possibly more so than my Nova 2.

I'm also not sure about Boox anymore because I really don't like their UI decisions since 2023 (every firmware update since 2023 has been pretty bad, with unnecessary changes, feature removals or hiding in sub-submenus, etc.). The Boox Page looks good, but I just don't know how I feel about it.

What other options are there? Is there something that might fit my criteria? Or is this just a white whale situation, where the ideal device maybe doesn't exist?