Kobo Arc review: The less discerning person's Nexus 7

As the latest in a now long line of 7-inch tablets to hit the market with a sub-$200 price, the Kobo Arc attempts to set itself apart in two specific ways. The first is its folderlike interface called Tapestries that allows you to organize apps, articles, pictures, and other content into customizable nodes. The second is the ever-present Discover Ribbon, which, based on what you're currently looking at, constantly offers recommendations at the bottom of the home screen.

6.3

Kobo Arc

The Good

The <b>Kobo Arc</b> features good gaming performance and useful e-reader features.

The Bad

The Arc’s boxy build gives it an antiquated feel, it ships with an older OS, and its Tapestries feature can be buggy.

The Bottom Line

The Kobo Arc is a fine tablet that simply doesn't offer enough compelling reasons to seriously consider it.

Unfortunately, these features do little to make the case for a tablet that otherwise offers less storage than the competition in a less sharply designed package than its contemporaries. All for the same price.

Thankfully, the Kobo Arc includes a powerful GPU, so at least on the gaming front it hasn't been left wanting.

The front, back, and edges of the Kobo Arc (pictures)

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Design
The Kobo Arc feels a little heavy for a 7-inch tablet, especially in a post-iPad Mini/Nook HD world. The Arc also looks boxy and lacks the kind of design refinement shown in most major tablets released in the last year. The bezel is awkwardly narrow and isn't flush with the screen, making it difficult to hold in one hand without part of your thumb spilling over onto the display.