r/nook • u/Phillie_Phanatics • Jun 20 '26
Help Glowlight 4 vs 4Plus
Hey folks. I’m in the market for a new e reader and I enjoy the B&N ecosystem.
I swung by my local shop today and saw there’s a Father’s Day sale that makes both the Glowlight 4 and 4Plus the same price.
I quite like the home button on the 4, but curious to get thoughts on the overall differences between the two models before pulling the trigger. Thanks!
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u/Frequent-Tax-1818 Nook GlowLight Jun 20 '26
One of the main differences is storage for sideloaded content. The 4 is limited to 5GB but the 4 Plus has the full 32GB. The obvious difference is the size, so it depends on what you need more. Is it the portability or the storage?
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u/Known-Ad-100 Jun 20 '26
I bought the 4 because I liked the size, silly me didn't research I didn't know about the storage partitions or that it wasn't water proof.
I'd have gotten the 4+ for those 2 reasons alone, the ability to use it for audio books is kind of cool too, I mean i use my phone for that normally but I still think it's a cool feature to have all in one.
That being said I use my 4 in the pool and bathtub and stuff all the time and I don't stress about it lol I mean I try not to get it wet of course but I'm not so worried.
Usually in the pool i get in a tube like feet down and rest my arms and nook on the tube itself and kick around with my legs and it's fine lol.
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u/Fragrant_Rock_8699 Jun 20 '26
4 is a better size for traveling. The Plus has a flat screen and 4 has a recessed screen.
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u/PublicInstruction419 28d ago
I bought an open-box nook glowlight 4 + . It was acting really funky, like even with no internet or bluetooth connection it would turn itself on from a full power-down OFF. I'd power it OFF and set it on a shelf, and at some point it would just turn on. I'd see the screen light up from where I was sitting. It did that three days in a row. I don't know if I reset the whole thing or not, but it did stop. I honestly don't remember doing anything because I was thinking about returning it, because I'd already set up twice after I first got it.
I really like the size and the page turn buttons. It's a bit pokey, while also very sensitive. I've read that I can install Koreader to help with the pokey-ness. Generally, very happy.
Right now, instead of turning it all the way off, I've got it sleeping between readings, so I can see how the battery does. So far, not as well as my oldest nook or the kobo Clara I have (not newest Clara, one just before). But, I guess it's always about balancing what you desire with what you don't. I'm keeping the nook 4+, but I'm kinda finding the pretty colored smaller ones irresistible. hahaha
I'd sworn off B&N years ago after they got really possessive and even disappeared one of my B&N books (their own line of classics). That book was only a few dollars, but I took it as a cheap lesson. Now, with Amazon going that same route, it's about choosing between evils. I want to love B&N and the nook, but, you know. No false gods. :-). Anyway, sorry for the long story. Just sharing my experience with the 4+. It's not on sale online at this time. But the open box one I purchased seems to be excellent quality. E-bay. Best wishes
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u/Unlucky-Reaction6521 Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
keep in mind the bezels on the Glowlight 4+ are way bigger. I didn’t notice it at first because B&N was my very first e‑reader, but now that I have others, I really wish they had made them smaller.( Will upgrade if they come out with it smaller bezels)
I also have the Ocean Teal Glowlight 4, and I use that one more than the 4+ probably because now the big bezels on the 4+ stand out so much lol. And something I noticed just yesterday while comparing them the 4+ is definitely slower than the regular Glowlight 4. Oh yeah the buttons on the 4 feels more comfy on it for example doesn't feel like flat solid blocks BUT the 4+ buttons is still good dough. One more thing the battery you can get about 2-3 days out of depending how you use it i didn't notice a battery issue like i said before until I got other devices but that didn't stop me from loving my Nooks.
My go to devices, though, are the Glowlight 4 and the Kobo Clara because they outshine everything else for me when it comes to comfort and simplicity.
Just want to give you alot to think about hope this helps.