Do the Kobo Clara Colour and Kobo Clara BW use the same screensaver size?

Both the Kobo Clara Colour and the Kobo Clara BW use a 1072 x 1448 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping.

Which has the sharper screen?

Neither — both panels run at 300 ppi, so fine detail reproduces identically on the two devices. The 6-inch and 6-inch screens differ in physical size, but the density is matched.

Which should I size for if I own both?

One file covers both. Export at 1072 x 1448 and use the same image on each device — there is no reason to keep two versions.

Kobo Clara Colour vs Kobo Clara BW

Both devices use a 1072 × 1448 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping. Both panels run at 300 ppi.

Kobo launched these two together at the same screen size and a different price, so the choice is purely colour against cost. For anyone making a screensaver, that means the sizing is settled before the comparison starts — and the interesting part is what kind of source image suits each.

Specifications Side by Side

Screen specifications for the Kobo Clara Colour and the Kobo Clara BW
	Kobo Clara Colour	Kobo Clara BW
Screensaver size	1072 × 1448 px	1072 × 1448 px
Screen size	6-inch	6-inch
Pixel density	300 ppi	300 ppi
Aspect ratio	1:1.35	1:1.35
Panel	Colour e-ink (Kaleido 3)	Greyscale e-ink
Manufacturer	Rakuten Kobo	Rakuten Kobo

The bottom line: Identical dimensions, identical crop, one file for both. Choose the source image differently though: on the Clara BW you are designing in greyscale from the outset, while on the Clara Colour flat blocks of saturated colour hold up and fine coloured linework goes soft. Both benefit from strong light-to-dark separation, because the panel is the same underneath.

Choosing an Image for Each

Kobo Clara Colour

Same 1072 x 1448 panel as every other Clara, so an existing Clara image fits without re-cropping. The difference is the colour filter over it — colour detail resolves at roughly half the greyscale density, so bold blocks of colour hold up where fine coloured linework does not.

Kobo Clara Colour screensaver size →

Kobo Clara BW

The Clara BW shares its 1072 x 1448 panel with the Clara 2E, the Clara HD, several Kindles and the Nook GlowLight 4, so the same image file works across all of them.

Kobo Clara BW screensaver size →

Setting a Screensaver on Either Device

Both models use the same procedure, so whichever you own, the steps are identical once the image is the right size.

The procedure

Kobo reads sleep-screen images from a folder you create yourself. Put your resized images in a folder named exactly `screensaver` inside the hidden `.kobo` folder, then enable the two sleep-screen settings.

Resize the image. Size the image to your Kobo's exact screen resolution using the resizer above, then download it.
Connect the Kobo by USB. Plug the Kobo into your computer and tap Connect on the prompt that appears on the device.
Create the screensaver folder. Open the hidden .kobo folder on the Kobo drive and create a folder named exactly `screensaver`, all lowercase. On Windows enable Show hidden files; on macOS press Command + Shift + period in Finder.
Copy your images across. Copy the resized images into .kobo/screensaver, then safely eject the Kobo.
Enable the sleep-screen settings. On the Kobo, open Settings > Energy saving and privacy and enable both "Show current read" and "Show book covers full screen".

Full Kobo screensaver guide →

Kobo Clara Colour vs Kobo Clara BW FAQ

Do the Kobo Clara Colour and Kobo Clara BW use the same screensaver size?: Both the Kobo Clara Colour and the Kobo Clara BW use a 1072 x 1448 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping.
Which has the sharper screen?: Neither — both panels run at 300 ppi, so fine detail reproduces identically on the two devices. The 6-inch and 6-inch screens differ in physical size, but the density is matched.
Is the setup process different?: No. Both are Rakuten Kobo devices using the same method. Kobo reads sleep-screen images from a folder you create yourself. Put your resized images in a folder named exactly `screensaver` inside the hidden `.kobo` folder, then enable the two sleep-screen settings.
Which should I size for if I own both?: One file covers both. Export at 1072 x 1448 and use the same image on each device — there is no reason to keep two versions.

Related Comparisons

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