Rakuten Kobo has introduced a new eBook reader aimed at taking on the Kindle Paperwhite in the budget stakes, but with some of the higher-end tech crammed into its compact size.

Priced at £89.99 in the UK, $129.99 in the US, the Kobo Nia has a 6-inch Carta E Ink glare-free touchscreeen and ComfortLight even lighting system.

The display resolution is 1024 x 768 (212 ppi), while the entire reader weighs just 172g.

Its 8GB storage size is enough to hold up to 6,000 books, which can be bought from the built-in bookstore. And, it is also compatible with multiple eBook formats, including EPUB, MOBI and PDF, plus CBZ and CBR for comic books.

Unlike Kindles, books can be easily sideloaded onto Kobo readers - the Nia included - while it is also comes with support for OverDrive, which allows users to load books from libraries in the UK, US and numerous other countries around the world. Owners need only have a current library card.

There is a 1,000mAh battery on-board, which enables the reader to last for weeks before needing to be recharged.

Kobo Nia is a compact Kindle Paperwhite rival with a lot of tech for under £90 photo 2

The Kobo Nia is available for pre-order now, with shipping to start on 21 July. You will find it on kobo.com and in key retailers. An optional SleepCover case is also available in lemon (yellow), aqua (light blue) and black colour schemes.