2015 Kindle Paperwhite Review: $119 Amazon E-Reader Boasts 300 PPI Display

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Amazon (AMZN) just updated its most popular e-reader –the Kindle Paperwhite— doubling the device’s pixels to the same 300 PPI (pixels-per-inch) as the more expensive Kindle Voyage.

Kindle Paperwhite review, intro
Source: Amazon

The timing couldn’t be better.

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy an e-reader. Free of the distraction of e-mail and web browsing plus a display that looks even better in the sun than it does indoors, this is when e-readers leave tablets and phablets in the dust.

The new Kindle Paperwhite offers resolution on par with tablets without the distracting screen glare and goes up to six weeks on a charge.

Is this the e-reader you want for your summer vacation? Read our 2015 edition Kindle Paperwhite review to find out.

Kindle Paperwhite Review: 2015 Is All About the Display

Amazon offers a selection of e-readers to fit every price range, from the $79 Kindle to the $199 Kindle Voyage.

Kindle Paperwhite review, display
Source: Amazon

The $119 Kindle Paperwhite is the mid-range model and has been the best-seller among the line-up. The previous generation was a decent e-reader with a display that was a bit sharper than the Kindle’s and front-lighting for reading at night.

With the 2015 Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon has upped the display resolution in a big way and included a new “Bookerly” font that’s optimized for digital text.

This makes e-books on the Kindle Paperwhite look virtually as crisp as on an iPad Mini 3 (326 PPI) and even sharper than on Apple’s (AAPL) Retina Display iPad Air 2 (264 PPI).

Of course the Kindle Paperwhite retains its advantages over a tablet or phablet for reading, namely: far superior battery life, cost, and a glare-free display that looks even better in blazing sunlight than it does indoors. It’s also lighter and more compact than most tablets.

So far, so good.

Kindle Paperwhite Review: Tougher to Justify That $199 Kindle Voyage

That 300 PPI display upgrade also makes things interesting when it comes to the Kindle Voyage, Amazon’s luxury e-reader.

Kindle Paperwhite review, vs. Kindle Voyage
Source: Amazon

One of the primary advantages of the Voyage over lesser Kindles was its higher resolution display, but the new Kindle Paperwhite evens the score.

The Kindle Voyage still has a few advantages. Its display may no longer have a resolution advantage, but the contrast is a bit better; it has an ambient light sensor for optimized lighting; there are haptic sensors in its bezels for page turns without touching the screen and the Voyage’s case is a more upscale ultra-thin magnesium with a micro-etched glass display.

However, for all but the most demanding readers, the latest Kindle Paperwhite at $119 (Wi-Fi with Special Offers) is the more compelling choice. Even e-book diehards are going to have a tougher time now in justifying an extra $80 for the Kindle Voyage.

Kindle Paperwhite Review: Specs

  • 6-inch Carta e-paper display at 300 PPI, 16-level grayscale
Kindle Paperwhite review, specs
Source: Amazon
  • 4GB onboard storage
  • Built-in front lighting
  • 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (3G with free connectivity available as an extra-cost option)
  • Battery life rated at 6 weeks between charges (depending on use of light and Wi-Fi)
  • Supports Kindle e-books, TXT, PDF, DOC, DOCX, HTML, PRC, unprotected MOBI and various image formats
  • 6.7 x 4.6 x 0.36-inches, weighs 7.2 ounces (Wi-Fi) to 7.6 ounces (Wi-Fi + Free 3G)
  • $119 for Wi-Fi Only with Special Offers ($139 without); $189 for Wi + Free 3G with Special Offers

Kindle Paperwhite Review: Conclusion

Even though e-reader sales are in steep decline —expected to drop to 7 million in the U.S. in 2017 from 25 million in 2012– they are still the device to beat when it comes to hard core readers.

Kindle Paperwhite review, conclusion
Source: Amazon

No one wants to be dealing with squinting at a tablet display in the glare of the sun, while worrying about the battery running down or sand wrecking a $500 device.

The new Kindle Paperwhite makes a strong case for Amazon retaining its big lead in that shrinking e-reader market, but is the new Paperwhite the best e-reader for your summer vacation?

If you’re not locked into the Kindle format and prefer EPUB e-books instead, Rakuten’s (RKUNF) Kobo offers the Glo HD e-reader with the same 300 PPI Carta e-paper display without advertising (or what Amazon calls “Special Offers”) for $130.

The tougher choice — at least for those reading on the beach or by the pool — is the Kobo Aura H2O, which is slightly less sharp (265 PPI) but offers a bigger 6.8-inch display along with being waterproof and sandproof for $179.99, or just a $40 premium over a Kindle Paperwhite without Special Offers.

For Kindle fans, though, there’s no disputing the fact that the new Kindle Paperwhite is a big step forward in the e-reader experience, and an affordable one at that.

As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/07/kindle-paperwhite-review-amzn/.

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