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.
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.
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.
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
- 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.
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.
