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Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: all the right improvements, with some AI on the side

5:00 pm | December 4, 2024

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024): Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is a big step up in every way. It’s a big step up from the basic Kindle Paperwhite, though the existence of the Kindle Colorsoft begs the question of whether we could see a color Kindle Scribe in the hopefully near future. This Scribe is a big upgrade from the last Kindle Scribe (2022), with new AI features that – shock of all shocks – are incredibly useful. It also gets an unfortunate price increase, but there’s no doubt the improved features warrant a higher price.

The funny thing about the Kindle Scribe is that it could just be a large-screen e-reader and I’d be happy with it… although for a hundred dollars or pounds less, maybe. Adding the pen and writing capabilities felt like an afterthought with the last Scribe, but it’s clear that Amazon has put considerable thought and effort into improving the experience this time around.

The new AI features are so good that I actually asked Amazon why it didn’t just hide the fact that it’s AI. I’d almost prefer not knowing that AI is recognizing my handwriting better than any other device I’ve used, or creating useful summaries of my notes and notebooks. If Amazon just told me this was something the Kindle Scribe could do, for that alone I would have been thankful.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) — Kindle Scribe (2024), left next to the reMarkable 2 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Instead, there’s an AI button, with the familiar stars that brands have started using to denote AI features. The Kindle Scribe can’t handle the AI chores itself, so there’s a slight delay as it sends my scribbles to the cloud. It’s worth the short wait, because the AI can interpret my worst chicken scratch, even when I forget letters or misspell words or use obscure proper nouns. It’s kind of remarkable what this writing tablet can do. And talking of remarkable…

It still feels like the Scribe could offer more writing tools, especially compared to the likes of the reMarkable 2 or an Onyx Boox Go 10.3 tablet running Android. It could use more pen styles and pen options; and you can never offer enough background templates to write on.

Amazon is addressing demand for the latter in a unique way: by offering templates as books in the Kindle book store. Since the Kindle Scribe launched the store has included a ‘write-on’ books section, and Amazon has been steadily offering its own titles for $0.99 or for free, depending on your membership. You can find daily planners, gratitude journals, and even score sheets for family game night; all created by Amazon, and all compatible with the writing tools on the Kindle Scribe.

What about writing in other books? That was a big problem with the last Kindle Scribe, and Amazon is edging closer to a solution. You can’t free-write in any book you like, but you can place a small ‘canvas’ for text and drawing anywhere on the page. Your Kindle will remember where you put each canvas, and then you can write next to the text. The text moves out of the way, and you can take notes on what you’re reading. It’s not perfect, but it’s much closer to what I want from a Kindle with a pen.

Amazon Kindle Scribe showing writing in canvas tool on book text — Writing on a book using the canvas tool (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Scribe (2024) has a deceptively simple new design that looks more stately and professional than before, but Amazon has pulled off an amazing trick. All of the old accessories work with the new Scribe. The same folios and cases work with both the Kindle Scribe (2024) and Scribe (2022), as well as the pen. My new Scribe stuck firmly to the magnetic folio I got with my old Scribe.

What a delight! It’s much more common to see writing tablet makers ditch the last generation and make you buy all new stuff. Kudos to Amazon for doubling the size of its ecosystem with two devices that fit every accessory, instead of cutting it in half.

The price increase hurts, there’s no doubt, and if you only wanted the Kindle Scribe as a large-screen e-reader, I’d suggest buying the older Scribe (2022) instead, especially if you can get a deal. The screen is just as sharp, and it’s excellent for reading.

If you want to write on your tablet, the new Kindle Scribe (2024) is much better than before, and for many reasons – its handwriting recognition, note-summary features, and the growing library of write-on books – the Amazon Kindle Scribe is the best writing tablet you can buy.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: price and availability

$399.99 / £379.99 / AU$649 for 16GB with Premium Pen
$449.99 / $429.99 / AU$729 for 64GB and Metallic Jade color

Get the Metallic Jade color, it’s gorgeous. Sorry, let me start from the beginning. The Kindle Scribe starts at 16GB of storage with a boring Tungsten grey color that isn’t so bad, but it isn’t green. You can get the Kindle Scribe with 32GB or 64GB of storage, and then there’s the aforementioned beautiful Metallic Jade color that is really a standout hue, but it’s only available on the most expensive model with 64GB of storage, and besides more storage capacity there are no other benefits to getting that model.

The new Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is also more expensive than the old Kindle Scribe no matter which storage option you choose. Why does that matter? Because it’s gone from being slightly less expensive than an Apple iPad 10.9 to slightly more expensive than an iPad (in the US and Australia, at least). That feels like a move that needs to be justified by a much better device.

It’s not just a little better; it’s a lot better. It’s a whole new level of better. It’s enough to justify a price increase, I think, because this is no longer a big e-reader with some doodling features tucked away. This is a full-fledged writing tablet, and it does some things better than any other writing tablet I’ve seen.

So what has Amazon improved? Is it thinner and lighter? Nope. Bigger screen? By a decimal point. Oh, it must be in color now, I heard there was a color Kindle. Sorry, maybe next time!

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature edition e-reader showing a graphic novel — If I ask nicely can I please haz color Kindle Scribe? (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’m going to give you three guesses as to which big feature Amazon added to the Kindle Scribe… yep, right first time, it’s AI. Except… it’s good?! It’s really good. It’s so good, I almost wish Amazon hadn’t told me the Kindle Scribe uses AI. I didn’t need to know! I could just think my new Scribe got much better at handwriting recognition on its own, by learning. Okay, that’s actually what AI is.

Does it compete with the reMarkable 2? I’ll get to that later, but the reMarkable 2 is similarly priced at $399 / £399 / AU$679, which is probably not a coincidence. The Amazon Kindle Scribe doesn’t give you the religious writing experience and Zen organization of the reMarkable, but that’s probably a good thing for most Kindle buyers.

Anyway, for $50 / £50 / AU$80 more than the base model Kindle Scribe you can have 64GB of storage instead of 16GB, and you can also have the Metallic Jade color, the color of my review sample. It’s stellar. The white border around the page gives the Scribe a more professional and polished look, and the Jade color really sparkles.

Thankfully, every model gets the so-called Premium Pen, which gives you a rubbery eraser tip. The old model had a cheap pen and you had to buy this upgrade, so that’s another justification for the price increase.

Value score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: Specs

Nearly identical size and shape to the last model, and that’s great
Screen is more sharp than competing writing tablets

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: display

E Ink display retains sharpness at larger size
Brighter than the competition by far

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) uses an E Ink display that's very similar to the Kindle Paperwhite's, with the same 300ppi pixel density, making it incredibly sharp for reading printed text. To compare, Apple’s latest iPad Pro 11-inch uses Apple’s most advanced display ever, and it’s only 264ppi.

What’s even more remark… noteworthy is that none of the other writing tablet competitors come close, likely because they aren’t as focused on reading as they are on writing. The reMarkable 2 uses a display with only 226ppi.

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (left) beside the Kobo Elipsa 2E (right) with their respective styluses — A Kindle Scribe (2022) next to the Kobo Elipsa 2E (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

The Kindle Scribe is also the brightest writing tablet you’ll find. The Scribe is brighter than the Kobo Elipsa 2E, another E Ink tablet that's the same size, and it’s much brighter than the new reMarkable Paper Pro, which uses minimal lighting to be visible in darkness. The Kindle Scribe can get bright, and the light can also get warm if you want to read at night and avoid blue light.

Display score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: design

Looks bigger than before, even though it’s not
More refined without changing much

The Kindle Scribe is a refined, premium Kindle, which is a relief, considering the higher price. Amazon’s smaller e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite, is plastic, which makes it lightweight, durable, and an inexpensive way to take hundreds of books on a month-long vacation. It also feels kind of cheap. The Kindle Scribe, on the other hand, is a super-slim slip of metal with a premium finish and dainty feet at the back corners. I wish more Kindle devices were like this.

The last Kindle Scribe was a lot like this, just a bit more boring. It came in a dark grey, which looked professional in metal, but it lacked character. The new Kindle Scribe has a white border around the E Ink that makes the display feel more like paper, and the whole device looks more like an electronic notebook than it did before.

The power button and USB-C port are both on the side of the device, which is hard to remember but it never got in the way, like the bottom-facing power button on the Kindle Paperwhite.

Connector pins on the reMarkable 2 to attach to the keyboard folio — A reMarkable 2 from the side... yes, it's very thin (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Kindle Scribe is very thin. It’s only 5.7mm thick, compared to the iPad 10.9 at 7mm or the positively chunky Kobo Elipsa 2E, which is a 7.5mm porker. Of course, the reMarkable 2 stands out like a supermodel at only 4.7mm, but the reMarkable has absolutely no lighting on board. You can’t use it in the dark. It needs to eat something, the room is growing dim.

One of the most remarka… astonishing discoveries I made during my review period concerned the folio case. I forgot to request one from Amazon, but I discovered that the old cases are now listed as compatible with both the Kindle Scribe (2022) and Scribe (2024). What?! A tablet maker releasing a new tablet that fits in the old cases? My older leather magnet cover folio worked perfectly. All the little feet lined up.

This is almost unheard of in the world of consumer electronics, and Amazon should be commended for it. I know a few reMarkable Paper Pro owners who are fuming that they have to buy a whole new Type Folio and cover for their new tablets.

Design score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: software

It’s got AI... wait, hear me out, it’s actually pretty great
Like the rest of this Kindle, the AI doesn’t try to do too much

The Kindle Scribe is essentially a gigantic book with a pen attached, so there are very specific things I want it to do, and it doesn’t need to do much else. I want to read, write, and take notes. Everything else is a bonus, or a feature that helps me with my reading, writing, and thinking.

The last Kindle Scribe was missing one key feature, and Amazon has found an elegant solution that I appreciate. I wanted to write in my books, but that’s actually a really tough request, as there are legal rights issues that make writing in an e-book a tricky issue. I’ve seen two solutions to this problem, and I like Amazon’s best.

The Kobo e-readers with a pen will let you write in a book, directly in the book itself. The Kobo remembers your notation and where you put it. The problem is, the book is electronic. It changes depending on how you size the text, or other factors. When you change your e-book on a Kobo, it gives you a little indicator that a note exists around that location in the book. Then you have the e-reader return the page to the way it was, handwritten note and all. Ta-da! You’ve written in an e-book!

With the Kindle Scribe (2024), Amazon has created a new 'canvas' tool concept. When you're reading a book, you can use the pen and start writing anywhere. The Kindle Scribe draws a small box on the page, and all of your writing is contained within this. The size of the box is determined by what you write, and there's also a tool that lets you create a large box first, and then write in it.

When you resize text, the box stays near the point in the book where you added it. You can’t underline individual words this way, or circle specific turns of phrase, but I still like it. I think it’s a good compromise that acknowledges that the medium is electronic. If I want to write on a page with a pen, I have paper books for that, but we need a new idea that is extensible and flexible, and this is a good start.

And that’s it! Amazon has fixed my biggest complaint about the Kindle Scribe (2022). So, we can all go home now, right? Wait… what is that button at the top of the device? It looks like the stars that companies use to denote AI features. Is that AI on my Kindle? What? And why?

Calm down, me. Amazon has thankfully used a very light touch in adding AI to the Kindle Scribe, and as I said earlier, you wouldn’t even know it was using AI if Amazon didn’t tell you. The Kindle Scribe basically has only two AI tricks.

The first is handwriting recognition. Amazon is calling this writing refinement, but that’s inaccurate. It’s just handwriting recognition that works exceptionally well, better than I’ve ever seen on a writing tablet before. Then, it gives you a typed version of whatever you wrote, along with some clever fonts that look a bit like bubbly handwriting.

The other AI tool is note summaries. Once the software has recognized what you’ve written, it uses AI to create a summary, and these two tools together provide an excellent one-two boost for taking notes during meetings and classes, and then maybe sharing or reviewing your notes later.

And that’s it on the AI front. The Kindle Scribe (2024) is not using generative AI to draw for me, and it’s not telling me what to write. Amazon is only using AI to make one existing tool better, with handwriting recognition, and to add more utility to my note-taking with summaries. I hope it stops there.

It does leave me with a burning question though, and it was one I caught Amazon off-guard with. The Kindle Scribe can’t run large language models on the device (at the edge of your network as Qualcomm likes to say), it offloads every request to the cloud.

How much power does it all consume? How much power does it take to respond to my request, and how much power was consumed in training the models used to help improve my handwriting?

Amazon didn’t have an answer, because AI is not part of its sustainability commitment, but this is a question I’m going to be asking any device maker that uses generative AI to improve features. Is the cost of AI really worth the improvements? It’s unclear, but I worry that it is not.

Software score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: performance

Reading features are just as good as ever
Writing tools can be buggy, and AI is slow, but worthwhile

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is almost two tablets in one, a dedicated reading tablet on one hand and a writing and journaling tablet on the other, except the two meet in the middle more than ever before. This is still a tablet that leans towards books, but the new writing tools make it incredibly useful for notes as well.

Still, the closer you stay to reading books, the more satisfying you’ll find the Kindle Scribe's performance. Reading is just as fast as on the latest Kindle Paperwhite, which got a performance boost that makes menus and page-turns more swift.

Taking notes and basic writing works as expected, and the Kindle Scribe falls somewhere between the reMarkable 2 and the Kobo Elipsa in replicating the feel of writing on paper. It feels good with the Scribe, especially erasing with the new rubber-tipped pen. It's a nice touch.

I found that writing in books was mostly a good experience, but there are still some kinks. When I put my pen to the page to write a note the canvas tool drew a box for me with no trouble. However, when I selected the canvas tool to draw my box first I often ended up wiping out whole pages of text with a big canvas. Maybe a software update could fix this.

Once you start using the AI tools, prepare for a delay. A long delay. The Kindle Scribe has to communicate with Amazon’s cloud for every request and response, and this isn’t a smartphone, with devoted networking equipment of every flavor. It can take many seconds to get a response from Amazon’s brain in the sky.

Is it worth the wait? If you were expecting an AI on board that would translate your scribblings into calligraphy, then you’ll be disappointed. If you don’t mind waiting a couple of beats after a long meeting while the computer makes your notes look pretty, it’s no trouble at all.

During my review period it took the Kindle Scribe up to 40 seconds to read a full page of my terrible handwriting and return a typed version, but it's arguably worth the wait. The Kindle’s version was so good that if it missed a word I was unable to go back and read my own handwriting well enough to figure out what I'd actually written. The Scribe with Amazon AI could read my own handwriting better than I could.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: battery

Lasts as long as a Kindle Paperwhite for basic reading only
Writing drains the battery, but talking to the cloud is worse

If you never use the Kindle Scribe (2024), it could last forever. The more you do with it – and Amazon has given us a lot more to do with it – the faster the battery will drain. This sounds obvious, but the new features Amazon has added are going to make a big difference if you use them often.

Amazon offers lofty battery claims for the Kindle Scribe (2024) that sound just like those it makes for the Kindle Paperwhite: 12 weeks of reading (asterisk). Or three weeks of writing (asterisk). I’m not sure who could write for three weeks straight.

The catch, of course, is that you get those 12 weeks of battery life only if you read for just 30 minutes every day with the screen brightness set to 13 (the max is 24). You can write for 30 minutes a day for three weeks. That’s great! But what about the AI?

Amazon’s battery estimate accounts for the Wi-Fi being turned off, and using the AI features requires Wi-Fi. I’m not sure how much power the Kindle Scribe uses in between, but using AI features will drain the battery faster. I’ve only had my Kindle Scribe for a week and I’ve used the AI features a handful of times. It hasn’t made a huge difference yet, but I wasn’t really expecting three weeks of writing.

Unfortunately, the Kindle Scribe (2024) also charges very slowly. If you plug the USB-C port into a wall charger with 9W of power or more, it will charge fully in 2.5 hours. I didn’t try to charge it using my laptop’s USB-C ports, but Amazon says that process will take nine hours to fully charge the Kindle Scribe.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)?

Buy it if...

You want a Kindle that you can write on
At its heart, the Kindle Scribe offers a simple, elegant proposition. You love the Kindle, now you can write in one

You want a writing tablet but your handwriting is terrible
Did you think computers would never be able to read your unique handicraft? I’ll bet this one can

You’ve were waiting for the last Kindle Scribe to get better
Putting AI aside, Amazon fixed the biggest issues I had with the past Kindle Scribe. This one is great, no major complaints

Don't buy it if...

You are devoted to the feel of a fine pen on luxury paper
This isn’t a reMarkable tablet. If writing is a religious experience for you, that’s the one

You want apps to help organize your writing
The Kindle Scribe is good as electronic paper, but if you want apps, you need an iPad or Onyx Boox tablet. Instead, you get write-on books from the Kindle store

You have a problem with AI
The environmental impact of using cloud-based AI and major LLMs is still unclear, and it’s best to proceed with caution and diligence if we’re concerned about the environmental impact

Also consider

reMarkable 2
The reMarkable 2 and reMarkable Paper Pro are writing tablets for restraint. They have very few features beyond excellent writing tools, and reMarkable prides itself on saying no to extraneous additions, like a clock.
Read our in-depth reMarkable 2 review

Kobo Elipsa 2E
The Kobo Elipsa 2E gives you more writing tools, but its pen needs to be charged, its screen doesn’t feel as nice, and its E Ink display isn’t as sharp for reading. Still, if your books aren’t all from Amazon, it’s worth a look.
Read our in-depth Kobo Elipsa 2E review

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)

Testing period - one week
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, Comixology Unlimited, Libby through OverDrive
Tested books, meeting notes, AI recognition, comics, audiobooks

I used the Kindle Colorsoft one week before I published my review. During that time, I read The Princess Bride by William Goldman, I listened to parts of The Return of the King from Audible, and I took extensive notes during work meetings, which I do not usually do but I’m testing a writing tablet so I was extra.

I read Attack on Titan in black and white on the Kindle. I read during the day and before bed, adjusting the color temperature to the time of day. I read in bed, on the couch, on the train, but not in the bathtub, because this Kindle is not water resistant like the smaller e-reader Kindle devices.

I tested the AI features by having the Kindle Scribe refine and then summarize meeting notes from work meetings. I wrote a few brief stories and had the Kindle Scribe refine those from my terrible handwriting. I had my teenage son write a few words on the Kindle Scribe in his own handwriting and had the AI refine his writing as well.

I wrote on books purchased from the Kindle Store using the new Canvas tool. I read and downloaded books from Amazon Kindle as well as books I got from my local library using Libby and the OverDrive book system.

I tested the web browsing features by visiting TechRadar and reading articles at our own site. It wasn’t a great experience. I connected Bluetooth headphones, Pixel Buds Pro, and listened to Audible audiobooks. I used the Kindle Scribe without a case for the entirety of my review, but discovered it fit perfectly in my older Kindle Scribe (2022) case just in time to take photos at the end.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2024 review: faster, brighter, and that’s all there is to it

12:59 am | November 28, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite SE: One-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a mainstay on our list of the best Kindles, and the new Paperwhite offers just enough improvements to keep the e-reader feeling fresh while still leaving me wanting a bit more. It’s a little brighter, a little sharper, and a lot faster, and it turns out that speed truly makes a difference if you read a lot.

The main factor behind your choice of e-reader is where you get your books. If you buy books from Amazon or subscribe to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service, the Kindle is your only choice, and the Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle for most people. It’s bright, durable, and even water-resistant enough to survive a splash of salt water if you want to read in the sand.

Of course, the color Kindle is here, but don’t look at the Kindle Colorsoft if you don’t yearn for color when you read. It’s hard to go back to black and white once you’ve seen it, and the Colorsoft costs a lot more than the Kindle Paperwhite.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature edition e-reader showing graphic novels, cookbooks, and fiction, as well as settings — The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft is basically a Paperwhite in color (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That’s fine because the Kindle Paperwhite does everything you’d expect from a Kindle, no more and no less. If you want a bit more, my review sample was the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which includes wireless charging and maxes out the storage. I didn’t once charge the Kindle wirelessly except to test that it works, but you can buy a dock from Amazon to prop your Kindle at your bedside and let it charge while it shows you the cover of the book you’re reading.

That’s if you pay a little extra for the Kindle Paperwhite without lockscreen ads. I’m not a fan of Amazon’s common lockscreen ad scheme. I don’t like my phone, tablet, or e-reader serving me ads as a privilege of ownership. It feels cynical, and even though you can save $20 / £10 (and why is it so much cheaper in the UK?!) by allowing Amazon to take over your Kindle lockscreen with advertisements, I’d rather see my book covers or even just Amazon’s pleasant reading-themed wallpapers. Thankfully, the Signature Edition doesn't have lockscreen ads.

If you get your books from the library (yes, your local library will lend you an e-book) or if you buy from a seller other than Amazon, you have more choices, but the Kindle Paperwhite is still one of the best. I wish it had real buttons to turn pages, like the Kobo Libra e-reader. Buttons just feel more reliable than tapping or swiping, especially if I’m in the tub and my fingers are soapy.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition held up by one hand showing book covers in a grid including Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition exceeds other e-readers in its speed and responsiveness. Turning pages feels fast now, much faster than it was on older Kindle devices, and zooming into a chart or a picture happens almost as quickly as it would on a smartphone. I didn’t think a performance boost would make such a huge difference for a Kindle, but it’s really noticeable and makes the e-reader better.

Besides the library, Amazon’s Kindle book store is also the most robust place to buy books. You’ll find every title you want, and the store is great at making suggestions. I was slightly disappointed by the Kindle Unlimited content offering, though, so I wouldn’t recommend the subscription service unless reading is your passion and not just a pastime.

The new Kindle Paperwhite is an easy e-reader to recommend because the Paperwhite wasn’t broken, and Amazon didn’t fix it. It’s just a bit better, but it does everything I need an electronic book to do. The only thing I miss is color, and I suspect that the next Paperwhite upgrade that comes along in a few years will satisfy that craving.

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: price and availability

Kindle Paperwhite showing the cover of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in black and white — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition are a bit more expensive than the Kindle Paperwhite from 2021, and you don’t really get anything new. It’s a better device, to be sure, with a brighter screen and a more responsive interface, but I don’t like that it’s creeping up in price, especially since it’s an excellent vessel for Amazon to sell you more Kindle books.

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition already has its first discount: it’s $45 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

Is it worth the price? Compared to what? There aren’t any other e-readers that synchronize perfectly with Amazon’s book store, unless you buy a more expensive device that runs Android and can load the Kindle app. That’s a bridge too far, on my reading journey.

A person holding the Kobo Clara Colour ereader with a book cover displayed — The Kobo Clara Color costs less than a Kindle Paperwhite (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

You can find a Kobo Clara e-reader with a smaller display for less money; you can even get a Kobo Clara Color e-reader for less than a Kindle Paperwhite, let alone the Signature Edition Paperwhite. The Clara has a smaller display, and you should definitely explore Kobo’s book library before you commit if you’re making a switch.

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: Specs

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing settings menu for screen brightness and warmth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, and more settings — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: design

The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) in Raspberry. — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a very simple e-reader, and Amazon hasn’t improved the design at all except to offer some brighter paint options, especially if you spring for the Signature Edition with its metallic paint. That’s the review sample I have, and I like the look much more than the basic matte black finish, as you’ll find on the Paperwhite and the Kindle Colorsoft.

What happened to Kindles that felt premium? The Kindle Oasis lingered for years as a premium model, clad in metal with real page-turn buttons. I guess Amazon gave that all up to cut prices, or maybe readers just didn’t want to pay more for a luxurious electronic book. In any case, I hope Amazon offers an alternative to the bland plastic Kindle Paperwhite slab in the future.

Kindle Paperwhite from the side in greet metallic finished help by one hand — The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition from the side (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I also hope Amazon brings back page buttons because pressing a button is easier than swiping or tapping on the correct spot. If I held the Kindle Paperwhite SE too high, I’d open a menu instead of turning the page. Just give me a button.

There's only one button on the Kindle Paperwhite SE, and it’s the unfortunately placed power button. If you rest the Paperwhite on a desk while reading or rest it heavily on a finger for balance, you might turn off the screen by accident.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: display

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing text from the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on the top of the screen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition uses the latest E Ink black and white Carta 1300 display, which doesn’t offer more sharpness than past Kindle screens, but the Kindle already looks great when it’s displaying text and writing. Pictures look good enough in 16 levels of grey, but if you want better graphics, you should go for the Kindle Colorsoft.

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite SE gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

The Kindle Paperwhite SE can get plenty bright, so be warned that the incredible 12 weeks of battery life only applies when you are reading at half brightness. If you are in a well-lit room you won’t need any light at all, but reading before bed is my personal habit, so I use the light frequently. There’s a full set of amber lights and white LEDs inside so that you can eliminate all the blue light before bedtime.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: software

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing Goodreads welcome screen and star reviews for recently read books including Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy — The Kindle has direct access to Goodreads to rate your books (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

If you buy books through Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition does a perfect job delivering those books to your device. The Kindle can synchronize your progress easily if you read across multiple devices. It can also report your reading to Goodreads automatically or connect you to the social service to write your own reviews.

There isn’t much more to the Kindle Paperwhite SE. If you have books from other sources, you can connect the Kindle Paperwhite to your computer directly or just synchronize through Amazon’s web-based software.

Kindle Paperwhite showing Kindle bookstore with a selection of book covers shown in Recommended for You sections — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

There is a web browser, but it’s dreadfully simple, maybe thankfully so. You won’t find yourself distracted and browsing your favorite websites on this e-reader. I could barely get TechRadar.com to load beyond some text boxes.

The big thing that I’m missing with Kindle software is the ability to annotate my books right on the page. The Kobo Libra can use a stylus to take notes on a book. Not just highlighting or sticky notes but actually drawing in the margins and on the page. It’s a nifty trick that Amazon really needs to adopt, especially for the Kindle Scribe.

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: performance

Kindle Paperwhite shown with warmth turned all the way up and amber LED lights lighting the display — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Amazon gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a dual-core processor inside, which makes this electronic book more powerful than the Apollo 11 lunar lander. That means it can turn pages very quickly. I joke, but in fact, the difference is noticeable if you’ve ever owned a Kindle and been annoyed by slow page turns.

The only place where the Kindle still lags behind modern technology is in touch sensitivity. The E Ink display is not very sensitive, and I still felt a delay between tapping the screen, like when I needed to enter my Wi-Fi password, and when the character appeared. Menus were faster when I was scrolling, but still not totally reliable when tapping through them.

Frankly, there’s not much more I could ask for with Kindle performance. I’ve seen E Ink displays that try to do a lot more, and they overcomplicate simple technology like e-paper. I’m happy that Amazon made the interface more responsive. The next frontier is touch response.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: battery

Kindle Paperwhite from bottom showing USB-C port and poorly placed power button — USB-C charging or go wireless with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition will last for 12 weeks on a single charge, if you’re a casual reader. Amazon’s 12-week claim calls for 30 minutes of reading with the screen at just under half brightness. If you read all day in bright sunshine, the Kindle Paperwhite SE might last longer. If you read in the dark New England winter nights, the Paperwhite will need to charge more often.

The good news is that you will get over 40 hours of screen time between charges, and the battery won’t die if you put the book down for a few weeks. If you read at a good pace, you’ll be able to read a couple of books before you need to charge the Kindle Paperwhite, and that’s exceptional for any modern electronic device.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition features wireless charging. I like the wireless option as an elegant solution for keeping your Kindle topped up on a bedside stand, but it’s not essential at all.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

Kobo Clara Colour
You can save a bit of money and even check out a color E Ink display with the Kobo Clara Color. As long as your books aren’t all on Kindle, it’s worth a look.
Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Color review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
The base model Kindle Paperwhite doesn't have wireless charging, which I never needed, and it comes with only 16GB of storage, which is more than enough for most avid readers.

Check out the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

I used the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for three weeks before I published this review. I read two novels, multiple short stories, Japanese manga, and a number of other materials, including cookbooks and magazine.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for listening to audiobooks from Audible, and for listening while I read the same book. I used the Paperwhite in the bathtub to test its water resistance, and because reading in the bathtub is the main reason I like to review Kindle Paperwhite devices.

I did not have a dedicated wireless charging dock, but I tried charging the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with a Qi-compatible wireless charging adapter that attaches magnetically to the back of a smartphone. Before my review period I charged the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition using the USB-C port, and I only charged it one more time before this review was completed, even though I read daily and usually for more than an hour a day.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite without a case, and the photos in this review reflect its condition after daily use without a case, which is pretty good. I subscribed to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service and Comixology, and I also loaded books into my collection through the Overdrive library borrowing system and my local library.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: faster, brighter, and still the best Kindle

12:40 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite: One-minute review

Kindle Paperwhite held up by one hand showing book covers in a grid including Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Paperwhite exceeds other e-readers in its speed and responsiveness. Turning pages feels fast now, much faster than it was on older Kindle devices, and zooming into a chart or a picture happens almost as quickly as it would on a smartphone. I didn’t think a performance boost would make such a huge difference for a Kindle, but it’s really noticeable and makes the e-reader better.

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite already has its first discount: it’s $30 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

You can find a Kobo Clara e-reader with a smaller display for less money; you can even get a Kobo Clara Color e-reader for less than a Kindle Paperwhite. The Clara has a smaller display, and you should definitely explore Kobo’s book library before you commit if you’re making a switch.

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Paperwhite showing settings menu for screen brightness and warmth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, and more settings — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

I also hope Amazon brings back page buttons because pressing a button is easier than swiping or tapping on the correct spot. If I held the Kindle Paperwhite too high, I’d open a menu instead of turning the page. Just give me a button.

There's only one button on the Kindle Paperwhite, and it’s the unfortunately placed power button. If you rest the Kindle Paperwhite on a desk while reading or rest it heavily on a finger for balance, you might turn off the screen by accident.

The Kindle Paperwhite is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

Kindle Paperwhite showing text from the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on the top of the screen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite uses the latest E Ink black and white Carta 1300 display, which doesn’t offer more sharpness than past Kindle screens, but the Kindle already looks great when it’s displaying text and writing. Pictures look good enough in 16 levels of grey, but if you want better graphics, you should go for the Kindle Colorsoft.

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

The Kindle Paperwhite can get plenty bright, so be warned that the incredible 12 weeks of battery life only applies when you are reading at half brightness. If you are in a well-lit room you won’t need any light at all, but reading before bed is my personal habit, so I use the light frequently. There’s a full set of amber lights and white LEDs inside so that you can eliminate all the blue light before bedtime.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

Kindle Paperwhite showing Goodreads welcome screen and star reviews for recently read books including Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy — The Kindle has direct access to Goodreads to rate your books (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

If you buy books through Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite does a perfect job delivering those books to your device. The Kindle can synchronize your progress easily if you read across multiple devices. It can also report your reading to Goodreads automatically or connect you to the social service to write your own reviews.

There isn’t much more to the Kindle Paperwhite. If you have books from other sources, you can connect the Kindle Paperwhite to your computer directly or just synchronize through Amazon’s web-based software.

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Amazon gave the Kindle Paperwhite a dual-core processor inside, which makes this electronic book more powerful than the Apollo 11 lunar lander. That means it can turn pages very quickly. I joke, but in fact, the difference is noticeable if you’ve ever owned a Kindle and been annoyed by slow page turns.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

The Kindle Paperwhite will last for 12 weeks on a single charge, if you’re a casual reader. Amazon’s 12-week claim calls for 30 minutes of reading with the screen at just under half brightness. If you read all day in bright sunshine, the Kindle Paperwhite might last longer. If you read in the dark New England winter nights, the Paperwhite will need to charge more often.

My review sample was a Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which comes with wireless charging. I like the wireless option as an elegant solution for keeping your Kindle topped up on a bedside stand, but it’s not essential at all.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024)
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature gives you twice the storage and wireless charging, plus nice metallic paint and no ads. It might be worth the upgrade.
Check out the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition at Amazon

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: faster, brighter, and still the best Kindle

12:40 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite: One-minute review

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite already has its first discount: it’s $30 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

The Kindle Paperwhite is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review: the Kindle of your dreams in color

4:00 pm | October 16, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Colorsoft Signature: One-minute review

A Kindle in color makes so much sense, it's a wonder the Kindle Colorsoft took so long to arrive. But it's finally here, and it is a decidedly Kindle take on color e-readers. If you're shopping for a new Kindle and you've considered the Colorsoft for even a moment, you should buy it. Monochrome Kindles will feel like a step backward once you've seen this screen.

I loved reading graphic novels and comics on the Kindle Colorsoft, but even having a virtual bookshelf of my Kindle collection with full color covers was a treat. I wish Amazon gave me control over which cover edition is shown, especially for books with great design work like the Southern Reach series. Maybe in the future. For now, I just enjoy scrolling through my library and leaving a book’s cover on the lock screen while I'm in progress reading.

Scrolling is actually kind of amazing on the Kindle Colorsoft, and so is zooming. On E Ink tablets, this is usually a weakness that might have been fatal for comic reading. If the Colorsoft left mottled and ghosted pages like many color E Ink competitors, I wouldn't be so enthusiastic about this device. Instead, the Kindle Colorsoft feels like the fastest, smoothest e-reader I've ever used, whether reading in color or just black and white text.

The new Kindle Colorsoft is water resistant, just like the Kindle Paperwhite, so you can read it in the bath and Amazon even builds the Kindle strong enough to take a splash of salt water, if you promise to hose it off with fresh water when you're rinsing sand.

That doesn't mean the Colorsoft has what I'd consider a premium build. It feels tough, but it feels a bit cheap for a new Kindle that costs more than a hundred more than the older Paperwhite. I can't even say this is just a Paperwhite with a color display, because the brand new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is an even nicer looking device with its metallic paint finish. It feels more premium than this.

No matter, buy a nice case (there will be plenty to choose from, I'm sure) and ignore the plastic. The Kindle Colorsoft display is all that matters, and it's a delight. It's very bright, for a Kindle, and the color looks good enough for graphic art. I wouldn't invest in photography art books for the Kindle Colorsoft, but Manga looks perfect.

If you're due for a Kindle upgrade… actually, Amazon hasn't released a new Kindle since the Kindle Scribe launched two years ago, and there hasn't been a new e-reader Kindle for even longer. So, everyone is due for an upgrade.

A book cover displayed in color on the Kobo Libra Colour ereader — The Kobo Libra Colour uses a *very* similar color E Ink display (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

There are other color e-readers that offer nicer hardware, with displays that aren't quite as advanced, but you may not notice the difference. The Kobo Libra Colour is a fantastic device. I personally have more books on Kindle, but if you use Kobo or your local library through Libby, the Kobo is worth a look.

Do you need color? If you aren't reading graphic novels, probably not, but what is this, 1983? Are we still choosing between color displays and monochrome? I like color, and now that there's a Kindle Colorsoft, it's the one I'd buy. It doesn't feel like a first-generation technology, or an early attempt. It's a Kindle in color, and it might be the best Kindle yet.

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

$279.99 / £269.99 for 32GB of storage
No Australia launch date yet

There’s no doubt the Kindle Colorsoft is expensive, a bit too expensive to say it’s the Kindle for everybody. Color on your Kindle is still a luxury, and I hope that price comes down with sales and bundles, but I wouldn’t expect any discounts soon.

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition costs around $80 / £80 more than the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, and the only difference is color. Actually, the Paperwhite Signature is available in some very nice metallic colors.

The Colorsoft is $120 / £110 more than the base model Kindle Paperwhite, which doesn't come with wireless charging, but wireless charging is an odd luxury, anyway, on a Kindle.

Is it worth the additional cost? Adding color increases the price by 75% versus the Kindle Paperwhite. I can’t say it’s worth the premium, but it doesn’t feel too expensive for the luxury. I just wish the rest of the device felt more luxurious to justify the higher price. Some metallic paint would help.

While Kindle fans will jump on this one, Amazon may have a hard time winning folks over who aren’t committed to the Kindle library. The Kobo Libra Colour is only $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359.95, and it has more features than the Kindle Colorsoft, including stylus support for note taking, as well as physical buttons to turn pages. Ironically, the Kobo device looks more like the old Amazon Kindle Oasis, a premium Kindle that was discontinued a couple years ago.

Just saying, the Kindle Oasis felt like a premium e-reader (Image credit: Future)

If your books are on Kindle and you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, the choice is much easier – get the Kindle Colorsoft and be happy. If your reading is flexible or you use the local library for e-books through Libby, you may read our review of the Kobo before you invest in the Kindle Colorsoft. Its performance won’t feel as quick and smooth as the latest Kindle, but performance isn’t a deal breaker when it comes to an e-reader.

Value score: 3 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

Kind of cheap looking
Only has a power button, no page turning buttons

Amazon hasn't given us a Kindle that feels truly premium for quite a while, and sadly the Colorsoft doesn't break that trend. It's more like the basic Kindle Paperwhite, with a matte plastic back that comes in one color - black. The Paperwhite Signature edition is availble in some nice metallic paints, but oddly this Colorsoft Signature edition only comes in black.

Ironic for Amazon’s first color Kindle? It doesn't matter, because most people buy a cover for the Kindle, and you can always get a sticker if the plastic doesn't suit.

Still, I'd love to see a Kindle Oasis comeback with this display. Not just for the Oasis’s premium build, but for the page turn buttons as well. The Kobo Libra gives you buttons, if you like turning pages that way instead of tapping the touch screen.

The Kindle Colorsoft has a power button and a USB-C port on the bottom for charging or connecting to a PC. It also offers wireless charging, and Amazon offers a charging stand with the perfect fit if you don't have one.

My Editor-At-Large Lance Ulanoff pointed out that the button on the bottom means it’s easy to rest this Kindle in a way that turns off the screen. It didn’t bother me before he mentioned it, but he’s absolutely right, and now I wish the power button was somewhere else.

Design score: 3 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

Kaleido 3 E Ink display, customized by Amazon
Looks like paper, great for comics

The Kindle Colorsoft uses a Kaleido 3 color display from E Ink, with tweaks and mods from Amazon. I love E Ink technology and find it endlessly fascinating, but it's very complex, so here's all you need to know.

The Kindle Colorsoft uses the same black and white E Ink technology as all of the other Kindle devices, with an added layer of color. The color is not part of the black and white layer, like you'll see on the reMarkable Paper Pro writing tablet that launched a few months ago.

Instead, the color layer is independent, and the color pixels are much less dense. This helps the Kindle Colorsoft pan and zoom quickly, and if you've ever panned and zoomed on E Ink before, you're going to be amazed at how well the Colorsoft handles zooming. In full color, I could pinch and zoom on a character in a comic panel and it looked smooth, with no ghosts or artifacts popping up.

Cover of Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne seen on Kindle Colorsoft display — Here's a closeup of a color e-book cover (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The page snapped quickly into a sharper look once I settled, and the refresh was super fast and nearly undetectable. There was no weird cycling through colors, as I've seen on other color E Ink devices.

A Kindle doesn't have a backlight, it's lit from the front and sides and the light is reflected into the page evenly. The Kindle Colorsoft was the brightest Kindle I've used, and it has a full set of both warm and cool LEDs for reading with less blue before bedtime.

Lighting the color layer can be tricky, but the Kindle Colorsoft lights the color and black pixels evenly, and color pages look fantastic. They look like paper, as they should, so don't expect a glossy magazine. Get an iPad if you want bright and saturated.

I hardly noticed a difference between the normal and vivid color modes on the Kindle Colorsoft, but I left the display on vivid for comic reading. As I finished my review, The Verge reported on an issue with slight yellowing at the bottom of the display. I noticed that this was happening on my screen, but the effect is so slight that I never would have seen it if I didn’t read The Verge’s report. I don’t expect perfect color fidelity from a Kindle, so it didn’t bother me one bit.

Amazon is fixing the issue, and if you have a Kindle Colorsoft with this problem, the company will replace it and let you hold the one you have while you wait, so you can keep reading.

Display score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

Same Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance improves the interface experience

Amazon pledges to keep things simple and distraction free with the Kindle, and the Kindle Colorsoft doesn't veer from this path, it just runs where previous Kindles have skipped along. The whole Kindle interface has been dramatically improved with faster processing and the new display. The old delays, flashing screen refreshes, and taps lost to the ether are no longer a problem.

I prefer Amazon’s simpler software over a more robust E Ink tablet, like an Onyx Boox Note Air 3. E Ink tablets are better when the interface keeps things simple. You can run Android apps on an Onyx device, but apps don’t look great, and Onyx makes you jump through hoops to get the E Ink display to behave in a satisfying way.

If you use Amazon and get your books from Kindle, the software is made for you specifically. If you sideload books or borrow from your library through an app like Libby, you may have to do a bit more work to get your reading fix, but once you figure it out, you’ll have a steady stream of titles.

Unfortunately, since you can’t run third-party apps on the Kindle Colorsoft, there’s no way I could find to read comics directly from the biggest publishers. If you subscribe to Marvel Unlimited or DC Universe Infinite, you won’t be able to read your favorite titles on the Kindle. Amazon offers Comixology instead, which has a much more limited Unlimited subscription offering. I’d rather see partnerships with the big name publishers.

There's a web browser, but it can’t load complicated web pages properly. Our own TechRadar.com home page was wildly distorted, though it was cool to see color photographs on a Kindle web page.

Amazon also lets you connect directly to Goodreads to report the book you’re currently reading and write reviews. Goodreads looks especially sharp on the Colorsoft display.

User experience score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Smooth zooming, whether color or black and white

It's a book. What sort of performance do you want? Actually, the Kindle Colorsoft is a delightful surprise when it comes to performance, just like the new Kindle Paperwhite. Amazon has improved the response time dramatically, and using the e ink display no longer feels like a slog.

In the past, I'd tap the screen and kind of wonder if my touch got through. On the new Kindle Colorsoft, the screen responds immediately. What's most impressive is watching the E Ink display zoom and pan around pages and images. This used to be a disaster, but now Amazon has its E Ink performance looking much more like a normal display.

It moves at a very slow refresh rate, so it isn't as smooth as your smartphone, but the ghosting and weird fuzzy bits that used to linger are gone.

Otherwise, performance was great in my time with the Kindle Colorsoft. It's a book, and now it turns pages faster than before. Amazon improved the performance of a book. That's kind of cool.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

Great battery life, but not limitless
Avid readers will get a few days of battery life

Amazon says the Kindle Colorsoft battery will last eight weeks if you read a half hour every day, with the brightness level set just below the halfway mark. That's impressive, because it gives you not just 28 hours of screen time, but also a battery that won't drain itself dead if you aren't using it.

In my tests, I was able to do more than eight weeks of reading in an intense review week that included getting a bad cold and lying in bed for four days. I killed the battery on the Colorsoft in three days, and after Amazon clarified its battery claims, I'm sure the Kindle Colorsoft lasted more than 20 hours of actual reading time with the brightness set much higher than Amazon recommends.

The nice thing is the new color display will sip power just as slowly if you read all color or just black and white. I was reading comic books from Comixology Unlimited, including Planet Hulk and All-Star Superman. They have some good, iconic titles and a nice selection of independents, but comic nerds should do their own research before committing.

The Kindle Colorsoft doesn't charge super fast. I guess after eight weeks of power it assumes you'll be patient for a couple of hours. You can read while it charges, of course. There is wireless charging as well, and you can get a wireless charging stand to keep it topped up and looking pretty on the bedside table.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

You want a Kindle Upgrade
It's the Kindle in color. If you've been waiting for this like I have, you won't be disappointed

You want to read graphic novels on a tablet in the sunshine
You can read comics on an iPad or Galaxy Tab, but the Kindle Colorsoft is great for sunshine like the pool and beach, or just a nice park

You miss seeing your book covers in color
If you're an avid reader, you probably have a collection, but without color it doesn't feel like a proper bookshelf

Don't buy it if...

You don't care about color at all
The Kindle Colorsoft doesn't do anything else better than the Paperwhite, and the latter is prettier (sorry, KC)

You subscribe to Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite
The Kindle Colorsoft isn't an Android tablet, so you can't read comics through an app. It works with the Kindle library and Comixology

You want to write a lot of notes
You can take some notes and add highlights, but there's no pen support like you'll find on Kindle Scribe or Kobo Libra Color

Also consider

Kobo Libra Colour
If you don’t rely on the Kindle library for your books, you might consider this less expensive Kobo alternative, which has a very similar color display and more features.
Read our in-depth Kobo Libra Color review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
If color is an expensive dream, the Kindle Paperwhite is an excellent e-reader with the same snappy performance and great battery life as the Kindle Colorsoft. We're testing the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition now, so we'll have a review soon.
Read our hands-on look at the new Kindle Paperwhite

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - two weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology Unlimited
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading extensively

I used the Kindle Colorsoft for two weeks before I published my review. For the first week, I was under the weather and lying in bed, so I read for hours and hours at a time, mostly comics from Comixology and books from my Kindle library. I am an unlimited subscriber to Kindle and Comixology.

I read graphic novels in color and books in black and white on the Kindle. I read during the day and before bed, adjusting the color temperature to the time of day. I read in bed, on the couch, on the train, and in the bathtub. I dunked the Kindle Colorsoft and rinsed it under a running shower.

I tested the web browsing features by visiting TechRadar and reading articles at our own site. It wasn’t a great experience. I connected Bluetooth headphones, Pixel Buds Pro, and listened to Audible audiobooks. I used the Kindle Colorsoft without a case for the entirety of my review.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Kobo Clara HD review

11:00 am | July 27, 2018

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Australia, Kindle Paperwhite, UK, US | Comments: Off

[Update February 7, 2023: The Kobo Clara HD is no longer available in the US and has had a small price rise in both the UK and Australia, now priced at £119.99 / AU$189.95.]

Competing against the Amazon Kindle brand is a difficult task, but Kobo is attempting to do so with its new Kobo Clara HD, which has a similar specs list and price to the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

If you want an alternative to the big A’s biggest selling ereader, the Kobo Clara HD is here to offer you all of the same features but with a slightly different design and reading experience.

Below we'll talk you through everything we like and loathe about the Kobo Clara HD, plus everything you need to know about it.

Kobo Clara HD price and release date

The Kobo Clara HD price is £119.99 / AU$189.95
On sale in the UK and Australia
Currently unavailable in the US

The Kobo Clara HD's price has recently increased by £10 / AU$10 and is now £119.99 / AU$189.95, though the device is no longer available in the US. This aligns with the price of the 2018 Kindle Paperwhite, which comes in at £119.99 / $129.99 / AU$199.

While you can still pick up the Kobo Clara HD in both the UK and Australia, it's predecessor, the Kobo Clara 2E was released in September 2022 and is available for $139.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.95 in those two regions and as well as the US.

You can get it now in the UK and Australia from a variety of retailers including Kobo's manufacturer, which is called Rakuten. You can also buy it in the UK from a variety of other retailers including John Lewis and WHSmith.

Design

Lighter than the Kindle Paperwhite
Strange looking rear that won't appeal to everyone

Comfort is one of the most important elements of an ereader, especially when you'll likely be reading books for long periods.

So you’ll be glad to know the Kobo Clara HD is comfortable to hold for long periods of time without it becoming too heavy in the hand.

At 166g this is a similar weight to the standard Kindle model, and quite a bit lighter than the Kindle Paperwhite. That's pretty much ideal.

We found it was easy to hold for long periods of reading, but also wouldn’t blow away in the slightest gust of wind. The size of the device also means it's easy to hold in one hand.

There’s still room for a 6-inch screen though, which is the most common size on ereaders at the moment. All of Amazon’s range sports a 6-inch display, but if you want something a little larger there’s always the Kobo Aura One, which comes with a 7.8-inch display instead.

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Despite the 6-inch screen, this is still a very compact device with dimensions of 157 x 111 x 8.3mm. It managed to fit in the back pocket of men's jeans, and it's easy to slot this into your bag ready for your commute.

Basically, it's a lot easier to pick up, carry and read the Kobo Clara HD than it is most of George R R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series in paperback.

It’s made of plastic, so doesn’t feel as premium as the latest version of the Kindle Oasis, but it’s easy to grip, with the rear of the device having an odd effect that helps your fingertips hold on.

We don’t fully know how to explain it, but there are lots of little dots that looks similar to the pointillism style of artwork. It sort of feels perforated, but it's made of solid plastic rather than a pliable material that feels soft to the touch.

It may be comfortable to hold, but the effect on the back doesn’t look great compared to many other ereaders - including Kobo’s own range - so don’t expect this to be the best looking device on the market from the rear. It's also not waterproof - for that, consider the Kobo Aura H2O.

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On the front there’s the Kobo logo emblazoned just below the screen. There are then thick bezels around the edges of the ereader, and these don’t sit flush to the screen like on the Kindle Oasis.

The bezels are quite raised away from the screen, which doesn't look great. Those bezels give you lots of room to rest your fingers though.

You won’t find yourself tapping on any buttons around the edges while you're reading, as there’s only a power button on the bottom of the device that sits next to a micro USB charging port.

Display

There's a 6-inch Carta E Ink display that's 300 pixels per inch
Easy to read in bright sunlight and has customizable brightness too

On the front of the Kobo Clara HD there's a 6-inch Carta E Ink touchscreen display that is great for reading books, as it comes with the standard 300 pixels per inch, which we’ve seen on lots of other devices including the Kindle Paperwhite.

The screen is the perfect resolution for ebooks and even suits if you plan to read graphic novels on the display, but note this will only show them in black and white.

If you want to read comics in color, you'll have to opt for a reading app on a tablet.

The Kobo Clara HD has the perfect size display though, and you're easily able to navigate the books you're reading as well as having enough room to read at the same time. For example, you can hang your finger over part of the display ready to change page without having to stop reading and slowing down the action.

You can easily change the brightness on the display to make it easier to read in bright sunlight, or you can leave it on the auto-brightness mode, which we found worked well.

Kobo's own ComfortLight PRO technology will also change the color temperature and hue of the display depending on what time of day it is.

You can set your bedtime within the brightness section on the ereader and it will then switch to a more natural lighting that's easier on your eyes before you go to sleep. It turns down the blue light in the screen and brings forth the warmer, redder colors which are proven to help your brain switch off at night.

We had it set to come on at 10pm and it would immediately switch to a redder tint that's easier on the eye. You can also turn this on manually if you want, and there's a slider, so unlike some other products you can decide how much you want it to do.

Battery life

Should last for weeks without charging
You can recharge with micro USB at the bottom of the device

Ereaders generally have great battery life, lasting for around a month or so, and we’d expect a similar amount of time from the Kobo Clara HD.

We’ve used the ereader for a week now and found it dropped in battery by around 26%. With around an hour or so of reading a day you'll likely find this ereader to last roughly three weeks to a month, depending on how bright you have the display and whether it's connected to Wi-Fi.

Kobo has yet to provide an official estimate of how long the Kobo Clara HD will last from a single charge though. If you want to charge up the ereader, you’ll plug it in using the micro USB port at the bottom of it.

We found this will take a few hours to charge, but you won't have to do this that often so it's not much of an issue.

Software and Kobo Store

Comes running Kobo's own software that's easy to set up and use
Kobo Store is more limited than competitors, but still extensive

The Kobo Clara HD comes with the company's own software on board, and it's easy to get your head around and set up.

Once you've got the Kobo Clara HD set up, you can find all of the menus you'll need by tapping on the three horizontal lines in the top left corner of the display.

Here you'll be able to find shortcuts to your books, your saved articles, the Kobo Store (so you can buy books) and much more. You'll also find the Settings in here, where you'll be able to set up Wi-Fi on your ereader.

The Clara HD will automatically sync with your Kobo account, so if you've used an ereader from the company or bought books on Kobo before you'll get them all automatically connected to your account.

You can then just tap on them to download. Scrolling through books is just an easy tap on the left or right of the display as there are no buttons here to help you navigate through the menus.

When you're in the book, you can tap at the top of the display to view different elements of it. The percentage read appears in the top left, while the bottom right is where you can change the size of the font or skip to different chapters.

The software on the Kobo Clara HD is accomplished and is perfect for what it sets out to do. It's simple and easy to use, so you shouldn't have many issues with reading on the Clara HD.

The easiest way to read books on your Clara HD is buying them directly from the Kobo Store, but there are a few other routes you can use to get titles. You can upload EPUB files by connecting the ereader to your computer, and some libraries also allow you to borrow ebooks too.

Different libraries have different methods of supplying ebooks, so it's best to speak to your library about how to upload titles to the ereader.

It's worth noting the easiest way to read on your Kobo Clara HD is through the official Kobo store. You can buy and download them on the official website, connect them to your account and then access them from the ereader, or you can buy them directly on the device.

The Kobo Store is certainly more limited than the Amazon Kindle store. Kobo has over 5 million books on offer though, so you should be able to find the top-selling titles you'll want for the Clara HD, but more specialist titles may be missing here.

We tried to find ten popular books that people in the TechRadar office had read or planned to read and found that 9 out of 10 were available on Kobo's store. If you have particular favorite genres or authors, we recommend taking a look to see if they are on the Kobo store before buying this.

One thing worth pointing out is that the Kobo Clara HD comes with 8GB of storage. The Kindle Paperwhite only has 4GB, while if you want more than 8GB you'll have to opt for the 32GB and much more expensive Kindle Oasis.

That means there's lots of space on the Clara HD for ebooks, and Kobo expects there to be enough space for around 6,000 titles. It's unlikely you'll have that many, but it's good to know you've got enough space for as many as you want.

There's no 3.5mm headphone jack or Bluetooth audio on the Kobo Clara HD, which means you won't be able to listen to audiobooks on the ereader.

Considering this is a feature introduced on the Kindle Oasis and standard Kindle, and that Kobo launched its own audiobook service in 2017, we were hoping this device would be capable of playing titles. It can't though, so you'll have to opt for your phone and the Kobo app if you prefer the spoken word.

Verdict

There isn't much development in the ereader space at the moment, but that doesn't mean it's not a great time to upgrade your ereader if you bought one a few years ago. It's also a great time to get one if you've never owned one.

The top-end of the ereader market is where the more interesting developments are happening right now. That said, if you're just planning to read the odd book for an hour a day on your commute or you want a device you can load up with titles to be entertained by on your holiday and don't want lots of fancy features, the £110 / $130 devices on the market will suit your needs.

It's hard to compete against the behemoth that is Amazon in this space, but Kobo has done it here, offering a remarkably similar product for a similar price.

Who's this for?

This is for anyone who wants an ereader but doesn't need any top-end features such as a premium-feel metal design or audiobook integration. If you're looking for a mid-price device, it would be hard to go wrong with the Kobo Clara HD.

It features a great-looking 6-inch display that has the useful ComfortLight PRO features, an easy to hold design that's comfortable in the hand and tons of storage too.

The fact the Clara HD doubles the Kindle Paperwhite storage will be great for some as well, but it's very unlikely the average reader will have 6,000 ebooks to fill this up.

The software from Kobo is easy to use too, so this is perfect for anyone just starting out with an ereader who wants to get into reading ebooks instead of paper ones.

Should you buy it?

The Kobo Clara HD has a remarkably similar specs and feature list to the latest Amazon Kindle Paperwhite model, so your decision comes down to which design you prefer and which book store suits you better.

You do have twice the storage here, so if that's important for you go for the Kobo over the Kindle.

We do recommend inspecting both book stores though to ensure the sort of titles you'll want to read are covered by the option you go for.

If you're happy with both, it's then time to look at the design, see which one you prefer and make your decision that way.

First reviewed: May 2018

Review: Kobo Glo

3:02 am | November 8, 2012

Author: admin | Category: Gadgets | Tags: EPUB, Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Glo, Wi Fi | Comments: None

Review: Kobo Glo

Introduction

It may sound like something to do with discrete illumination in a toilet bowl, but the ComfortLight on the Kobo Glo brings the e-reader ba[……]

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