At a Glance
Expert’s Rating
Our Verdict
It has the same 6in screen with the same 800×600 resolution, equating to 167 pixels per inch. That’s low by today’s standards but on a 16-level greyscale E-Ink screen, it really doesn’t need to be much higher. Sure, characters are sharper on the 212ppi Paperwhite (and even crisper on the brand-new 300ppi Voyage) but it isn’t going to prevent you enjoying a good novel.
What’s changed is an even faster processor which speeds up page turns. They’re fast enough now that you don’t really notice the page refreshing – it’s certainly a world away from those early E-Ink screens that would take a second or so to refresh the image.
The touchscreen element is as responsive as you’d expect from a modern tablet, and you can use gestures such as swiping to ‘unlock’ the Kindle (necessary to remove the lock-screen adverts unless you’ve paid the extra £10 to remove them), and scrolling through menus or web pages.
Anyone thinking of upgrading from a non-touchscreen Kindle will appreciate just how easy it is to type in search queries when looking for a new book in the Kindle store – or simply searching the on-device library. The same goes for typing in Wi-Fi passwords and making notes. You can tap away as fast as you like, and the Kindle will keep up.
The battery lasts for weeks if you read for short periods each day, making it much better than a tablet if you only want to read books, and charges in roughly four hours from a laptop or PC’s USB port.
It’s a little unfair to compare an eReader with a tablet because they are two completely different beasts. A tablet is a multipurpose entertainment device whereas the Kindle is dedicated to reading. And if you’re an avid reader, you’ll prefer the zero-glare screen and long battery life.
There’s more competition on hardware these days, though, so if you want a eReader with a lit screen – arguably the only important feature missing from the Kindle – you you should look to buy a second-hand Kindle Paperwhite for around £60.
Specs
- 6in E-Ink Pearl 600×800-pixel screen, 16 levels of greyscale
- 4GB internal memory
- Wi-Fi
- 1-month battery life
- Experimental web browser
- Dimensions: 169x119x10.2mm
- Weight: 190g
- micro-USB charging
- 12-month warranty.
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor, Tech Advisor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
Recent stories by Jim Martin:
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids review
- Amazon Kindle Kids Edition review
- Amazon Kindle Voyage review
