Amazon’s Kindle lineup has evolved significantly over the years. Today, it includes a device for almost every type of reader. But how does each Kindle differ, and which one’s right for you? Let’s break it down.
Amazon Kindle
The classic Kindle sits at the bottom of Amazon’s Kindle portfolio. It’s the most affordable and compact Kindle you can buy, making it a great starter eReader for most people. It’s also largely no-frills but still quite capable. The Kindle packs a 6-inch black and white E-ink display with 300ppi resolution and a built-in front light with 94 nits peak brightness. It’s great for reading ebooks and has an anti-glare coating for better under-sun visibility.
Weighing in at just 158 grams, it’s lighter than most modern smartphones, which, combined with its compact design, makes it small and light enough to fit in your hand or bag easily.
While you can get a bigger display on other Kindle models, you won’t get higher brightness or resolution. However, there are plenty of other areas where it falls behind the rest of the Kindle lineup. For example, it can only last up to six weeks on a single charge if you read for around half an hour daily. It also lacks dust or water resistance, wireless charging support, and a warm light feature. Plus, you miss out on a light sensor and a front-flush design.
Moreover, there is only a 16GB storage variant, but that will be fine for most buyers as it can still store thousands of ebooks. Speaking of ebooks, it gets access to the same impressive selection of ebooks through the Kindle store as other more expensive Kindles.
Amazon Kindle (2024)
The regular Kindle may look like a barebones eReader, but it can hold its own in terms of the e-reading essentials with the more expensive Kindles.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
The Kindle Paperwhite is Amazon’s most popular Kindle, and for good reason. It has a sleek, modern design with a 7-inch black and white E-ink display that sits flush with the bezels. It has the same resolution and brightness as the regular Kindle. However, it offers the best contrast ratio of any Kindle, allowing the text to look even clearer and sharper. It’s also the fastest Kindle in the company’s portfolio, with quicker page turns and a generally more responsive experience.
Another great thing about the Paperwhite is its 12-week battery life, which matches the best you can get on any Kindle. So, unless you spend hours daily on your Paperwhite, it’ll last months on a single charge. You also get an IPX8-rated build for water resistance, enabling you to continue your reading sessions around a pool, on the beach, and in other locations with water around. Other features include an adjustable warm light support for a more comfortable night reading experience and 16GB of storage.
Apart from being available in a regular variant, the Paperwhite has a Signature Edition that adds wireless charging support and auto-adjusting light for better visibility under different lighting conditions. It also packs double the storage as the regular variant and has a metallic finish on its three color options.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
The Kindle Paperwhite has much to like, from its sleek design to the best contrast in any Kindle. You can get it in a regular or Signature Edition.
Amazon Kindle Scribe
The Kindle Scribe holds a special place in Amazon’s eReader portfolio. It’s not just an eReader but also a note-taking device. So, if you’re in the market for both of those things, the Scribe is a pretty good option. It features the biggest display of any Kindle at 10.2 inches and has a different design from other Amazon eReaders. You get uniform white bezels around the display and a thick extra border on the left edge. This thicker bezel is supposed to help you hold it while using it.
The note-taking capabilities of the Scribe are its biggest differentiator from other Kindles. You can jot down your thoughts in the built-in notebook and mark up imported PDFs or Kindle eBooks. There are also AI-enabled tools to summarize the notes or convert handwritten notes to typed text in a script font. Plus, the company includes a stylus for taking notes.
Otherwise, it has the same features as a Kindle Paperwhite, except for the missing water resistance and wireless charging. You can buy the Scribe in three storage variants.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)
The Kindle Scribe combines an eReader with a digital notebook. It has a large E-ink display and can last weeks on a single charge.
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft
The Kindle Colorsoft is the latest entrant in Amazon’s eReader portfolio and the company’s first color eReader. It has a 7-inch color E-ink display that can produce content in full color or black and white. The display resolution is 150 ppi in color and 300 ppi in black and white.
Currently available only in a Signature Edition, the Colorsoft shares most features with the Paperwhite Signature Edition. For example, you get the same front-flush design, 32GB storage, wireless charging, auto-adjusting front light, adjustable warm light, and IPX8 water resistance. There is also the same max brightness of 94 nits as every other Kindle. The only real differences between the Paperwhite and Colorsoft signature editions include the lower eight-week battery life and the color display of the latter.
Color eReaders are great for reading comic books, manga, magazines, and children’s books, as the color display brings the visuals to life with vibrant colors.
Remember that Colorsoft didn’t have the best debut for a Kindle as the early buyers noticed a yellow band at the bottom of the display. As of mid-November 2024, the company is in the process of developing a fix and has delayed the shipments of the eReader. The existing owners are being offered a replacement or refund option. If this eReader has enticed you, you may want to wait for the fix before ordering. You can also consider color eReaders from other manufacturers, such as Kobo.
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft
The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon’s first color eReader. It has all the same features as the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition except for an eight-week battery life.
What About the Kids Editions?
Besides the regular Kindle models, Amazon offers the Kids Editions of its classic Kindle and the Paperwhite. These special variants have the exact same feature set as the regular models. However, you get a bundled colorful cover of your choosing, a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year worry-free warranty. You are charged a $20 premium over the price of the regular models for these additional benefits. However, these can be helpful if a child is going to use the Kindle.
The Kids+ subscription is designed for kids ages 3-12 and includes age-appropriate ebooks, audiobooks, games, videos, Alexa Skills, and more. While you can enjoy the ebooks and audiobooks on your Kindle, the rest is available via compatible Fire tablets, Fire TVs, and Echo devices.
Amazon Kindle Kids (2024)
The Kindle Kids shares all its features with the classic Kindle. You can buy it in three variants, each with a different, colorful, kid-friendly cover.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2024)
The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is based on the regular Paperwhite, and it comes in three variants, featuring a different kid-friendly cover.
From a no-frills eReader to an eReader with a color display, there is plenty of choice in the Kindle lineup for modern readers. While different Kindles may have different features, each gets access to the same impressive ebook store. The software remains the same, and you can also stream audiobooks through Audible. Finally, you can borrow ebooks from your local library using OverDrive or save money by getting the Kindle Unlimited subscription on each Kindle.
