Earlier this year I did something I never thought I would do – I wrote a rave review about the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. As someone who loves the tactile experience only a book can provide, a digital counterpart was something I had deliberately steered clear of.
But, try as I might to not enjoy using my Kindle, it didn't take much use to convince me its one of the best investments I've ever made. So I was excited to hear Amazon was releasing a new Paperwhite Kindle model, but wondered what it could possibly add to make it better? I mean, when it comes to e-readers, there's surely only so much one can do?
The answer, in short, is it's a little bit faster (25% Amazon claims), a little bit bigger, and the chassis now comes in two new colours. There's no denying it looks great in colour, and it's currently at its lowest price ever in the Amazon Black Friday sale. But are these features enough to demand an upgrade from your existing e-reader? Let's take a closer look...
Device colour
I'll admit, the thought of coloured Kindles was exciting at first - now in raspberry pink and jade green, they look great. But I quickly realised not only does a change in chassis colour make absolutely no difference to my reading experience, I won't be able to see it when my Kindle is in a cover, which it will absolutely will be.
It's a nice touch if you want to use your Kindle Paperwhite without a case. But there are couple of issues there for me, personally. Firstly, I take my Kindle Paperwhite everywhere, and so having one of the best Kindle covers to protect it while out and about is a must.
I also find the device much easier to hold when in a case. The mixture of recycled materials it has taken to create the device has resulted in a shiny, quite slippery outer surface to hold without any kind of cover. And the new version being that little big bigger only adds to that problem – hence the need for a case, which covers the, albeit gorgeous, device colour.
Size matters
The next most noticeable difference is the Kindle Paperwhite size, which is slightly bigger than the previous version (bar its thickness, which is actually 0.3mm thinner). The added 2.7mm in height and 2.5mm in length means the Kindle Paperwhite 2024 can accommodate a full seven-inch screen – 0.2-inches bigger than its predecessor.
While this might not sound like much, when placed side-by-side there is a noticeable difference. And when holding to read, I am definitely more aware of the extra millimetres. But despite it being a little harder to hold in one hand to read, I really appreciate what the extra real estate adds to my overall reading experience. Words feel less squashed, which makes for a much more comfortable read.
While we're on the subject of the screen, another small but very welcome feature is having the page number and how far I am through the book shown as a percentage always visible in the bottom corners.
The biggest bugbear, and this is not new to the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite, is the position on the power button. On the bottom right-hand corner, it sits just where my pinky rests to hold it in my right hand, and I often turn it on and off by accident due to the placement.
Faster and better
Amazon promises 25% faster page turns with this model. Why it has focussed on this particular function being quicker is bizarre to me. You press the screen, the page turns - a 25 percent increase in speed on this is not something you are going to notice day-to-day.
That said, how much faster this version is at doing everything else is a highlight. Let's face it, e-readers aren't tablets, they are, as a general rule, quite clunky and slow. But the Paperwhite model is noticeably faster in its performance, from selecting and scrolling through settings to navigating the library and choosing new reads. And it makes for a much less frustrating user experience.
The 2024 model also states it needs just one charge every 12 weeks, based on 30-minutes of use every day at 50% brightness. Obviously this will vary depend on how much you use the device. I use mine daily, for at least that amount of time, and have done for the almost four weeks I have had it now. My battery currently reads 22%, so I don't think I will quite get 12 weeks from a full charge, but my use is well above what the data is based on. When it comes to battery life, it never ceases to amaze me just how efficient these devices are and how long they last on one charge.
Should you upgrade?
If you don't already own a Kindle, of any sort, then I can say with absolutely confidence, this device is a fair price and you won't regret investing in it. I have tried a number of ereaders in the last few years, and none come close to the Kindle Paperwhite for me. This device, if well looked after, will last years and more than earn the initial outlay.
However, if you already own a Paperwhite, and are thinking of upgrading, I would argue there's not much point. Unless you really love pink or green (and won't cover it with a case), or your Kindle is so old and slow it's time for a new one, there's really not that much to warrant discarding a perfectly good Kindle for what this new one does (or doesn't, in this case) offer.
All of the basic features are the same as the previous Paperwhite – waterproof, has a built in warm light to make reading at night (or whenever) more comfortable and the reading experience is customisable, as is with all Kindle devices. You can change the font type and size, adjust the margins etc to suit your preferred reading style. As far as all of that goes, nothing has changed, so it's really whether a new colour chassis and slightly bigger screen are enough of a pull to make you fork out another £160. For me, as an existing Kindle owner, it isn't. But if you're new to Amazon Kindles, the Paperwhite 2024 is worth every penny.
Don't miss our round up of the best Black Friday Kindle deals, which covers the entire range of devices.
