Which new Kindle is best for you

After about three years, Amazon finally has a new range of Kindles. This time around, we have four models in total, starting from the $110 entry-level Kindle all the way up to the $400 Kindle Scribe. And in the middle, we finally have a model with an e-ink color screen. Some of these devices are shipping now, but you’ll have to wait a bit for the Scribe.

The question is, though, which model is right for you? From $100 to $400, there’s a Kindle for everyone, and it can be confusing to keep track of the models, especially now that Amazon also has premium Signature editions. Here’s your guide to all the Amazon Kindle models released in 2024 and how to choose the one that’s right for you.

The Kindle base is closer to the Paperwhite

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The most recent Turn on it launches with a new Matcha Green color and comes with a $10 price increase, now starting at $110. The Kindle retains the 300 PPI 6-inch E Ink screen from the previous generation. With an updated processor, Amazon promises faster page turns and a front light that’s 25% brighter at maximum settings, making it as bright as the Kindle Paperwhite. This Kindle offers the same 6-week battery life as the previous generation.

Paperwhite is for bookworms

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The Paperwhite it gets a more substantial update with an updated body design, making the bezels slightly smaller. Also, the screen is now completely flush with the bezels, giving it a tablet-like appearance.

The screen is now 7 inches in diameter instead of the previous model’s 6.8 inches. It’s also 25% faster, and according to Amazon, it’s the fastest Kindle ever.

The Kindle Paperwhite now uses a thin-film oxide transistor display that gives it the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle to date. This should make the black text really pop on the screen. The front lighting system now has 10 white LEDs and 9 amber LEDs. The Signature Edition comes with an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts brightness based on your environment (kind of like your smartphone).

Speaking of Kindle Paperwhite Signature Editionit comes with 32GB of storage instead of 16GB for the standard model and has an option for a wireless charging station. In addition, it comes in three exclusive colors: Metallic Raspberry, Metallic Jade and Metallic Black. The regular Kindle Paperwhite instead comes in Raspberry, Jade and Black.

As with the base Kindle, there is a $10 price increase. The Paperwhite starts at $159.99, while the Signature Edition is now $199.99.

Kindle Colorsoft finally brings color to the Kindle

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Amazon finally has a new type of Kindle. It’s called Kindle Colorsoft Signature Editionand is built on top of the new Paperwhite. The big difference, though, is the new E Ink color display.

The color screen is designed to view book covers, graphic novels, and certain manga. The book reading experience is still very much black and white, but you can highlight with more colors (as you can in the Kindle app for smartphones and tablets).

The E-ink display is built on E Ink’s Kaleido technology, but uses an entirely new display stack designed for Kindles. There is a newly designed oxide backplate with a custom waveform that results in fast performance and high contrast for both black and white and color content. The display also has custom-designed nitride LEDs that enhance color and increase brightness, supposedly without washing out detail. Black-and-white content is still displayed at 300 PPI like the Paperwhite, but the color transition drops to 150 PPI.

The Kindle Colorsoft comes with wireless charging, eight weeks of battery life (compared to three months on the regular Paperwhite) and is water resistant. Kindle Colorsoft starts at $289.99.

Kindle Scribe becomes AI

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The Second generation Kindle Scribe it’s a small upgrade over the previous Kindle Scribe. The large 10.2-inch 300 PPI E Ink black-and-white screen is still the same. But now, the device has white edges. The screen now also has a paper-like coating, and the screen sits flush with the bezels.

The big feature here is the AI. You still can’t mark up books or PDF files, but Scribe has a new feature where you can highlight or annotate a page and attach handwritten notes that are then saved in the margin. Kindle’s AI can also help you summarize a few pages of handwritten notes. And finally, a new feature can help you clean up your handwritten notes, making them more readable.

The new Kindle Scribe will cost $399, $20 more than the previous model, and won’t ship until December 2024. Amazon will add these AI features to the old Scribe as well.

Which Kindle is right for you?

For the vast majority of users, the Kindle Paperwhite is still the best option. It now has the fastest screen of any Kindle, has a high contrast ratio and adjustable warm light.

The $199 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition might not be worth the extra $40, though it has extra bells and whistles like better LEDs, ambient lighting, and metallic colors.

Kindle Colorsoft is a great choice for fans of graphic novels and manga. The fast screen should make reading picture stories easy. The competition, however, is cheaper. You can get one Kobo Libra Color for $220 on Amazon.

Kindle Scribe works best for people who really want to annotate and write on their eBooks.

The basic Kindle is a viable option if you’re on a budget. The $110 Kindle comes pretty close to the Paperwhite, but misses out on key features like a front-facing design, adjustable warm light, waterproofing, and the new performance upgrade.