About six weeks ago I made a promise to myself that I’d start reading more, so I dug my 2013 Kindle Paperwhite out of the bottom of our junk drawer, charged it up and began the hunt for books. It worked, but was old and very, very slow. At one point I was able to count to five after tapping the screen to turn the page before the text on the display would be updated. All three devices have a larger, improved display, have made the switch to USB-C for charging, and promise faster overall performance.
Setup was easy peasy
From start to finish, it took me maybe five minutes to unbox the new Paperwhite, sign in and wait for all of my books to download.
USB-C and wireless charging? Say no more
All three new Kindle Paperwhite models have a larger 6.8-inch display, up from 6-inches on the last revision of the Paperwhite. The screen also gained a dark mode for reading in low light environments, as well as a warm light mode that should make looking at the screen for prolonged periods of time easier on your eyes – especially at night. The Paperwhite has IPX8 water resistance, meaning it can withstand an accidental splash if you’re reading by a swimming pool or in the tub. The Kids Edition and standard Paperwhite models come with 8GB of storage. By opting for the Signature Edition you gain three extra features. Storage goes up to 32GB, you gain an auto-adjusting light sensor to automatically change brightness and you get the added ability to wirelessly charge the device. It’ll work with any Qi-compatible wireless charging pad as long as you’re able to line up the back of the Kindle where the charging coil is with the charging pad. I haven’t had any issues laying the Kindle flat on several different pads – with both the Kindle’s bottom indicator light and the wireless charging pads light letting me know that everything is working as expected. The indicator light, sleep/wake button and charging port are all located on the bottom of the housing. Even though the Paperwhite has a larger screen, it’s still very comfortable to hold for long periods of time. It’s light, and well-balanced.
The Kindle’s new interface is welcome
The new interface makes it easier to navigate between your homescreen and personal library, and the refreshed Settings panel that slides down from the top of the device makes it easy to quickly make adjustments to things like the color warmth or brightness of the screen.
Bottom line
With faster performance, a larger display and USB-C there’s really nothing to fault with the new Kindle Paperwhites. And if you opt to spend a little bit more for the signature edition, you’re gaining some notable features in wireless charging and a light sensor, improving even more on an already reliable experience.
