Review: Should you buy the Kindle Paperwhite?

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Confession: I have read shockingly few books since graduating high school.

It’s not that I don’t like books or have trouble understanding them or anything. Instead, my particular form of ADHD makes it hard for me to find the motivation to start and concentrate when I do, and besides, I just don’t like holding books that much. Depending on the size, both paperbacks and hardbacks can be a bit awkward to handle, especially if you like to read with one hand like I do.

I am pleased to say that the 2021 edition of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite nearly perfect for people who would love to read more, if it weren’t for all the little annoying things about reading. Both the $140 ad-supported model (which I used for this review) and the $190 ad-free Signature Edition feature larger 6.8-inch displays that look amazing in any lighting, weeks of battery life, and a pristine form factor that’s suitable for lazy one-handed readers like me.

And with Prime Day, the list price will almost certainly drop. Amazon, for example, discounted the Paperwhite by $55 a year ago.

Despite some concerns about price and performance, Amazon’s latest Kindle may reignite your love of reading.

Kindle Paperwhite: Price and specifications

The screen is bright without harming your eyes.
Photo credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

For its first Paperwhite update since 2018, Amazon didn’t stray too far from its previous efforts. Both the cheaper Paperwhite and the Signature Edition have nearly identical specs:

• 6.8-inch display with 17 LEDs and 300 ppi (compared to 6 inches on the 2018 model)

• New USB-C charging port with up to 10 hours of battery life on a full charge

• The Signature Edition supports wireless Qi charging

• 8GB of storage on the base model for $139.99, 16GB for $149.99 and 32GB on the Signature Edition for $189.99

• Waterproof class IPx8, can be completely submerged

Amazon has managed to increase the screen size by almost a full inch without sacrificing much weight. At 205g (208g in the Signature Edition), it’s only slightly heavier than the 182g model from three years ago, which may be due to the significantly thinner bezels around the screen.

Better than books

As I mentioned before, one of the reasons I don’t read as often as I should is because I’m lazy and prefer to lie around with one hand free. Some real books just don’t fit that lifestyle because of their size and weight distribution. This Kindle Paperwhite is Only heavy enough not to feel cheap and flimsy, but without being a hindrance to the one-handed readers among us.

This is a fully touch-controlled Kindle with no buttons for turning pages. A simple tap or swipe is all it takes. Tapping the top of the screen while reading brings up a quick toolbar with options to return to the home screen, change font sizes and styles, and enable a simple page-turning animation. Swiping down from the top brings up another menu for turning on Bluetooth for listening to Audible audiobooks, adjusting the screen brightness and temperature, and turning dark mode on or off.

You can adjust the screen temperature to make viewing more comfortable in different environments.
Photo credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

Highlighting passages, looking up word definitions, and setting bookmarks is also possible. However, all of these handy features are secondary to reading books, and the Paperwhite’s excellent display makes it a pleasure.

The text is sharp, even when you hold the device up to your face. The anti-glare screen is easy to read in all lighting conditions and is easy on the eyes. I read Frank Herbert’s meandering epic dune (what can I say, I have sandworm fever) on the new Paperwhite both outside in the bright sun and inside at night with the lights off. In both scenarios, it was as comfortable as reading a real page while light shined on it. Even at high brightness, the screen didn’t hurt my eyes. You can really take the new Paperwhite anywhere everywhere and enjoy reading.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the small but important addition of a USB-C charging port. As we move ever further into a USB-C world, this is a godsend and was probably overdue as the 2018 model didn’t have it. It’s located on the bottom of the device next to the power button, the only button you’ll find here.

At this point, it should go without saying that I loved every aspect of the new Kindle Paperwhite’s physical design. For me, this is the ideal e-reader if you actually want a book on the screen. Unfortunately, getting to that point can be a little tricky.

Slow and mostly even

Amazon didn’t set out to make iPad-level, powerful tablets with the Kindle Paperwhite line. You use these devices to read or listen to books, and that’s about it. Amazon promised better overall performance and responsiveness with the latest Paperwhite, and while my experience with it was mostly good, I did encounter a few technical flaws.

Navigating the Kindle’s straightforward menus is sometimes more of a hassle than it needs to be, since that screen was designed to display only still text. Scrolling up and down through book lists or settings is jerky and slow, rather than fluid like you’d expect from almost every other touch-based device released in 2021. It’s responsive enough to let you do whatever you want to do without too much effort, whether it’s finding a new book or changing the screen brightness. But you won’t have much fun doing it.

USB-C is always welcome.
Photo credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

I fully understand that Amazon designs these Kindles in such a way really good for reading books at the expense of, well, everything else. The huge form factor and top-notch display outweigh these minor performance hurdles for me, because, as I said, I’m not expecting an iPad or even a Fire HD tablet here. But even with those low expectations in mind, it still feels a little behind the times.

It doesn’t help that the Paperwhite once froze in the middle of reading and stopped responding altogether dune. I waited several minutes for it to resolve itself, but that didn’t happen. I held the power button for about 40 seconds and the device reset. After that I was able to start reading again, but I still felt this needed to be mentioned.

Aside from that one unusual freeze, the Kindle Paperwhite’s performance was at least consistent at that slightly too-slow level during my time with it. I respect consistency because then at least I know what to expect.

One final aspect of performance to consider is battery life. Amazon rates the new Kindle Paperwhite for up to 10 weeks Battery at full charge. I’ve only had the device for a little under a week, so I haven’t been able to fully test this. However, the battery has only drained about 10 percent in that time. Maybe it won’t last 10 weeks if you read for hours every day, but it will last quite a while no matter how you shake it.

Big step towards eliminating advertising

I can learn to live with the Kindle Paperwhite’s slow performance and even the occasional freeze. Everything else about actually using the device is largely excellent and actually got me, a person with severe attention issues, to willingly sit down and read a dense sci-fi tirade about religion and feudalism. The only thing that actually makes me hesitate to recommend it to people is the price.

At $140, I think the standard 2021 Kindle Paperwhite might be a little overpriced, but avid readers get their money’s worth. It’s the Signature Edition, which costs an extra $50 to avoid ads, get extra storage, and be able to automatically adjust the Kindle’s brightness to match the lighting conditions in the room, which bothers me. Tying storage and bonus features to a price increase is standard in tech, but the advertising thing is just slimy. Doesn’t Amazon make enough money already?

Is the Kindle Paperwhite worth it?

The good news is that these aren’t your only Kindle options. The entry-level Kindle costs $99.99 and will probably suffice if you’re just looking for a competent e-reader. But if you can afford to pay more for the Paperwhite, you won’t regret it. The huge battery, gorgeous and versatile display, and maximum hand-held comfort of this little book tablet have given me more joy reading in the several days I’ve spent with it than in the several years before.

And if you are so hard dune-I’m much better at the moment than lugging around a thick book.