The Kindle Paperwhite is one of our favorite e-readers, particularly for people who own a lot of Kindle books. It’s waterproof, unlike the cheaper entry-level Kindle, and features an adjustable warm white frontlight, which makes it easier to read at night. It also offers a larger seven-inch display, sharp 300ppi resolution, and rich contrast levels that make for a crystal-clear reading experience.
In addition to offering an easy-to-read screen, it’s the first Paperwhite to use a dual-core processor. That makes it faster and more responsive than prior models, something that’s particularly noticeable while opening large PDF files and cycling through pages. The newer e-reader also lasts up to a month on a single charge and retains USB-C support, which allows for relatively fast charging.
As for the Kindle Colorsoft, it’s almost identical to the Paperwhite, only with a seven-inch color E ink screen that drops to 150ppi resolution while displaying color. The resulting hues are somewhat muted in comparison to, say, an iPad or a glossier tablet, but they’re more vibrant than those on rivals like the Kobo Libra Colour. Plus, you get wireless charging, 32GB of storage, and — like the step-up Paperwhite Signature Edition — no lockscreen ads.