Kindle Paperwhite 2015: reviews praise 'best value' Kindle

The release of the third Kindle Paperwhite in almost as many years presents e-reader enthusiasts with a difficult question. Is the new mid-range Kindle good enough and different enough to justify an upgrade from their previous model? Or is it just another shiny toy with slightly higher specs than before?

Kindle Paperwhite screen

The new Paperwhite is "pretty much identical" to its predecessor, says review site Teckish.com, except that Amazon has dramatically improved the screen to a high-resolution 300 pixels per inch. "This means that your book will be legible even if you reduce the text size, line spacing and margins dramatically," Teckish says. "Of course, why anyone would want to read books at 5pt is not entirely clear."

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As far as the eye can tell, the new model has "exactly the same 6-inch E ink Carta display" as Amazon's flagship Kindle Voyage, says Expert Reviews, but it's now on sale at £110, some £60 less than the Voyage,

Kindle Paperwhite backlight

Unlike the basic Kindle, the Paperwhite is side-lit to allow users to read in the dark. It's soft glow is intended to make the screen less glary than a back-lit tablet.

The screen is not as bright as the Voyage, but some reviewers say that may be no bad thing. "I can't remember the last time I cranked up Voyage's backlight all the way; it's way too bright for reading in the wee, dark hours of the morning and it gave the screen a distinctly bluish tinge," Engadget says, " I actually sort of like the fact that the screen's a little dimmer."

Kindle Paperwhite text

Amazon has developed a new font to replace the Caecelia font that was the default for most of its previous devices. The new Bookerly font, which is designed specifically for e-readers, is "less chunky looking" than Caecilia, and "has some finer touches that become apparent at larger sizes", Expert Reviews says. However, "Amazon's font size options are still pretty limited, with only eight sizes in total and only two we'd consider," the site says. "It needs to introduce finer graduations, so you can choose the exact size you want."

Kindle Paperwhite specs

According to Amazon, the Paperwhite offers the same battery life as its predecessors – up to six weeks on a single charge, based on half an hour of reading every day with the light setting at ten and the wi-fi off.

The e-reader is powered by a 1GHz processor and comes with 4GB of storage, which should allow you to store around 1,000 books (depending on the size of each book).

At 205 grams (7.2 ounces) for the wi-fi version or 217 grams (7.6 ounces) for the wi-fi + 3G version, the Paperwhite is the heaviest e-reader in the Kindle stable, but there's not much between them.

Kindle Paperwhite design

The design of the Paperwhite is almost identical to its predecessor, CNet says. Most reviewers find the plastic finish functional but uninspiring, preferring the more sophisticated finish of the Kindle Voyage. According to Amazon, the "flush-glass" touchscreen makes it more responsive than before, but CNet finds no discernible difference.

Kindle Paperwhite price

The Kindle Paperwhite retails for £110, which places it squarely between the Kindle Voyage (£170) and the basic Kindle (£60). It also slots in between the popular Nook GlowLight, which costs £89, and the critically well-regarded Kubo Aura HD, which retails for £140.

Kindle Paperwhite conclusions

"If you love your text crisp, then this is the best resolution screen Amazon has come up with so far," says Teckish. The top model Kindle Voyage does offer a cleaner design, brighter backlight and easier-to-use touch interface, but most reviewers agree that the differences are no longer significant enough to justify the jump in price. "While the total package isn't as whiz-bang impressive as its cousin the Voyage, it's still easily the best bang for your Kindle-buying buck," Engadget concludes. "This decision is a no-brainer: skip the basic Kindle and the Voyage. The Paperwhite works well, looks great and will make for a lovely summer reading buddy."

Buy the Kindle Paperwhite now from Amazon