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Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs Kindle (2024): Which should you buy?
In This Article
Amazon’sKindle line-up refreshgives users plenty of choice. As well as the new Colorsoft and Scribe models, the two classic Kindle models have also been refreshed.
The Kindle Paperwhite and all-new Kindle will likely remain the most popular devices in the line-up. There are loads of similarities here. The designs are quite similar. There’s no colour display option or pen input like the new Colorsoft or updated Scribe.
Both have access to thousands of books via the Kindle store, the same dual-band Wi-Fi, USB-C charging, and Bluetooth compatibility for audiobook streaming from Audible if you have a subscription.
So here’s how to choose between the two updated Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite 2024 models.
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Standard Kindle is the cheapest available
As you’d expect, a better and larger screen faster performance means you’ll be paying a bit more. The 16GB Kindle Paperwhite is £159.99 with ads, while the standard Kindle is £94.99 with ads. If you have an old Kindle, you can trade it in to save 20% on both models.
Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof
If you like reading in the bath or (if you’re lucky) by the pool or ocean you should opt for the Paperwhite, which once again has the advantage of an IPX8 waterproof certification.
“Paperwhite can withstand immersion in up to 2 metres of fresh water for up to 60 minutes and 0.25 metres for 3 minutes in seawater,” Amazon says.
Paperwhite has a larger and better display, standard Kindle is lighter
The Kindle Paperwhite 2024 has a 7-inch glare-free Paperwhite display with a built-in front light with 300ppi density and 16-level greyscale. It also has an adjustable warm light for fine-tuning the temperature of the display.
That Paperwhite display, Amazon says, uses a “oxide thin-film transistor, which gives it the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle, so text and images pop off the screen.”
The Kindle promises the same 300ppi pixel density within a smaller 6-inch e-ink display, but with a higher contrast ratio than the previous generation. The front light on the standard Kindle is 25% brighter making it just as bright as the Kindle Paperwhite’s. However, there’s no adjustable warm light on the standard edition Kindle.
The Paperwhite is slightly slimmer, but a smaller display contributes to a lighter footprint overall that makes the standard Kindle a better option for users who value portability. It weighs just 158g compared to the Paperwhite’s 211g.
Overall dimensions are:Kindle (2024):157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0 mmPaperwhite (2024):176.7 x 127.5 x 7.8mm
Paperwhite (2024) has double the battery life
The new Paperwhite can last up to 12 weeks from a single charge (that takes 2.5 hours at 9W via USB-C), while the new standard Kindle offers just 6 weeks of battery life, which takes 2 hours to recharge.
Paperwhite (2024) feeds need for speed
The new Paperwhite is the fastest you can get, which translates to 25% faster page turns compared to the previous 2021 release.
Kindle Paperwhite has a fancy Signature Edition
The Signature Edition Paperwhite has 32GB of storage, metallic colour finishes, auto-adjusting light sensors, and wireless charging. There’s no standard Kindle offering these perks.
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Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He’s based in South Florida, USA. …
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
