Each avid reader is aware of {that a} reading tablet is a game-changing gadget to have in your literary arsenal. As an alternative of making an attempt to lug round that 700-page novel, attempt an Amazon Kindle as a light-weight, moveable studying companion with a long-lasting battery cost that will not overwhelm your tote bag.
Kindles have been round for nearly 20 years, and right this moment there is a gadget for each reader. For instance, the Kindle Scribe makes annotating a breeze, and the Kindle Colorsoft provides a full-color pill so you will not miss out on high quality illustrations. Whether or not you desire a premium expertise with the Kindle Paperwhite or the budget-friendly base mannequin gadget, we’ll assist you select the pill that most accurately fits your wants.
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What’s the finest Kindle proper now?
We have examined the perfect Kindle studying tablets available on the market by exploring their options, researching buyer suggestions, and evaluating affordability. Even with extra superior units accessible, Amazon’s base model Kindle stays our favourite.
The $110 base mannequin Kindle is our greatest general choose for its wonderful battery life, simple readability, and quick page-turning velocity. Learn on for a full breakdown of the perfect Kindle studying tablets
Additionally: The best tablets you can buy
The perfect Kindle readers of 2025
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The Kindle base mannequin is the right gadget to accommodate your whole favourite books. The most recent model of the pill provides a brand new colour, Matcha Inexperienced, in addition to improved web page turning charges. Even with the upgrades, this Kindle stays probably the most inexpensive within the product household at $110 — primarily the price of 4 hardcover books.
The handy and accessible 6-inch tablet is ideal for a reader on-the-go, and its battery life lasts about six weeks. You can even select to tack on a 3-month free trial of Kindle Limitless for much more digital books.
Evaluate: Amazon Kindle (12th-generation)
After I went hands-on with this Kindle, I would certainly advocate it to any word-lover. It has all of the options you’d want in a good e-reader together with a vivid, glare-free show, reactive and fast speeds, and an important battery life at an inexpensive value.
Amazon Kindle specs: Screen dimension: 6 inches | Storage: 16GB, Amazon Cloud | Battery life: As much as six weeks at half-hour per day | Lock display advertisements: Sure, detachable with payment | microSD card help: No
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The Kindle Paperwhite, which Amazon boasts as its “quickest Kindle ever,” is an upgraded model of the bottom mannequin Kindle. Whereas nonetheless 16GB, the 7-inch, glare-free display has a better distinction ratio and even sooner page-turning velocity.
Maria Diaz, a ZDNET author, went hands-on with the gadget and most well-liked it over her present e-reader each day driver. Whereas it isn’t full colour, it has an robotically adjusting entrance gentle to go simple in your eyeballs in any setting. The battery life additionally boasts spectacular efficiency with as much as 12 weeks of cost.
Evaluate: Amazon Paperwhite (2024)
“After two weeks of each day studying on a single cost, some days for as much as three hours a day, my Kindle Paperwhite’s battery remains to be at 32%. In line with Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite may final about 42 hours of studying with the brightness at 13,” Diaz stated in her evaluate.
Charlie Osborne, one other ZDNET contributor, at all times has her Paperwhite available when she travels. Osborne stated she prefers the Kindle show to utilizing the app on her smartphone.
Kindle Paperwhite specs: Display dimension: 7 inches | Storage: 16GB | Battery life: As much as 12 weeks at half-hour per day | Lock display advertisements: Sure, take away with a payment | microSD card help: No
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If you would like a number of extra bells and whistles in your Kindle Paperwhite, you may take a look at the Paperwhite Signature Version. It is costlier, however the Signature Version comes with a whopping 32GB of storage.
As well as, the glare-free 7-inch display has a better distinction and a sooner page-turn charge in addition to an adjustable heat gentle and wi-fi charging. Sadly, the $23
In line with Amazon, a single cost by way of USB-C lasts as much as 12 weeks, which provides as much as about half-hour per day at a light-weight setting of 13, in response to the gadget specs. Audiobook streaming by the Amazon Audible app can even drain the battery sooner.
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version additionally sports activities a water-proof score of score of IPX8, which is ideal for poolside studying round splashy children. The Signature Version is available in the identical colours as the unique Paperwhite, however with a metallic end.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version specs: Display dimension: 7 inches | Storage: 32GB | Battery life: As much as 12 weeks at half-hour per day | Lock display advertisements: No | microSD card help: No
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The $340 Kindle Scribe combines a digital library with a digital notebook. You should use the Fundamental Pen to create notes both by an app or instantly on the pages of the e-book you are studying. This can be a tremendous handy characteristic should you’re learning for a take a look at, get pleasure from annotating a novel, or need extra group whereas studying. The Fundamental Pen comes with the pill, however you may improve to the Kindle Scribe
The show is exceptional, with a high-resolution 10.2-inch display. You will even have entry to ample storage choices, and the battery life will allow you to learn the subsequent bestseller with out worrying about discovering the closest plug for charging.
Evaluate: Amazon Kindle Scribe
When Matthew Miller reviewed the Scribe final yr, he referred to as it his on-the-go note-taking tablet of selection. “My want to seek out one thing that does not waste paper and in addition supplies the power to protect and share my notes has been met with the Amazon Kindle Scribe,” Miller stated. He provides that the writing and erasing capabilities are high tier — additional bolstered with the add-on Premium Pen.
Additionally: Best tablets for school in 2025
However there may be actually room for enchancment. At present, you may export notes to a PDF and electronic mail them, although sending notes to different applications like Microsoft Phrase could be best, as it will likely be a part of a future software program replace. Moreover, we discovered that organizing your notes on the Kindle Scribe is sort of unattainable.
Total, it is a wonderful foray into the digital note-taking market, however future software program updates will assist refine the product.
Kindle Scribe specs: Display dimension: 10.2 inches | Storage: 16, 32, or 64GB | Battery life: As much as 12 weeks at half-hour per day | Lock display advertisements: Sure, detachable with payment | microSD card help: No
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The Kindle Colorsoft lastly offers customers what they’ve needed for years: a full-color Kindle choice. In comparison with related e-readers from different corporations, Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft provides by far the smoothest expertise. If you happen to like graphic novels, illustrative texts, or wish to take a bunch of youngsters’s books on a household trip, this Kindle is the right software to view the artwork at its full potential.
When ZDNET’s Allison Murray examined the pill, she had no points studying within the daylight. It is also water resistant — an ideal companion for a sunny day on the pool.
Evaluate: Kindle Colorsoft
“I’ve nearly no complaints with this Kindle besides maybe its small dimension. The scale itself is simple and comfy to carry, however studying colour books or magazines, an even bigger dimension like that of the Boox Notice Air C 3’s 10.3-inch show makes a larger affect, and you may actually see and recognize the colour photos higher when seeing the whole web page,” Murray stated in her evaluate.
Just like the Paperwhite Signature Version, the Colorsoft has wi-fi charging capabilities, however the dock is bought individually. As well as, the battery life is just eight weeks, in comparison with the 12 weeks different Kindles provide. Nonetheless, should you want a colourful e-reader, look no additional than the brand new Kindle Colorsoft.
Kindle Paperwhite specs: Display dimension: 7 inches | Storage: 16 or 32 GB | Battery life: As much as 8 weeks at half-hour per day | Lock display advertisements: No | microSD card help: No
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Finest Kindle reader | Worth | Display dimension | Battery life | Storage |
Kindle (Twelfth-generation) | $110 | 6 inches | 6 weeks | 16GB |
Kindle Paperwhite | $160 | 7 inches | 12 weeks | 16GB |
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version | $200 | 7 inches | 12 weeks | 32GB |
Kindle Scribe | $340 | 10 inches | 12 weeks | 16GB |
Kindle Colorsoft | $280 | 7 inches | 8 weeks | 32GB |
*Lowest value on the time of writing. Please be aware that costs could range based mostly on retailer and accessible promotions, gross sales, or reductions.
When looking for a brand new Kindle reader, apart from value, you also needs to contemplate how a lot space for storing you may want to your digital bookshelf.
Each the essential Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite have 16GB of storage. The Paperwhite Signature Version has 32GB of storage, nevertheless it’s costlier. The Colorsoft additionally has 32GB of storage, however a shorter battery life. As well as, should you’re not planning to take notes whereas studying, the Scribe in all probability is not for you.
Beneath is a desk that outlines which Kindle corresponds to particular wants:
Select this Kindle reader… | If you happen to want… |
Kindle (Twelfth-generation) | A fundamental reader that’s simple to deliver anyplace. It is inexpensive and can go well with informal customers. |
Kindle Paperwhite | If you would like one thing extra trendy and lighter than the everyday Kindle, this could possibly be finest for you. |
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version | If you would like the Paperwhite expertise with extra storage and a wi-fi charging choice. |
Kindle Scribe | Finest for notetaking, annotating whereas studying, and even journaling. |
Kindle Colorsoft | A full colour studying gadget finest for comics, manga, and graphic novels. |
- Worth: Kindles are typically inexpensive, however with extra options, like drawing capabilities, robust battery life, and ample storage, you’ll pay a better value.
- Storage capability: The purpose of a tool like a Kindle is to retailer as many books in a single compact gadget as potential. We checked out Kindles with huge storage capacities that may maintain 1000’s of titles.
- Environmental elements: A number of fashions provide water resistance, so you may learn inside and out of doors. Nevertheless, keep in mind that Kindles are nonetheless digital units, so that they shouldn’t be uncovered to excessive circumstances.
- Show: Kindles include a wide range of show sizes. Do desire a pill about the identical dimension as the typical novel, or a bigger display?
- Children: If you happen to intend to permit your youngsters to make use of a Kindle, you may wish to go for a mannequin designed with child security and safety in thoughts. At the very least put money into a case.
- Colour: It is a minor consideration, however colours may be restricted within the mannequin you in the end choose.
- Battery life: The e-readers on this checklist ought to ideally final a number of weeks earlier than recharging. Turning off Wi-Fi when not in use can drastically enhance your Kindle’s battery life. Turning on airplane mode and decreasing the brightness setting can even maintain you studying longer.
Additionally: How to buy books on Kindle
ZDNET solely recommends merchandise now we have used and may communicate to. We do that by spending a number of weeks always utilizing the merchandise and evaluating them for efficiency, battery life, usability, particular options, and extra.
We deal with the typical shopper’s wants in addition to a very powerful elements in selecting a Kindle. This may occasionally embrace show dimension, readability, and storage.
We write product spotlights or evaluations and along with finest lists. Every month, we consider which merchandise nonetheless deserve a spot on this checklist and change out older fashions or these out of inventory with newer ones.
A Kindle will prevent shelf house, however some readers love an in-home library. Carrying a e book with you is additional weight, however Kindles are small, slim, and light-weight.
You do not have to decide on a facet, and you do not want a Kindle pill to entry Kindle’s library. You possibly can obtain the app in your cellphone to learn digital books and magazines, however a Kindle pill’s sole goal is to perform as an e-reader is distraction-free.
Briefly, it is all in your choice.
Sure. Kindles are typically water resistant and sport glare-free shows, making studying in robust daylight a snug expertise.
A skinny Kindle could possibly be a splendid different in case your seaside bag is just too heavy for a thick e book. Plus, you do not have to decide on between two or three books to learn — you may deliver all of them in your pill.
A Kindle is a sturdy gadget should you take correct care of it. I had a take a look at the r/kindle Reddit web page and located numerous individuals boasting that their Kindles have lasted them over a decade lengthy.
All of it relies on what sorts of books you wish to obtain, as totally different media recordsdata have totally different sizes.
Longer titles like Warfare and Peace by Leo Tolstoy may have a bigger file dimension than one thing like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Nice Gatsby. Picture-heavy graphic novels may additionally take up extra space. Usually, plain-text recordsdata like novels, nonfiction titles, and even faculty textbooks have pretty small sizes. Your 32GB pill may plausibly home as much as 13,500 books.
You possibly can even obtain audiobooks from the Kindle app, though the audio recordsdata are sometimes massive. Which means that a 32GB Kindle will solely maintain about 150 audiobooks, relying on the size of the recording.
The Kindle Paperwhite boasts a extra outstanding show, a heat gentle adjustment characteristic, longer battery life, and an improved waterproof construct. These options make the gadget costlier as effectively.
All Kindles provide text-to-voice narration by Alexa. If you wish to purchase an audiobook particularly, you may have to make use of Amazon’s Audible. Audible is built-in into all newer Kindle fashions, and you may usually make the most of free trials or low cost subscriptions throughout gross sales occasions.
As well as, just like the Kindle app itself, you do not want a pill to make use of the Audible app.
Kindles want Wi-Fi to obtain a e book and entry the web. When you obtain the e book, you may learn it with no Wi-Fi connection.
I take my Kindle on the subway, the place there isn’t any Wi-Fi connection, and don’t have any downside studying my favourite titles. For different ZDNET authors, together with Charlie Osborne, a Kindle is a should on airplanes. Protecting a Kindle on airplane mode can even enhance its battery life.
There is no such thing as a goal reply to this. Like studying in your smartphone, a Kindle merely provides an alternate and a solution to digitally retailer your e book assortment. Arguably, a very powerful factor is having fun with your studying time.
Sure, you will get Kindle books without cost. A number of traditional literature is within the public area, or now not protected by copyright legal guidelines, and will be supplied without cost. You can even go to Amazon and search “free Kindle books.”
Additionally: How to get (great) free books on Kindle
You can also discover 1000’s of titles for very low costs, generally as little as $0.99. Nevertheless, these are sometimes self-published works. You can even maintain a watch out for “Stuff Your Kindle Day” to seize a number of free e-books.
Alternate options to Kindles
ZDNET sourced exterior trade consultants for this text. Right here is extra details about them:
Ayman Chaudhary: Digital creator (@aymansbooks) on TikTok with over 900,000 followers. She creates content material and memes about novels and recommends the books she reads on the platform.
Tablets Reviewed & In contrast
