Searching for the best Kindle options and deciding which kind of Kindle is right for you can be quite confusing. Amazon makes four Kindle models, including the new base model Kindle, which launches in late 2022. There’s also the Kindle Paperwhite, updated in 2021, at a slightly higher price. At the higher end are the expensive Kindle Oasis and the giant Kindle Scribe.
We find ourselves recommending the basic Kindle and Paperwhite most often, because, for the cost, they offer the best mix of features you’ll ever need. Differences in price don’t always equate to better specs, so if you’re choosing between these two readers, we can help break down the differences.
We’ll also take a look at the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, as well as the Kids’ versions of each of these e-readers. The differences there may be worth the price premium to some people.
All Amazon eReaders are excellent for reading and listening to books. This is because Amazon uses the same E Ink technology across the range. No matter what Kindle you’re reading on, from the inexpensive basic Kindle to the hefty new Kindle Scribe, you’ll get a gray-scale screen with a resolution of 300 dpi. That’s sharper than even the best iPad tablets, and Kindle screens specialize in fonts and text.
Because of the way e-ink screens work, the battery on your Kindle can last a very long time. Expect weeks of use if you read for a half hour or so each day. Also, books and texts take up much less storage space than any other content. Even on a lower-capacity Kindle, you’ll be able to store thousands of books.
These are some of the best Kindles out there, and Amazon can be aggressive with sales and price cuts. We’ll keep our eyes open for great deals, and when it’s time to make a decision, come here for our breakdown as we compare the latest e-readers in the Amazon Kindle vs. the Kindle Paperwhite offering.
Amazon Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Design
The Kindle family is all about reading, so both the 2022 Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite give you a beautiful screen and nothing to distract from. The Paperwhite’s screen is slightly larger and flush with the surface of the device, making it feel like a piece of paper when held. The 2022 Kindle has a larger bezel around the screen, and the screen is about an inch smaller diagonally.
The biggest design difference, and perhaps the most important overall difference between the Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite, is that the Paperwhite is water resistant. You can read it in the bathtub. It can even handle a splash of salt water on the beach, something waterproof phones will never allow.
The two devices are about the same thickness, and the extra weight on the Paperwhite only seems to come from having a larger screen. Neither has an advantage here, and if you want a thin and light device, you’ll have to jump all the way to the ultra-premium Kindle Oasis.
You can get the Kindle in black or denim blue, while the Paperwhite is only available in black. There are plenty of cases available for both devices, but it’s still a shame that Amazon doesn’t provide more options out of the box.
The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite both charge via USB-C. There’s no charger included in the box, but you do get a USB-C cable.
Amazon Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: The Display
The Kindle Paperwhite used to have a sharper display than the base Kindle, but the latest 2022 Kindle update has given the base model an e-ink display capable of 300 dpi resolution, just like every other Kindle. This means that text will look paper-sharp even on the cheapest device.
The Paperwhite has more LED backlights behind the screen. Amazon says the 2022 Kindle has 4 LEDs while the Kindle Paperwhite uses 17 LEDs for brightness. Presumably, more LED means more light, and that’s how e-readers appear, too.
The Paperwhite is much brighter than the basic Kindle, and it made a difference no matter what time we were reading, night or day.
Speaking of night reading, the Paperwhite can also change the glow of the backlight, making it warmer for better night reading. You can remove the blue color from the screen if you choose.
To upgrade, you can go for the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which not only has a warm light option, but can also adjust and adjust automatically as needed. Other Kindle and Paperwhite models can’t do this. Otherwise, the signature screen is the same.
Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: Specs
The Kindle Paperwhite is the clear specs winner over the 2022 Kindle, with the exception of storage capacity. Inexplicably, when Amazon refreshed the Kindle in 2022, it gave the base model twice the storage space as before, also putting it above the base Paperwhite. The Kindle has 16GB of storage, while the Paperwhite only has 8GB.
The Paperwhite Signature Edition has a whopping 32GB of storage space. All of these Kindles can hold thousands of ebook titles, so why is storage important? Because of audiobooks and audiobooks.
Audiobook files are many times larger than the size of a simple book. If you’re just going to read with your Kindle and don’t plan to store a lot of audio content on it, the 8GB Kindle Paperwhite will be enough for you. If you’re using Audible for podcasts, you’ll need a Kindle that’s bigger on the inside.
Otherwise, there are no surprises in the Paperwhite’s advantages over the Kindle. It has a larger screen, which makes it a bigger device. This means that there is also a larger battery inside, so you can expect a longer life. Amazon says the Paperwhite will last 10 weeks of casual reading while the 2022 Kindle will last 6 weeks. The difference is almost laughable when we’re charging our phone, headphones, and watch every day.
If you like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, you can charge your e-reader wirelessly using any Qi-enabled wireless charger. It might seem like an odd feature on a device that charges once every three months, but the signature appears to be aimed at Audible users, who would also tax Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities more, thus draining more power.
Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: Price
Amazon Kindle price starts at £84.99 (Opens in a new tab) / $89.99, today at least. Amazon Kindle prices can be volatile, and Amazon likes to use its own device as bait on big sale days. While we’re doing this story, the price has dropped by $5 in the US. Kindle pricing is like the weather in Boston. If you don’t like it, just wait a moment and it will change.
Kindle Paperwhite starts at £129.99 (Opens in a new tab) / $109.99. All of these prices are for e-readers that display ads on the lock screen when you’re not reading. It’s a weird and frankly tacky way for Amazon to slash $10 or so off the price, but it doesn’t change the e-reader experience, so we think it’s worth accepting the ugly look.
In Australia, you can only get a copy of the Kindle without ads. Kindle pricing in Australia wasn’t available at the time of publication as all devices were sold out on Amazon, so we suspect Amazon is making some pricing changes behind the scenes.
You can also upgrade storage on your Kindle Paperwhite for £1 (Opens in a new tab)20/ $15 for 16GB. If you only read books, this upgrade isn’t worth the extra cost, since you’ll have plenty to read with only 8GB, and you can switch anytime you have a Wi-Fi connection.
If you’re an audiophile, perhaps you should consider upgrading to the 32GB Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition rather than just upgrading to the 16GB of storage on the Paperwhite. It’s another pound (Opens in a new tab)$30/20, but you get four times the original 8GB of storage, and that’s still significantly cheaper than the Kindle Oasis, which costs £229.99 / $199.99.
Both Kindles come in a “Kids” flavor. The Kindle Kids and Paperwhite Kids cost a bit more, but the hardware is exactly the same. What you get is a colorful cover your child might enjoy, and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.
If you are hungry for content, Kids + will help you out. On the other hand, if you already have a lot of books that you love and own, Kids+ will feel limited, so you’re better off buying your own hardcover and sticking to your own titles.
We think upgrading to the Kindle Kids and Kindle Paperwhite Kids is only worth it if you have an idea of what Amazon Kids+ content you like. You can find cheaper bags that your kids might like more, and there are no other value additions.
Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: The Verdict
A recent update to the 2022 Kindle has made the base model a much easier choice over the pricier Kindle Paperwhite, but pay attention to Amazon sales and special deals, because the Paperwhite is well worth the upgrade.
If you like to read in the bathtub or by the sea, you need the Kindle Paperwhite. The IPX8 water resistance is well worth the extra cost if you want to bubble up while reading your favorite puzzles.
The upgrade options, including the Kindle Kids and Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, are hard to recommend except in special cases. If you listen to a lot of Audible content, the extra space on the Signature Paperwhite will be appreciated. If your kids need a stack of books for long trips, Kids+ will be fun to peruse.
Amazon is aggressive with deals, and the Paperwhite is getting old, so we’ll be following along with price cuts and bundles since an update is imminent. Most people will be happy to read with a 2022 Kindle, but sailors and bathers will need the Paperwhite. Either way, you’ll get the same sharp e-ink, long battery, and full Amazon library.
Amazon Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Should I Buy?
Choosing between the Amazon Kindle 2022, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, or something special like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition? Here’s the e-reader you should consider, if…
Buy the Amazon Kindle 2022 if…
Buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite if…
Buy the signature Kindle Paperwhite if…
Buy the Kindle Kids or Paperwhite Kids if…
