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With a $50-plus price difference, is the Kindle Paperwhite worth the upgrade?

For some people, the feeling of paper books just can’t be beat. But for others, the convenience of an e-reader and its access to thousands of titles in one compact package is an enticing alternative. Amazon Kindles are the best-known e-readers, but choosing between the classic Kindle and the upgraded Kindle Paperwhite isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

The BestReviews Testing Lab tested several Kindle models, including the Kindle (2022 Release), the Kindle Paperwhite Signature and the Kindle Paperwhite, to see how they stack up. We focused on key features like display quality, glare and lighting, page-turn speed and responsiveness, customization options and battery life. We also considered how compact and lightweight each model was, so we could see how easy they were to travel with.

The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite share many of the same features, and we found both made it easy to read in various lighting. But ultimately, we give the edge to the Kindle Paperwhite Signature, which has a longer battery life and a waterproof design that makes it perfect for reading in the bath or poolside. But those on a budget won’t be disappointed with the Kindle (2022 Release), which offers the same clear, easy-to-read display and a compact, lightweight design perfect for traveling.

Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: What they do well

The Kindle (2022 Release) is not waterproof but the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite Signature are.

The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite models we tested have many similar features, but they stand out in different areas.

Kindle benefits

Price: Kindles are the most affordable e-readers Amazon makes, costing under $100. That makes them ideal for readers on a budget.
Travel-friendly, lightweight design: While all Amazon’s e-readers are compact, Kindles are the smallest, lightest models. They easily fit in any bag we tried during testing, so they’re perfect for travel or commuting to work or school.
Glare-free display: To mimic the look of paper books, Kindles have a glare-free display that allows for reading in various lighting. During testing, we had no issues reading indoors in natural, incandescent or fluorescent lighting or outside in direct sunlight.
Generous storage: Kindles have 16 gigabytes of storage, making them ideal for avid readers who want to keep plenty of books on their e-readers.

Kindle Paperwhite benefits

Extended battery life: Kindles offer a generous battery life, but the Kindle Paperwhites take it a step further, providing up to 10 weeks’ worth of battery life. During testing, the Kindle Paperwhite’s battery life was down to 86% after reading for 10 days.
Lightweight design: While the Kindle Paperwhite may not be as compact as the Kindle, it is still an extremely lightweight e-reader that’s easy to take on the go. During testing, we found the Kindle Paperwhite Signature to feel comfortable in hand, so its size was always very manageable.
Larger display: Given its overall larger dimensions, it’s no surprise that the Kindle Paperwhite’s display is nearly an inch larger than the Kindle display. This allows the Paperwhite to fit more text on the screen and may make it easier for older readers or those with poor eyesight to read more comfortably.
Waterproof: The Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, with an IP rating of IPX8 that can protect it against freshwater exposure for up to an hour and 0.25 meters of seawater for up to three minutes. That makes it the perfect e-reader for the bath, pool or beach.

What they could improve

While the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite are both excellent e-readers, each model has drawbacks that may be an issue for some readers.

Kindle drawbacks

Shorter battery life: The Kindle’s battery life is expected to last up to six weeks, which is pretty long but not as impressive as the Kindle Paperwhite’s up to 10 weeks. During testing, we read for six hours with the Kindle (2022 Release), and the battery drained to 72%. If you have trouble remembering to charge your devices, it may not be the best model for you.
Not waterproof: Unlike the Kindle Paperwhite, Kindles are not waterproof, so they will get damaged if dropped in fresh- or saltwater. If you like to read while taking a bath or at the pool or beach, you’ll have to be more careful with your e-reader.

Kindle Paperwhite drawbacks

Price: Kindles cost under $100, but the Kindle Paperwhite starts at $150, making it a larger investment. If you are an avid reader, though, you may find its upgraded features make it worth the extra cost.
Larger design: While the Kindle Paperwhite is pretty compact, it’s larger overall than the Kindle. You won’t have any trouble fitting it in a bag to take on the go, but you may find holding it in a single hand more difficult.

Top Kindle model

The Kindle (2022 Release) was our favorite e-reader for travelers and commuters because it was compact and lightweight. Its battery life is also long enough to prevent constant recharging while on the road.

Kindle (2022 Release)

The Kindle (2022 Release) features sustainable materials, including 30% to 75% recycled plastics, 90% recycled magnesium and 100% recyclable packaging.

Product specifications

During our testing, the Kindle (2022 Release) stood out for its compact, lightweight design. We easily fit it in a backpack, tote bag and even a small shoulder bag and could comfortably hold it in one hand. Its display also impressed us with a glare-free design that allowed us to read without trouble in natural indoor, incandescent and fluorescent light and even outdoors in direct sunlight. We also appreciated that it allowed plenty of customization options to make reading as comfortable as possible. It offered three themes, including a Large setting ideal for those with poor eyesight, nine fonts, five font boldness levels and 14 font sizes, so we could personalize the layout to suit our needs.

The Kindle (2022 Release) was highly responsive to touch when turning pages. It took just one to two seconds for the page to turn after we tapped the side of the display. We also found that its battery life was very good — we read for six hours during testing, and the battery fell to just 72%. We estimated that we could read for an hour a day for up to two weeks at medium brightness without recharging.

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Top Kindle Paperwhite models

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature and Kindle Paperwhite have many of the same features as the Kindle (2022 Release) but offer upgrades in a few key areas. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature was noticeably softer on the eyes than a phone or traditional tablet screen, while the Kindle Paperwhite blew us away with its battery life.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature offers 32GB of storage, allowing it to hold upward of 10,000 titles.

Product specifications

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature may not exactly resemble paper, but during testing, we were struck by how much gentler it was on our eyes than a smartphone or tablet. We could read for over an hour without our eyes hurting or feeling tired. We also found the ability to change the font size and brightness made customizing our reading experience to suit our needs. Its display is 0.8″ larger than the Kindle (2022 Release), and we definitely appreciated the larger page area. However, despite being larger than the Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature was still compact enough to fit easily in our purse and even a Lululemon belt bag.

Additionally, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature’s battery life was highly impressive. When it arrived, it was only at 50%, but that was still enough time to read two and a half books before recharging. That allowed us to read for over eight weeks on a single battery charge. Another point in the Paperwhite Signature’s favor is its impressive book catalog. In addition to purchasing books through Amazon, we could use the Libby app to rent books through our library card and then export them to the Kindle Paperwhite Signature.

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Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite has a warm, consistent brightness across the display that made reading very comfortable during testing.

Product specifications

Many of the Kindle Paperwhite’s specs match up exactly with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature. We were impressed by how compact and lightweight it was, making it one of the most portable e-readers available. It also has the same larger display as the Paperwhite Signature does, so we found it extremely easy to read. The warm, consistent brightness across the display made our reading experience more comfortable, too, but we appreciated the ability to adjust it when necessary. In fact, we read for three hours straight without experiencing any eye strain or fatigue. The e-reader was also highly responsive to our touch, so we could quickly turn pages.

Like the Paperwhite Signature, the Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, so it is ideal for reading at the beach, pool or bath. We held it under gently running water during testing, and the display experienced some glitches while wet. However, once we dried it off, it functioned normally once more. Even better, its battery life was just as impressive as the Paperwhite Signature. After leaving it on or in rest mode for 10 days, its battery was still at 86%.

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(2022 Release) vs. Kindle Paperwhite Signature

After testing the Kindle (2022 Release) and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature, we were impressed with both e-readers. But while they share some similarities, including a glare-free display with 300 dpi resolution that makes for comfortable reading, their differences can help you determine which model best fits your reading habits.

Both the Kindle (2022 Release) and Kindle Paperwhite Signature are compact, lightweight devices, but the Kindle is smaller than the Paperwhite Signature. Its size makes it ideal for travel and commuting, though we had no trouble fitting the Paperwhite Signature in our bags either. The smaller overall size also translates to the display, with the Paperwhite Signature having a 6.8-inch display compared to the Kindle (2022 Release)’s 6-inch screen. While the difference is under an inch, we found that the Paperwhite Signature could fit more text on its screen for a more comfortable reading experience.

The Kindle (2022 Release) and Kindle Paperwhite Signature both offer excellent battery life, providing weeks of reading time between charges. However, the Paperwhite Signature’s battery can last for up to 10 weeks between charges, while the Kindle has a maximum battery life of six weeks. Additionally, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about damaging it if you accidentally drop it in the pool, ocean or bath. The Kindle (2022 Release) isn’t, which means you need to be much more careful with it around water.

Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite functionality

The Kindles and Kindle Paperwhites are very similar in their functions and features, but the models differ in certain areas. The Kindles’ affordability means they have a somewhat basic design, while the Kindle Paperwhites’ higher price brings upgrades that may make them a more durable, convenient option.

Design comparison

Both Kindles and Kindle Paperwhites have a compact rectangular design, but their dimensions differ. Kindles are slightly smaller than the Paperwhites — the Kindle (2022 Release) measures 6.2 inches long, 4.3 inches wide and 0.32 inches thick, while the Kindle Paperwhite Signature and Kindle Paperwhite are 6.9 inches long, 4.9 inches wide and 0.32 inches thick. During testing, we found all three models easily fit in a bag, though the Kindle (2022 Release) is slightly easier to carry. Its smaller size also made it easy to hold in a single hand. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature and Kindle Paperwhite got somewhat unwieldy when we attempted to hold them in one hand.

The weight of the Kindles and Kindle Paperwhites may also affect how comfortable they are to read. Both models are extremely lightweight, but the Kindle (2022 Release) weighs just over 5.5 ounces, while the Kindle Paperwhite is 7.23 ounces and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature is 7.3 ounces. The difference isn’t significant, but we noticed that the extra weight of the Kindle Paperwhites could sometimes lead to fatigue when reading for more than 30 minutes.

Display size and resolution comparison

Because of their differences in size, it’s no surprise that the Kindle Paperwhites have a larger display than the Kindles. Both the Kindle Paperwhite Signature and Kindle Paperwhite have a 6.8-inch display, while Kindle (2022 Release) has a 6-inch one. Again, this difference isn’t too significant, but we definitely noticed that the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite Signature fit more text on their displays than the Kindle (2022 Release), which made reading more efficient. Both the Kindle Paperwhites and the Kindle have glare-free displays, though, so we found that we could read easily on all three even in direct sunlight.

The Kindle (2022 Release), Kindle Paperwhite Signature and Kindle Paperwhite all feature 300 dpi resolution, too. Reading on all three devices was comfortable and didn’t lead to eye strain because the text was sharp and clear.

Battery life comparison

Both the Kindles and the Kindle Paperwhites have an impressive battery life. The Kindle (2022 Release) has an expected battery life of up to 6 weeks, while the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature can go for up to 10 weeks between charges.

During our testing, we were impressed by the battery life of all three devices. The Kindle (2022 Release)’s battery was still at 72% after we read for six hours at medium brightness, so we could likely read for an hour each day for more than two weeks without recharging.

When the Kindle Paperwhite Signature arrived at our testing area, its battery was at 50%, but we could read two and a half books before we recharged the device. That would allow approximately eight weeks on a single charge. The Kindle Paperwhite’s battery was just as impressive, remaining at 86% after leaving it on or in Rest mode for 10 days. So, like the Paperwhite Signature, it would likely allow us to read for over eight weeks.

Storage comparison

For most readers, the storage on a Kindle or any other e-reader isn’t the most important feature. That’s because even e-readers with as little as 8GB of storage can hold thousands of books.

The Kindle Paperwhite has 8GB of storage, while the Kindle (2022 Release) has double that space with 16GB. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature tops both, though, with 32GB of storage, allowing it to hold upward of 10,000 titles. However, all three models come with free cloud storage for all Amazon content.

Waterproofing

The Kindles, including the Kindle (2022 Release), are not waterproof. That means it may suffer damage if you accidentally drop it in water. However, the Kindle Paperwhite and the Paperwhite Signature have an IPX8 rating, which means they can withstand submersion in 2 meters of freshwater for up to 60 minutes. If you like to read in the bath, at the pool or at the beach, you’ll likely prefer the security the Kindle Paperwhites’ waterproof design gives you.

During testing, we held the Kindle Paperwhite under gently running water. The display glitched slightly, but as soon as we dried off the screen, it worked normally.

Pricing

The Kindle (2022 Release) regularly retails for $99.99 and is available at Amazon.

The Kindle Paperwhite usually costs $149.99 and can be found at Amazon and Best Buy.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature typically retails for $189.99 and is available at Amazon and Best Buy.

Bottom line

The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite models we tested all made reading convenient and comfortable, but the Kindle Paperwhite Signature topped our list. Its larger display, generous storage, extended battery life and waterproof design are notable upgrades over the Kindle (2022 Release) that make the higher price worth it for avid readers.

But if you’re on a budget, we don’t hesitate to recommend the Kindle (2022 Release). You have to be a little more careful when reading around water and need to recharge more often, but you’ll still get an excellent e-reader that’s comfortable on the eyes and visible in all types of lighting.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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