Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) review

The cheapest way to make reading in bed sustainable, and a poor way to read a textbook.

Specifications

Specifications above come from Amazon's published product specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• It is a single-purpose device with no notifications, and that is the whole reason it works. Nothing on it competes with the book.
• The warm amber light setting makes reading in a dark room comfortable without a lamp, which is exactly the case our book light versus room light comparison is about.
• Twelve weeks of battery in Amazon's figures means you genuinely stop thinking about charging it, unlike every other device you own.
• E-ink under a bright library window or outdoors is readable in a way that no glossy tablet is.
• Waterproof, which sounds like a holiday feature and mostly matters because drinks get knocked over on desks.
• It is $300 less than the Kindle Scribe and, if you do not write on your books, it does the same reading job.

Where it falls short

• Academic PDFs are a bad experience on it. Fixed-layout files with figures need zoom and panning, and a 7 inch e-ink screen makes that slow and unpleasant. This is the reason not to buy one for coursework.
• You cannot write on it. If annotating as you read is how you study, you want the Scribe or a tablet.
• Highlights and notes live in Amazon's ecosystem. Getting them out into your own note system is possible but clunky.
• The base model shows sponsored screensavers unless you pay to remove them or buy the Signature Edition. Check which version you are ordering.
• Page turns, while faster than before, are still page turns. Flicking back four pages to check a name is slower than with paper, and that friction matters more in study reading than in a novel.

What owners report

Owner reports on the current Paperwhite are among the most positive of any device in this roundup, and the reasons are consistent: the larger 7 inch screen, the faster page turns and the battery. People who upgraded from an older Paperwhite describe the speed difference as the thing they notice daily.

The complaints are equally consistent and equally narrow. PDF handling is criticised by anyone who tries it. Sponsored screensavers on the ad-supported version irritate people who did not realise they were choosing it. A smaller thread reports that the warm light is uneven at very low brightness, which is common to the technology rather than specific to this model.

The most useful thing in the reports for a student is how often people say it increased how much they read. That is a real effect and it is the best argument for the device: not that it reads better than paper, but that it removes the friction of carrying and acquiring books.

Who it suits

• Students on reading-heavy programmes where set texts are prose.
• Anyone who reads in bed and does not want a room light on.
• People who want to read more and keep not doing it because books are heavy and expensive.

Who should skip it

• Anyone whose reading list is PDFs with figures, tables and diagrams. Buy an iPad.
• Students who annotate everything by hand, where the Scribe is worth the extra.
• People who need textbooks specifically, which are frequently not available as Kindle editions at all.

Alternatives worth considering

Common questions

Is a Kindle worth it for university?

It depends entirely on what you read. For prose, novels, set texts and background reading, it is excellent and it will make you read more. For textbooks, journal articles and anything with figures, it is poor, and those are frequently not sold as Kindle editions anyway. Check whether your actual reading list exists in the Kindle store before buying.

Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Scribe for students?

The Paperwhite is $300 less and better to hold for hours. The Scribe has a much larger screen, which helps with PDFs, and you can write on it. If you annotate as you read, take the Scribe; if you read and highlight, take the Paperwhite and put the $300 towards a chair.

Can a Kindle read academic PDFs?

It can open them, but the experience is poor. A 7 inch fixed-layout page means zooming and panning, and e-ink redraws slowly. If PDFs are the bulk of your reading, an 11 inch device or a tablet is the right answer.

Kindle or a book light for reading in bed?

A Kindle with the warm light setting is more comfortable and does not disturb a roommate. A clip-on book light costs under $10 and works with the books you already own. Solve the cheaper problem first.

Does the ad-supported version matter?

Only on the lock screen. Sponsored screensavers appear when the device sleeps, never while you are reading. You can pay to remove them after purchase, or buy the Signature Edition which does not have them.

Keep reading

• Book light vs room light
• Digital detox for studying
• Kindle Scribe review
• Apple iPad 11-inch review
• Study essentials roundup

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.