Although Kindles are a wonderful little device, I was firmly against them until recently. I was shocked that you would give up books. I then tried the Oasis and was instantly hooked. I have read with the Paperwhite Signature Edition and can confirm that Amazon's most recent update to their beloved ereader has been great.
There is nothing like flipping through physical pages. But I have spent a lot on books. Some of them weren't so good. They sit half-read and get moved around from one apartment to the next. It is nice to be free to check out ebooks from the library or to spend less.
The Paperwhite was always the middle-level upgrade to the Kindle family. It is cheaper than the basic Kindle but has a similar feature set as the Oasis. It has three models now, the Signature Edition ($190), the Standard Paperwhite ($140), and the Kids Version ($160) since its 2018 update. The Signature Edition was tested here. I also included information about how the three models compare. Prices will vary depending on whether you have ads enabled. Please read the Amazon page carefully before making your purchase.
Blinding Lights
Amazon Photograph
The 2021 Paperwhite's screen is 6.8 inches larger than 2018's 6 inch. The bezels are smaller than usual, measuring less than half an in from the sides and top. Overall, the screen is larger and looks more sophisticated. The Paperwhite is taller than the Oasis. It also doesn't have page-turn buttons so it's easier to hold for one-handed reading. It also prevents slippage thanks to its matte backing. The Oasis has a 7-inch screen that is slightly larger than the Oasis.
The new Paperwhites have adjustable warm lighting. They get super orange when they are brighter (10 percent brighter according to Amazon). E-ink screens aren't as harmful to your eyes as blue light from your smartphone. It's not as bright as Oasis but still reads well outside. If you prefer dark mode, it also has that option.
Only the Signature Edition can adjust brightness to your surroundings automatically, so you can see outside and not have to change settings each time the sun rises from behind clouds. Auto-adjust should be standard on all screens, and you don't have to pay extra for it.
Paperwhites have faster page-turn rates which is appreciated and noticed. You can even turn the animation on to give it the appearance of real page turning. It was something I expected to hate, but it wasn't. There is still an annoying lag, and the screen sometimes blinks as you scroll through the menus. There is also a delay between pressing the button and it actually registering. Although it was not something I expected, it isn't a problem. It's something I hope will be addressed in the next update.
Get Powerful
Amazon Photograph
The Paperwhite receives major power upgrades. The Signature Edition now supports wireless charging. It should work if you have a Qi charging station, but Amazon lists others that may not. The base model has 8 gigabytes of storage, while the 32 gigabytes version has 32 gigabytes. This is a big jump, especially for audiobooks. You can still access books from your Amazon account and delete them from the Kindle.
