The lightest and most compact Kindle comes in an all-new 300 PPI high-resolution display that delivers 3X more pixels than their previous generation with laser-quality text and graphics, adjustable front light, dark mode, 2X the storage at 16 GB, up to six weeks of battery life on a single charge, and USB-C charging. This new Kindle is somewhat more expensive and can be purchased from Amazon for $119 and comes in two colors; black and denim.
The base model Kindle has a six inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1448X1072 with 300 PPI. It has a sunken screen and bezel design, so fonts will look razer sharp. This is primarily due to it having exposed e-paper, so there is no layer of glass or anything else getting in the way between your eyes and the screen. When reading outdoors, the screen will not have any glare from the sun. It is packing in four white LED lights to power the front-lit display, which will allow you to read in the dark. Amazon is really promoting system side dark mode, which will invert the colors, so the background will be black and the text will be white.
Underneath the hood is a 1 GHZ single core processor, 512GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It finally has a USB-C cable, so this will be used for charging the battery via wall outlet or your computer. Users will also be able to sideload in their own digital books with Windows Explorer or with a 3rd party program such as Caliber. When it comes to battery life, a single charge lasts up to six weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 13. Battery life may vary depending on use. Audible audiobook streaming over Bluetooth will reduce battery life. Users will be able to browse the internet with the Kindle Experimental Browser or buy eBooks from the Amazon bookstore and Audible audiobook store. The dimensions are 6.2” x 4.3” x 0.32” (157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0 mm). and and weighs 5.56 oz (158 g).
In terms of industrial design the six-inch screen has rounded corners and the back platting does not attract many fingerprints. If you buy the Denim one, the color is not just on the back platting, but is also on the front of the e-reader too, so it is blue all over. I really like this color scheme better than the typically black Kindle. The power button is positioned on the very bottom, beside the USB-C port. I prefer e-readers to have them on the top, on the bottom, this is where you normally grip it and often accidently put the Kindle into sleep mode when holding it with one hand. The Kindle itself is made of 90% recycled magnesium.
The retail packaging is 100% recyclable paper and it really shows with the entire unboxing experience. The cover is vibrantly blue with the Amazon logo and a huge color picture of the Kindle. On the back of the box is some light tech specs and certifications. Inside of the box, the Kindle is protected by wax paper, instead of a plastic static proof bag. Their are two types of documentation, a quick start guide and warranty information. The USB-C port is normally held together with twist ties, however Amazon is now using a small piece of cardboard to hold it together.
The all-new Kindle, which is their entry level model, never felt this compelling. In past years it was hard to recommend it because of its paltry resolution and a small amount of internal storage. Amazon solved both of these issues. It feels like it should cost more than it does. A six-inch e-Reader is extremally portable and easily fits in your pocket. If you live in the Untied States or other major markets, you can unlock the audiobook section in the Kindle bookstore. Buy and listen to audiobooks from Audible via Bluetooth.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.