Should you buy the latest Kindle or save some money and buy an older generation Amazon ebook reader? We take a look at the key features that’ll help you decide.
It might seem hard to keep up with all of the ebook readers Amazon releases, but there are actually just three core Kindle devices on offer right now.
So, the question is, which one is right for you?
Depending on your budget and the amount you read, each Kindle has its merits. Allow us to spell them out for you.
Kindle
Why you should buy it: Cheapest price
The old, standard Amazon Kindle is still alive and kicking as Amazon’s entry-level ebook reader. It’s a solid option if you’re a casual reader who only reads in the day time, or under strong artificial lighting.
As that suggests, it’s inferior to its two brothers in almost every way, with a screen that’s half as sharp (albeit the same 6-inch size), no built-in light, and a relatively chunky body. There’s also no 3G option here.
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However, there’s one notable way in which the Kindle beats both of its brothers hands-down: price. At £59.99, the Amazon Kindle is almost half the price of the Paperwhite, and not far off a third of the price of the Voyage.
If you only want your Kindle for sporadic and brief reading spells, the regular Kindle might be your best option.
Kindle Paperwhite
Why you should buy it: Newest, best value
The Kindle range’s middle-child is actually its youngest, if that isn’t too much of a contradiction. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite was revised a little earlier in the year, bringing its capabilities closer to that of the year-old Voyage.
The main improvement is a new display, which matches the Voyage’s super-crispy 300 ppi resolution. Text looks a lot better than before.
It also benefits from a built-in light, which is a massive bonus over the stock Kindle – though it’s not quite as sophisticated a component as the Kindle Voyage’s.
The Paperwhite also has a pleasingly grippy, rugged design that seems more ‘chuckable’ than its pricey brother, though it’s also the heaviest Kindle of the lot. If you tend to read for long periods, that might be a negative factor that’s worthy of consideration.
All in all, with many of the strengths of the Voyage and few of the Kindle’s weaknesses, the £109.99 Kindle Paperwhite is arguably the best value ebook reader in the range – and the one most people should probably go for.
Kindle Voyage
Why you should buy it: Most compact, premium design, best screen
The Amazon Kindle Voyage is just about a year old now, but it’s still comfortably the most advanced in the range.
It’s got a premium design, complete with angled magnesium back, that feels a mile above its plastic brethren. It also dumps the physical fascia buttons in favour of haptic page-turning controls.
Despite its classy construction, the Voyage is actually the lightest and slimmest Kindle in the range – which should cause a lot less arm-strain than its chunky brothers.
In fact, the Kindle Voyage is built more like a premium tablet than a classic ebook reader, particularly with its completely flush glass display (the other Kindle displays are recessed and made of plastic).
Related: Kindle Voyage vs Kindle Paperwhite
Talking of the Kindle Voyage’s display, it’s comfortably the pick of the bunch. Even though the revamped Paperwhite has since matched its pin-sharp 300ppi resolution, it can’t touch the Voyage’s inky black-on-white contrast.
With the top Kindle model, you also get a sophisticated adaptive front light that adjusts the brightness steadily depending on the ambient lighting conditions. The result is that it’s the easiest Kindle to read in the dark.
The Kindle Voyage is the best Kindle in every way, then, but there’s a price to pay: £169.99, to be precise. That’s £60 more than the mid-range Paperwhite. While it does everything better than its closest brother, we’d struggle to argue that it does anything substantially different for the money.
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