Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) – With auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, 6.8“ display, and up to 10 weeks of battery life – Without Lockscreen Ads – Black

This isn’t quite the top of the line for Kindles, but it’s close. That honor would go to the Scribe, with the Oasis possibly taking second place, though we haven’t seen a new Oasis in a while. It sports more memory than the regular Paperwhite, and I think that’s particularly worth it if you’re using Audible on the device. It would take a lot of text-based books to fill 8 gig never mind 16.I want to compare ereaders, then compare ebooks to print.If you are going to use this for audiobooks, it’s hard to ignore the Nook from B&N as a competitor to this. The Glowlight 4 is about the same size as this and the 4 plus is a bit larger. All of these sport 32 gig of memory, are waterproof, and have about the same screen type.The advantage of the Nook is you get a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as being able to connect headphones via Bluetooth. The Kindle is limited to Bluetooth.The advantages of the Kindle are first that it supports Audible. If you have a subscription already, that becomes a no-brainer. If not, there are a lot of titles on Audible that B&N doesn’t have. If those interest you, you’re better off with the Kindle, and you’ll want the larger memory.Second, transfering your own documents wirelessly to the device is substantially easier on Kindle. Just email it, or use the website, or send it to the app on your phone. Nook requires you use a USB cable and then find the right folder to put it in. This is a win for the Kindle, but any Kindle, not just Paperwhite Signature.Third, market dominance. The demise of Nook is often predicted (I don’t think they’re going anywhere, but that’s merely my prediction based on market share over time) but no one in their right mind thinks Kindle, with a commanding 80+% market share at the time of this review, is going anywhere.For free books, Kindle has the monthly subscription to unlimited, Nook gives out a free books (or sometimes audiobook) every Friday. Prime subscribers can pick a free book (sometimes two) from a small selection at the beginning of the month. Overall, I’ll call that a toss up.I use both, but if I could have only one, I’d go with the Kindle.If you’re deciding between Kindles, the Oasis is smaller despite having a slightly larget screen and physical buttons (the bezel is much smaller) and it has cellular. The Paperwhite Signature has USB-C (not a big deal in my opinion) and wireless charging (and the stand they sell for that is absolutely amazing). The Paperwhite Signature is also substantially less expensive.The Scribe supports the pen and has built in notebooks, making it kind of a hybrid between the Supernote and the Kindle. That’s the big win there. The win for the Paperwhite Signature is that it’s waterproof, smaller, and less expensive.The basic Kindle is also worth looking at on a budget. It has less memory and isn’t waterproof, but it’s extremely affordable. This is the one I’d take with me into situations where I’d worry about it getting lost or damaged because it’s the easiest to replace. This is also the one I’d give a kid, for the same reason, and also the one I’d suggest someone start on if they’re not sure if they’ll like ebooks. It really is a nice device. I use mine a lot.The Paperwhite regular sports less memory, but is a fine contender if you only want ebooks, no audio. You can only go up to 16 gig memory there, no wireless charging. It’s front lit, but not automatically adjusting and it has ads.On the topic of ads, I’ve seen memes that seem to suggest they pop up while reading. While this model has no ads, if you’re considering another don’t let that stop you. They are on the sleep screen. They don’t interfere with reading. It’s one of the myths told by the “dead tree only” crowd. The others are:You can’t dogear them. Well, you can, only you can also remove the dogear without leaving a trace, so that’s actually a win in the ebook column.You can’t mark them up. Again, you can and you can undo, but because the space is not limited to the page, you can add larger notes here than would be supported in print books, particularly those with thin margins.You can’t use them if the battery dies. The battery lasts weeks for me and I’m a heavy reader. I have never found myself unable to use my Kindle because I was in some foresaken wasteland without access to power. I can even recharge my device for free on the bus if I have my cable with me (I usually do). I have found myself reading a book I lost interest in while out and about and using a Kindle (or any ereader), that’s no issue. With print it used to be.You can’t use it near water. This one is waterproof. I’ve never seen a print book that wasn’t destroyed if you got it soaking wet. I’m not even sure where that myth came from. I can say my Paperwhite Signature fell into a sink full of water and didn’t care.You retain more from print books. I’m putting this one in the myth column because I don’t trust the methodology. First, they were only using iPads with notifications turned on. Then, when enough people cried, foul they used the Kindle DX (giant, wonderful device; I wish they’d revamp and reintroduce those). Only they only selected people who’d never used one before.I recently spoke to someone involved and we discussed why they didn’t include audiobooks. Participants get 15 minutes to read about 25 pages. The print folk just get the book and start reading. The ebook folk get a lecture on how to use it before they start reading, but the lecture cuts into the 15 minutes. Ever wonder why the studies also show people on ebooks read faster? If they threw in audiobooks they’d have to allow enough time for participants to hear the story at normal speed.I want an apples to apples comparison, with people experienced with ebooks and identical reading times before I’ll trust this. On a side note, if you want to remember what you read better regardless of medium, check out Moonwalking with Einstein (available on Kindle).One thing the “dead tree only” crowd won’t talk about is the environmental impact. The impact of ebooks has always been better than that of print, but we’ve come so far in so little time, that a modern ereader like this one has the same impact as 14 print books. Once you read your 15th book on this, you net an environmental win.Another thing is accessibility. Any book can transform immediately into a large print book while remaining light and easy to hold and carry.Then there’s lighting and the ability to read anywhere. I read in bed with the lights off. If you have a kid who “sneaks” a book under the cover, this makes it easier and reduces eye strain.Then there’s the ability to text search for something you forgot and want to reference. I can barely stand print books for the inability to find some random tidbit easily.That and you get to keep your entire library. I’ll always have nightmares about helping a little old lady who loves to read move into assisted living and having to discard the bulk of her library. The bulk of my library sits in my purse. And you can have the same book on multiple “shelves”. That’s how I get around the “is Star Wars science fiction or fantasy” debate. It lives in both.So for me, ebooks win overall, and if I have to go with one line, it’s Kindle. Amongst the Kindle, my favorite is usually the Scribe for non-fiction (for the ability to take notes) and this for fiction (for the most comfortable form factor) with the base model being used in some situations.

I got this for my 14 year old daughter for her birthday. She LOVES to read! All she really wanted for her birthday was books. So I got her this and gave her a million books. The screen is the perfect size. It’s comfortable to hold, lightweight, simple to use. No issues with connectivity. Overall, excellent quality book reader. Oh…and the battery life is amazing!!

I was a diehard fan of physical printed books, I’d only seen epaper screens in passing and decided to see if my mind could be changed.This thing is awesome! I haven’t had to adjust the brightness setting at all in any of the lighting situations I have tried reading in. The storage capacity is massive for epub files (2-5 mb per book, 32 gb storage… that’s 6,400 books at 5mb/each!).The battery life is staggering after being used to charging a phone once a day. It really does last a long time and I’ve been reading a lot.I haven’t delved into them too much but there are options to add notes and bookmarks, etc.The one thing that has come in handy is that it recalls your last place in whichever book you’re reading.I cannot comment on the audiobook capabilities as I do not listen to them, nor am I qualified to weigh in on the Kindle store. Other than browsing the store with the device I didn’t mess with it and I have not used the Unlimited service at all.Loading epub files is fast and easy, just drag and drop on my desktop computer and they’re available on any device with my Amazon account on it.The only “drawback” isn’t really much of one, and has much more to do with how epaper screens work. Nothing on the screen moves, there is no animation or sliding of anything on the screen.There is no scrolling action if you’re browsing the store or library, the screen refreshes and shows the next section. When turning the page of a book the screen refreshes to show the next page. This doesn’t bother me and this is how all epaper screens work. It isn’t jarring or distracting, it’s just different from looking at a tablet or phone. This shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing as I saw some suggest and I was mildly concerned about before trying it out.This thing made me a believer when I was skeptical. How it compares to other ones or how seasoned epaper readers might feel about it isn’t my area of expertise but for the curious I’ve found it to be a fantastic device.

I honestly didn’t think I needed a kindle reader until I got one as a gift… I now repent of my skepticism.Here’s what makes a difference for me after using my phone for years:- The width of the screen lets me a) get more words per line and/or b) increase the font size so I don’t have to get noseprints on the screen.- The smart lighting is great, so I can read in any environment.- It’s not completely glare free, but the glare is heavily reduced and it’s easy to read in daylight. My phone screen is a screen, the kindle screen is not EXACTLY like paper, but it’s closer.There are cons:- The phone is always in my pocket, the kindle isn’t. But it is easily mobile and fits in a coat/jacket pocket handily.- On my phone, I can quickly highlight a word and learn more on wikipedia or whatever. I can’t do that to the same degree on kindle… but I still HAVE my phone, so it’s not that big a deal.- My kindle doesn’t have internet access, so I have to make sure that I have loaded what I want… but my phone works as a hotspot just fine and the kindle connects right up, so that’s not that big a deal.- The official case is okay, but it loses the edges quickly, and the cover is kind of a pain while reading. I think there are probably some better third-party covers out there, but I haven’t found one yet.- The kindle doesn’t handle images (including maps and such) as well as the phone app.Despite all of this, this has become my go-to way to read the books that I enjoy when I get a chance to sit down and read. As kindle books replaced paper books for me, this device has replaced the phone app. I don’t plan to go back… BUT I can always pull up a book on my phone when needed. (I just don’t prefer it.)

This is a copy of my main review in the 8GB device category appended with differences for this 32GB version. 4 stars unless you don’t need the space, and then it becomes redundant and too expensive.The 32GB version is in my opinion a bit overboard for most people, but if you have money to spend, it is probably the version you should get, especially if you enjoy audio books. The extra memory to me amounts to useless space, but I personally do not use audiobooks or books with larger file sizes.I have a fairly large library, and that still was working out alright on my 7th gen with 4GB or less. For certain users, this will be the proper device to get. For others, they should look at the 8GB model, or perhaps using your phone for audio. I highly recommend the “essentials” bundles to save money.A normal user could have 2000-3000 normal books on their device with the 8GB. Seeing as a ton of my books are Delphi collections, this amounts to even more books relative to the average sizing around 2-4MB or so. Fact is, most people simply don’t need this space, and it is useless for most by the time they upgrade due to batteries becoming less efficient. Audiobooks tend to take a lot more space, and it might be for this user that the 32GB is most appropriate.You can hold 20-40 audiobooks on an 8GB device, so for people that must have audiobooks on a Kindle, as opposed to their smartphone with better speakers and more memory, then maybe this is for you. But I would prefer audio on a device of my choosing that had better options for sound.The wireless charging is basically not a deal changer for me. I highly recommend having wireless off on the Kindle to save battery. Charging it works much the same as any device, but cords work fine for me as well, especially with the updated USB-C design. The auto-light is awkward mostly, and I have never used it on any device with one. For the extra money, I only find this device useful for people that absolutely need audio for their Paperwhite device.In full I simply will not use the extra space, and the other features are useless. Others may find them more appropriate. I don’t see the point in paying Amazon more money. The lifeline of this device depends on the battery, and by the time I need 32GB, if that ever happens, I will be getting a new device. Not bad, but too expensive, as I mostly use physical books anyway.Overall Review for the Paperwhite 2021 (Four Stars):Summary:+ Best screen of any Paperwhite or Kindle released to date+ Best response time of any Paperwhite or Kindle+ UI improvements+ Weight and feel are exceptional- Screen has uneven area with color temp on high brightness- Expensive- Previous Kindles still do things in much the same wayComing from the 7th gen Kindle, this is a gigantic improvement on all fronts. The Paperwhite 2021 also handily beats the pulp out of the Paperwhite 2018 version due to its new LED array, and for my money it’s a better choice than the Oasis 3 as well due to ergonomics. Add in some extra screen real estate compared to previous Paperwhites, a much nicer bezel, a few more options for the UI, and what we have is an extremely polished device for reading digital books. It’s never going to make me switch totally from physical, but I will definitely be using this to read a lot more than my previous Kindle.The screen here is nearly perfect, and it will be the main factor attracting those coming from the previous 2018 model. If things were cheaper, this would be an essential upgrade for most people. I would not do without it if given the choice. Feel free to browse all the negative reviews from 2018. They were all right. But now it seems Amazon has finally finished their beta device. The screen itself is more matte than shiny, easy to wipe off, clear but not distracting, and fully able to replicate a physical book with its expanded dimensions. The Oasis 3 for instance irritates me with its form factor. The Paperwhite 2018 has an ugly bezel as well. This is exactly what I wanted out of an E-Reader.The Paperwhite 2021 is lit by 17 LEDs compared to 5 LEDs in the 2018 model, which leads to vastly superior balance. There are 24 gradations for both brightness and warmth, from off to mango warm, and they make a tangible and visible difference in proper aesthetics related to actual physical books. The color options are great, but after some use there still seems to be a portion equating to about the bottom half of the screen on mine that is a very slightly greener hue as opposed to a warmer hue on top. Very hard to pick up for some people, but it’s worth noting for users that want to use this on high brightness. I usually only use around 6-12 brightness to get proper coloring, and it’s not really noticeable in lit rooms with these settings. I usually use the lovely dark mode at night, so in the end I’ll say this issue really doesn’t affect me much.Make no mistake, though, the 2018 Paperwhite had an awful screen, with a horrendous LED array, and this one is a massive upgrade. This 2021 version still has a fully stable lighting array that doesn’t evoke a poor production run or haste in design, yet it’s not perfect either. Blacks could definitely be deeper with an OLED screen or something of the sort. Dark Mode still looks good, but on higher brightness it appears a little too grey. Overall, I am satisfied at the advances that have been made, and my usual settings all look fantastic and so much better than anything before.6.8 inches of screen along with 300 PPI is definitely enough to satisfy most demands for resolution, and the extra space may be convincing for one to switch from physical books. The bezel itself also looks properly designed finally. That alone is also another huge deal. The sides are thin, the screen is the main attraction, and there is no awkwardness in reading versus a real book. All additions that make this is a positive buy over the other Kindles.There is an extremely tiny trail of adhesive in one corner and edge at the very bottom right near the backing material and black area of the bezel. Pretty minor all told. Most won’t even notice things like this, and most Kindles will probably have such a minor flaw. Compared to the 2018 version, this thing seems like an actual professional product.The UI responsiveness was another issue in previous models, and I am happy to report this one is very fast. Massively faster than my 7th gen, and a decent improvement over the older model. The Paperwhite 2018 uses a Freescale/NXP i.MX6 SoloLite 1 GHz processor. Not terrible, but also not quite enough to match the newer NXP i.MX7D 1 GHz chip used in the Oasis 3 and this model. Again, a more refined version at every level compared to the older Paperwhite.For memory and storage, I can’t see many people needing more than 8GB. I did fine on my last Kindle with much less. Unless you plan on starting a small library, 8GB of memory is a perfect fit for anyone’s lifetime.As for the user interface, major changes have resulted in a much better flow in overall design for most Kindles from 2015 onward. The swipe down mechanic is leagues better than anything they’ve had before. The library UI that you tap in the upper left is again fast and finally consistent. These UI details are easy to spot in the included pictures with various lighting values. But they are available to most users outside of this product.Response and animation are a cut above their predecessors, and that should not be understated. I finally feel the Kindle is quick enough for my needs with digital reading. My 7th gen was abysmal. The 2018 version was slightly problematic. The newer page turn animation, however, was not to my liking, and I ended up sticking with the normal style. As a plus, the web browser is snappy and usable for those that need to quickly look something up on a search engine. Exiting in and out of menus is a breeze, and opening or downloading books was efficient. I still wish there was a download all option, so I will be downloading from the website instead.And speaking of default, the designers have made sure that this Kindle is ready to use without even touching a setting. They clearly invested a lot in understanding how people want their Kindle to look. I found almost all default options to be optimal. I added one step to boldness in fonts, and have toyed with the variable warmth quite a bit. Bookerly is a great font for reading, but there are obviously other options if you prefer. These things are basically as good as they need to be on this digital reader. More improvements with font selection could be possible, but are entirely superfluous to the current experience.Updating the firmware was painless for me past having to click no thanks for all the subscriptions Amazon wants to get you hooked on. No thanks. No issues with connections or anything of the sort. Charging works perfectly via USB-C, a far better connector than the micro version. Adding and subtracting to the library was fast and convenient.Aesthetics and materials are premium for the most part. Other than the aforementioned pinprick trail of adhesive, there were no outright imperfections that I can see. I don’t really like the Oasis 3, but it’s definitely similar to that version, with a better form factor.The leather case included with this bundle is what it is: completely overpriced but nearly mandatory for the perfect feel and weight. I can’t stand the feel of the device without the included case. I highly recommend the bundle. The aesthetics look nice, and overall it’s mostly the same as my last one. A bit easier to get in and out compared to 7th gen.At the heart of it all, this is still just another updated version of the Paperwhite. But it could be mandatory because it polishes the lighting and page turning to a degree that makes the old devices feel awkward. I don’t see myself getting another one for a decade. And that leaves two questions remaining: How is the battery life, and is this worth the upgrade if you own the 2018 version…Battery life seems improved. I wouldn’t call it all that great on full brightness, but it’s definitely an upgrade from anything before. Battery life is critical, I have run into few issues with my normal settings. Right now, I can see that it drains decently fast on max brightness, but it also has an array of 17 LEDs lighting it. On lower brightness, it appears to be very conservative with battery life, much the same as last time but probably better. It’s tough to say when you are comparing older batteries to newer ones. This will be an ongoing process to be updated in the review every now and then. On the lowest brightness it is off of course, for those that prefer the older Kindle experience and extended usage without a charge. This produces a charge that lasts a very long time.For me I see no reason to keep Wi-Fi on, and the complaints about that particular setting, coming from 2018, seem slightly obtuse. Shut it off when your library is downloaded. Problem solved. With full brightness, you aren’t going to get a ton of life, but I also recommend against full brightness as it doesn’t really resemble paper at that point. On medium settings, which I prefer, battery life seems completely acceptable and better than before.If you are currently using a device below the Paperwhite 2018, then definitely you could think about an upgrade if you are in the market for a new E-Reader. I cannot overstate how much better this is than my 7th gen. I rarely even used that model, and I will definitely be clocking in some time with this one due to the screen and response time. It’s a huge motivating factor to actually take out my Kindle now. Previous versions do not match up, and this is the first time I can say I am impressed by a Kindle.Coming from 2018, I would say this is a fairly huge upgrade, and most will want to eventually make the change. The screen is too versatile to pass up, and the faster response time basically nails the previous version in its coffin. I don’t think an immediate upgrade is necessary, but most will want this as their baseline going forward. The 2018 version has too many issues, and this fixes most of them.Economically, this might not be an option for many. To somewhat help out, you definitely will want to get this in the bundle with the leather case, which I included a picture of at the bottom. It’s a nice case, way too expensive by itself, and kind of mandatory in my experience. The bundle also includes a trade-in option. Definitely DO NOT buy the case separately. No need to give Amazon any more of your money than necessary.Outside of that you can be sure I will remain critical of this device. If anything goes wrong, becomes damaged or defective, I will immediately add that info to my review. No shilling is allowed here. Freezes have gone completely away as of the recent firmware update in 1.14.1.1.For those on the fence, it is best to wait a few months to see how things turn out. For now, I enjoy the device and have only a few issues. Going forward I hope to actually use a Kindle consistently for the first time. If I rated the Paperwhite 2018 one star, then this one is around four stars. A worthy upgrade for anybody in the market. Will it replace my physical collection? Never. Paper lives on forever.”A beggar’s book outworths a noble’s blood.”