I spent the weekend reading on Amazon’s newest Kindle — and it’s got more features than it looks

Key points of ZDNET

• Amazon’s base Kindle model retails for $110 and promises faster page turns, a brighter screen, and a fun matcha green color scheme (along with classic black).
• E-readers are more responsive and lively, and reading anything on this lightweight, portable device is convenient.
• This model has the shortest battery life in the entire lineup but still lasts six weeks.

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Kindles are not like other tablets or smart devices; Their sole purpose is to be as close to analog as possible for a tablet — providing distraction-free reading with weeks-long battery life and a display that’s easy to view regardless of environment.

That means customers and Kindle fans don’t expect cutting-edge technology in the new version. They just want a great device with important but minimalist finishing touches that improve upon the previous generation.

Also: The best Kindles you can buy

This is especially true for Kindle base modelthe most affordable and least feature-packed model in the New Kindle product line including Paperwhite, updated Scribe, and a brand new product, Colorsoft (Kindle’s first full-color model). The base model doesn’t have the adjustable warm lighting of the Paperwhite, the drawing capabilities of Scribe, nor the vibrant colors of Colorsoft. What Kindle 2024 However, there is a beautiful and effective simplicity.

I spent some time reading and learning about the new base Kindle model, and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for your first e-reader or if you’re upgrading from Kindle that you bought more than two years ago.

Amazon released the previous Kindle base model in 2022. The 2024 version keeps most of the base model’s specs, with a few exceptions. These include different exterior colors (Matcha and Black), brighter front light, higher contrast ratio and faster page turning speed.

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The Matcha color is lovely, fun and much more vibrant than the Navy or Black options from the 2022 range. One of the things I love about the base model is its pocketability and portability. thanks to its compact size.

The size of the screen is 6 inches – the screen size is suitable for reading on the go. Screen resolution 1072 x 1448, 5.56 oz. Weight and six-week battery life are also unchanged.

I spent the weekend reading some ebooks (most notably Emily Henry’s latest novel) that I rented from my library. On a busy Saturday, I put my Kindle in my dress pocket to read on the subway between running errands. My friend and I were walking around the city that day and I kept the e-reader in my bag, where I barely noticed it during our journey.

On a lazy Sunday morning, I lay in bed, lying on my side, reading my Kindle with one hand, something I could never do with a paper novel because holding it with both hands is so uncomfortable.

While reading, I noticed the page turning and loading speeds of books were significantly faster than my Kindle Oasis or Kindle Paperwhite from 2022. I tested my old Paperwhite and my new Kindle and found that the new Kindle turned pages very light. faster than Paperwhite.

As for battery life, I can’t confirm that this e-reader lasts the advertised six weeks as I’ve only tested the Kindle for a week. However, six weeks is a long time between charges, and so far I haven’t seen a significant decrease in battery life.

Also: Amazon has just launched four new Kindles, including one full-color model

As someone who enjoys growing her physical book collection but also enjoys sampling the many novels and non-fiction books from the library, the Kindle is a great device for reading and renting books you might not otherwise have. now buy and buy but still interested. I can fit this mobile device into my pocket or work bag and read on the bus, before or after work, or while waiting for a doctor’s appointment.

Because reading is its sole function, the Kindle provides a truly distraction-free interface, making completing reading assignments for high school or college students less hassle than with a laptop. hand or tablet.

I don’t use Kindle to replace physical books. Instead, I use my Kindle to expand the genres and types of books I never intended to own in the first place. An e-reader (with the help of a library card) allows you to expand the range of literature you read and sample different authors and stories that you could never fit in a book bag or suitcase. or your bookshelf.

ZDNET Buying Tips

If you’ve never bought an e-reader before or are planning on buying one for a loved one during the holidays, I would definitely recommend it. This Kindle. It has all the features you need in a respectable e-reader, like a vivid display, quick and responsive speed, great battery life, and beautiful colors, all for the price. reasonable.

Since many of the specs are unchanged, the upgrade from the base 2022 model Base model 2024isn’t the most sensible thing to do, unless you’re unhappy with the color, page turning speed, or screen brightness of your 2022 Kindle and are willing to spend $110 to change that.

If you want an extra inch of display, different e-reader colors, an adjustable warm light for reading in different environments, and double the battery life, you might want to upgrade. newer version. Paperwhite, $50 more expensivebut I can read just fine with the base model, I like the pastel-y color of the Matcha colorway and the compact screen, and I can definitely charge my Kindle every six weeks, so spending the extra $50 makes sense. shouting seems silly.

This article was originally published on October 29, 2024 and updated on November 14, 2024.