Kindle Paperwhite e-Reader (2024)

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Once again, Amazon has waited a full three years to update their flagship Kindle Paperwhite e-Reader with a host of improvements that improve the experience over the still-incredible 2021 model. I’m sure even the most diehard book enthusiasts would be amazed at just how competitive – and innovative! – the world of E Ink e-Readers has become in recent years, and we’ve started to see industry-leader Amazon finally take notice.

Behold, the Kindle Paperwhite 2024, the 12th generation addition to Amazon’s best-selling e-Reader lineup and the fastest and most responsive Kindle Paperwhite yet. We expect those things from a new device though, and those expecting a revolutionary jump from the previous generation Paperwhite might be a little disappointed with this 2024 update. There’s no stylus for note-taking, no physical buttons, no color screen…There are other Kindles for those things. But if it’s a sublime reading experience you’re after, the Paperwhite is the way to go, and just having a larger, crisper and more responsive screen should be more than enough for most users.

TL;DR

Throughout this review you’ll be hearing the word “slightly” often, and that’s because the 2024 Paperwhite is, generally, a slightly better device than its predecessor. While more iterative than innovative this time around, those looking for the best all-around Kindle e-Reader needn’t look any further, because this is it. At least those wanting a Kindle purely meant for book reading – and not much else.

Base Model vs Signature Edition

As before, Amazon has segmented the new Paperwhite into two nearly identical versions; the base model and Signature Edition. While essentially the exact same e-Reader in performance and screen size, the Signature Edition adds features that will either seem luxurious or superfluous, depending on your usage, including auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and double the storage (32GB). It also removes ads from the homescreen (a “feature” that costs base model users an extra $20) while adding $40 to the overall price.

Worth noting: if you previously purchased Amazon’s wireless charging dock for an older model, it won’t be compatible with any of the newer Kindles, so get ready to pony up a little extra cash if you absolutely need wireless charging. Given how spectacular battery life is on these devices, however, splurging for another wireless charger when USB-C charging is easy enough may be a hard pill to swallow.

Design: Slightly Bigger, Better

Amazon hasn’t changed the way the 2024 Paperwhite looks or feels, sporting the same design as its predecessor, albeit with a slightly larger screen and slightly rounded corners (though the chunky bottom bezel remains). While the basic edition is quality plastic all-around, the Signature Edition adds a metallic-like finish to the back for an added bit of class. The dimensions are a bit larger at 7” x 5” x .03” with an expected bump in weight at 7.4 oz (from 6.4 oz), though the Signature Edition is a smidge heavier at 7.5 oz.

This remains an incredibly thin, incredibly light device with a design that’s nearly been perfected by this point. The 2024 model is so similar to the previous model that cases meant for the 2021 Paperwhite might still work just fine with this update (but still check before buying!).

As the 2021 Paperwhite swapped micro-USB for USB-C there isn’t much “new” to report on connectivity, and the single power / standby button on the bottom remains the device’s sole physical button. At least there’s three attractive colors (Black, Jade, and Raspberry) to choose from!

The Screen: Slightly Bigger, Slightly Better

The 2024 Paperwhite sports a larger screen than the 2021 version, but only by a hair. The bump from a 6.8-inch touchscreen to 7-inch also bumps the resolution up slightly, 1264×1680 300 ppi from 1236×1648 300 ppi. This sounds miniscule, but there’s new technical wizardry behind the scenes that make this particular screen look crisper than ever thanks to increased contrast levels and a better lighting array that brightens the screen more evenly than before.

This translates into text that looks slightly sharper, a little more crisp, and even (as others have pointed out) a little warmer than before. Dark mode shows off the improved contrast levels especially nicely. Coupled with the faster processor, this also means that text loads faster, typed queries (or notes) display quicker, and there’s less page-refreshes than ever before. Plus, thanks to that slightly bigger screen, you’re able to display (you guessed it) slightly more text onscreen than before. Overall, the screen marks a nice improvement over the 2021 Paperwhite but not necessarily anything groundbreaking.

The Signature Edition adds an extra auto-adjusting front light that does just that, though how much you’ll use (or enjoy) this feature will vary. Honestly, I’m not that big a fan of auto-anything as I tend to stay put when reading and a few swipes to change my lighting and filtering levels isn’t difficult. But again, it’s there if you like that kind of thing.

Under the Hood: Faster, More Responsive

Reports indicate that Amazon has seriously improved the processor powering this model of the Paperwhite, and I believe them. Out of the box, the 2024 Paperwhite loads content quickly and is incredibly responsive when scrubbing through pages, looking up definitions, or just browsing through your library. Everything is faster and just quicker than before, which is exactly what you expect from a newer and more powerful device.

Amazon claims 25% faster performance, which unless you’re a speedreader who zooms through pages probably won’t make that much of a difference. But the speed boost was especially evident when reading PDF files, especially image-heavy PDF files (i.e. graphic novels, manga, or textbooks). There’s still considerable lag, of course, but it’s been reduced to the point where navigating a larger layout (which you’ll have to do, given a 7-inch screen is still smaller than a standard 8×11 page) isn’t nearly the chore it once was.

Apart from USB-C, connectivity includes Bluetooth (for Audible listening) with compatible headsets and adapters, and 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz WiFi. Content hoarders will be happy to hear that 16GB of internal memory is now standard (32GB for Signature users), while those who dare to mix their reading with water hazards will appreciate the impressive IPX8 waterproof protection remains in place.

Did I mention that battery life has been upgraded from “amazing” to “preposterously good”? Amazon promises up to 12 weeks (3 months!) of usage on a single charge, but that’s with minimal usage and minimal settings. Whatever it ends up being, a week of book reading, store browsing, and audiobook listening had my device barely sipping the battery.

Kindle Software: Reliable

The last generation of Kindle software was refined to such a degree I’m not surprised that Amazon hasn’t fiddled with it here. Anyone who’s used a digital reader over the past decade will be comfortably familiar with the interface here as basic functionality for reading books, looking up definitions, taking notes, etc., is present and super intuitive. Navigating your personal library or browsing Amazon’s digital storefronts has never been zippier, either, and dare I say that using the web browser is almost pleasant now?

Kindle’s impressive compatibility with most formats remains, meaning you won’t be stuck inside Amazon’s ecosystem and can easily sideload your own content with support for AZW3, AZW, TXT, PDF, MOBI, PRC, HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PMP and audiobooks purchased from Audible. Overdrive is also supported, though I wish Amazon would integrate the service natively as Kobo readers have. EPUB still isn’t natively supported either, but content can easily be formatted to Kindle-friendly MOBI using free software like Calibre, any number of websites, or Amazon’s own send-to-Kindle feature.

Audiobooks: They’re Available

The Paperwhite 2024 lets you download and listen to your Audible audiobooks, though you’ll need a Bluetooth headset or adapter to actually listen. Like the Amazon storefront, the Audible storefront is vast and unmatched, and only gets more vast if you subscribe to the ever-growing smorgasbord of content that’s available and expanding all the time.

I won’t lie; a Kindle isn’t my favorite way to listen to my collection, but at least it’s there if you don’t have any other option. At least Amazon’s Immersion Reading system is finally in place, so that’s a plus. One caveat; I once thought the switch to USB-C meant possibly opening up the Kindle’s audio playback to non-Bluetooth devices, like easily obtainable USB-to-3.5mm jacks. Alas, I was wrong as that functionality still isn’t here. It’s Bluetooth or nothing.

Conclusion:

Despite the competition for having the “best” e-Reader being fiercer (and more interesting) than ever, there’s little doubt that Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite 2024 easily takes the crown from its own predecessor, but only slightly. Everything has been updated to be better this time around, but just slightly. It’s easily the fastest, most responsive Kindle yet, and the screen quality has never looked so crisp and sharp. Yes, there are other e-Readers offering a lot more features these days, but none have just the right combination like the Paperwhite does.