When Amazon's Kindle Voyage launched last year, I more or less roughshod in dearest with it correct out of the gate. Sure, a scattering of competitors came out with similar displays before Amazon did, simply man -- with that high-resolution screen and its sleek new looks, the Voyage was the commencement Kindle that ever felt really high-stop. I didn't stand a chance. Now, cheers to some trickle-downwards gadget economics, the new Kindle Paperwhite ($119 with ads, $139 without) just got a huge bump in screen resolution too. Information technology was really simply a matter of time, but now nosotros're left with a question to ponder: Is a new screen enough to catapult an already-very-skilful reader into the realm of greatness? Spoiler alert: I retrieve it is.

Gallery: Kindle Paperwhite (2015) review | 21 Photos

Kindle

Pros

  • Lovely
  • loftier-res screen
  • Long-lasting bombardment
  • Snappy page flips and scrolling

Cons

  • Base of operations model includes ads
  • Notmany design tweaks over the final generation
  • Amazon'due south ecosystem isn't for everyone

Hardware

It's been years since Amazon's starting time Paperwhite Kindle hit the scene, and it'southward a chip surprising how little has inverse since then. In fact, if I pulled out this latest i and showed it to you with the screen off, you'd be hard-pressed to spot any differences. That curvy, soft-to-the-touch plastic torso? The placement of the micro-USB port, power button and status light? How recessed the touchscreen is? All of these physical particulars have remained the same. In fact, the simply differences of note between the 2015 Paperwhite and the original are the logos embossed on the dorsum (they at present say "Amazon" instead of "Kindle") and the colour of the Kindle logo correct beneath the screen. The 2015 Paperwhite's look is a classic instance of "if information technology own't broke, don't fix it" and even a design snob like me is willing to give it a laissez passer since it'due south yet lightweight and nestles nicely into the hand.

Of form, none of that means the Paperwhite'due south pattern is perfect. I'm nonetheless a little miffed that Amazon didn't overstate the power push button and slap information technology onto the dorsum of the reader like information technology did with the Voyage. Instead, you've got to grope effectually for a tiny nub on the Paperwhite's lesser edge, which gets old surprisingly apace. The screen is also still recessed into the surface of the Paperwhite's torso, which can make flipping through pages ever so slightly jarring -- your finger often smacks right into the edge of that plastic bezel. Yes, I know: I'k picking nits hither, but Amazon actually nailed the Kindle design with the Voyage. How long until that stuff trickles downwards too?

Anyway, before your eyes take all that minutiae in, they'll probably settle on the half-dozen-inch E Ink screen. This year, Amazon pumped the resolution of the Paperwhite's screen up to 300 pixels per inch, which makes for the same super-crisp text and visuals I gushed over when the high-falutin' Kindle Voyage debuted final year. It was just a matter of time, really, but that shouldn't diminish the quality of what nosotros've got hither; the matter looks great. There have been some under-the-hood improvements besides, although they're tougher to spot unless you put a slew of Kindles side by side (we'll get to that shortly). Meanwhile, you've notwithstanding got 4GB of storage for your digital library, and y'all can opt for a model with a born 3G radio for $70 actress.

Display and functioning

It always feels weird to lump the display and performance categories together, but with gadgets like this one, they're inextricably linked. Since the new Paperwhite's 300ppi screen is only as packed with pixels every bit the Voyage is, you might exist tempted to gloss over this section -- don't. Yes, both Kindles offer crisp, highly readable text even when you dial down the text size, line spacing and margins. Endeavour as I might, I couldn't make out any difference in how finely text was rendered or how quickly pages refreshed. This meant lots of gushing over the Voyage out of me last yr, and just nearly all of it applies hither besides. But are they identical? No way.

The Voyage'southward display is a little more than loftier-contrast, for one. It's nigh impossible to tell when you're but plowing through a novel, just the difference is more prominent if your books contain the occasional photo (or, if yous're brave enough to read manga on these things). No thing what image I pulled up, the Paperwhite always came abroad looking less nuanced and slightly washed out compared to its more expensive cousin. This certainly isn't a dealbreaker, though, and information technology doesn't impact performance outdoors; it's just a reminder that Amazon had to keep costs down somehow.

For better or worse, the Paperwhite'due south front-lighting system isn't as bright equally the Voyage's either. That might sound like a pretty articulate ding in the Paperwhite's con column, but hear me out: I actually sort of like the fact that the screen's a piddling dimmer. I can't call up the last time I cranked upwards Voyage's backlight all the way; it's way too brilliant for reading in the wee, dark hours of the morning and information technology gave the screen a distinctly bluish tinge. I'chiliad getting into persnickety Kindle purist territory hither, but information technology just seemed like overkill. The restraint Amazon exercised this fourth dimension around means that, fifty-fifty at maximum brightness, the Paperwhite'southward pages wait a little more like actual paper. (Whether or non companies like Amazon should slavishly attempt to recreate the look of mashed tree lurid is another argument entirely, but whatever; the screen is just peachy.)

Amazon seems to hate talking most the silicon that powers its Kindles, but I'thousand guessing the Paperwhite has the aforementioned processor and RAM every bit the Voyage since they're more than or less identically quick. Folio flips (fifty-fifty fast and frenzied ones) never choked upward the Paperwhite, nor did sifting through Amazon's menus and volume listings. It'southward still not completely friction-free, but nosotros're getting very shut. Naturally, none of this would hateful much if it took a toll on the Paperwhite's battery, simply yous can cast those worries aside -- I've only topped upward on juice once in the calendar week and a half I've been testing information technology, and that'due south only because the Kindle shipped half-charged.

Software

Honestly, this function's going to be a piffling sparse. Amazon'due south more a fan of occasional, over-the-air software updates so at that place's not a whole lot hither that nosotros haven't already seen. This year's Paperwhite is the first Kindle to get the new "Bookerly" typeface (others will get information technology via software update soon), which is a sleeker, more than spacious alternative to the default "Caecilia." Oh, and when you first fire upwards the Paperwhite, information technology asks yous if you desire to turn on Word Wise, a characteristic that displays cursory definitions in a higher place potentially tricky words. It's a swell little thing that comes in handy if yous're trying to choice upwardly English or plan on giving the Kindle to a kid, just information technology throws your line-spacing preferences out of whack.

The competition

This year's Kindle Paperwhite is a fine alloy of price and page-flipping operation, but go on a few other options in heed if you're non sold simply nonetheless. The Amazon-averse out there will want to consider the Kobo Glo Hard disk drive, which too sports 4GB of memory and the same half-dozen-inch, 300ppi Carta screen equally the Paperwhite for $130. Yes, that'south just a affect more than than the most bones Paperwhite, simply you lot're getting a reader that comes complimentary of ads and isn't tied into Amazon'south tentacular e-commerce performance. And then in that location's the other Kindle in Amazon'due south lineup with a high-res screen: the Voyage. Even if its screen and backlighting system work a petty differently than the Voyage, the Paperwhite simply made its cousin irrelevant to all only the nerdiest eastward-paper buffs. Let's run through the physical niceties that premium gets y'all: touch on-sensitive buttons to turn pages, a much nicer blueprint, an ambient lite sensor and some chemically etched drinking glass to cutting down on that pesky glare. Really, though, it'due south the screen that people will flock to, and the gap in operation is so small-scale that you lot shouldn't feel bad going Paperwhite over Voyage.

Wrap-up

This is the third Kindle Paperwhite in equally many years, and information technology's the first to bring a dramatic upgrade -- that mostly lovely screen -- into the fold. While the total bundle isn't as whiz-bang impressive as its cousin the Voyage, information technology's all the same easily the best bang for your Kindle-buying buck. If you're cool with surrendering yourself to Amazon'south e-commerce empire and you're not a raging e-volume nerd similar me, this conclusion is a no-brainer: Skip the basic Kindle and the Voyage. The Paperwhite works well, looks bully and will make for a lovely summer reading buddy.