Amazon Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Which new e-reader is best to buy this Christmas?

In October 2024, Amazon , with a new entry-level Kindle, a new Paperwhite, the new and an updated Kindle Scribe. On one hand that means that there are new devices to choose from, but on the other, making a decision is a little harder.

The is the most popular model and the best seller for Amazon, but if you’re after the most affordable model, then that’s the entry-level Kindle. I’ve used both new devices, so what’s the difference and which should you choose?

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: At a glance

The is the most affordable way to get access to the world of Kindle ebooks, offering illumination and long battery life, in a compact form.

But does everything a little better: it has a larger display with better illumination and faster page turning, it has a slightly more premium design with a seamless front, it’s waterproof and it has double the battery life.

The Paperwhite costs more – but it’s Amazon’s best-selling Kindle for a reason. For me, it’s the larger display that really sells it, as it makes for a better reading experience. But if you can’t afford it, you can buy the basic Kindle and know you’re not missing out on too much.

If the Kindle isn’t for you and you don’t want to be tied to Amazon’s bookstore,

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Price

The and one of the attractive deals on this device is that you can get it with 3-months of Kindle Unlimited at no cost. That gives you access to millions of books, but after 3 months, you’ll have to pay the £9.49 monthly cost. Of course, you don’t have to take Kindle Unlimited, you can just buy the Kindle, but it’s the same price. This is with adverts – opt for no adverts and it’s £10 more.

The . Again, this is with adverts, and if you want no adverts you’ll pay £10 more.

Both devices were , but returned to full price soon after. There’s no telling if those prices will go back down again before Christmas – so you might be stuck paying full price.

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Design

The Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite have a similar design, with the screen sitting in a plastic-bodied device. The Kindle is more compact, measuring 157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0mm so much smaller than the Paperwhite which is 176.7 x 127.5 x 7.8mm.

There’s also a difference in how the display sits in the frame. On the Paperwhite this is seamless, so there’s no ridged bezel, with the surface of the display reaching right to the edges of the device. On the entry-level Kindle there’s still a plastic bezel around the visible area of the display.

The result is that the Paperwhite is nicely to swipe through pages because it doesn’t hit that raised bezel around the screen. The Paperwhite is heavier, which you’d expect, so if you’re after a light an compact device, the normal Kindle is definitely best.

The Paperwhite has another significant advantage over the regular Kindle – it’s waterproof, so if you drop it in the bath or pool it will survive, or if you get soaked while out hiking, the Paperwhite will be just fine.

The normal Kindle comes in Black and Match colours, the Paperwhite comes in Black, Raspberry and Jade.

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Display

The difference in size mostly comes down to the size of the display: the entry-level Kindle has a 6-inch display, while the Kindle Paperwhite now has a 7-inch display. This is the largest display that has been in a Paperwhite so far and the size is one of the most attractive things about it.

Both devices offer illumination, with a run of LEDs at the side of the display that cast light across the front so that it’s visible in all conditions. But these differ in numbers, with the new basic Kindle only getting four white LEDs, while the Paperwhite has 10 white LEDs and 9 amber LEDs.

This means that the Paperwhite’s illumination can be brighter, it’s more even and you can adjust the colour temperature to make reading at night less harsh on your eyes.

The actual resolution of the displays is the same at 300ppi and they both use the same sort of E Ink technology, but the Paperwhite is faster in page turns, so offers a smoother experience overall.

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Battery life

The differences don’t end there either. As the Kindle Paperwhite is physically larger, it has a bigger battery too, offering up to 12 weeks of reading. This is actually based on 30 minutes of reading per day with the screen at brightness setting 13.

The entry-level Kindle has 6 weeks of battery life under the same conditions, so the Paperwhite has double the battery performance of the Kindle. Both charge via USB-C on the bottom of the device.

There’s also another version of the Paperwhite called the Signature Edtion – this also includes wireless charging, but it does cost more.

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite: Advanced features

For all the differences in the hardware, the experience on the device itself is pretty much the same. Both he Kindle and the Paperwhite access the same Kindle Store, both can read the same books, both need you to tap or swipe to turn pages and both have the same operating system.

Both support Audible so you can listen to audiobooks via Bluetooth headphones and both offer the same parental controls. So while there’s a lot that’s different about these devices, there’s a lot that’s the same too.

Amazon Kindle pros and cons

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite pros and cons