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Comparing Our Favorite Kindles
What About the New Kindle Scribes?
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Amazon
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe (3rd Gen)
I got to test two of Amazon’s new Kindles, the Kindle Scribe ($500) and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft ($630), before they shipped to the public. Both have a similar look, though the Scribe Colorsoft has a color screen and a shorter battery life (only eight weeks of reading time, compared with 12 weeks for the black-and-white Scribes). Both have a new, taller design with an 11-inch screen, slightly slimmer form factor, and updated stylus. They both also have a quad-core chip and have a new homepage, will support a variety of AI features including AI search (along with some AI tools for summarizing books you’re reading without giving spoilers, but those won’t arrive until next year). Users can connect to Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive to mark up documents.
Overall, I’d say they’re good devices, but as long as the cheaper second-generation Kindle Scribe is available, I think it’s the better buy. It also has AI capabilities and will get the same updated home page next year, so you really don’t need to upgrade. I’m also disappointed that these cost so much; for the price of the Scribe Colorsoft, you could get the more powerful reMarkable Paper Pro, which also has a color screen but can double as an e-paper tablet and almost laptop with its keyboard accessories.
There’s a base model Kindle Scribe without the front light ($430) due out this year, but as someone who loves to read in the dark, I don’t love this concept. We’ll see how I feel once it arrives; this guide will be updated with testing notes once it’s available.
Accessories for Easier Reading
If you’ve ever had a long reading session that gives you hand cramps, these accessories might help. You can check out more options in our Best Kindle Accessories guide.
Best Kindle Cases and Covers
Amazon Kindles are, thankfully, not as fragile as a pricey smartphone, but you may still want to add a cover to protect the screen if you’re frequently toting it around in a bag. These aren’t padded for serious drops, but are some of the best Kindle cases I’ve found for daily protection from scratches and scuffs.
Looking for more accessory ideas? Check out my guide to all of the best Kindle accessories. Also, don’t forget that if the Kids’ editions come with cases, so if you’re buying one of those, you won’t need a case.
About Those Older Kindles
Amazon doesn’t release new Kindles often—the company usually takes a few years between models. Whenever a new one arrives, its predecessor’s stock starts to dwindle. It’s not that we don’t recommend these per se, but we only suggest these if you can find them on sale for the right price. Otherwise, we recommend buying the latest version.
Before making your purchase, cross-check the price with the latest model to make sure you’re spending a fair amount less on the older device.
Kindle (2022, 11th Generation): This is the smallest of the lot at 6.2 inches tall and 4.3 inches wide, with a 6-inch screen. If you find tablets too cumbersome to hold with one hand, consider this one. With this model, Amazon doubled the storage to 16 gigabytes and upgraded the display to 300 pixels per inch (PPI) resolution (up from 167 PPI). It’s tough to find, and I usually don’t see it for less than $75 these days.
Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation): This is the next step up from the basic model. It has a bright 6.8-inch screen with adjustable warm lighting, a fast page-turn rate, a USB-C port, and 16 gigs of storage. It’s waterproof too. We like the Signature Edition, which also includes auto-adjust brightness and 32 gigabytes of storage. Don’t recommend spending more than $100 if you can find them.
Kindle Scribe (1st Generation): The original Scribe is a great option for note-takers. It has a giant 10.2-inch screen for taking notes, marking up PDFs, or drawing, and numerous paper formats you can choose, like college-ruled or dotted. It also comes with the Basic Pen, which feels natural to write with and attaches to the side of the Scribe magnetically. It’s only worth it for $230 or less.
Kindle Kids (2022): This is an older kid-friendly model. It comes with a cover, a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, parental controls, and a two-year warranty, but the fact that it’s only available secondhand means you’ll likely miss out on the subscription window and may or may not still have a cover. Don’t spend more than $70 on this one.
Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2021): This older Paperwhite version is a step up from the previous basic Kids models. It has a high-resolution 300-ppi display with an adjustable warm screen and is also waterproof. You shouldn’t spend more than $110 on this one.
FAQs
What’s the Best Way to Buy or Sell an Older Kindle?
Have an old Kindle lying around? Are you looking at a used one for sale? If you’re trying to figure out what model it is, this Amazon page includes photos, specs, and release years for the entire lineup. Once you know which one you have, you may be able to trade it in for credit toward a newer model.
Most old Kindles probably still work, just with fewer bells and whistles. It’s best to avoid Kindles with keyboards or any other physical buttons other than page-turn buttons. Some older models lost the ability to browse, purchase, or borrow new books directly from the device. However, you’ll still be able to do this via Amazon on your computer or phone and have it sent to your Kindle, which is a better experience anyway. These models include the Kindle 2nd Generation (International), Kindle DX International, Kindle DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4th Generation, and Kindle 5th Generation.
How Do You Get Free Ebooks on a Kindle?
If you buy every single book you want to read on a Kindle, it can add up! But there are ways to save some money while reading as much as your heart desires. You may want to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited for $12 a month. You can only choose from the Unlimited catalog, but there are millions of titles there, including audiobooks and magazines. Start out with the 30-day free trial.
If you already pay for a Prime account, you’re eligible for some free ebooks through Prime Reading. There are not as many options as with Kindle Unlimited, and in a lot of cases, you’ll see both Unlimited and Prime options lumped together; you’ll have to look closely to find the free ebooks. It’s still something, and there are even a few magazines.
If you don’t want another monthly subscription and don’t want to continue giving your money to Amazon, take advantage of the ebooks available with your library card. Browsing a digital catalog is not as magical as spending an afternoon looking over every shelf in a library, but such is the ebook life (no one says you can’t read both!). We have a detailed how-to on this you should check out, but here are some of the takeaways:
- Get a library card for your local branch.
- Check your branch’s website for its ebook offerings. Many libraries use a service called OverDrive.
- Download directly to your Kindle library. They’ll automatically be removed when they’re due back.
If you know someone else with a Kindle, you can lend books between your libraries, just as you would with a physical copy. Follow these instructions from Amazon if you want to share an ebook, but keep in mind that not all books can be loaned.
Do All Kindles Have Dark Mode?
Dark mode is a big appeal of any e-reader, whether it’s a Kindle or another brand. And just about all models have it now that most e-readers include a front light. (Older Kindles don’t always have one, so if you’re getting an older refurbished one, double-check it.) However, one new model doesn’t have a true dark mode: the Colorsoft. The Colorsoft can’t have a full dark mode due to its screen design, according to Amazon, but instead you can switch the page color to black in the Quick Actions menu. It’s not the same, though, especially if you are reading something that isn’t a regular book (like a file sent to your Kindle) or want the menu pages to also be dark, you’re out of luck.
What Else Can a Kindle Do?
Kindles have helpful features you may want to take advantage of. Long-press a word or phrase to see its definition, highlight it, or take notes. You can also search the entire book for that particular word or phrase or translate it to or from other languages.
Word Wise shows short definitions in small text within the lines. Unfortunately, it’s not available for all books, but when it is, you can turn it on or off and choose more and fewer hints. Clicking the short definition opens a longer one from Word Wise and the New Oxford American Dictionary or Oxford Dictionary of English (you can switch between the two), plus translations, and a Wikipedia page, if applicable.
While reading, tap the top of the screen and click “Aa” to change font size or type—there’s even a font called OpenDyslexic that helps make reading easier for people with dyslexia. You can control margin sizes and line spacing from that menu too.
When a Kindle is connected to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones, VoiceView Screen Reader (accessed through Settings > Accessibility) allows you to use gestures to navigate your device and reads aloud what you’ve pressed. It will also read a book aloud, though it doesn’t sound nearly as nice as an audiobook.
Amazon owns Goodreads, so it syncs seamlessly to Kindles (press the three-dot menu > Goodreads). If you have a Goodreads account, you can review the Kindle books you’ve read or browse your bookshelf and recommendations. Long-pressing a word or phrase, in addition to what is mentioned above, opens up an option to share quotes directly to Goodreads.
There’s a web browser too if you’re connected to the internet (three-dot menu > Web Browser). It’s not the best, so I’d reserve it for emergency searches.
How Do You Update a Kindle?
When Amazon releases a new software update, it will download and install to your Kindle automatically when it’s connected to Wi-Fi. You can check if you’re on the latest software by going to Settings > Device Options > Advanced Options > Update Your Kindle. If it’s not on the latest software version, you’ll see an update available and the Kindle will then prompt you to download and install it.
Is This a Good Time to Buy a Kindle?
The best time to buy a Kindle is during a major sale event like Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday, because Amazon often has steep discounts. Both Amazon Prime Day (and Amazon Big Deals Day, which it named the 2025 October sale event) has passed, along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We’ll keep an eye out for winter and spring sales, but these events are usually good to aim for if you want an on-sale Kindle.
Amazon refreshed its line of Kindles just last year, and already launched a few new Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe models this year. While there’s one more new Kindle Scribe device due out next year, the current lineup is overall great to shop.
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