Assessment Date: October 2024 – Assessment unit bought from Amazon
Overview
The most recent Kindle Paperwhite was launched on October sixteenth, 2024. It’s the sixth Paperwhite mannequin that Amazon has launched since 2012, and it’s thought-about a twelfth technology Kindle.
The final Paperwhite, the Paperwhite 5, launched a number of modifications from the earlier mannequin, however they solely modified a number of particulars with the Paperwhite 6, largely the display screen.
The principle distinction with this new Paperwhite is it makes use of a 7″ E Ink display screen now as an alternative of a 6.8″ display screen, and the distinction has been improved—the black ink is darker (see comparability). The frontlight seems to be a bit nicer too, and helps the textual content stand out extra as an alternative of wanting light and washed out.
The brand new Paperwhite can be quicker than the earlier mannequin, however not by a lot, and it has a barely revised design with extra rounded corners (the show has rounded corners now too).
Amazon added some new coloration decisions for this mannequin. It is available in black like normal, however there’s additionally a inexperienced jade coloration and a pink raspberry coloration, and all three coloration decisions are the identical for the upgraded Signature Version mannequin, besides the Signature Version colours have a metallic end, even the black coloration.
The retail value of the twelfth gen Kindle Paperwhite is $159.99 for the common model with advertisements and it’s $179.99 with out advertisements (Amazon doesn’t take away advertisements free of charge anymore so hold that in thoughts). The upgraded Signature Version sells for $199.99, and it’s ad-free by default.
Amazon can be promoting a Kindle Paperwhite Youngsters Version bundle for the twelfth technology mannequin. It’s the very same Kindle; it simply comes with a canopy (there are three completely different designs), an upgraded 2-year guarantee, and a 1-year subscription to Amazon Youngsters+. It sells for $179.99, besides the Diary of a Wimpy Child model is $189.99. These don’t present advertisements when utilizing youngsters mode, however they do when utilizing common mode until you pay Amazon the $20 payment to take away them.
Paperwhite 6 Fast Assessment
Execs
- The improved distinction declare is true—the display screen actually does look higher, with darker blacks than earlier than, which helps the textual content stand out higher.
- The frontlight has a clearer look to it now; it doesn’t wash out the textual content as a lot because it used to.
- The brand new Paperwhite is a bit of quicker and extra responsive than earlier Kindles.
Cons
- The flush entrance layer continues to be a fingerprint magnet, and the rubber materials on the again exhibits smudges and marks simply as effectively, so it all the time seems to be form of gross and soiled.
- The ability button stands proud on the decrease edge and is simple to by accident press.
- Amazon has eliminated the Obtain and Switch Possibility from newer Kindles.
Verdict
The Kindle Paperwhite 6 is one other a kind of fashions the place Amazon barely modified something from the earlier mannequin, however the one factor they did change, the display screen, does enhance the studying expertise fairly a bit.
Somebody requested if the display screen on the brand new Paperwhite can lastly match the Kindle Voyage’s display screen from 10 years in the past, and that is what I mentioned: “It’s gotten to the purpose the place they’re so shut that I truly choose studying on the brand new Paperwhite now as a result of the frontlight is best and the display screen response is quicker. I nonetheless assume the Voyage has a slight edge in readability with the micro-etched glass display screen, and the background coloration may be a tad lighter, however the ink darkness is de facto shut and it would truly be a bit of darker on the Paperwhite. When utilizing the Paperwhite in decrease lighting the textual content appears to face out extra when utilizing the frontlight.”
I all the time thought the Paperwhite was a very good mid-level mannequin, however I all the time prefered utilizing the Kindle Voyage or the Kindle Oasis as an alternative. I’m nonetheless going to make use of the Kindle Voyage for studying on the go as a result of the smaller measurement makes it extra transportable, however at this level I’d reasonably use the brand new Paperwhite when studying at dwelling as a result of it has a greater frontlight and the distinction is shut sufficient to the Voyage that it not bothers me.
I do want the Signature Version mannequin had extra worthwhile upgrades, like a micro-etched glass display screen and web page sensor buttons just like the Voyage had, as an alternative of extra space for storing that’s by no means going to get used, and having wi-fi charging on a tool that solely must be charged as soon as each month or two doesn’t actually make any sensible sense. However all issues thought-about, I believe the Paperwhite 6 is a worthy improve for the brand new display screen alone.
Kindle Paperwhite 6 Video Assessment
The Display screen
The primary 4 generations of Kindle Paperwhites all had 6″ E Ink screens. Then they moved as much as a 6.8″ display screen on the final mannequin, and now the Paperwhite 6 has a 7″ E Ink display screen just like the discontinued Kindle Oasis had.
The display screen measurement distinction going from 6.8″ to 7″ is nearly unnoticeable (you would possibly get an additional line or two on the backside of the web page), however the one factor that’s noticeable is the distinction distinction.
The Paperwhite 6 is utilizing a more moderen E Ink display screen with improved distinction, which interprets to the black ink being darker than earlier than. It helps the textual content stand out extra, and darkish pictures and covers have a deeper black high quality to them now. And the black background is noticeably darker when utilizing Darkish Mode.
The Paperwhite 6 nonetheless has a plastic-based flush entrance layer just like the earlier two variations, and it’s nonetheless essentially the most fingerprint and smudge-prone display screen that I’ve ever encountered on an ereader. I don’t know why Amazon nonetheless chooses to make use of it, however you need to get used to cleansing it on a regular basis, or take care of studying by way of a cloud of fingerprints. The rubbery materials on the again all the time seems to be marked-up as effectively, and the smudges don’t actually wipe away from it.
The Design
The general design of the Paperwhite 6 is nearly an identical to the Paperwhite 5. Each really feel precisely the identical in-hand. The corners are barely extra rounded on the brand new Paperwhite, and it’s a bit thinner, however not by sufficient to be noticeable. The general measurement is barely bigger, about 3mm wider and 2mm taller, and it’s about 6 grams heavier. It’s simply sufficient of a measurement distinction in order that eleventh gen covers received’t match.
Velocity Improve
Amazon claims the brand new Paperwhite is the quickest Kindle ever, and whereas that’s technically true, it’s not quicker by a lot.
They declare that web page turns are 25% quicker, and that appeared true sufficient at first in comparison with the Paperwhite 5, however then Amazon launched a software program replace, model 5.17.1, and now the web page flip pace appears the identical on the Paperwhite 5 and 6.
The brand new Paperwhite is a bit of quicker when navigating menus, opening pop-up home windows, and stuff like that, nevertheless it’s not an enormous distinction in any respect. The pace enchancment is sweet, nevertheless it’s not sufficient of a cause to improve, until you’re coming from a a lot older and slower mannequin (the pace distinction is fairly important in comparison with the Kindle Voyage from 10 years in the past, as an illustration).
Software program
Often when Amazon releases a brand new Kindle, they promote some new software program options, however this time round they didn’t change something with the software program.
The one distinction is the new Paperwhite makes use of MTP now as an alternative of USB mass storage when connecting it to a pc to switch information. Home windows customers received’t have any issues with this, however Mac customers should use third-party software program to work with MTP, one thing like OpenMTP or Macdroid.
Extra Kindle Paperwhite 6 Opinions
Kindle Paperwhite 6 Comparability Video – twelfth Gen vs eleventh Gen
Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Comparability Assessment – 2024 Version
Kindle Paperwhite twelfth Era Specs
- 7″ E Ink display screen.
- Frontlight with coloration temperature management.
- 16GB or 32GB inner storage.
- Waterproof: IPX8 rated: examined to resist immersion in 2 meters of recent water for 60 minutes.
- WiFi: Helps 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz networks.
- Bluetooth for audiobooks and VoiceView display screen reader.
- USB-C port, charging cable included.
- Battery Life Estimate: as much as 12 weeks.
- Supported codecs: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), KFX, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP by way of conversion; Audible audio format (AAX).
- Dimensions: 127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm.
- Weight: 211 grams (214 grams SE).
- Worth: $159-$199 at Amazon
Signature Version Upgrades
- Wi-fi charging (charger bought individually).
- Auto-brightness sensor.
- 32GB inner storage.
- No screensaver advertisements.
- Colours have a metallic end.
