Review of the Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024): A Premium Reading Experience

In October, Amazon gave its Kindle lineup a major update, introducing the new Colorsoft e-reader alongside refreshed versions of the standard Kindle, Paperwhite, and Scribe E Ink tablet. The latest Paperwhite features a slightly larger screen, a bigger battery, and a faster processor with improved E Ink tech for quicker page turns. There's also a new Signature Edition, which adds perks like wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light, and more storage for $200—a $10 increase from the last Signature Edition.

The base Kindle saw a similar price bump, maintaining the $90 difference between it and the Signature Edition. I tested both to find out if the premium model is worth the extra cost. The Signature is undeniably luxurious, but the base model covers the essentials well. Is the upgrade worth it?

Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

Kindle Paperwhite (2024) Signature Edition

The new Kindle Paperwhite (2024) brings a few nice upgrades, starting with a slightly larger 7-inch, 300 ppi E Ink Carta 1300 display with Amazon’s highest contrast yet, making text and images appear crisper. The device is a bit thinner and has faster page turns—now 25% quicker—thanks to a new dual-core 1GHz processor. It’s Amazon’s fastest Kindle yet, though E Ink still isn’t as fast as LCD.

The premium Signature Edition adds perks like 32GB storage, wireless charging, and an auto-adjusting front light for $200, while the base model is priced at $160. Both are ad-free if you pay $20 more, come in three colors, and are waterproof (IPX8). Battery life is rated up to 12 weeks.

For those with older models, these improvements make the new Paperwhite tempting—but if you already own a 2021 Paperwhite, the changes may not be enough to warrant an upgrade.

The new Kindle Paperwhite’s "25% faster page turns" and "20% overall performance boost" sound impressive, but side-by-side with the previous model, the difference is subtle—a slight fraction of a second faster page turn on the new device that doesn’t drastically change the reading experience. It does feel a bit snappier overall, and the larger 7-inch screen adds a few extra lines of text per page, depending on font size.

The contrast is also improved, with text appearing a bit sharper and the e-ink slightly blacker. The lighting system has been upgraded, too, with 19 LEDs (up from 17) that include 10 white and nine amber lights. The updated lighting is less blue and more evenly spread, especially at cooler settings. Max brightness is now at 94 nits across all new Kindle models, including the entry-level Kindle, the color Kindle Colorsoft, and the tablet-sized Kindle Scribe.

Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs. entry-level Kindle (2024)

The Paperwhite, with its larger screen and adjustable lighting, is also fully waterproof—unlike the entry-level Kindle, which lacks a flush-front design necessary for waterproofing. While the entry-level Kindle doesn’t offer color temperature adjustments, it does match the Paperwhite's max brightness and is slightly faster than before.

Some readers prefer larger screens, but the compact entry-level Kindle fits in a coat pocket and, since its 2022 upgrade to a sharper 300 ppi display with built-in lighting, has become a sort of “mini Paperwhite” at a much lower price. Now priced at $110 (up $10 from last gen), it’s still the most affordable Kindle and often drops to $90 during sales.

Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs. Kindle Colorsoft

The new Colorsoft and Paperwhite share the same 7-inch chassis and are nearly identical in weight (215g for the Paperwhite Signature Edition, 219g for the Colorsoft Signature). Both are IPX8 waterproof, so they can handle full submersion.

The Colorsoft features an E Ink Kaleido color display at 150 ppi, while the Paperwhite has a 300 ppi monochrome screen, optimized for crisp black-and-white content. Both models have reduced bezels at the bottom but are slightly larger than the 2021 Paperwhite, so old cases won’t fit.

While the Paperwhite or entry-level Kindle suits most readers, the Colorsoft offers a unique color experience for Kindle fans, and I preferred it over the Paperwhite, despite the latter’s slight edge in black-and-white performance.

Each new Kindle Paperwhite brings the same feeling: while E Ink technology hasn’t leapt forward, the small upgrades are welcome and noticeable on the 2024 model.

These changes may not be compelling enough to upgrade from the 2021 Paperwhite, but if your Kindle is a few years old, this model is worth considering—especially when it dips to $130 during flash sales. It’s Amazon’s best compact monochrome Kindle yet.