Basic Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite?

[LumenLights]

Not an AIBU but posting for traffic.

With Prime Day coming up this week I’m considering buying a Kindle. It will be my first Kindle and I hope it will encourage me to read more.

The problem is I can’t decide which one I want. Can anyone who uses a Kindle offer any advice? I’m worried the Paperwhite will be too big but also that the basic will be too small.

Go into Currys and hold them both before you buy one so you can feel the difference.
I have a paper white and love it. Not had a standard one for many years.

Paper white works well on the beach regardless of the brightness of sun, works well at night and doesn't need another light.

I have a pop socket on the back so can use easily with one hand or can prop it up with no hands

The models have converged a lot over the years. Both have lighting built in now, and both are the same resolution but the Paperwhite also has warm lighting and waterproofing. Other than the size they’re the only differences. I just went for a Paperwhite because of the waterproofing but I prefer the size of the original and if that were waterproof or I didn’t have a young child who might splash it on holidays I would have got that. It replaced my 2011 Kindle which didn’t have any lighting and I was also able to read in the sun with that as well.

When I was buying I watched a lot of YouTube comparisons and seeing them next to each other useful.

The basic Kindle is much bigger than a phone, and it's big enough. I have an older paperwhite that's the same size as the basic Kindles and it's great. You can adjust the text size, spacing, lighting brightness - I have mine fairly dim so it looks like normal paper in the daytime but I can read at night.

The main advantage of paperwhites is that they're waterproof, I use mine at the spa and beach a lot so don't have to worry about it getting wet.

Don't worry about more storage or longer battery life, both are plenty on even the basic model. Although you might find that the discount on the paperwhite is much bigger, closing the gap in price quite a lot.

The only Kindles you can’t use in bright sunlight are the Kindle Fire models, because the Fire is actually a tablet rather than an e-reader.

All the other models are designed to be used in the same conditions you’d read an ordinary book in, including bright sunlight. The screen and lighting aren’t anything like a tablet.

I have the basic and I love it but if I was going to buy another one I’d go for a colour one. I find it hard to recognise the covers of books I’ve seen in the book shop in the kindle store as they’re all black and white on the normal one and that annoys me, but maybe that’s just me!

Thank you! I had no idea, my OH has always bought my Kindles as gifts, which is very thoughtful. But he's not a reader, so would never think about reading in sunlight.

I have both (both 11 gen). I would not bother with a paper white. I prefer the smaller size of the basic and don’t really use any of the paper white features that make the additional cost worthwhile.

Same here but they are pricey!