Amazon has unveiled a new Kindle Paperwhite today. It’s thinner and lighter than the previous model, it’s now waterproof, they added Bluetooth for audiobooks like the other Kindles, and it comes with more storage space now.
But other than that not much has changed. It still has no page buttons, no color adjusting frontlight, and it’s not using a flexible Mobius screen like the new Kobo Forma.
It has the same Paperwhite look with the unusually large bezels, but it does add a flush front screen similar to the Kindle Voyage and Kindle Oasis.
The Kindle Paperwhite 4 has the option for 8GB or 32GB of storage space, and there’s a Wi-Fi model and a Wi-Fi plus 4G model.
Both versions measure 167 x 116 x 8.18 mm. The Wi-Fi version weighs 182 grams and the cellular version weighs 191 grams.
The waterproofing is IPX8 rated, meaning it can withstand being submerged in up to 2 meters of water for 60 minutes.
The price starts at $129 for the 8GB Wi-Fi model with Special Offers (ads). The 32GB model starts at $159 and the 4G model sells for $249.
Pre-orders for the new Kindle Paperwhite begin today. The official release date is November 7th. Amazon is also giving away 6-months of Kindle Unlimited with the purchase of the new Kindle Paperwhite.
How predictably boring 🙁
Is the battery capacity the same as previous Paperwhites.
I am disappointed they didn’t add color LEDs…. Maybe shouldn’t be…considering the Oasis doesn’t have them. Probably strategic decision…but still sucks.
Have to wait for a teardown. Amazon never reveals the actual battery size. It is surprising they still don’t offer a color changing frontlight when virtually every other new model does. It’s funny how they jumped on that right away with the Blue Shade feature on their Fire tablets but years later they still don’t offer anything like that on Kindles. I used to think it was just a gimmick because who wants to read on an orange screen, but it is nice to be able to add just a little bit of warm color to the frontlight.
I definitely would like a warmer light at night. However, the kindle usually already has a yellow/cream color light. When I hold my Paperwhite up next to my phone…the color between the two is quite different. My phone is noticeably Blue, and my Paperwhite is noticeable Yellow. It kind of shocks me every time I compare them.
Besides the Audio feature…. This is what the Paperwhite 3 should’ve been.
Totally underwhelmed.
Sweet….I’m glad Amazon screwed up the delivery on my refurbished voyage, which I just canceled. I Love the audio book addition…pre-ordered a 32GB…minus $20 credit they gave me for messing up the voyage delivery.
I think you’ll definitely be happier with the New PW.
So Kobo reveals a cutting edge Forma and Amazon reveals this garbage? Wow. Talk about a MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT!
I know a lot of people are disappointed they didn’t release a comfort light system (I wanted that too), page buttons or bigger screen options. Overall I’m thrilled, I have to admit, because the feature I didn’t think they would add (Waterproofing) has been added without really changing the price much.
I also am happy to see a bigger storage size offered since I am almost out of room on my current e-reader.
I don’t think I’ll really listen to Audio on it, but having the option is nice.
Thats a good point…Waterproofing/Resistance for just $10 more…with other added features.
I just hope the Flush Screen looks good. The Voyage had uneven lighting that was really distracting…enough where I sent a Voyage back, and bout a PW3.
Yes I completely agree, flush bezels usually have gradient issues. The Voyage was plagued by it and the Oasis as well. I’m actually completely against flush bezels for that reason
I didn’t realize it usually had more light issues – that’s a bummer. Hopefully they improved on the tech. I know with the Bevels of my current paperwhite little flecks of stuff keeps getting inside it and irritating me
Apparently it’s just me, but I don’t get the excitement over waterproofing. I don’t read in the tub or the swimming pool. It’s in a case in my purse so it’s not bothered by rain. Oh, I’m talking about my Voyage. I’ve had zero issues with it, in spite of complaints here. I read in bed every night from about 10 pm – 2-3 am with no issues.
I don’t own a Voyage, but most people who own one seem pretty happy with the device.
Since there’s no comfort light, I’m not in a hurry to get this. If I do buy it, it’ll probably be months from now.
This may seem like a minor gripe but the white Kindle label completely ruined it for me. Black on black of the PW3 was so much better and less distracting.
Consider getting a skin for it…I agree on logo though.
Comfort light was something I was hoping for also. At least there is the capability to do the inverted colors. I am disappointed in the 6 inch size and I wish they had kept the recessed screen of the original Paperwhite and added the page turn buttons. Will they also refresh the basic Kindle?
The new kindle paperwhite does have the inverted font colour feature (white text against black background) .
How could Amazon not include a comfort light adjustment? This is a serious gap in their product lineup.
It IS odd how they seem to keep releasing this feature even though it’s years old and other devices carry it.
I haven’t felt this much excitement about a new Kindle since the Bookerly font addition.
I know, I feel like I’m the only one excited lol
Looking closer at the PW4, the screen/bezel appears to be the same as the Voyage, without the haptic buttons.
So disappointed. Neither larger screen option nor comfort light system. I’m seriously considering Kobo, I’ll go that way if they have a way to upload docs like kindle has.
This is basically a 4 year old waterproof Kindle Voyage without page turn buttons. Seriously!?!
Pathetic effort on Amazons behalf to have us waiting this long for such a piss port effort.
I wrote up a long post that got lost when I hit the submit button, but it boiled down to this reply right here. Why not keep the buttons and add another $10? They’d still make a killing and it would still be different enough from the Oasis that they wouldn’t cannibalize it. I’m just baffled.
That said, I’m sure a million PW owners will trade in and love it and it’ll continue to be the best seller blah blah, but man… Anyone willing to look outside the Amazon hardware ecosystem is going to wonder why they didn’t leave sooner.
Of course it’ll be a bestseller, customers have no other choice. 99% of them do not know what the kobo is.
I’m just baffled by this lazy effort, honestly. As others have mentioned this is still the same Paperwhite design of 6 years ago. And even the 4 year old Voyage is slimmer and better designed. So frustrating.
Amazon may have good software but they suck at hardware and their Kindle unit reminds me of the utter incompetence of Barnes & Noble.
Kobo is on another level completely.
I think if they did that, even less people would buy an Oasis.
I really was hoping for a second gen Voyage as the new Paperwhite. I didn’t get that, but this at that price and waterproof seems like a nice compromise. The smaller for factor and flush screen on its own are worth the extra $10. I’ll have to wait till it appears at Best Buy to decide if i should buy one for the girlfriend.
Nothing less than a 7.8″ screen would get me excited about a new Kindle. I don’t understand why Amazon is holding out on us.
I love the Kobo Aura One, but ended up selling it because: (1) highlighting text on a Kobo is an excruciating process, and it’s a feature that I frequently use and (2) Kobo won’t allow me to send documents to my ereader.
So I’m sticking with my Kindle Voyage until death do us part. Hopefully by the time my Voyage kicks the bucket, Amazon will create a 7.8 inch ereader. Hey, they could even call it the Voyage 2!