Now that Amazon is releasing a new Kindle Paperwhite with a 6.8-inch E Ink screen and a warm frontlight starting at $139, the 7-inch Kindle Oasis no longer makes sense at its current price of $249.
For an extra $110 all you get is page buttons, an aluminum back, a rotation sensor to flip the screen when switching hands, and a 0.2″ larger display. Considering that, the massive price difference is nonsensical.
The Kindle Oasis also adds an auto-adjusting frontlight but that’s also available on the upgraded Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.
The Signature Edition also adds wireless charging, a USB-C port, and support for 5GHz WiFi, all things the more expensive Oasis lacks, and it also comes with 32GB of storage space and no ads for $189. Plus battery life on the new Paperwhite is rated at 10 weeks per charge when reading 30 minutes per day, whereas the Oasis is only rated for 6 weeks.
Meanwhile the 32GB Oasis sells for a whopping $279 with ads. That’s another thing that makes no sense about the Oasis: you have to pay an extra $20 to get rid of ads on the 32GB version so it’s really $299.
Since the new Paperwhite hasn’t been released yet, maybe there are some other differences we don’t know about yet, like maybe they’re using a plastic-based front layer again like the previous Paperwhite, which reduces contrast slightly and shows fingerprints more than the glass front on the Oasis.
Outside of that, there’s very little reason to spend $110 more on the Kindle Oasis now with the new 6.8-inch Paperwhite available. In fact the Oasis can now be seen as a downgrade in several ways.
It’s kind of surprising Amazon didn’t release a new premium Kindle to go with the new Paperwhite. This might be a sign that they intend to do away with the Oasis line. Maybe the Paperwhite Signature Edition is the premium model moving forward. I still think they should offer a model with page buttons but it’s hard-telling what Amazon is planning. Either way it’s pretty clear the Oasis isn’t going to sell nearly as well now at its current price and configuration with the new Paperwhite around.
Amazon’s strategy for the Kindle seems to follow their strategy for the Fire tablet; don’t bother making a great unit(they killed the Fire DX) and focus on selling a bunch of content purchasing widgets. The Paperwhite will sell. Far more units than a premium large format reader…my preference.
They seem to prefer step up story lineups and the Oasis no longer presents a clear step up. It could be replaced at any time. There is a Small chance that Amazon releases something this Wednesday. at their device launch.
“Amazon’s strategy for the Kindle seems to follow their strategy for the Fire tablet; don’t bother making a great unit(they killed the Fire DX) and focus on selling a bunch of content purchasing widgets. ”
That’s exactly their strategy. They created the Kindle to sell their ebooks. Without Bezos’s desire to dominate the ebook market the Kindle doesn’t exist. This realization is why I finally gave up on waiting for them to produce a new Kindle DX or a high end device with a stylus like Onyx.
Still want page turn buttons, rotation sensor, glass front…..and wireless charging, usb-c port, aluminum case.
Wouldn’t a glass front negate the glare-free screen?
No.
Also, the Oasis has 25 LED lights versus 17 LED lights on the new Paperwhite.
Not sure if that difference is significant.
Those looking to get a new Paperwhite should probably wait for Black Friday as the Oasis will probably be half off making it a better deal. They’re going to get rid of inventory so I expect massive discounts. I’m interested in the Paperwhite because I prefer the design over the oasis design but only if it has a glass screen as that makes a huge difference in clarity.
Nothing about the oasis has ever attracted me. I don’t want to have to flip when I change hands, and I change hands frequently without even realizing it. I don’t think about lighting – as long as there’s some, good enough for me. I don’t care about buttons. I just move my thumb a bit and swipe. And, who cares what the body of a Kindle is made of? Most people I know stick it into a case. I’m using a much older paperwhite which I had when my beloved Voyage bit the dust – it no longer charged.
But, I might upgrade to the signature. Haven’t decided yet.
I find the haptics of the Oasis so much nicer, there’s no way I could go back to a kindle made of plastic.
I also find it much more ergonomically to hold.
At least the Paperwhite has a flush front these days.
I have the the current and previous versions of Oasis. They are good readers but the battery is really poor. The battery last a few days at most even being inactive. It was my mistake to buy the Oasis.
The new Paperwhite is very tempting.
On the contrary, though, many of us are not homoeconomicus. Just because the Paperwhite is the better economic choice doesn’t make it the best option for you, me, or anyone else. Similar arguments could have been made for the previous gen. Similar arguments were made for the paperwhite vs. voyage, a beloved 300 PPI 6 incher (or the same as every other reader) that many still miss.
Sometimes the important thing about a product is how it looks, how it feels in your hands, and how you experience it. Homoeconmicus doesn’t buy a Kindle at all. They buy an LCD tablet because it’s cheaper and it can do more.
I think the Oasis will continue to sell whenever someone sees one next to the paperwhite in Best Buy. Online it’s probably finished.
If they had given it the side buttons found on the old Kindle 4 or 5, I would have considered the new Paperwhite perfect!
Yes, if the new Paperwhite had the Kindle 4/5 I would have purchase it.
Kindle 4/5 buttons ^^^
Knowing the Kindle upgrade could come very soon I purchased the Oasis 3 recently during Best Buy’s sale. Warm light, page turn buttons and version 5.13.6. No regrets.
I bought an Amazon Refurbished PW4 with 32 Gigs for a good price and gave my PW3 to a friend recently. I applaud the upgrades to the Kindle Paperwhite and hope it entices more sales for more people to read. I do not have an interest in upgrading anytime soon.
I belong to a FB group with people who read off Kindles but main discussion is about books we are reading and sharing a passion of reading. It’s a great group and I enjoy the boom recommendations since most of them are based off Kindle availability.
I believe most of the group will hear of this upgrade and if their Kindle is older and/or not working right will buy a new one but others will keep their kindles since the main reason for these things is to read and Kindles function a long time generally.
However those looking to get into the E-book lifestyle will see this as a great time to buy in if Amazon advertises it enough and COVID keeps indoor winter activities less accessible.
What’s better for people like me who want comfortable reading at night for 30min to an hour???
In other words, which is more comfortable to hold the paperwhite or oaisis
The new Paperwhite isn’t out yet so nobody knows what it feels like.
The PW5 should be like the PW4, it’s only a one-fourth inch bigger in length and width and close to the same weight.
Lou Sevens here-I really like the buttons on the Oasis and agree with all previous posters that the battery life is poor- before my warranty ran out I ended up with a refurbished as a replacement and sent that back and just kept the current one.
I would be tempted to get the new paperwhite if they ran it on BF for $139-$149 tops.
I have a paperwhite ($40 after trade in + credit ) that has a much better battery.
I am hoping if they are coming ou with a 6.8 paperwhite than maybe they can make a 9-10″ deluxe reader of sorts.
The Oasis didn’t really do it for me — more bulky than I wanted and unremarkable battery life.
I’m disappointed that there isn’t a cellular option for the 2021 Paperwhite — and it is unlikely that Amazon will ever make one.
My Voyage will soldier on as long as I can get replacement batteries for it.
Could you please share a link to where you buy the replacement batteries? I know I could just search on eBay but I’d rather buy from somewhere that someone else has had success. 🙂
Thanks!
The company is https://newpower99.com/ (that’s a ninety-nine, not a double “g”)
The kit comes with the battery, screwdriver, tool, and a CD with a video.
The video looks easy, but I found that the antenna cover (upper shiny on the back) was double-stick taped at the bottom and the tool didn’t help. You may need to get their “Thin Metal Pry Tool” and then you need to be very careful about the tabs on the upper edge of the antenna cover.
The battery may be really stuck in. I have a long (5″), thin spatula that I was able to work the battery out with. The battery bends so you have to work it a bit.
You shouldn’t have any problems with the main back cover — it’s well made.
If you have trouble getting the antenna cover back on, check to see that none of the tiny tabs are misaligned, or bent.
I might have to give that a try myself since my Voyage’s battery is going down a lot faster than it used to and it doesn’t look like Amazon is going to release anything better anytime soon (the new Paperwhite looks nice but I would bet good money the Voyage from 2014 still has a better screen).
They rarely seem to release a Paperwhite and Oasis in the same year, so I was not surprised to not also see a new Oasis released. The last was at the end of 2019, I’m hoping they release another in 2022. I would have been surprised if one were released this year since it seems to follow 2-4 year marks between releases of these devices unless they are brand new.
The upgrade to the current Paperwhite is substantial and long overdue in several ways – I’m happy to see this for Paperwhite readers. As an Oasis 3 fan myself, I won’t be getting it as I don’t find them as comfortable to hold now that I’ve gotten so used to my Oasis 3. It’s a fine update but not for me. I have to disagree with the idea that the Oasis now no longer makes sense now that a new Paperwhite is coming. I enjoy the design of the Oasis and how easier it is to hold, the buttons, the screen, the premium feel of the backing, and the clarify of the Oasis 3 is much better than the Paperwhite 4. The battery isn’t as perfect, but it charges ridiculously quick and I haven’t had issues.