Amazon just a new model announced from its Kindle ebook reader, which brings some much-needed upgrades to the entry-level model. The new model has a 300 ppi screen, longer battery life and best of all, it now charges via USB-C. That means many readers can finally ditch the last of their Micro USB cables. It will be available on October 12 and will cost $99.99 with ads or $119.99 without.
Since it was last updated in 2019, the cheapest Kindle no longer seems like a great deal. It had the worst screen in the Kindle series, forced you to charge via an old stand, and had a design that clearly felt last-gen. The Kindle Paperwhite has long been the default best option: it had a better screen, a better front light, and a USB-C charger. At $139, it was a pretty steep increase over the regular Kindle, but it was worth it. (There’s also the Oasis, if you’re both an avid reader and willing to spend a lot of money for a slightly better screen.) When you buy the new Kindle, you also get four months of Kindle Unlimited for free. And for another $20, you can get the Kindle Kids edition, which comes with a special case and a one-year subscription to Amazon’s kid-friendly content.
The Kindle now looks a lot more like a worthwhile option if you want to save the $40
The new Kindle is $10 more expensive than the last model and still doesn’t have quite as nice a lamp as Paperwhite’s, but it now looks much more like a worthwhile option if you’re looking to save the $40. The new Kindle also comes with new colors: you can now get it in black or in a new soft blue color that Amazon calls “denim.”
In addition to the charging and screen upgrades, it also has 16GB of storage, which is an impossibly large amount for books, but comes in handy if you’re a big audiobook listener. Amazon says the new devices will also last up to six weeks, vaguely describing them as “the lightest and most compact Kindle models available”. According to its website, the new Kindle is about half an ounce lighter than the previous model and a bit smaller in every dimension, while still keeping the screen the same size.
The new Kindle looks like a nice and long-awaited upgrade. But it’s still very much a Kindle. Amazon has long said its goal is to make e-readers that feel like paper, with all the flexibility and versatility that comes with it. For now, it just makes better devices with better screens — but still Kindles through and through.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.