Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018): the new bestseller

Amazon has been expanding its product line for over three years by adding its high-resolution display to its most popular Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite. Paperwhite has long been the "default Kindle", one that is inexpensive, but good enough to meet the needs of most electronic readers. And now, Amazon is back with another update from Paperwhite that brings features such as waterproofing and Audible audiobooks from a high-end brother (in this case, Oasis from last year), with a slightly fine-tuned design and an increase of 10 USD.

The new Paperwhite is still a Paperwhite, with all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. Except now, you can also take it in the bath.

On the outside, the updated version of Paperwhite looks a lot like the 2015 model, and if you used a Paperwhite at any time in recent years, you will know what to expect.

The most important material change is that the screen is flush to the glbad instead of being in a recessed alcove, bringing it closer to the high-end Oasis Kindle. Amazon also indicates that the lighting is improved, with an additional LED for a total of five (for reference, the high-end Oasis includes 12 LEDs, plus an adaptive light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment ). The default storage has been doubled to 8GB, although there is now a 32GB option and the hardware itself is a bit thinner, lighter and smaller than the old model.

But otherwise, it's the same old Paperwhite: the screen is still a fantastic 300-dpi / 6-inch E Ink panel; the back is flexible plastic and adherent; and battery life, virtually endless.

But the two main features that really make it an improvement over Paperwhite 2015 come directly from the second generation of the year last. Kindle Oasis: Water Resistance and Support for Audible Audio Books. The main difference? Entry-level paperwhite costs 129 dollars and costs almost half of what the most expensive Oasis costs, thus placing what was already Amazon's best-selling Kindle at a level comparable to that of its model. the most upscale.

Amazon claims that the new Paperwhite is the IPX8 model. "Against accidental immersion in up to two meters of fresh water for 60 minutes". As it is currently November in New York and that wearing the Kindle on a beach or pool was unfortunately not an option, I had to do more mundane tests like soaking it under a faucet and in a nearby fountain. (As expected, the Paperwhite held up well.)

One of Paperwhite's flaws, however, is sealing. Unlike the Oasis, with its page buttons, the only way to interact with the Kindle is to use its touch screen, the same touch screen that does not account for the constant overload of inputs in contact with water. Now, Amazon has prepared for it with a software option that completely disables the touch screen, except for page scanning gestures, but physical buttons (buttons that are sensitive to the pressure of the old travel or buttons realities of the Oasis) look like a much better solution.

The audio book support is also identical to that of the Oasis – you can listen to your Audible library with a connected Bluetooth headset. And if you have both ebook and audiobook versions of one title, you can easily switch from one version to another with one click: Amazon will even sync your place. This is the kind of situation where Amazon's absolute dominance over the digital book industry becomes apparent: when I created Paperwhite, it was already populated with Audible books that I did not even remember.

The new Paperwhite also suffers from some issues that have stymied the Kindle range for years: Amazon still offers only Wi-Fi support at 2.4 GHz, which is more and more frustrating given the new audio book support that can only be downloaded via Wi-Fi. -Fi. And although it's not really a surprise considering the rest of Amazon's lineup, the new Paperwhite Micro USB charging instead of USB-C – particularly disappointing since it will probably take another three years before Amazon do not update the Paperwhite again. Fortunately, the loading is still a matter every few weeks.

Regarding the use of the new Paperwhite, well, it's a Kindle. The software has been slightly modified – new options for predefined text settings that you can customize and save are useful. But otherwise, reading on the Paperwhite is an experience as interesting as the one on the latest Paperwhite, or in reality on any other Kindle. It's still a magical concept to be able to carry an entire library in my back pocket, but that's all you can do with for better or for worse. It's a custom-made device designed for one purpose: reading, and Amazon seems to be content to keep it that way.

At the end of the day, Paperwhite's biggest question is not whether it's the Kindle that you should buy, because with the price level, the quality of the paper is the same. and the list of features it has, it is incredibly easy to recommend if you are looking to buy a Kindle today. Between the screen, water resistance, integrated light and improved design, it far surpbades the basic model at $ 79. And unless you really love the unique design of the Oasis and its slightly larger screen, there's simply not enough to justify the price difference of $ 120.

If you already have a Paperwhite 2015 or the discontinued trip since, things are a bit more complicated. The new Paperwhite is still a better Paperwhite, however, and does not replace a much-loved travel. Compared to the new model, Travel is thinner, with capacitive page buttons and an automatically adjustable backlight. If you estimate that the features of the trip are worth $ 80 more, added audio and water resistance might not be. to be sufficient to influence a new purchase.

And if you already have the current Paperwhite, then the question is whether waterproofing, audio book support, and various other smaller enhancements are worth the upgrade, and that will depend a lot on how you use your Kindle. . But next summer, chances are you'll see a lot more Paperwhites by the pool.

The new Paperwhite, like other Kindles, is the latest refinement of a formula that has been used by Amazon. more than half a decade now. And even though the latest improvements have been slow to come (Amazon's closest competitor, Kobo, has been waterproofed for years), it's the gradual addition of really big changes that improve the use of existing hardware.

Forget the fact of being a jack of all-trades, the Kindle is the master. And while problems persist here and there, the new Paperwhite is probably the closest Amazon has achieved.

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