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Next week, Amazon is already hosting an event where we’re expecting to see a few new products announced, likely in the Echo family and maybe a new camera from Ring. But the company has just announced a refresh for the Kindle Paperwhite lineup, with two new models.
Kindle Paperwhite (11th Generation)
The standard Kindle Paperwhite 11th-gen sports a larger 6.8-inch display compared to the 6-inch display from the previous iteration. The bezels have also been slimmed down, allowing for more content to be displayed on the screen. But there’s still the larger bezel at the bottom with the Kindle branding, so that you can still have somewhere to hold the Paperwhite without actually touching the screen.
Unfortunately, the display technology has not been upgraded at all, as it comes with the same black and white e-ink display that we’ve seen for years. It’s a bit disappointing in the fact that while the display is now larger, it still features the same 300ppi pixel density.
What has been upgraded is the number of LEDs packed into the display. With the previous generation, the Kindle Paperwhite featured just 5 LEDs, but this new version includes a total of 17 LEDs. This allows for a more consistent experience across the display, while also adding the ability to adjust the temperature of the light from white to amber. This provides a much more comfortable reading experience, especially if you’re reading in a low-light situation.
Battery life has been vastly improved, as Amazon claims the new Paperwhite will last for up to 10 weeks on a single charge. Plus, we now have USB-C for charging, as Amazon finally moves away from the outdated microUSB connector.
Pricing for the 11th-gen Kindle Paperwhite starts at $139.99 for the Ad-Supported model, or $159.99 if you want to skip the ads.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
In addition to the standard Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon has also introduced a new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. The two Paperwhite models are practically identical, save for a couple of added features available on the Signature Edition.
The first of which is the inclusion of Qi wireless charging, which charges at speeds up to 10W. Amazon has been bringing Qi charging to its Fire lineup of tablets, so it makes sense to see it arrive on the Kindle Paperwhite in some capacity.
Additionally, the Signature Edition includes built-in ambient light sensors. These allow for the brightness to automatically change, depending on the lighting conditions around you. And finally, the storage for the Signature Edition gets bumped up to 32GB, compared to the 8GB offered with the “normal” Paperwhite. Pricing for the Paperwhite Signature Edition comes in at $189.99 and you won’t have to worry about built-in ads at all.
Both of these new Paperwhite models are available for pre-order starting today from Amazon. These will both be released on October 27th, and as always, you can get it by launch day with free Prime Day shipping if you’re already an Amazon Prime member.
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