You have a smartphone. Probably more than one. And then a laptop or a desktop for work/study. You might even own a tablet. So, do you need an e-reader as well? The simple answer would be yes.
The complex answer involves countless reasons why you should get one. For one, studies have shown that e-ink screens cause less eye strain. E-readers are lightweight and can be held in one hand for longer periods with ease and offer a distraction-free atmosphere for one purpose—reading. Also, e-books are almost always cheaper than paperbacks and hardbacks.
The bonus: An e-reader will cause less harm if you drop it on your face while lying on your bed.
It also helps that e-readers allow you to carry an entire library with you—at no added weight. You could carry over a thousand books on all those vacations and work trips without feeling guilty for not reading even one page.
And, if you want to justify the expense of yet another electronic device, most e-readers last a very long time with little to no battery degradation. The Amazon Kindle subreddit has many users still reading on a device bought in 2009-10. (Side note: The Kindle 5 I bought in 2014 ran smoothly until last July.)
Amazon also runs discounts and offers on Kindles all the time (right now as well).
The next question is which one should you buy. While many companies make e-readers, Amazon rules the market. In fact, Kindle is the most easily available e-reader in India.
Earlier this year, Amazon unveiled two new e-readers—an updated Kindle Basic and Scribe, the company’s first reading and writing e-ink tablet—but they aren’t available just yet. But, not to worry, there are four existing options to choose from: Basic (2019), Paperwhite (2021), Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021), and Oasis (2019).
On the same page
All e-readers in the market—cheap or expensive, new or old—should and will serve the core purpose of reading.
The four current Kindles all have some similar features: a built-in adjustable light, a glare-free paper-like touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity, a pretty good battery (at least ~20 hours of reading), access to an offline dictionary, the ability to highlight passages in books, adjustable text and margins, enough storage for thousands of e-books, and Kindle Store to purchase e-books.
This also means they share some common cons. Like all e-readers, Kindles aren’t as quick or responsive as the average smartphone or tablet; so there might be a minor lag in typing or other actions. (This doesn’t apply to e-ink tablets that are built for more than just reading.)
While all e-readers essentially support PDF files and textbooks, the smaller screen size and slow zooming prowess mean it isn’t the most comfortable experience. A possible stopgap solution would be converting the files to A5 paper size but it wouldn’t work for non-editable files.
Additionally, these are all black-and-white devices, and if you read a lot of magazines, graphic novels, comic books or manga, you are better off with a tablet instead.
Kindles also have an ‘experimental web browser’ but it is quite slow and is useful only to connect to public Wi-Fi networks that require a login or to quickly check any links in an e-book or an article you are reading.
Pro tip: Check your browser settings and disable JavaScript and images for marginally faster speeds. Periodically clearing browser history and cookies is another quick fix if a text-heavy web page is taking longer than 10-15 seconds to load.
Although, it would be easier to keep any non-urgent and non-essential browsing limited to other devices.
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Perks: Built-in light, ample storage
Kindle is a device and, yes, it has a built-in light. But it is ‘frontlit’, which means the LEDs on a Kindle are directed at the device’s screen, unlike the ‘backlit’ screen of smartphones, tablets, computers, and laptops, where the light is directed at the user’s face. This translates to reduced strain on the eyes.
In 2012, Kindle Paperwhite became the first device in the range to have a frontlit screen. And, we have come a long way since those days.
The mid-2010s saw a lot of studies claiming that prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted by devices can disrupt our sleep cycle and adversely impact our eyesight. This spurred widespread innovation in dark modes and warm-toned screens. Now, it is almost impossible to find devices that do not have ‘night mode’, which is expected to have a lesser impact on our health. So, it was only natural that e-readers too would go in the same direction.
Although more recent studies show that there is little difference between the two tones and you should ideally avoid all kinds of light before sleep, the affection for warm light remains among many users.
In 2019, Oasis 3 became the first Kindle to have an adjustable warm light, which was a game-changer.
And when it comes to Kindle (or any e-reader), the warm light adds a more ‘lifelike’ layer to the screen, bringing it an inch closer to the experience of reading a ‘real’ book. Barring Basic, all existing Amazon e-readers have this feature. You can also schedule the warm light at your convenience just like you would on your other devices.
When it comes to storage, Kindles nowadays come in three sizes—8 GB (all of them except Basic 2022), 16 GB (Basic 2022 and Paperwhite) and 32 GB (Oasis 3 and Paperwhite SE). These devices do not have expandable memory; so, it is important to choose the right size at the get-go.
For most people, 8 GB should be enough, for it can hold 2,000-3,000 average-sized e-books that are light on images. But, if you intend to download several graphic novels, comics or manga, you will need more.
Amazon also provides you with a cloud-based library to store your collection. This is accessible via your device, as well as your Amazon account.
Basic: Old vs new
At present, Kindle Basic (2019) is just that—basic.
It will give you the bare minimum reading experience without a warm light or waterproofing. Unlike Paperwhite or Oasis, Basic has a recessed screen, which means that there is a slight indent or groove between the bezels (the device’s border) and the screen itself, which is susceptible to dust, but it does prevent accidental touches.
These factors will not really affect your reading unless you live near a pool or the beach or you are just plain clumsy.
In fact, Basic is probably the most portable of all Kindles and can fit in the average pocket. It is light and compact for prolonged single-handed use and if you are a casual reader or on a tight budget, this is a great device to buy.
Also, Basic (2019) has a white colour option that looks really nice even though it is mostly out of stock and will get dirty if you do not take proper care of it.
There are some possible deal breakers, including a slower processor (remember, Kindles aren’t fast to begin with) and not the sharpest screen. Oh, and it still charges via a micro USB.
Instead, you could go for the new Basic (2022), which is expected to launch by the end of this year. It is more responsive, thanks to an updated processor, has USB-C (finally) and double the storage, a better battery, and a much sharper display. This upcoming e-reader is also lighter and will be available in blue (or Denim, as Amazon calls it) and of course, the signature black.
Drawbacks such as the recessed screen and lack of warm light and waterproofing remain.
Although the prices in the Indian market haven’t been announced yet, the new Basic could be Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500 more than the current one.
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Paperwhite: Is it for you?
Kindle Paperwhite, a range launched in 2012, is undoubtedly the most successful Kindle ever. Its fourth iteration, which was released in 2018, was the first waterproof Kindle.
Paperwhite is also the easiest Kindle to recommend—the Goldilocks of e-readers, if you will—to most people, as it has all the features one would need.
Last year, Amazon added the warm light feature and brought in USB-C to the Paperwhite 5, making it easily the best Kindle you can buy (unless you absolutely want page-turn buttons, 32 GB of storage, or wireless charging).
Paperwhite 5 also has an identical Signature Edition with higher storage, an auto adjustable light, and wireless charging for an extra Rs 4,000—features that have little impact on reading and have more to do with personal preferences and the availability of a higher budget.
But it isn’t the perfect device. Following the industry trend of ‘more screen, less body’, Amazon too slimmed down the bezels on this one and some users have reported accidental page turns and less ease of use.
The screen, however, is the showstopper. Crisper than ever with better lighting (as higher LEDs), it is large enough to read manga and comics (provided you can let go of the colour factor). Although, at this size, one-handed reading for long periods may not be as comfortable compared to earlier Paperwhite devices. And it probably won’t fit in most pockets.
The new Paperwhite also has the best battery among all these devices (~40 hours of reading).
If you are looking to purchase your first e-reader, you cannot go wrong with this one. It is also the perfect choice should you want to upgrade from an older version.
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Buttons: Old school or still cool?
Last on the list is Oasis. When Amazon launched the first Oasis in 2016, its selling points were the page-turner buttons on one side and the accelerometer that allows the device to rotate depending upon which hand is on the button end.
It has an asymmetrical design—with a sleek body and thicker edge housing the buttons. However, the form factor has always been a controversial topic among users as the thinner body means that it has a considerably smaller battery, lower than your average Paperwhite (and even the latest Basic).
The current and third Oasis, launched in 2019, suffers from reputation alone. Almost identical to the previous one, the upgrade only added the warm light feature mentioned above. Users were largely disappointed as Amazon had failed to add USB-C support or even a better battery, while still keeping the premium pricing of the device.
But it is the only device on this list to still have free cellular connectivity, page-turner buttons, and an accelerometer. It is lighter than the new Paperwhite models. Also, if you own or have owned a Kindle with buttons, you are well aware of how difficult it is to let go of that ease.
Oasis 3 is also the only Kindle not made of plastic. The aluminium back ensures an almost fingerprint-free experience, unlike the other models that are susceptible to grime and not easy to clean. It comes in Graphite and Champagne Gold colour options.
Ironically, the ergonomics do not really help as the metal is slippery to touch and the device feels a little too delicate. The natural instinct would be to add a flip cover, which means the advantage of the asymmetrical design is lost when you flip it open, and the cover wraps around the back, flattening it—edge and all.
The micro USB, high cost, and lack of a new iteration for over three years could also indicate that Amazon is choosing to move away from this range. At this point, there are more cons than pros to Oasis, but if you can live with a micro USB charging and you badly want buttons and have the money to spend, it is still available to buy.
Minor detail: The power button on all Kindles—barring Oasis—is located at the bottom of the device and several users have complained about accidentally turning off their device while reading because they hold it against their chest or balance it using their little finger.
Side note: Some users on the Amazon Kindle subreddit have picked Oasis over the swanky new Paperwhite models, as they say the buttons on it and its light weight help them read without wrist pain.
Amazon, if you are reading this, a new and affordable model with page-turner buttons would be great. Bonus points for USB-C charging.
Is Scribe noteworthy?
On September 30, Amazon announced its first note-taking Kindle—Scribe. While the company is undoubtedly late to the party, it has certainly made its competitors sit up and take notice, especially by ensuring a high-end 300 PPI (pixel per inch) screen that other players haven’t been able to bring to the larger e-ink tablets.
At first glance, Scribe looks like a bigger Oasis, without the page-turner buttons and the asymmetrical design.
It comes with the choice of a Basic or a Premium stylus—without the hassle of pairing or charging. The large form factor makes it a rather bulky e-reader but it is perfect for textbooks, PDFs, and note-taking. Amazon has also announced that it is partnering with Microsoft, so users will soon be able to directly send documents from Word to their Scribe.
Its price is probably going to be twice that of the most expensive Oasis, making it a truly premium device. But without any real-user insights, it is difficult to recommend Scribe just yet.
Outside the Bezos empire
Although Kindles are sufficient to fulfil most of your reading requirements, the devices are limited in their use in India. For instance, audiobooks and access to digital libraries via Libby aren’t supported here.
Amazon’s ecosystem is also quite closed, meaning the Kindle is far less customisable and also supports select e-book file types. As a result, sideloading books—bought via independent publishers and/or downloaded from free libraries like Project Gutenberg—can be a bit tricky. Users have complained of covers of sideloaded books not showing up in the library and/or the lock screen.
For a long time now, the Indian e-reader market has needed more options. The easiest alternative would be Canada-based Kobo, owned by the Japanese company Rakuten. It has a slew of devices across budgets, sizes, and use cases and is the closest competition to Amazon in the Western markets.
But for now, the Kindle is your best bet. (Unless an NRI cousin offers you more options to choose from.)
Disclaimer: Battery estimates are approximate and not absolute, based on the writer’s continued use of Kindle 5 (2012), Basic (2019), Oasis (2019), and Paperwhite (2021).
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