The latest and improved version of one of Amazon's flagship products, the Kindle Paperwhite, is here. This is for many fans of electronic books precisely the most attractive model in terms of its quality / price ratio and the one that focuses the most attention among those users who are not new to eReaders.
We analyzed in depth the renewal of the Kindle Paperwhite for 2021 with small but notable improvements over the previous model. We analyze in depth if it is really worth the jump to this new version and why it is becoming so popular in recent weeks.
As on other occasions, we have decided to accompany this analysis of a video on the YouTube channel of our colleagues from Gadget news where you will be able to see the complete unboxing and our impressions about the device.
Materials and design: On the same path
At the design level, this Kindle Paperwhite that Amazon has prepared for us for the end of 2021 is not exactly innovative. We have the now classic matte plastic in front and behind, as well as the new dimensions, specifically we have a 6,8-inch panel that we will talk about later, what we must take into account now are the dimensions that we offer below:
- Size: 174 x 125 x 8,1 millimeters
- Weight: 205 grams
In this section, we are left with a moderate size and a pleasant weight, the thickness is sufficient and the frames accompany the reading without making unwanted touches on the screen, in this way Amazon continues to do well and takes to the maximum expression the popular proverb and its classic: If something works, don't touch it. The black plastic as always leaves us a somewhat bittersweet sensation. We have no physical buttons beyond the "power" at the bottom, right next to the USB-C with an absence of symmetry that no longer surprises us.
No products found.Small updates on the screen
Amazon promises us that with the hardware improvement (processor we imagine) that the new Paperwhite has received, we have an improvement in the refresh rates of the screen of around 20%. We already know in depth that Amazon has the main patents in the field of electronic ink, so it is not surprising that these functionalities and improvements are gradually reaching its mid-range products. In daily use we have managed to appreciate these improvements, especially in the way the screen interacts with our touches.
For its part, another of the great aspects that come to the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2021 is the fact that the front light, which has a high brightness rate (one step below Kobo, yes) now allows us to adjust the shades of white between warm and cold with a wide spectrum. In testing we have found that the top 30% of the setting is too warm, however it works very well despite not having any type of programming or lighting sensors for this purpose.
We thus have an electronic ink panel 6,8 inch (E-Ink Letter) with anti-glare coating, capable of offering a resolution of 300 pixels per inch with optimized font technology and 16 shades of gray.
Connectivity and storage
While some companies are jumping on the e-book bandwagon, this Kindle does not receive Bluetooth and keeps with dual band WiFi, that yes, it allows us to acquire now a version with free mobile connectivity (which increases the weight) whose price rises slightly to 229,99 euros, however, it is around 179,99 euros in numerous offers.
The same happens with storage, while the version that only runs WiFi connectivity has 8 GB of memory, expandable to 32 (the Kobo standard for example), the version with free mobile connectivity does bet on 32 GB of storage. Customization possibilities that adapt the purchase of the electronic book to the needs of the end user and that never hurt.
We have that yes and finally a USB-C port At the bottom, the standard connection that they are adopting almost in all the devices could not be missing now in the Kindle Paperwhite 2021.
Autonomy and charging time
According to Amazon itself, with a single charge, the battery can last up to six weeks, taking as a reference a reading habit of half an hour a day with the wireless connection disconnected and the brightness of the light set at level 13. In addition, the autonomy Battery life varies depending on the brightness and use of the wireless connection. As a general rule, these Amazon expectations are met in our tests, Of course, there is no possibility in the standard Kindle Paperwhite to charge through a wireless adapter, something that the Signature Edition version does have.
Regarding the charging time, it will take us about three hours through a 5W power adapter (not included in the package). While we were reviewing the product, we received a software update that did not alter the performance of the device or the battery at all, which is already quite good.
Differences from the 2018 model
| Screen size | 6 inches without reflections | 6,8 inches without reflections | |
| Decision | 300 dpi | 300 dpi | |
| Front light | Front light (5 dimmable white LEDs) | Front light (dimmable from white to warm) | |
| Capacity | 8 or 31 GB | 8 GB | |
| microUSB | USB-C | ||
| Up to 6 weeks | Up to 10 weeks | ||
| Wireless charging | No | No | |
| Water resistance | Yes | Yes | |
| Weight : | Starting at 182 grams | Starting at 207 grams |
User interface and user experience
We have had a good user experience, thanks to its IPX8 water resistance, portability and, above all, the ease of Amazon's OS To read comfortably, it is still one of the most important electronic books to consider for those who do not seek complications and only ask for autonomy and being able to read quietly without surprises. An aspect that Amazon wants to tarnish from time to time in the version with advertising and given the limitations that are increasingly being offered when connecting it to the Caliber application.
In return, we have a very complete mid-range eReader with No products found. (like the current one) so they quickly outperform equivalent models from other companies presenting an unbeatable price. That is why the Kindle Paperwhite is planted as one of the best options in its value for money.
- Editor's rating
- 4 star rating
- Excellent
- Kindle Paperwhite 2021
- Review of: Miguel Hernández
- Posted on:
- Last modification:
- Screen
- Portability (size / weight)
- Storage
- Battery Life
- Lighting design
- Supported Formats
- Connectivity
- Price
- Usability
- Ecosystem
Pros and cons
Pros
- Classic and nice user interface
- USB-C and warm light are here
- An unbeatable price
Cons
- A step forward in design is missing
- Without Bluetooth (audiobooks)
- 8GB part