We all know what The Amazon Kindle is all about

Amazon's Kindle was first released in the UK in July 2010. It had a lot of buttons and was a bit bigger, but other than that, the basic premise hasn't changed since that first device hit the shelves.

If you are a user, like me, that means a device which provides access to a huge number of books in a device which fits in one hand. A screen which minimises eye strain through the use of e-ink and the ability to quickly and easily add to your book collection through buying new books on the device.

If you are Amazon, the Kindle represents another opportunity to tie people into Amazon's ecosystem and ensure that more of the pounds (or dollars) a person spends go through them.

A Colour Kindle?

The inexorable march of technology means that a colour kindle was always going to happen. The first 'Colorsoft' Kindle was launched in October 2024 and it is that model which is still on offer from Amazon today. There are three variants, the Colorsoft, the Colorsoft Signature Edition and the Colorsoft Kids.

The Signature Edition provides double the storage (32gb as opposed to 16gb) a wireless charging option, a light sensor to help adjust the backlight and a more metallic shell. Whilst the Kids version comes with child safety controls switched on from the start and brighter orange or teal colour options.

The big question from me before I bought mine was whether the addition of colour provides any meaningful benefit. In particular whether it justifies the increased cost. When you consider that the base Kindle (at the time of writing) can be picked up for £95, compared with £270 for the top of the range Coloursoft Signature Edition, it's important to consider what you're getting for that extra outlay.

The headline, of course, is that colour screen. We're so used to our devices having colour screens, it's easy to miss what a marvel of technological innovation a colour screen e-ink device really is.

If you weren't already aware, the premise is a bit like an etch-a-sketch. Whilst an etch-a-sketch uses magnets and tiny pieces of iron, the 'ink' in a kindle is actually tiny electrically charged particles which are suspended in a thin layer of clear fluid. The device is then able to apply a charge to move the particles up or down in the water, changing what you see. This is why the screen is slightly slower to react than your phone, but doesn't require a harsh backlight to be seen. To add various colours into this process is genuinely impressive and the fact it took 14 years since the launch of the original Kindle reflects the scale of the challenge.

But, just because something was hard to create, doesn't necessarily mean it was totally necessary.

If you like graphic novels, then obviously this is a huge improvement over the black and white version, whilst this iteration also allows things like coloured highlighting of text. However, if your main preference is simply to read a conventional book, to be honest, save your money and plump for a standard Kindle.

There are quite a few Kindle options to choose from.

Even more than that, there are plenty of other e-readers out there, although the Kindle is obviously the king in terms of popularity.

That base level Kindle is restricted to 16gb of storage and a 6" screen, although that still allows you to download (in Amazon's words) 'thousands of books'. It comes with a front light and the ability to read with white text on a dark screen or the more traditional way. The biggest compromise is that Amazon will force advertising on you either on the lock screen or at the foot of the homescreen. Just £10 extra will provide you with the ad free experience.

There is then the paperwhite which offers a 7" screen, an adjustable light and a sleeker design (£160 with ads or £170 without).

The super premium devices - Kindle's Scribe - are Kindle's answer to ReMarkable's e-ink notebook.

My ownership experience

Despite intending to buy one for some years, this is actually my first Kindle. As a result I will need to build up my library to experience the full benefit. Although I have started reading Philip K Dick's The Man in the High Castle, which I already had on my account.

I do like the device. It feels relatively nice in my hand, it's light and the cover (which I think is an almost essential purchase) works perfectly with the device, even if it does add a little unwelcome bulk.

My instinct has always been to head towards the most feature stacked option. Perhaps out of worry that I am missing out on some essential benefit that I can't live without. In this case that did lead me to the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. I was fortunate to have a decent discount having bought during the Prime Day sales (I suggest no one ever buys an Amazon device outside of Prime Day/Black Friday) but it still wasn't cheap. And, the truth is, I probably should have headed down the range to the paperwhite, as the extra features just aren't necessary for me. I will not be buying the expensive wireless charger and thus far I have only read in black and white.

The addition of colour might be a huge benefit to you, but I just don't think it's compelling or a huge value add for most users. I certainly wouldn't suggest upgrading from an existing kindle to get hold of this version.

Battery life is quoted at around 8 weeks - 4 less than you get from the Paperwhite, but 2 more than the base Kindle.

Verdict

If you have money to burn, can't miss out on the latest and greatest tech or read a lot of graphic novels, this is the one for you. But, if what you want is a solid quality e-reader that is part of the Amazon ecosystem, then save yourself a bit of money and go for the Paperwhite.