Amazon Kindle Review (2019)

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Back in the spring, Amazon launched an all-new Kindle with adjustable front light, calling it the “most affordable Kindle device” they’ve ever made.

We recently went hands-on with this entry-level Kindle, which comes with a 167-ppi glare-free display, with battery life rated at “weeks”.

Amazon kindle 2019 review1

We also got to take a look at the Kindle Fabric Cover ($39.99), which fits the Kindle like a glove and feels really nice. The lid can wake and put your Kindle to sleep, which is a major convenience when reading. The inside part of the cover has a soft microfibre material.

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Setting up a Kindle requires you to connect to Wi-Fi, then sign in to your Amazon account. Once this is done, your Kindle library will sync to the device and any purchases you make from desktop or mobile, will automatically sync to the Kindle.

This Kindle has 4GB of storage which is on the basic side compared to the Kindle Paperwhite, which starts at 8GB. The new front-lit display is powered by 4 LEDs versus 5 LEDs in the Paperwhite and 25 LEDs in the 7-inch and premium Oasis.

How does the screen fare? Well, after using iPhones with OLED displays and also the Kindle Paperwhite, you can instantly notice it’s 167 ppi. It’s really noticeable up close, but if you’re reading from an arm’s length, it’s hard to tell. The lit up screen at max brightness is actually decent. This Kindle is geared towards price-conscious shoppers looking to jump into their first Kindle.



Amazon Kindle’s display (max brightness) taken at 2x zoom with an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Notice the fuzzy text up close:

Amazon kindle 2019 text

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite display (max brightness) taken at the same zoom—notice the difference 300 ppi makes, almost like reading print on paper:

Amazon paperwhite text

Overall, you get a compact Kindle with a front-lit display with less storage at a lower price. If you’ve used a Kindle Paperwhite with a 300 ppi display, it’s hard to go back down to display with 167 ppi. But for those seeking their first foray into a Kindle on a budget, this is it. Nothing beats reading without the distractions of push notifications, emails, messages and more. Plus, the front lit display allows your eyes to take a rest from backlit LCDs.

Nevertheless, this new 2019 Kindle sells for $119.99 and has been on sale in the past for as low as $89.99 CAD, making it a great gift for the kids or first time Kindle users. With Amazon’s Black Friday deals around the corner, expect this Kindle to go on sale. But if it were us, we’d spend a bit extra ($20) on the Kindle Paperwhite.

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