Right, let's be honest here. Amazon has been churning out Kindles for over a decade now, and we've reviewed pretty much every single one. So when the newest generation Kindle landed on our doorstep, we weren't exactly expecting fireworks — just another incremental update with slightly better specs, right?
Well, we were pleasantly surprised. This little £105 e-reader has genuinely impressed us over the past three weeks of testing. It's the lightest Kindle Amazon has ever made, the screen is noticeably sharper, and that battery life claim of six weeks? We're believers now.
But here's the thing — whilst this Kindle nails the basics brilliantly, there are still a few quirks that might put some people off. Let's dig into what we actually think after living with this thing day-to-day.
The moment you pick up this Kindle, you notice how ridiculously light it is. We're talking 158 grams — lighter than most smartphones. Our editor has been chucking it in her handbag every morning without even thinking about it, which says everything really.
The matcha green colour is lovely too, though we know it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's subtle enough that it doesn't scream "look at me" but distinctive enough that you won't lose it in a pile of black gadgets.
That 6-inch display immediately caught our attention. The contrast is genuinely better than the previous generation — text looks crisp and sharp, even in bright sunlight. We tested it poolside during a surprisingly sunny weekend in Brighton, and there wasn't a hint of glare.
Page turns are snappy now. Not revolutionary, but definitely noticeable if you're coming from an older Kindle. We timed them at roughly 0.7 seconds, which might not sound impressive until you realise you're doing this hundreds of times per session.
The adjustable front light has been bumped up 25% at maximum brightness, and honestly, it makes a proper difference. We found ourselves reading comfortably in bed without disturbing our partner — something that always ended in grumpy negotiations with the old model.
Dark mode is a welcome addition too. Our eyes felt less strained during those late-night reading binges, though we still prefer the traditional white background for daytime use.
16GB holds thousands of books, and we mean thousands. We loaded up about 500 novels and still had plenty of space left over. Unless you're planning to store your entire local library, you're sorted.
That six-week battery claim? We've been using it daily for three weeks and we're still at 40%. Granted, we're not power users, but even with the front light on most of the time, it barely makes a dent.
Charging is via USB-C thankfully, so no more hunting for that ancient micro-USB cable that every previous Kindle seemed to demand.
What genuinely surprised us was how this thing just disappears when you're reading. The lightweight design and comfortable grip mean you can hold it for hours without fatigue — something our tablet-reading friends constantly moan about.
Right, let's talk about what's not perfect. The build quality, whilst solid, feels a bit plasticky compared to the Paperwhite. It's fine, but you can tell where they've cut costs.
The page turn buttons are gone, so you're stuck with touchscreen controls. Not a dealbreaker, but physical buttons were genuinely useful for one-handed reading.
And here's something that properly winds us up — no waterproofing. Take this to the beach or bath at your own risk. For £105, we'd expect at least some water resistance in 2024.
The front light, whilst improved, still isn't perfectly even across the screen. There are slightly darker patches at the bottom that you'll notice if you're looking for them.
This Kindle hits the sweet spot for first-time e-reader buyers who want something reliable without paying Paperwhite money. If you're someone who reads mainly at home or during commutes, and you don't need waterproofing, this is brilliant value.
It's also perfect for people upgrading from ancient Kindles — the improvements in speed, display quality, and battery life will genuinely surprise you. Finally, if you're buying for someone else (hello, Christmas shoppers), this strikes the right balance between capable and affordable.
This newest Kindle delivers exactly what most people want from an e-reader — it's light, reliable, and the screen looks great. Yes, it cuts some corners to hit that £105 price point, but for most readers, those compromises are worth making. We'd happily recommend this to anyone buying their first Kindle or upgrading from something ancient.
As an Amazon Associate, Smart Trends earns from qualifying purchases.
Was this review helpful?
