The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition from Amazon is not just another e-reader; it’s an embodiment of the Amazon Kindle ethos – continuous evolution. A device designed to enhance the reading experience, it offers a myriad of features at an affordable price point of £179.99. Let’s delve into a comprehensive review of this e-reader to see if it’s worth your investment.
Design & Build
The Signature Edition, available in Black, Green, and Blue, stays true to the Kindle’s simplistic yet elegant design aesthetics. At 174mm height and 125mm width, it fits comfortably in the hand. It is relatively light at 208g, making it perfect for long reading sessions. The thickness of 8.1mm gives it a sleek and contemporary look, striking the right balance between style and practicality.
The device has been engineered to withstand the occasional splash or accidental dip with its waterproofing capabilities. It’s clear that Kindle recognizes the many places its readers enjoy their books: by the pool, in the bath, or even at the beach.
Display & Readability
A key feature of any e-reader is its display, and here the Signature Edition does not disappoint. It features a 6.8″ screen with a 300ppi resolution, ensuring text appears sharp and images clear, closely mimicking the visual quality of physical books. The larger screen size compared to other Kindles provides ample space for text and visuals, making reading more enjoyable.
The flush-screen design gives the device a high-end feel. Its touchscreen capability enhances the reader’s interaction with the device, making it easy to flip pages, highlight text, or adjust settings.
Notably, the device includes both a frontlight and a warm light. These adjustable lighting options allow readers to customize their reading experience according to their environment, reducing eye strain. An added bonus is the auto-brightness feature that adjusts the screen brightness according to ambient light conditions, a thoughtful inclusion that’s a godsend for voracious readers who devour books in varying light conditions.
Operating System & Compatibility
Powered by the KindleOS, the Paperwhite Signature Edition is primed for reading. While the absence of Google’s Play Store may initially seem like a drawback, the vast ecosystem of Amazon’s Kindle Store more than makes up for it, offering a plethora of books, newspapers, and audiobooks. However, if you need the versatility of Android, you may consider the Boox Poke5 or Leaf2.
The device supports an impressive range of file formats. Readers can enjoy a variety of ebook formats (KFX, EPUB, PDF, AZW, AZW3, MOBI), documents (DOC, DOCX, HTML, RTF, TXT), and even view image files (JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP). The inclusion of the AAX format also means you can listen to audiobooks via Bluetooth.
Storage & Connectivity
The Signature Edition comes with 32Gb of built-in storage, sufficient to hold an extensive library of thousands of books and audiobooks. Though it doesn’t provide a Micro-SD slot, the generous onboard storage capacity should be more than adequate for most readers.
Bluetooth connectivity enables you to pair your wireless headphones or speakers, a great feature for audiobook lovers or those using the text-to-speech feature.
Additional Features
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition introduces wireless charging, a first for Kindle e-readers. This convenient feature makes charging hassle-free and adds to the overall premium feel of the device.
While the device lacks page-turn buttons, mobile connectivity, and auto-rotation (features of the high-end Kindle Oasis), it makes up for it with other features. The text-to-speech functionality is especially valuable, transforming books into audiobooks and bringing stories to life.
Conclusion
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition truly stands out as a top-tier e-reader.
From its premium design and high-resolution display to its extensive file compatibility and reader-friendly features, it’s a device that focuses on delivering the best reading experience possible.
While it does have a few shortcomings, such as the absence of page-turn buttons and mobile connectivity, its strengths significantly outweigh its weaknesses. Whether you’re a bibliophile or a casual reader, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers an experience worth every penny of its £179.99 price tag. This device isn’t just an e-reader; it’s a statement that you’re serious about your reading.
Check out our fully searchable e-reader comparison table here.
Full Specs
| Product The name of the product/model | Kindle Paperwhite |
|---|---|
| Version The version of the product | Signature Edition |
| Buy Click on the button to buy | |
| Image A picture of the product |  |
| Price The price of the product (in USD) | $189.99 |
| Brand The brand/manufacturer of the product | Kindle |
| Screen size The size of the screen (measured diagonally) | 6.8" |
| PPI The number of pixels per inch (PPI) NOTE: on colour devices, this is the monochrome PPI | 300ppi |
| Storage capacity The storage space of the e-reader | 32Gb |
| Operating System Which O/S the device runs by default | KindleOS |
| Writing Whether the e-reader has writing/note-taking capabilities | ⨯ |
| Frontlight Whether the product has a frontlight | ✓ |
| Warmlight Whether there is temperature control for the frontlight | ✓ |
| Auto brightness Whether the brightness of the e-reader changes automatically based on the exterior ambient light | ✓ |
| Bluetooth Whether the e-reader support audio via Bluetooth headphones/speaker | ✓ |
| Speakers Whether the e-reader support audio via an onboard speaker | ⨯ |
| Touchscreen Whether the e-reader has a capacitive touchscreen | ✓ |
| Waterproof Whether the e-reader is waterproof to IPX8 rating | ✓ |
| Play store Whether you can install apps from the Google Play Store (e.g. Kindle, Koreader etc.) | ⨯ |
| Flush screen Whether the screen is flush with the casing of the e-reader | ✓ |
| Page-turn buttons Whether the e-reader has physical buttons for turning pages | ⨯ |
| Auto-rotation Whether the e-reader automatically changes the screen orientation | ⨯ |
| Text-to-speech Whether the e-reader can convert text to speech | ✓ |
| Micro-SD slot Whether the e-reader has a slot for a MicroSD card | ⨯ |
| Colour screen Whether the e-reader has a colour screen | ⨯ |
| Ads Whether the e-reader shows ads on the sleep screen | ⨯ |
| Wireless charging Whether the e-reader supports wireless charging | ✓ |
| Mobile connectivity Whether the e-reader can connect to the cloud over the cellular network | ⨯ |
| Weight The weight of the product | 208g |
| Thickness The thickness of the e-reader | 8.1mm |
| Height The height of the e-reader | 174mm |
| Width The width of the e-reader | 125mm |
| File formats The file formats that are supported | KFX, EPUB, PDF, AZW, AZW3, MOBI, DOC, DOCX, HTML, RTF, TXT, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, AAX |
| Colours Which colours this e-reader is available in | Black, Green, Blue |
| Buy Click on the button to buy |