Kindle e-Reader Review (2024 version): Old Favorites, No New Tricks

After long months of waiting, Amazon has launched a new range of Kindle e-readers available since fall 2024. Here’s a review of the most affordable Kindle e-reader, and we'll see if Amazon has improved its basic reading device or if the brand has rested on its laurels.

Before diving into the details of this review, I want to clarify that this e-reader is mine; I purchased it with my own money.

Video Review of the Kindle E-Reader

To see the e-reader in action and get a quick opinion on what it offers, I recommend checking out this short video that’s just a few minutes long:

Packaging and Technical Features of the Kindle E-Reader

Kindle e-readers are now sold in a simple, minimalist cardboard box made from recycled materials.

While this is an eco-friendly approach, it's fair to say that such a box is very lightweight and provides minimal protection for the e-reader. However, my Kindle arrived in good condition.

Inside the package, you'll find the e-reader itself, a USB-C charging cable, and a very small quick-start guide to get your e-reader up and running.

The Kindle features a 6-inch E Ink display in black and white. The device is very compact and made from a smooth plastic that feels a bit lightweight, although it is quite sturdy.

When comparing it to the Pocketbook Verse, the latter appears to be of much higher quality and seems almost premium alongside this Kindle, which has the advantage of being cheaper and featuring a high-definition screen. So, it makes sense that Amazon had to make compromises regarding the materials used.

The upside is that the e-reader is very lightweight, quickly forgotten in a bag for transport.

The design of this Kindle is identical to the previous model, with the power button located on the lower edge of the e-reader, which is not ideally placed. Next to it is a single USB-C port for connecting the device to a power adapter (not included) or to a computer.

Here are the technical specifications of this e-reader:

• E Ink screen with a resolution of 300 ppi
• 16 GB of storage
• Lighting with dark/night mode (white text on a black background)
• Supported eBook formats: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (non-native), unprotected MOBI, native PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP (converted)
• USB-C (fast charging with adapter in 2 hours – battery life of 6 weeks)
• Wi-Fi
• Dimensions: 157.8 x 108.6 x 8 mm
• Weight: 158 grams

After unboxing the Kindle, you can turn it on by pressing the button, and the device will start initializing.

You need an Amazon account and must log in to use this e-reader. However, if you purchased it from Amazon, you likely already have a user account.

Note that if you have a Prime subscription, you have access to a library with numerous books to download and read on this e-reader.

eReader : Kindle

	Kindle
Image
Screen size	6"
Resolution	1448 x 1072 pixels
Color	No
Backlight	Yes
Waterproof	No
Storage	16 GB
Pen / Stylus	No
SD card	No
Ebook formats	Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Blue light filter	No
Other	Black or Blue color
Review	Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Link (where to buy?)	Check the price on amazon.com

How to Add eBooks to Your Kindle E-Reader?

This e-reader is a new model released in 2024. However, the methods for adding digital books haven’t changed much.

The first method is obviously to purchase and download books directly from the Kindle Store. For this, you need to connect to your Wi-Fi network (or share your smartphone’s connection) and browse the Kindle Store available on your e-reader to download books.

Some books are free, while others require payment, and some are accessible with a subscription:

• Kindle Unlimited
• Prime Reading (with Prime, read here to learn more)

One of the major advantages of Kindle e-readers is that Amazon offers a vast library in various languages, providing numerous ways to find something to read, sometimes without having to pay (if you already have Prime).

Additionally, you can still use Calibre software to transfer books to your Kindle e-reader. Calibre can convert eBooks to EPUB format if you already have some. I was able to test this process without any issues.

If you want to learn more about the free Calibre software, I have created a comprehensive guide that you can find on this page.

Kindle: A Beautiful Accessible Screen with One Major Flaw…

Now that we have added eBooks to the Kindle e-reader, we can start reading.

The E Ink screen has a beautiful resolution that easily competes with the display of the Pocketbook Verse Pro or Kobo Clara BW, which is a more premium e-reader.

However, we need to immediately address a significant flaw of this screen.

While the resolution is impressive and allows for perfect text rendering, the lighting is quite outdated.

Indeed, the Kindle lacks a blue light filter (or temperature adjustment) that reduces the harsh effects of the screen's illumination.

This isn’t necessarily a major downside if you primarily read during the day, but I find that this type of lighting – which is standard on devices from Pocketbook or Kobo – is essential for reading comfort today.

It’s really a shame that this Kindle still doesn’t provide this system (which is available on the Kindle Paperwhite).

That being said, the lighting works well and offers a good contrast on the screen, and the Kindle also provides a dark mode, displaying text in white characters on a black background, which is useful for reading at night.

Overall, the screen is satisfactory, even if the lighting feels somewhat outdated.

Reading eBooks on the Kindle

When it comes to reading, the Kindle experience remains one of the simplest available.

You have a guided reading experience with a brief tutorial when you first open the e-reader and when you open a book for the first time. This is really helpful, even for someone like me who juggles dozens of e-readers each year (to enrich and provide even more content for this site, world-of-ereader.com, and its YouTube channel).

So, you get everything you need for reading, with a large number of settings that allow you to customize the display according to your preferences:

• Choice of font
• Selection of font sizes
• Line spacing and margins
• And more.

There’s also a dark mode (white text on a black screen), a dictionary, the ability to check definitions on Wikipedia, and translation options.

You can, of course, add notes, bookmarks, and check information about a book. The e-reader also provides reading statistics, allowing you to know the remaining reading time in the book or chapter. I really enjoy this option, and it seems that Kindle e-readers provide the most reliable time estimates among all brands.

In short, everything you need for reading is available, and we can say that reading is very pleasant on this e-reader.

Interface, Wi-Fi, USB, Library

So, the reading experience is good, mainly thanks to the high-definition E Ink screen and the software that powers this Kindle e-reader.

The software is simple to use, and you will be guided through the menus during the initial setup.

The main screen is divided into two parts:

1. The first part is like a home screen that mixes your currently reading books with a list of (too many) recommendations.
2. The second part is your library, which allows you to quickly find the various books you have purchased or downloaded to the Kindle.

It's worth noting that the model I purchased displays advertisements to reduce the purchase price. These ads appear on the lock screen and the home screen, and they don’t bother me much.

That said, if this bothers you, you can pay the regular price to get an ad-free version of the e-reader.

You can also access many settings to customize your e-reader:

• Manage your account
• Wi-Fi settings
• Device options: updates, date, time, languages, dictionaries, storage, locking the e-reader with a PIN, sleep mode, energy-saving settings, reset and reboot
• Screen and brightness

The options may not be the most comprehensive I have seen (look to Pocketbook or Onyx e-readers for that), but they are straightforward and get to the point.

I do note the presence of an accessibility menu that contain a genuinely useful options (voice for menu via Bluetooth). But it only works in english!

As with all e-readers, you will need to connect to a Wi-Fi network to access the library and download books to your Kindle.

The e-reader charges via a USB-C cable, and the battery life is average, as I was able to read for a week consuming 30% of the battery (Wi-Fi turned off and lighting set to minimum).

Reading PDF and Manga

As is often the case with e-readers equipped with a 6-inch screen, this size is somewhat limited for enjoying a wide variety of content.

However, the Kindle e-reader is compatible with PDF files, making it possible to read some manga.

The screen has a decent resolution for viewing manga, even if the text sometimes appears quite small. Therefore, it's usable for occasional manga reading.

Regarding PDF documents, their support and display fluidity will greatly depend on the type of document (especially its file size in MB or KB and whether or not it contains images). The documents I tested tended to display fairly slowly. So, while it is possible to view PDF documents, it remains somewhat gimmicky in practical use.

With its small size, this e-reader is mainly intended for reading eBooks and text.

Kindle E-Reader Review: Conclusion

This Kindle e-reader offers so little innovation that I find it difficult to identify the differences from the previous model (which I also own).

Amazon claims slightly better contrast and faster refresh rates, but in practice, these improvements are hardly noticeable.

Ultimately, it remains an effective and inexpensive e-reader but struggles to stand out due to various compromises.

The most significant drawback is the absence of a blue light filter for the lighting. While other brands come standard with this feature across their different models, it is not found on this device.

I would therefore recommend this e-reader to those looking to try digital reading and who are already invested in the Amazon ecosystem, such as someone with a Prime subscription. In this scenario, it is a very relevant and potentially economical e-reader with the Prime Reading catalog.

That being said, serious readers should consider a more comprehensive and comfortable model among those recommended in the best e-reader guide.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• HD E Ink screen
• Amazon ecosystem (Prime Reading)

Cons:

• Advertisements displayed to enjoy a lower price
• No blue light filter for the lighting
• No real evolution compared to the previous version

I give this e-reader a rating of 3 out of 5 (4 out of 5 if you have Amazon Prime or if you can purchase it for under $100 on sale).

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