Kindle Paperwhite

IS IT WORTH UPGRADING?

COSTING AN EXTRA $70 ($179) compared to the Kindle Touch, the Paperwhite has quite a few extra features. Most importantly, it comes equipped with a backlight, which makes it possible to read without an external light source. We also find that the backlight helps make the text more readable even during the day.

The Paperwhite also has a 300dpi screen (an upgrade over the previous Paperwhite), which gives noticeably sharper text. Unlike the higher-end Kindles, the Paperwhite doesn’t have a flush screen, which we find collects fluff and dirt.

Even with the backlight on fairly bright, the Paperwhite will happy run for weeks between charges. It has built in Wi-Fi, though there is a version with free worldwide 3G (for downloading books), but it costs around $70 more ($245) again. The unit measures in at 16.9 x 11.7 x 0.91cm and weighs 205 grams.

The Paperwhite is worth the extra expense for the backlight alone, but combined with the 300dpi screen, it’s a great choice.