What just happened? Amazon is refreshing its Kindle lineup ahead of the e-reader's 20th anniversary in 2027. The new Kindle, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft bring slimmer bodies, faster page turns, and optional aluminum construction. Physical page-turn buttons are also making a comeback, though Amazon would prefer you buy a new accessory for those.
The entry-level Kindle retains a 6-inch screen but gains a flush front, eliminating the raised bezel around the previous model's display. It measures 6.8mm (0.27 inches) thick, down about a millimeter, and weighs 140 grams, shedding roughly 18 grams. Amazon claims page turns are 30% faster than its predecessor.
Prices start at $150 for a plastic model with 16GB of storage, though it does feature lock-screen ads. Spending $190 doubles storage to 32GB, removes the ads, and swaps plastic for aluminum. The metal construction uses 80% recycled aluminum.
The 7-inch Paperwhite and Colorsoft also slim down to 6.8mm (0.27 inches) and weigh 204 grams, while retaining waterproof designs and adjustable warm lighting. The standard Paperwhite costs $200 with 16GB and lock-screen ads; its $250 Signature Edition includes 32GB and no ads. Colorsoft pricing starts at $290 for 16GB, rising to $320 for the 32GB Signature Edition.
Both Signature models add aluminum bodies, automatic brightness adjustment through an ambient light sensor, and an accelerometer for automatic landscape orientation. They also support a double-tap gesture for turning pages.
More interesting are the pogo-pin contacts. These connect the Signature models to a new $60 charging dock, which holds the reader upright, or Amazon's $80 Page-Turn Cover. The latter attaches magnetically and adds physical buttons, bringing back a feature some readers have missed since the Oasis disappeared.
There's also the $35 Kindle Click, a compact Bluetooth remote that lets readers turn pages without touching the screen. It supports the new Kindle lineup and models released from 2024 onward, making it useful for reading under the covers, on a treadmill, or with a Kindle resting on an airplane tray table.
Those starting prices are considerably higher than the 2024 lineup's launch prices: $110 for the basic Kindle and $160 for the Paperwhite. But the new models do match Amazon's more recent Kindle price increases. Like everyone else, the company is pointing toward rising memory costs.
The basic Kindle, aluminum version, and entry-level Kids model are available now. Paperwhite and Colorsoft models will follow at the end of October. Readers wanting an Oasis successor will have to keep waiting – or budget for the button cover.