Not sure if a Kindle Paperwhite is worth it? Are you obsessed with reading books? Back when I was taking classes, I lived about an hour metro ride from the school, and I spent most of that time reading digital books on a tiny Samsung phone.
After a while, I realized my eyes didn’t appreciate the abuse, so I took the plunge and bought an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. I’ve had my Kindle for about, oh I don’t know, maybe five years? And I use it almost every night, every time I travel, and every time I’m bored.
So as a long-term Kindle user, I thought I would write this review for you so you can get an idea of what the device can do for you.
Is a Kindle Paperwhite Worth It?
If you’re an avid reader, a Kindle Paperwhite is worth it because it’s affordable, you can store thousands of books on it, the e-ink screen won’t strain your eyes, and the battery lasts for months.
The Kindle is probably one of the most useful devices I ever bought, and it has other useful features, such as a built-in dictionary, that can help aspiring writers. In my case, I use my Kindle almost every night. For the price and the value you can get from the books you’ll read on it, I highly recommend Kindles to anyone who enjoys kicking back with a book.
While it won’t replace the feel of a real paper book in your hands, you will have access to a lot more books online, and your Kindle can store thousands of them.
In a rush? Skip the review and check out the store listing!
What is Kindle Paperwhite?
A Kindle Paperwhite is an e-reader designed by Amazon that you can use to read a wide variety of material, such as books, magazines, newspapers, comics, and many others.
It’s a tablet but the features are built for reading content, not browsing the internet, watching movies, calls, and other features you might find in tablets.
There are many variations and versions of the Kindle. In my opinion, the best Kindles for reading are the Paperwhite series because they use a technology called e-ink for the screen which doesn’t emit any blue-light or any other color for that matter. I was so amazed that the screen looks just like paper, like a paper with a light behind it.
Remember, I’m talking about Kindle Paperwhite, not the Kindle Fire, which is more like a budget regular tablet.
E-Ink Screen:
The Kindle’s screen is very easy on the eyes, and even reading at night with a dim backlight doesn’t strain your eyes at all. You have probably been told not to read at night but I actually read my Kindle every night in the dark, and my eyes are, mostly, fine.
For me, unlike reading or browsing on your phone, reading on a Kindle at night actually helps me fall asleep, but I’ll talk more about that later on.
Ridiculous Battery Life:
I don’t know how they did it, but the battery on the Kindle takes ages to drain. I charge it maybe once every month, and I use it almost every night. According to other websites, the battery life is supposed to be around 28 hours, but I’ve been getting a lot more from mine. I guess it depends on how often you use it and the brightness setting you choose, I imagine it would drain quite fast on max brightness.
What Can You Do with a Kindle?
Here are some more reasons why a Kindle Paperwhite is worth it. As I mentioned, a Kindle is mainly designed for reading books, specifically Kindle books, but you can do many other things with it too. The things mentioned below are simply the major features, there are lots of other ones too.
For example:
1 – Browse the Internet
On my Kindle, the internet browser is still labeled as “Experimental” and it’s slow and clunky, but I did manage to load some websites. In fact, this website loaded fine, so if you really need to check something online, that’s one way to do it.
It doesn’t have speakers though, and the browser doesn’t support media, so you won’t be able to watch YouTube or other media online.
2 – Built-in Dictionary
And it works offline too! If you don’t recognize a word, simply tap on the word and hold, a dictionary should pop-up with definitions and examples. When reading older books, the Kindle’s dictionary can really come in handy. It’s also a great way to build your vocabulary. Actually, it’s called Vocabulary Builder!
3 – Support for Non-Kindle Books
As you probably expect, the Kindle works best with books bought from Amazon’s Kindle store, but you’re not only limited to those. You can buy books from elsewhere (or not buy them at all, *cough*) and simply copy them to your Kindle.
The device can support all kinds of formats, and you don’t even need to copy the files to your Kindle, you can send them via your Kindle’s personalized email address, but more on that later.
4 – Email Files Directly to Your Kindle
If you want to send files from another device to your Kindle, you can simply email them with “Convert” as the email subject line.
Not only will the books automatically convert to the appropriate format (if necessary), but also send them to your Kindle for download. Of course, the Kindle does need to be connected to the internet for that to happen.
5 – Sync Across Devices, Save Reading Location
Reading something on your Kindle and want to continue on your phone? Well, you can. The Kindle saves your reading location and syncs it with your other devices, so you can easily continue where you left off. Very cool.
Not to mention you can buy books from your phone, computer, or other devices, and they’ll be instantly added to your Kindle.
FAQ:
Now that you have a basic idea, I’ll answer some frequently asked questions you might have before you take the plunge.
Is Kindle Paperwhite Bad for Your Eyes?
No. The Kindle Paperwhite is not bad for your eyes because it uses an E-ink screen (electronic paper), there’s no blue light, and the lighting is reflected from the sides, not shining directly in your face like other electronics.
On that note, reading on a Kindle can still cause eye-strain when in a dark room and the brightness is too high, so make sure to adjust the brightness settings to a comfortable level.
Can You Sideload Books Onto Kindle?
Yes. You can sideload books onto your Kindle by either copying them onto your Kindle via USB or sending them via your Kindle’s email address. Most people are concerned that they have to rely on the Kindle Store for books, and while that’s the most convenient, it’s not absolutely necessary.
Can You Highlight with Kindle Paperwhite?
Yes. You can highlight with your Kindle Paperwhite by tapping and holding down to select the text you want to highlight. Doing so will save the text as a note which you can view later by opening the document, tapping the three-dot icon in the corner, and select Notes. It will also show you the book location of that note. I use this feature all the time!
Where to Buy?
The best place to buy is directly from the manufacturers!
Kindle Paperwhite with Leather case Bundle
Waterproof Version, No Cover
Conclusion:
In my opinion, the Kindle Paperwhite is worth it and a great investment. You can also buy it as a gift for book enthusiasts, they’ll appreciate it for sure. Thanks for taking the time to read this review. I love my Kindle!
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