Amazon has released a new version of the Kindle Paperwhite ebook reader that boasts a better screen, among other improvements, compared to the older version.
The 2015 Kindle Paperwhite, with a price tag of $119 for the Wi-Fi only version, uses the high-resolution e-ink display that is found in the top-of-the-line Kindle Voyage, which has a price tag of $199. Specifically, the new Kindle Paperwhite uses the 6-inch Carta E-Ink HD touchscreen, which has a pixel density measuring 300 pixels per inch. The price of the new Kindle Paperwhite is notably the same compared to the starting price of the older Kindle Paperwhite.
The Wi-Fi with free 3G wireless version of the new Kindle Paperwhite, with no monthly charges or annual contracts, will cost $189.
Amazon said that the new Kindle Paperwhite has twice the pixels compared to the previous Kindle Paperwhite. The additional resolution is noticeable upon first look, and text and images appear sharper on the new Kindle Paperwhite compared to the older Kindle Paperwhite, especially when the font sizes of the ebook being read are on the small side.
In addition to the better screen, the new Kindle Paperwhite adds the Bookerly font, which was exclusively designed from scratch specifically to make it easier for users to read text on digital screens. The newest version of the ebook reader also includes a new engine for typesetting that is able to lay out the text of ebooks in the manner that the author intended them to be.
Amazon added that battery life for the 2015 Kindle Paperwhite did not change compared to its predecessor, with the device capable of weeks of reading on just one charge. The processor remains the same at 1GHz, with built-in memory of 4GB. RAM has been improved, however, from 256MB to 512MB.
However, it is debatable whether the improvement is big enough to warrant readers using the older versions of the Kindle Paperwhite to replace these previous-generation devices with the 2015 version, especially since the previous version already features an updated engine for lighting.
"If you already own a Kindle, especially if it's a Paperwhite, there's probably no pressing reason to upgrade," Wired wrote. The release of the new Kindle Paperwhite also makes purchasing the Kindle Voyage, which features page-turner buttons and a flush glass front for $80 more, a less attractive option.
Pre-orders for the new Kindle Paperwhite have started, with the ebook reader to begin shipping by June 30.
