Kindle- Paperwhite or Fire?

allyssa

I intend getting a Kindle E reader at the weekend. I've wanted one for a while.
My initial choice was the basic Kindle till I discovered it didn't come with a backlit screen for reading in bed.

So, then I decided to go for the Paperwhite, but in checking round online for a good deal I noticed the basic Kindle Fire is only £20 more than the Paperwhite.
The Fire seems to offer much more for the price, but is it a good e reader? as good as the Paperwhite?
Can anyone advise on the comparable merits of both simply as an e reader, please?

floopnoodle

The paperwhite is an e-reader whereas the fire is a tablet.

The paperwhite therefore is the one to get if reading is your main priority.

I think Amazon confuse a lot of people by naming it the Kindle Fire, as though it's a 'better' version of the original kindle, which it isn't, it's a different product entirely.

System

we bought the fire hd for our DD at christmas and its really good, she does spend a lot of time on youtube but she has downloaded a few books and its very easy to read .

zzzLazyDaisy

I do a lot of reading. I have had a 'proper' kindle for three years and it goes everywhere with me. It doesn't hurt my eyes, and I can read it in sunlight. It really is just like a book, except that it has around 300 books on it.

I also have a tablet - it is good for flicking through online recipe books, as the books are in colour, and for checking e-mails and facebook when I don't want to be bothered booting up the laptop. But it would never replace my trusty kindle for plain old fashioned reading, there is just no comparison between the e-ink screen and the tablet screen. In fact my kindle sits on my bedside cabinet and is used most nights. My tablet sits in a drawer and mostly gathers dust, since I tend to check e-mail/fb messages on my phone.

Horses for courses - you need to decide what you want the device for. If its main purpose is reading books, I would suggest you don't over complicate things.

loulou123

I received a kindle fire for Xmas and its fab as a tablet, but I wouldn't recommend as a ereader (i have a kobo for normal reading.)

The screen has to much glare and is to bright for prolonged reading (in my opinion) and the battery life whilst ok for a tablet, would be poor for a ereader.

If you want to soley use it to read go for a normal ereader, if you want a colour tablet with the ability to read on it occasionally then go for the fire.

philhoggins

It's a simple one for me, Paperwhite battery time 2 months Fire battery time 10 hrs. They do different things, if all you want is an e-reader then Paperwhite all the way!

allyssa

Thanx for the replies, very informative! I'm edging back towards the Paperwhite. Think I'll go down John Lewis and try to handle both.
Lisa

nearlyrich

I love my Paperwhite I also have a tablet different jobs different product...

lil.smartie

Paperwhite or nook glow if you just want to read. I have a nook color, like a Kindle Fire & use it for reading but I use a white on black page and have the brightness right down unless outside. John Lewis sell the nook too.

Kate

kiss_me_now9

I got a Fire for christmas and it is very heavy - almost too heavy to hold with one hand, which is how I do most of my reading and is what I wanted it for! I'm not interested in the tablet part of it, as I have a Samsung S2 and if I'd seen this thread before I asked for it (back in November) I'd have asked for a Paperwhite.

allyssa

I'm seriously thinking on going for the kindle Fire now that I've seen it and held it. But in PC world the guy showed me a cheaper 'Versus' that looked pretty good, too.
Oh, too many choices. lol