Choosing between basic Kindle and Paperwhite

isadora127 · 8 July 2018 at 10:06PM

My old Kindle has finally died after many years and I'm looking to replace it but I can't decide between the basic model (currently £59.99) or the Paperwhite (£109.99) on Amazon.

I can see there are some differences such as the Paperwhite has a light for reading in the dark and there is also the option of 3G which is more expensive and I don't think I would need that personally.

My friend has recently bought a Paperwhite and she tells me that she is having trouble putting her books into Collections although she can access all the books (some are kept on the Cloud I believe?).

I used my old Kindle mainly on holiday so the ability to read it in bright sunlight is probably the most important feature for me. I also loved the push-button page turner which I know is not a feature of either of these models.

I can see there is a difference noted on the screen resolution but I'm just wondering if anyone has actually seen or used both types and can give me a good reason to justify the extra £50?

elsien · 8 July 2018 at 10:13PM

Have you looked at the comparison sites?

https://www.choose.co.uk/guide/kindle-paperwhite-vs-basic-which-is-best.html

Shimrod · 8 July 2018 at 10:31PM

isadora127 wrote: »

I can see there are some differences such as the Paperwhite has a light for reading in the dark and there is also the option of 3G which is more expensive and I don't think I would need that personally.

My friend has recently bought a Paperwhite and she tells me that she is having trouble putting her books into Collections although she can access all the books (some are kept on the Cloud I believe?).

Can't really advise on the difference between the two, I've only ever owned the Paperwhite. You can still download all books to the Kindle and put them in collections organising books on the Kindle is one of the things Amazon could improve greatly.

As long as you have access to wi-fi you don't need the 3G version.

[Deleted User] · 9 July 2018 at 9:05AM

I've owned both for many years and would never go back to the standard Kindle. The backlight in the Paperwhite (actually a frontlight) isn't just for night reading as it's permanently on and makes a huge difference. Battery life is no different in reality BTW. It's faster navigating around as well and the touch screen works very well. You won't miss the buttons either, fingerprints aren't the issue you'd think.

Go in to Dixons or similar and have a look (preferably at both side by side) and you won't hesitate. I love mine so much that I gave my old Kindle to a charity shop rather than keep it as a backup because if my Paperwhite has an issue I'd rather buy a new one.

I've never seen the point of the 3G version, just download some books before you go or look for a free WiFi hotspot.

The collections work simply (can't think why your friend struggles) and isn't any different to your old Kindle. All Amazon purchased content is held in the cloud regardless of device and can be downloaded at will.

isadora127 · 9 July 2018 at 10:11AM

Thank you for your replies. It seems the Paperwhite is the clear winner.

Colin - I think she said she couldn't put all her books into Collections because some were held in the cloud. Is this because she hasn't downloaded them onto her Kindle yet do you think? Personally that is something that would irritate me because I like to be 'organised'.

pmduk · 9 July 2018 at 11:23AM

If you've ever bought a kindle item it's held in a virtual library in the cloud (ie on kindle's servers) until you download it to your device. Personally, I've found limiting the number of items physically on your device keeps it fast and responsive and also aids searching. YMMV.

[Deleted User] · 9 July 2018 at 12:26PM

isadora127 wrote: »

Colin - I think she said she couldn't put all her books into Collections because some were held in the cloud. Is this because she hasn't downloaded them onto her Kindle yet do you think? Personally that is something that would irritate me because I like to be 'organised'.

That's it exactly and as far as I can remember worked the same on the old Kindle (I had the keyboard Kindle).

You can change the display so that only the downloaded items (and collections) are visible.

[QUOTE=pmduk;74506393Personally,_I've_found_limiting_the_number_of_items_physically_on_your_device_keeps_it_fast_and_responsive_and_also_aids_searching._YMMV.[/QUOTE]

True for the older Kindles for sure but the Paperwhite is much quicker.

pmduk · 10 July 2018 at 7:38PM

With Amazon Prime Day next Monday, it might be worth checking each day for discounts.

Skibunny40 · 10 July 2018 at 8:13PM

Another vote for the Paperwhite here - especially for reading in sunshine.

Rev · 11 July 2018 at 2:09AM

I was kind of torn between the paperwhite and the kindle fire but given it!!!8217;s just for reading I!!!8217;m going to go with the paperwhite.

Just a tip, may or may not work for you. I!!!8217;ve just ordered a refurb paperwhite for £65. Put one in my basket and used the code KINDLE30 as it popped up on a banner when I was looking at the kindle, on the other bargain site some users were reporting KINDLE50 worked for them but didn!!!8217;t for me.

I know it!!!8217;s a refurb but amazon CS has always been great so I!!!8217;d rather save the £40.

Rev · 11 July 2018 at 2:13AM

Just to add (I can!!!8217;t edit on my phone for some reason)

It says on the site !!!8216;save an extra £35!!!8217; if you have prime.

Choosing between basic Kindle and Paperwhite

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