Amazon launched a refreshed version of the Kindle Paperwhite in India last month starting at Rs. 10,999, about eight months after the Kindle Paperwhite launched in the country. We got hold of the 3G version of the new Paperwhite. Is the second-generation Kindle Paperwhite better than the first one? Is it worth the price? Let us find out in the complete review.
Hardware
The new Paperwhite has the same 6-inch (1024 x 768 pixels) display at pixel resolution of 212 PPI pixel density, similar to the first Paperwhite. The main change is the brightness and the sharp screen, definitely looks better than the first one. It has a built-in light similar to the first Kindle Paperwhite. Since this is front-lit screen, you can use it even in bright sunlight without any glare. The blacks are much deeper, so you don’t have to strain your eyes to read small text in content like comics. Otherwise the design is exactly similar, so you can’t differentiate between the first and second generation Paperwhites when the screen if off.
The new Kindle Paperwhite is 9.1 mm thick, exactly similar to the first one. At 206 and 215 grams, the WiFi and the 3G variants are 7 grams lighter than the first generation, res. The front part has a plastic built. Since this has a touch screen to turn pages, it lacks hardware page turn buttons on the sides that was preset in the non-touch Kindle.
It has a micro USB slot, a small LED indication that glows in orange when the Kindle is charging and glows in green when the charge is full. It also has a power button that is the only hardware button on the device.
The back has amazon branding, unlike the first generation Paperwhite that had Kindle branding. The back has smooth rubber finish, bit smoother than the first one for better grip, but is prone to fingerprints. The Paperwhite is easy to hold for a long time, and weighs similar to a 300-page book.
Software
Coming to the software, the new Paperwhite introduced a range of new features such as Vocabulary Builder that compiles words you look up in the dictionary into a list, so you can refer it later. The Smart Lookup feature uses X-Ray and Wikipedia to integrate a full dictionary definition with other reference information about a word, character, topic or book.
It also has new In-line Footnotes that lets you read the complete text of each footnote in-line without changing the page or losing your place in the book. The Page Flip feature lets you skim the book for a sneak peek from your current page. The new Paperwhite also got Goodreads Integration and Kindle FreeTime in a update in November, as Amazon promised.
Goodreads integration lets you to see what friends are reading, share highlights, and rate the books, by signing in with your Goodreads account. Kindle FreeTime is a built-in parental control that lets parents select books for kids. Since the new Paperwhite got launched in India only in February, Indian got these two features immediately.
It can read a range of ebook formats such as Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI and PRC natively. You can send HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP files to your Kindle email to get them converted and delivered to your Kindle. Large PDF files with images still takes time to load and zoom.
Amazon also sells the official Kindle Paperwhite leather cover on the Amazon India website, priced at Rs. 2,399. It has a magnetic latch, which puts the Kindle to sleep when it is closed and wakes up when it is opened.
The cover has soft cloth-like finish on the inside, to protect the screen. It fits both the first and second generation Paperwhites since both are in the same size.
Second Generation (2013) vs First Generation (2012) Kindle Paperwhite
What is the difference between the first and second generation? The main changes are the screen and the built-in light. The new Paperwhite has a sharp and bright screen with a yellow tinge, compared to blue tinge on the old Paperwhite. The blacks are much deeper, compared to the old one. Amazon says the new Paperwhite has 19% tighter touch grid to make the touch response more accurate, and react to the smallest touches.
The processor has also been improved, making the page turns faster. The first generation Paperwhite got all the new features available in the new Paperwhite in a recent update earlier this month.
The built-in light in the new Paperwhite doesn’t have a shadow at the bottom of the screen like the first Paperwhite. It doesn’t distract you anymore when you are reading.
The connectivity features are exactly similar to the first one, including 3G (in the 3G version, powered by Vodafone in India) for downloading books for free anywhere and WiFi 802.11 b/g/n support. It has 2 GB of internal storage (1.25 GB user memory) to store about 1100 books, but if you are reading comic books, you will fill up the memory fast. Amazon could have included a micro SD slot like Kobo. As usual you get excellent battery life. Amazon promises up to 8 weeks (wireless off) of battery life with half an hour reading with brightness at 10. If you read about one to two hours every day (wireless off and brightness at 10), it will last for more than three weeks with a single charge. You can’t turn off 3G, so make sure you turn on the Airplane mode once you are done downloading books.
Conclusion
Priced at Rs. 10,999 for the WiFi version and Rs. 13,999 for the 3G version, the new Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best eReaders available in the market. Even though it is a minor upgrade, Amazon has improved the screen, making the reading experience much better in the new version. If you already own the first Paperwhite, you can probably wait for the third version, expected later this year. If you are new Kindle user or moving from the non-touch Paperwhite, then this is definitely the best choice.
Pros
- Bright and sharp screen
- Performance is snappy
- New software features
Cons
- Not a huge improvement from 2012 Paperwhite
- 1.25GB of storage without expansion slot
- 3G variant is a bit pricey (However downloading books over 3G is free)