You can read an e-book on a smartphone or a tablet but these are still not the best devices for reading. An avid reader doesn’t like to put up with incoming notifications from messages, apps and games. It’s about getting away from social media, unwinding with a cup of coffee and, of course, a book you love. If you plan to read, first get rid of distractions and go for a dedicated e-book reader like the Amazon Kindle.
I’ve had a number of Kindle devices since the original one and I’d say upgrading from time to time helps. Over time, files become larger, some books become bigger with more assets and upgrading may bring features that make it worth the spend.
Here’s the 16GB entry-level Kindle. This is the 11th Gen or the 2022 edition. It has a six-inch, glare-free display with 300 PPI or 300 pixels per inch. It has weeks of battery life, a built-in light and, best of all, it’s charged via USB-C, the lack of which in my older Kindle models was driving me up the wall.
With every new generation of Kindle, higher-end features trickle down, which is true with this model. Amazon has resisted the urge to stick a bigger screen in the entry-level model, which is a good decision because it makes the new Kindle light and comfortable to hold in one hand. It’s just 158g, which makes it lighter than most smartphones. You can slip it into your bag or hold it for long periods without tiring your wrist.
Battery mileage per charge
This is a basic Kindle, yet, there are not too many compromises that need to be made. It doesn’t have the sleek material used on, say, a Paperwhite Signature edition or the Kindle Oasis. The bezels around the display are slightly raised, allowing some space for fluff to collect. Also, there is no waterproofing, so avoid a dip in the pool while reading a book about Michael Phelps. And there are no physical buttons for turning pages. I am all right with all of this because I don’t swim and always clean the display every other week.
To read, the power/wake button is on the underside. You select a book from your library and then tap on the right side of the page to turn to the next one or tap left to go back. It’s as easy as that. What I needed and now have on the new Kindle is USB-C connectivity (the Paperwhite got it in 2021). You can use the same cable that charges your tablet or phone to charge this device. On a full charge, you will probably get about two-three weeks. Of course, that depends on how much you want to exercise your brain in the new year. If you dedicate around an hour to reading every night, you will get around three weeks on a single charge (I like to keep the screen brightness turned up a bit, so more battery consumption). Mileage per charge depends on how you use it and what features you have enabled, things like how bright you set the front light or if Wi-Fi is enabled all the time. The faster you read and turn pages, the more the screen has to refresh and the faster it drains battery but that is still not something to worry about.
Customise your reading experience
There is adequate customisation when it comes to fonts and line spacing
After setting up the Kindle with your Amazon account, the main screen is divided into two sections — Home and Library. Home is your gateway to the Kindle Store, allowing you to browse through featured and recommended books. Library is where you get the books you have purchased or downloaded samples to. Once you add a book to your Amazon account, you can download it directly on the Kindle and start reading.
The biggest update on the 2022 Kindle is the display. Amazon has moved away from the lower resolution 167 PPI screen and upgraded it to 300 pixels per inch, to get a screen that’s almost twice as sharp and just as detailed as the screens on the much more expensive Kindle models, like the Oasis. The text is definitely crisper and curves look smoother and cleaner than before. You don’t have to compromise on the reading experience. The only things missing on an inexpensive display are elements such as auto-brightness and adjustable warmth.
There are nine fonts to choose from, including the popular Bookerly and Baskerville. There is also OpenDyslexic font to make reading easier for those with dyslexia. The font size can be increased to 14 while there are five levels of boldness that can be applied. You can also choose an orientation for reading, besides margins and spacing. That’s a lot of customisation for a basic Kindle reader.
The new display combined with the four LED front light system also supports dark mode as an option. The system ensures you get a good reading experience under any situation.
From a software standpoint, there’s nothing really brand new. Navigation is still easy and you can quickly get to your library or home screen. If you like reading books from the same series, it can stack those together to make it more organised. Compared to the previous generation, the delay between page turns has reduced sharply. Other handy features include the ability to highlight sections of text or save words to your own personal dictionary.
One feature I found missing on the India edition is support for Audible via Bluetooth. Perhaps that’s something Amazon can turn on through a software upgrade.
Should you buy it?
The e-ink screen offers more clarity under sunshine than any tablet does
The Kindle is lightweight and compact
Amazon’s strength is the ecosystem — it has millions of books available on its e-book store. You can subscribe to Kindle Unlimited and get access to an even larger library of books. Plus, with 16GB of storage (13 of which are actually available), there’s double the space for downloads. Frankly, this is enough space for e-books, unless you heavily invest in graphic novels. The Kindle also supports more than just Amazon’s own e-book format. Take the example of ePub ebook format.
This is Amazon’s best entry-level Kindle to date and in reality it only took two changes to really elevate the experience of the most affordable model — an updated display with crisper text, faster refresh and dark mode support, and second, USB-C support. It’s a great reading device plus it’s Amazon’s most compact model. Even without a premium finish or waterproofing, it gets all of the important things right. It’s a fantastic e-reader, one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Lately, I haven’t been reading a lot but the new Amazon Kindle (2022) has enough upgrades to make you take to reading once again; it may make you make a new-year resolution to exercise your brain.
At a glance
The e-ink display now offers 300 pixel per inch
Device: Amazon Kindle (11th Gen, 2022)
Price: Rs 9,999
High notes
- Lightweight and compact
- The six-inch e-ink screen has 300ppi
- USB-C charging
- Excellent battery life
- Dark mode and backlight display
- Responsive interface
Muffled notes
- No waterproofing
- Display warmth control not there
- No ambient light sensor
Who is it for?
Anybody interested in reading books without getting distracted by notifications and social media. It’s inexpensive, offers great battery life and is expected to last for years.