Rant Review: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th Generation, 2024)

New Kindles are finally here, including their first-ever color model! While we still have to wait until the end of the month for that one, a few of the new models are currently shipping, including the subject of today's review. The new Paperwhite's screen has excellent sharpness and contrast, the best of any ereader I've ever seen in person. It brings to mind another device that featured strikingly good sharpness and contrast despite the layers over the screen: The Voyage. I don't have one on hand to do a direct comparison, but it certainly seems to have that same sort of secret sauce going for it. I'll be very interested to see some direct comparisons from people who still have a Voyage on hand. It's not as apparent in photos, but I'm surprised at how much sharper it is than my 2021 PW. I knew from the early reviews that it would be better, but I wasn't expecting it to be so noticeable. Even my beloved Oasis comes up short in a direct comparison!

Much has been made of the speed of this iteration of the PW, and it's not just empty hype. I never thought the word "fast" would ever really apply to an e-ink screen due to the limitations of the technology, but the Kindle team has made that a reality. Pages turn as quickly as I can tap the screen, and while I've never cried out to the heavens about page turns being too slow, it's impressive to see such responsiveness on an e-ink screen. The true benefits of this speed come into play when navigating menus, adjusting settings, and especially when typing. I honestly did not think it was possible for an e-ink screen to be so fast and responsive. This is truly impressive. The speed in itself is not a reason to upgrade to this model, but if you're already considering an upgrade, it is definitely an extra enticement.

Despite the larger screen, it's very nearly the same size, measuring about a millimeter taller and wider. Annoyingly, it's just enough that the device won't fit in cases made for the 2021 model. (At least, neither of the ones I have.)

The back of the device feels very similar, just a bit slick. I still have no difficulty holding onto it. The power button is still on the bottom, and though I understand why some are annoyed by this, it's never been an issue for me. I've been using Kindles for thirteen years, and while about five of those saw me primarily using an Oasis, that's still a good eight years I used various basic and PW models. In all that time, I don't recall ever pressing the power button by mistake. So I get why it's a point of irritation for some, but it's not a mark against the device for me.

I have a Colorsoft on order, and this PW was intended as an early Xmas gift for my mom. While I set it up for her, I just couldn't resist playing around with it a bit, and it has really won me over. If I wind up not keeping my Colorsoft, I'll definitely be getting one of these for myself. The improvements are mostly small, but those little things add up to a noticeably superior experience. Despite the lack of page turn buttons, which I truly love, it just may supplant my Oasis as my main reader!