Priced at $629, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is one of the best e-readers you can buy. We called it the "Cadillac of Kindles" because it has a crisp 11-inch screen that's capable of displaying your books in black and white or color and includes a stylus with a built-in eraser tool.

For a limited time, Best Buy has the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft on sale for $479. It's one of my favorite Best Buy Black Friday in July sales this week and an excellent way to get Amazon's premium Kindle for less.

In our Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review, we said Amazon's premium tablet is well-suited for anyone who expects to read and write a lot and likes to do so in color. We were hesitant about its high price, but now that it's on sale it's a great Kindle we recommend for just about anything.

We love the large e-paper display that makes reading documents and comic books easier than on any other Kindle. It also gives you enough room to work on documents while opening the expandable margin to take notes. There's also an included stylus (Kindle Premium Pen) that comes with the Colorsoft, which magnetically attaches to the side of the device. It has a screen-sensitive rear end you can use to "erase" what you've written, as well as a shortcut button on the side you can customize to your liking.

Even on sale, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is still an expensive purchase. However, if you're a Kindle fan who's already used to working within Amazon's ecosystem and want the added option to write, doodle, and read in color — Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is for you.

“It’s been a while since I properly sat down and read a book.” A sentence I said, and probably many of you have uttered in the age of short-form content. With the $419 Boox Go 10.3 Gen II and 25,000 miles worth of flights in two weeks, I’ve got the chance to lose myself in many good reads.

Did this e-reader hold up to the Kindle Scribe? Kind of — it depends on what your priorities are. If it’s a high-quality reading experience, Boox is the way to go.

The screen has fantastic sharpness and contrast that makes the text pop off the screen; the soft, evenly spread backlighting makes it easier on the eyes for late-night reading.

But more than that, this tablet runs Android 15, which, beyond the Play Store’s selection of reading apps, makes it far more open to different eBook file formats. Way more open than you’d find on any Kindle! Throw in stellar battery life, and you’re onto a winner.

However, if you really want to take advantage of all that note-taking capability, that’s where the Kindle wins out. Not to say the Boox doesn’t allow you to doodle — there’s a stylus and a touchscreen, after all. But the supplied pen tip feels a little awkward to drag across the screen, and the slight latency, paired with ghosting when taking notes, can create a disconnect between your hand and the paper that your brain takes a beat to process.

So it very much depends on what your goals are with an e-reader like this. For me, someone who leans more toward reading with a casual side order of jotting things down, the Boox is more than enough and a global daily driver I was happy to have in my daily carry.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II: Cheat sheet

• What is it? This is an e-reader/notetaking tablet hybrid.
• Who is it for? This one's for the bookworms and daily jotters/doodlers.
• What does it cost? The standard model without a backlight costs $419, and you'll pay an extra $30 for the Lumi model with illuminated screen.
• What do we like? This is a featherweight, premium-feeling ereader in the hand with a great battery life, super sharp display with even backlighting, and Android 15 gives you a far more open experience than you'd find on a Kindle.
• What don't we like? The writing experience isn't quite as good as you'd find on the Scribe, and that internal power can be a little slow to open apps and books.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II: Specs

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II: The ups

The first leg was a big one — Heathrow to Taipei. Keeping yourself entertained with a short attention span is tricky, but popping open a good book on the Boox seemed to be the key to watching the hours fly by.

A good-looking read

Let’s start with the hardware, which feels great in the hand thanks to its metallic construction and that nicely textured fabric case. At around 360g and 4.6mm thin, it’s a featherweight with evenly distributed weight across its body. And yet, it still feels durable enough to be stashed in an airplane seatback pocket or chucked into your backpack.

Throw in the longevity of that 3,700 mAh cell giving me a full week of use easily, and it’s a worry-free device from most angles.

Display looks like a page of a book

Now for the display. That 10.3-inch monochrome panel sports 300 pixels-per-inch, which really brings out the crispness of text in whatever you’re reading. Throw in a decently deep contrast ratio, too, and that brings real definition to each character on that page or image in a web article.

And when the refresh rate needs to be upped for things like web browsing or drawing, it does so at a respectable rate. It may not be LCD or OLED levels of fluid, but it's fluid enough for the essentials.

Quality-wise, this is up there with what the Kindle Scribe can provide — especially when you loop in that nice even Lumi backlighting. It sucks that you’ve got to pay an additional $50 for this feature, but for those bookworm night owls or those on long-haul flights, that glow is just right.

Android 15 opens the door

Let’s be real — books aren’t the only thing you want to read on an e-reader. There are also textbooks, short stories, PDFs, web articles, and more. On top of that, all of these different types of reading can come in all sorts of file formats.

On a Kindle, you can absolutely find backdoors to force files onto it, but in general, you’re locked down to Kindle books for reading and a few very specific avenues. However, the Boox is running Android 15 in all its glory.

That means the Play Store for different reading/content consumption apps. But most importantly, that means compatibility with pretty much every file format for text and image. The Boox software is a cinch to use, so you can easily upload a file to your reader via a desktop browser.

It was a dream scenario to upload all of my press releases ahead of Computex 2026 and circle the key points with my pencil — all on the same device I could tuck into Lord of the Rings or read the latest longform reporting or biographies too.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II: The downs

Juicing it back up to full, it was time for my next two big flights — one over the Pacific to LAX, and a final hop back to London. Reflecting on my time doodling notes, reading away and browsing Android on this slate, I did remind myself of a couple of key frustrations.

A bit sluggish

Inside, you’ve got an octa-core CPU running at 2.4GHz with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is just enough to avoid too many problems.

However, it can be slow on startup, and if you try to stretch it to app downloads (thanks to Android 15), you may run into some issues and slowdowns. Especially on startup, rendering the book or opening anything takes a short while, and it seems to chug into gear.

Once it's all warmed up, responsiveness does come back, but in the clutch moments where you’re trying to get something up fast, it can get frustrating.

Penmanship is lacking

Then let’s turn our attention to the note-taking experience, which I’d consider just about fine for my uses. If you’re just a casual jotter, what I’m about to talk about won’t be a massive issue. But if you want to use this more than casually, you’ll feel the pain points here.

The surface of the screen causes friction with this wider pen tip that, at best, can feel like you’re dragging the pen more than writing with it, and at worst, the sound is mildly like nails on a chalkboard.

And there’s a small bit of latency. Not game-breaking in and of itself, but paired with some ghosting of the lines you lay down, it can create a disconnect between your brain and the page, making writing things down a start-and-stop experience.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II: Bottom line

And as I finally touched down at London Heathrow, I felt more enlightened after my time with the Boox Go 10.3 Gen II. I could’ve gone down a content wormhole that would’ve strained my attention span, or I could’ve read a book. Ultimately, I made a good decision for my mind with a damn good device.

Obviously, there are considerations based on how you will use this. If you want a better balance between a reader and a note-taking workhorse, the Kindle Scribe is definitely better on the notation side, with more responsive performance.

However, if you only need to jot things down casually and want a better, more open reading experience for uploading all your content, this is a well-built, long-lasting way to go.

The best Kindles have been my primary way to read books for the better part of a decade. Thanks to Amazon’s e-reader, I’ve read more books in the past seven years than in the nearly four decades prior. Not only is the device easy to hold and read on, but its integration with the Kindle app and store gives me more books than I could read in a single lifetime.

Though I adore my Kindles, I don’t read comic books on them. Even after the introduction of the Kindle Colorsoft, which finally let me read comics in color, I still can’t bring myself to read comics full-time on Amazon's hardware. Why? Because, as a lifelong comic book fan, I get a much better experience on the best iPads. Here’s why.

Display size

Digital comic apps like Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite offer a guided view mode that zooms in on individual panels and text. This can be immersive, especially for those new to the medium. While guided mode works as advertised, I prefer seeing an entire comic page rather than breaking it up piece by piece.

On the base Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite, you almost have to use guided mode because of their small screens. For comics, I prefer reading on the iPad Pro. The 13-inch model’s screen is slightly larger than a physical comic book page. Not only do single pages look fantastic, but double-page spreads look incredible when you rotate the tablet to landscape orientation.

Another problem with using guided view or pinch-to-zoom on Kindles is the device’s low refresh rate. This causes the e-reader to lag and flash to clear previous image artifacts (ghosting). While this has improved with the latest Kindle models, the refresh rate is still sluggish compared to iPads, which handle panning and zooming instantly and smoothly.

Returning to screen size, the Kindle Scribe features a roomier 10.2-inch display. While that’s still smaller than the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air models, it’s a good size for reading full comic book pages. There’s a specific reason I don’t use the Scribe for traditional color comics (which I’ll cover next), but for black-and-white manga, it’s legitimately great. However, since I don’t read much manga, that point is mostly moot for me.

When it comes to reading single pages and double-page spreads of a traditional American comic book, the iPad is simply the way to go.

Colorsoft is still too muted

The Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are arguably the best color e-readers out there right now. If you mainly read traditional novels, having full-color book covers, maps, and other design elements is a nice perk. Naturally, comics are in color on these devices, but there is one major drawback—the hues are decidedly muted.

In fairness, muted colors can sometimes be preferable. For instance, if you’re reading older comics printed before the late ‘90s, the e-reader screen delivers an experience closer to reading them on original newsprint, which is much duller than the glossy paper used today. If you’re a comic purist who doesn’t like how vibrant classic comics look on modern paper or on an iPad, you might actually prefer the Colorsoft's presentation.

With all that said, I want my comics, classic and modern, to look as bright and bold as possible, which is why I prefer the iPad's display. Again, the color Kindles do a decent job, but the presentation is far too washed out for my tastes.

Ecosystems and storage

iPads give you access to excellent dedicated comic reader apps like Panels and Chunky, along with major subscription platforms like Marvel Unlimited, DC Universe Infinite, and Shonen Jump. Conversely, Kindles mostly confine you to Amazon’s storefront, Comixology, and Kindle Unlimited. Sideloading your own files can also be a chore.

On that note, if you have a large library of digital comic files (.CBR, .CBZ, and high-res PDFs), you’re going to hit a storage cap much faster on a Kindle than on an iPad. Apple’s tablets offer storage tiers up to 1TB and can easily connect to cloud storage like Google Drive or iCloud to offload your libraries. Kindles top out at 64GB of storage on the Scribe and don’t natively support common comic book formats without converting the files first.

Bottom line

Don't get me wrong — Kindles still hold the crown for battery life and portability. Throwing a lightweight Paperwhite into a bag for a week-long trip without needing to pack a charger is fantastic, and it remains my go-to choice for novels.

But while Kindles are perfectly serviceable for most everyday reading, I get a much richer experience reading comics on the iPad. With a larger display for viewing full layouts, bolder colors, and seamless performance, I'll choose Apple's tablet for my graphic novels every single time.

More from Tom's Guide

• First OLED iPad mini tipped for October launch — here's why I'm excited (and worried)
• We've tested the best tablets for entertainment and productivity, and these are the 8 I recommend right now
• iPadOS 27 hands-on preview: Siri AI and all the big features

I don’t think anyone is purposely trying to spend more time on their smartphone these days. Instead, we’re all trying to use them less, even as social media algorithms, vertical videos, and online shopping conspire to draw us back in. I’m just as guilty as anyone — but I may have finally found a way to keep my doomscrolling at bay. All it took was a teensy, tiny e-reader.

Now I’ll admit, I was caught up in an endless scroll through YouTube Shorts when I first discovered Xteink’s X4. This small, surprisingly simple, single-use device immediately captured my attention. A few days later, Amazon Prime Day was in full swing. While looking for deals to cover, it popped up right in my feed, on sale no less.

I’m no stranger to trying out new devices. Just like with the Playdate handheld, I decided to buy an Xteink X4 just to experience this now-viral gadget for myself. I’m glad I did. It wasn’t just a fun piece of tech to play around with; it actually got me reading again, albeit in small spurts when I normally would have been scrolling.

Here’s what it’s been like using a tiny, open-source, barebones e-reader for a week — and why it just might be the missing puzzle piece to break your endless scroll.

Trading smarts for buttons

Unlike one of the best Kindles or even TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets, Xteink designed the X4 to be as simple as possible. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, and you can’t even read in the dark since there’s no backlight. Instead, you’re getting an incredibly simple e-reader that’s for reading and nothing else. Heck, you can’t even make annotations or look up unfamiliar words using a built-in dictionary.

At 4.49 x 2.72 x 0.23 inches, the X4 is an incredibly small device. Sure, it’s slightly bigger than its predecessor, the X3, but compared to a modern day smartphone, it’s light as a feather at just 74 grams. Unlike many of the best smartphones, you actually get a few accessories in the box, including a microSD card reader for your computer, a screen protector, and a few magnetic rings in case, like me, you’re not using an iPhone. Surprisingly, it also comes with a microSD card pre-installed. Even at 16GB or 32GB, this is still more than enough space for thousands of ebooks.

Given the lack of a touchscreen, the X4 relies on a series of physical buttons on the front and sides to navigate. Underneath the screen, you'll find navigation buttons used to scroll through the menus on the home screen or flip pages while reading. Then on the right side, in addition to another dedicated set of page-turn buttons, there’s a sleep button and a recessed reset button sitting right above the device’s microSD card slot.

The left side of the X4 is button-free. Instead, it houses a USB-C charging port, a tiny LED charging indicator light, and a lanyard loop cutout. Meanwhile, the top and bottom edges of the device are completely bare.

That initial YouTube video I saw was impressive enough to convince me to pick up my own X4, but after holding it in my hands, I’m even more impressed with its simple, understated design. With my unboxing out of the way, it was time to power the X4 on, load up some ebooks and start reading.

A page at a time

Now with the X4, you won’t be heading to Amazon's Kindle Store or another ebook shop on the device itself to load up some books. Instead, this is a BYOB — bring your own books — situation. You can certainly buy your own ebooks and put them on the X4 if they’re in the EPUB format. However, you can also download free ones and load them onto the device.

I read through all of the classics available from Project Gutenberg back when I first started e-reading on my old iPod touch. However, one of my favorite modern sci-fi authors, Cory Doctorow, also offers several of his novels for free under Creative Commons licenses. So I downloaded the novel Eastern Standard Tribe to try re-reading it on the X4 along with one of his books I hadn’t read yet, Makers.

From there, I just copied the EPUB files onto the X4’s included microSD card, powered the device on, and I was good to go. Since I had a medical appointment downtown, I decided to bring the X4 with me to do a bit of reading in the waiting room. Once that was done, I took it outside to see how well its 4.3-inch screen handled direct sunlight. It did so surprisingly well, remaining perfectly legible even in direct glare.

Since my wife and I were already downtown and planned on cooking Korean BBQ at home this weekend, we swung by H Mart to pick up all the ingredients we needed. Just for fun, I pulled the X4 out while we grocery shopped to see if I could squeeze in a few paragraphs here and there. On the compact screen, those paragraphs turned into pages incredibly fast, and before I knew it, I was a full chapter in.

A trip to H Mart is always a good excuse to pick up your favorite ramen alongside a bowl or two of flavors you haven’t tried before. While my wife browsed through some of the more outrageous options, I woke up the X4 and got back to reading. While you can’t read at night unless you get one of those old-school, clip-on reading lights, this little e-reader was incredibly clear under the harsh, overhead lights of a supermarket.

Before I knew it, we were at the register checking out and I had made serious progress in my book. That’s really the beauty of the X4. Since it isn’t bogged down with loads of extras, it wakes up from sleep instantly. There is nothing to distract you; one second it's in sleep mode, and the next, you’re right back into the paragraph where you left off.

Magnetic to a point

Now, before you rush out and pick up an Xteink X4 after watching a vertical video like I did, there are some limitations you need to be aware of. Yes, the device itself is magnetic and you can attach it to the back of your smartphone to bring this tiny e-reader everywhere you go. However, your mileage can — and likely will — vary.

For instance, in the video I watched, the person filming had the X4 attached perfectly to their phone. Since I’m still daily driving a Nothing Phone 2, I borrowed my wife’s iPhone 14 Pro Max to test this out. As you can see, the X4 does magnetically attach to her phone, but not in the way you’d think.

On that older Pro Max model, it only attaches sideways, which is less than ideal for slipping both devices into your pocket. I tried this with a standard iPhone 15 later on, and it aligned perfectly. Surprisingly, just like with the Google Pixel Tablet, I was also able to stick my X4 directly onto the front of my fridge without any modifications. Then again, you do get a two-pack of adhesive magnetic rings in the box, so regardless of what phone you use, you should be able to make things work.

Besides the lack of a backlight, the other big limitation is the X4’s stock software. Fortunately, there’s a very easy fix for that. The community that’s sprung up around this tiny e-reader has created its own custom firmware called CrossPoint, which drastically improves the reading experience. Flashing it onto my device took less than five minutes. Afterward, I even went back onto my computer and loaded some custom wallpapers onto the SD card. Let me know in the comments below if you’d like a step-by-step walkthrough on how to install CrossPoint and customize the X4.

There is an X4 Pro on the horizon that adds a touchscreen, but for me, that defeats the purpose of this tiny e-reader’s charm. I like not accidentally turning pages. The tactile, analog feeling of pressing a physical button to flip to the next page is something I’m sure users of older Kindles still miss to this day.

At its $70 full price — or the $55 discounted price I paid — the Xteink X4 is an absolute steal that could very well reignite your love for reading just like it did for me. Just don’t go into it expecting a tiny Kindle Scribe, and I bet you’ll be incredibly pleased with this little, single-purpose device too.

• I asked Perplexity for a reading list — and it outperformed every book app I use
• I tested the brand-new Kindle Colorsoft 2026 — and it’s still the King of e-readers
• I tried the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus and this budget tablet is easily my iPad killer — here’s why

As smartphones have gotten bigger and bigger, you might find yourself wondering if you even need a tablet anymore. With a standard 10-inch tablet, you’re not really getting that much more screen real estate, but that couldn’t be further from the truth with the TCL NXTPAPER 14.

It sports a massive 14.3-inch display, and when turned sideways to watch a movie or a TV show, the device feels more like a portable monitor than a tablet. Then in portrait mode, I really felt like I was holding a clipboard in my hand in the best kind of way.

What really sets the TCL NXTPAPER 14 apart from the best iPads and other tablets though is its display. With the push of a button on the side, you can switch between three viewing modes: Regular Mode, Color Paper Mode and Ink Paper Mode.

With Ink Paper Mode enabled, the NXTPAPER 14 transforms from a standard Android tablet into a black and white slate that offers a reading experience on par with one of the best Kindles but supersized. Doing so also helps save battery life, but with a 10,000 mAh battery under the hood, finding a charger isn’t something you’re going to have to worry about all that often.

Having tried both the NXTPAPER 14 and the smaller yet more powerful NXTPAPER 11 Plus, one thing I really like about TCL’s unique tablets is that they come with a case and a stylus right in the box. You don’t get a screen protector, but I wouldn’t use one with a NXTPAPER device anyways since their matte displays feel great under your fingertips. The stylus recharges via USB-C and attaches to the included case magnetically so you don’t have to worry about misplacing it.

Not the only NXTPAPER

If you haven’t figured it out by now, this super-sized tablet is part of TCL’s wider NXTPAPER ecosystem. Sure, there are other NXTPAPER tablets, but there are also smartphones that come equipped with this same display tech to make reading a lot easier on your eyes. At the same time, you also won’t have to worry about glare when you’re outside since their matte screens aren’t reflective at all.

If the NXTPAPER 14 is a bit too big for your hands — or your use case — don’t worry, as you can still find plenty of great deals on the rest of TCL’s NXTPAPER devices right now.

Quick Links

• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2: was $249 now $179 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 60 XE: was $284 now $229 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus: was $369 now $259 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro: was $329 now $299 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 14: was $469 now $369 @ Amazon
• TCL Note A1: was $599 now $549 @ Amazon

NXTPAPER tablet and phone deals

Amazon Prime Day is the absolute best time to buy one of the company’s popular Kindle devices, and that remains true for the latest sales event. You can’t go wrong with any Kindle, but one particular model is especially enticing.

Right now, the Kindle Colorsoft is just $159 on Amazon. That’s the standard price of the Kindle Paperwhite, or $35 more than that e-reader’s current discounted price. While the latter delivers a clearer image overall, it’s purely a black-and-white e-reader, whereas the Colorsoft’s name tells you what it’s all about.

The Kindle Colorsoft is the best color e-reader, and my preferred device for reading digital books. If you’re a bookworm, you don’t want to miss out on this deal. Here’s why.

In my Kindle Colorsoft review, I called the company’s first color Kindle a winner and the Kindle I’ve always wanted. One of the best parts is that you don’t just have to read color text, like comic books, to take full advantage of Colorsoft’s display. While the Paperwhite does a better job of displaying black-and-white text thanks to its stronger contrast, the Colorsoft’s monochrome performance remains strong.

Other features include an 8-week battery life, IPX8 water resistance, 16GB of storage, and the aforementioned paper-like display, which delivers a more book-like experience than the glossy, smooth touchscreen displays on tablets and smartphones.

Naturally, since this is an Amazon device, you instantly get full access to the Kindle library. This includes any digital book you’ve bought from the Kindle Store or through the $12 a month Kindle Unlimited subscription. If you devour a lot of books a month, Kindle Unlimited can start paying for itself fast.

I love the various Kindles I use, but the Kindle Colorsoft is the most comfortable to use for everyday reading. If you’re looking to upgrade from a non-color Kindle, this is your chance!

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on one of TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets at a mall in Taiwan. What caught me off guard was that despite the bright overhead lighting, its screen was completely glare free. However, it wasn’t until I pressed the NXTPAPER button on the side that I realized what made this tablet truly unique.

Unlike one of the best iPads, TCL’s NXPAPER tablets are designed to prevent eye-strain while giving you an improved reading experience. With the push of a button on the side, you can switch between three viewing modes: Regular Mode, Color Paper Mode and Ink Paper Mode.

With Ink Paper Mode enabled, the device transforms from a standard Android tablet into a black and white slate with a reading experience on par with one of the best Kindles. This also extends the tablet’s battery so you can keep reading even longer.

I’ve been using both the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2 and the much larger TCL NXTPAPER 14 since the beginning of the year. While I love them both, the 11-inch one is great for slipping in a bag while the 14-inch one is perfect when you want a bigger screen at home.

These tablets aren’t just for reading though, as they also come with a stylus in the box for drawing or taking handwritten notes. Likewise, I’ve heard that many musicians like using the larger NXTPAPER 14 for reading sheet music while they practice.

Right now, you can save up to 39% on TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets thanks to Prime Day. If you’ve been looking for a more budget-friendly iPad alternative or don’t want to be bothered keeping a separate e-reader charged, they’re definitely worth checking out. And at this price, there’s never been a better time to give NXTPAPER a try for yourself.

Quick Links

• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2: was $249 now $169 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus: was $369 now $223 @ Amazon
• TCL NXTPAPER 14: was $459 now $312 @ Amazon
• TCL Note A1: was $599 now $449 @ Amazon

Prime Day NXTPAPER Tablet Deals

I recently got the brand-new Kindle Colorsoft 2026, and it's definitely one of the best e-readers I've tried. In true bookworm style, I devoured fantasy novel after fantasy novel — but I had to buy every book. I didn't realize I could get 3 months free of Kindle Unlimited with my new e-reader.

Kindle Unlimited is effectively a refillable soda for books... or just a library card. Instead of buying each book individually, you pay a flat $11.99 a month, and you can "borrow" unlimited books per month. You can only have 20 Kindle Unlimited books downloaded at a time, but you can easily swap these out. It truly is "unlimited".

But you have to order a specific version of the Kindle to take advantage of this. The basic version is just 1 free month, so here's how you can triple that. Unfortunately, these deals are only for Prime Members. This deal is both U.S. and U.K.

The best US Kindle Prime Day deals

How to get 3 months free Kindle Unlimited

Snagging 3 months free Kindle Unlimited is so easy, I'm kind of beating myself up over not getting it for myself.

Here's exactly how you do it.

When you go to Amazon, scroll down. There are two secret tabs underneath the price information.

Make sure you have selected "With 3 months of Kindle Unlimited" before you check out.

Obviously, this is only a "trial," and you will have to pay $11.99 after your first three months. But saving $36 is awesome, especially if you've already saved $90 on the brand-new Kindle Colorsoft.

I wish I had known this when I bought my Kindle — now I'm stuck paying $11.99 each month!

We're tracking all the best Prime Day home appliance deals

Amazon Prime Day is always a great time to shop for the best Kindles. The retail giant has slashed the prices of all available Kindle models, making it easier to find one that suits your preferences and budget.

Right now, Kindles and bundles are on sale at Amazon with up to 50% off. For instance, the standalone Kindle Colorsoft is $90 off, while the standard Kindle is only $84 total. You can also save big on Paperwhite and Scribe bundles.

Here are the best Kindle deals happening right now for Prime Day. For more deals, check out our Prime Day deals live blog.

Quick Links

• shop all Prime Day deals
• shop all Kindle deals
• Kindle (16GB): was $109 now $84
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle: was $161 now $106
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $159
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $179
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Essentials Bundle: was $276 now $179
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Essentials Bundle: was $362 now $244
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle (64 GB): was $549 now $452

Prime Day Kindle deals

Is the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 good enough to be one of the best e-readers? Yes, definitely. This is the King of e-readers — and it knows it. With a bright, 7-inch display (1 inch bigger than its nearest rival, the Kobo Clara Color) and up to 8 weeks of battery, the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 is here to stay.

But because it’s the King of e-readers, it’s priced like it. The Kindle Colorsoft 2026 is $90 pricier than the closest Kobo alternative, an increase of 56%, and I’m… not really sure why. Yes, the Kindle library is bigger than Kobo’s, and Kindle Unlimited is better than Kobo’s, but does that justify a price increase of 56%? The initial $250+ cost might put off newcomers.

The Kindle Colorsoft 2026 is a fantastic e-reader, though — just an expensive one. I thoroughly enjoyed my time testing this device. It’s easy to use, lovely to look at, and has bright color for comic books. Want to find out more? Keep reading this Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review.

All images showing e-books have been blurred for copyright. Screen is sharp and detailed in real life.

Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review: Specs

Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review: Price & availability

There are two models of the Kindle Colorsoft 2026: 16GB and 32GB. I tested the 16GB model, which can hold almost 6,000 books (depending on length, images, and the like). The 16GB model is $249 from Amazon U.S. and £239 from Amazon U.K.. The 32GB model is an extra $30/£30, making it $279 in the U.S. and £269 in the U.K..

Kindle also makes the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, which is not this product. If you want the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, that’s $279 from Amazon U.S. (yes, the same price, annoyingly). The Signature has automatic brightness adjustment and wireless charging.

I recently tested the Kobo Clara Colour, which is $159/£169. Honestly, if you want a great e-reader for as little money as possible, I’d go for the Kobo. Of course, the library isn’t as large — the Kindle Store has a near-incomprehensible 15 million titles, and a much wider self-published selection — but I’ve been able to find every book on my TBR on the Kobo store.

The Kindle Colorsoft Gen 1, 2024, launched at $279/£269, so no price increase there, which I like to see.

Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review: The ups

There are so many things to like about the Kindle Colorsoft 2026, including its speed, screen, and library size.

Processor go Brr!

The Kindle Colorsoft is faster than the Kobo Clara Colour. Not by much — it’s more “blink and you miss it” than countable seconds — but every little helps, right? When I turned both e-readers on at the same time, the Kindle displayed the reading material a touch faster than the Kobo.

Kindle store is a modern-day Library of Alexandria

As much as I loved testing the Kobo — and I think it works much harder than the Kindle — the Kobo store is nowhere near as large as Amazon’s. The Kobo store is still fantastic, don’t get me wrong, with millions of books available for purchase, and a Kobo Unlimited subscription too.

However, it just can’t compete with Kindle’s whopping 15-million-plus titles. This is an incomprehensible number. I couldn’t even imagine 15 million plotlines if I spent the rest of eternity locked in a dark room.

But Kindle has everything, including obscure self-published books penned by Susan who lives down the street. If you’re the kind of reader who absorbs books like they’re going out of fashion, then you might be better off with the Kindle.

With my purchase, I also got 3 months free of Kindle Unlimited and 1 month free of Audible, which is great and something other e-reader brands simply can’t compete with.

Kindle Unlimited is better than Kobo Plus

I’ve tried Kobo Plus and Kindle Unlimited, and what they say is true: Kindle offers a wider range of books, both big-name authors and midlist novels alike. Unlike Kobo’s library, KU isn’t just self-published/thriller type books. You’ve got huge names, like Holly Black, Colleen Hoover, Freida McFadden, and more. Kobo Plus just doesn’t have this range.

Kindle Unlimited is $11.99 for literally unlimited books, magazines, and audio, whereas Kobo Plus is $7.99/$9.99 (for books and audio).

Night mode for those tired eyes

Just like the Kobo Clara Colour, the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 has a warm filter. Although any electronic light source can interrupt sleep, research has shown that front-lit e-ink screens with warm filters interfere less than blue light devices (like phones).

You can access the display settings easily by scrolling down on the left margin, much like the Kobo Clara Colour.

Although I don’t have any scientific, quantitative data detailing my improved sleep quality, I can report that my sleep was no more interrupted than normal after reading before bed. I read before bed every single night, e-reader or paper, and didn’t notice any difference.

Direct sunlight? No problem

As the Kindle Colorsoft uses a front-lit e-ink screen, which means the screen is lit from the front rather than the back, it is visible even in direct sunlight. As you can see from the photos throughout this review, the screen looks vibrant under strong sun.

This performance is identical to the Kobo Clara Colour, both of which offer natural, e-ink screens with fantastic visibility.

IPX8 rating for bathtub adventures

Like the Kobo Clara Colour, the Kindle Colorsoft 2026 is IPX8 rated. In real terms, this means it will survive if you accidentally leave it on the hood of your car before going through the car wash. Or something less ridiculous, like accidental dips in the bathtub.

Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review: The downs

Although there’s lots to love about the Kindle Colorsoft 2026, it’s not perfect. It isn't as customizable rivals, and it's much pricier, too.

Not as customizable as Kobo

One of my favorite aspects of the Kobo Clara Colour is that you can change the screen layout. You can also do this on the Kindle, but it’s more restrictive. On the Kindle, you can change orientation and font size, margins, and text alignment, but on Kobo, you can customize the actual layout of the menus.

On Kobo, you can change the ‘home’ button (the area of the screen you tap to bring up the main menu) depending on your preferences. By default, it’s set to: center tap brings up the menu, and then you turn the page forward or back by tapping the edge of the screen. I set mine so I have to click on the bottom of the screen to bring up the menu and 75% of the screen turns to the next page. I think this feels more natural because I’m left-handed and naturally tap to turn the page on the left side of the screen (don’t ask).

On Kindle, you can’t actually do this at all. You’re stuck with tapping on the top of the screen to bring up the menu, and 50% of the screen turns the page in its corresponding direction.

If there is a way to adjust this on Kindle, it’s not in the ‘Settings’ tab or in any of the device options menus, which is a con in and of itself.

Much more expensive than Kobo

Now, this is the biggest con there is. In our current, seemingly endless cost of living crisis, you need to save every penny you can get — or at least, I do.

The Kindle Colorsoft 2026 starts from $249, which is $90 more expensive than the Kobo Clara Colour. I don’t think the benefits justify the price increase.

The Kindle grants you access to Amazon’s huge library, which is a pro, and… that’s it? The other great features (front light, IPX8 rating, color, e-ink screen, long battery life, night mode) are all present on the Kobo. I totally recommend the Kindle, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re serious about saving every dollar you can, then I’d go for the Kobo.

Kindle Colorsoft 2026 review: Verdict

I really enjoyed testing the Kindle Colorsoft 2026. It’s got everything you’d want in an e-reader: a frontlit e-ink screen visible even in direct sunlight, and has night mode for those tired eyes. The battery life matches the Kobo Clara Colour — “up to” 8 weeks, but mine’s at 37% as we speak because I’m always using it — and the IPX8 rating means it’ll survive a dunk in the tub.

The only thing holding it back is the price. $249 is $90 more than Kobo’s competitor, which is an increase of 56%. Sure, the Kindle has a larger screen, but it’s not noticeably brighter. You can make the text on the Kobo as large as you want. The only main thing is the Kindle has a larger library, but whether or not this is a dealbreaker is something only you can decide.

At the end of the day, the new Kindle Colorsoft 2026 is a great e-reader, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by it at all. I thoroughly enjoyed reading on this device.

After buying my Kindle Colorsoft during Prime Day last October, I've become attached. My Kindle goes everywhere with me — be it the office, commuting, to any kind of appointment and is easily accessible in moments of doomscroll boredom.

I love it so much that I have very few complaints — it's my first e-reader, so it beats carrying around heavy physical books, and I've even invested in a holder and wireless scroller for easier reading in bed. That said, I fear I may be starting to regret my purchase, thanks to the Australian launch of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, Amazon's 2-in-1 notetaker and colour e-reader.

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft launched globally in other markets last year, touting similar specs to the Kindle Scribe, but with a full colour 11-inch screen. The e-reader scored a tidy 4 stars in our review, with my colleague Alex dubbing it "the Cadillac of Kindles" thanks to its bright display, premium stylus and notetaking features, which is pretty huge praise for an e-reader.

Alongside the slightly larger, e-paper display, the new model features an adjustable warm light, up to 8 weeks of battery life on a single charge, 40% faster page turns and writing responsiveness, and comes in either a Graphite or Fig colourway with an accompanying stylus. You can also choose your preferred storage capacity, at either 32GB or 64GB. It also has improved Google Drive and OneDrive support for easy document import and annotated PDF export, and features a new AI-powered search so you can check your notes more effectively.

The only thing stopping me from immediately pulling the plug right now, you ask? The inflated price tag. The 32GB model will set you back AU$999, whereas the 64GB model will cost AU$1,099. Both models are currently available to preorder on Amazon ahead of the June 10 release.

More new Kindle Scribes incoming

While its pricing is indeed a tough pill to swallow for most right now — the models cost the same as the latest 2026 iPad Air and don't feature the same capabilities as a tablet would — not all hope is lost on the new Kindles front.

Amazon is also updating the Scribe as we know it, with a new 2026 model starting at AU$849 (32GB) and AU$949 (64GB). In terms of notable upgrades, the 2026 model is ultra-thin, measuring just 5.4 mm, and is extremely light, weighing just 400g. The Scribe (2026) also features the same AI-capabilities, Google Drive and OneDrive support as the Scribe Colorsoft.

Alternatively, if you'd prefer an e-reader or notetaker without a bright screen, Kindle is also introducing the Scribe without a frontlight for just AU$699, with the same components but at a smaller storage size of 16GB.

All of the new Kindle Scribe models are available to preorder now on Amazon, with shipping expected from June 10, 2026. And not that it's anyone's business, but I may be waiting at my front door that day for a delivery… if you catch my drift. 👀

More from Tom's Guide

• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: This is the Cadillac of Kindles
• Blink Video Doorbell (2nd gen) review: A basic, barebones video doorbell

Outside of signing checks at a restaurant, I haven’t regularly written by hand since the early 2000s. My handwriting was always terrible, so when keyboards (both physical and digital) became the standard, I never went back to “real” writing again. As you can imagine, my handwriting has only gotten worse over the decades. Hence, testing the new ReMarkable Paper Pure has been an interesting experience.

In case you don’t know, ReMarkable has made a name for itself with its digital paper tablets designed for writing, sketching, and reading—all without distractions. The company is best known for the ReMarkable 2 and the color-enabled Paper Pro. Now, it is releasing the ReMarkable Paper Pro, which is effectively a spiritual successor of the ReMarkable 2.

I’ve used the new ReMarkable Paper Pure for the better part of a week, and I find that it lives up to its promise of being a distraction-free way to write digitally. There’s a lot to like here if you’re looking for such a device. However, if you’re used to keyboards, it might feel like technological regression. Here’s what I think of the ReMarkable Paper Pure.

What’s new with the ReMarkable Paper Pure?

The Paper Pure is the back-to-basics entry in ReMarkable’s 2026 lineup, sitting right under the more expensive, back-lit Paper Pro. This 10.3-inch monochrome tablet is essentially a digital version of a high-end legal pad. It’s just about as slim and light, weighing 0.79 pounds and thin enough to carry easily in your backpack.

Don’t mistake this for one of the best iPads or best Android tablets, as it has no color, web browser, and perhaps most importantly, no backlight. Because of that, you’ll need to be in a well-lit room or other light source to see what you’re doing. I’ll expand on this last bit shortly.

Another interesting aspect is that this device is made with 38% recycled materials and features a new, repairable design that’s held together with screws rather than glue. Thanks to that, it’s relatively easy to repair, which makes it more future-proof than traditional tablets on the market.

The writing experience

As I mentioned above, I haven’t handwritten for any serious length of time since I finished college in the early 2000s. Because of that, my first hour with the Paper Pure was admittedly a struggle. I’ll freely admit that it didn’t take long for my hands to cramp—something I wasn’t exactly prepared for. But I persisted, and the device slowly began winning me over.

I wouldn’t say that writing on the Paper Pure feels like writing on actual paper, but the amount of friction I feel when I put stylus to screen is satisfyingly tactile. In fact, I like the experience much more than using the Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro since it doesn’t feel like I’m writing on glass. It legit feels much closer to using a ballpoint pen.

Thanks to its 21-millisecond latency, the digital ink appears almost instantly on the screen. I say “almost” since you do see the delay, but it’s not egregiously long. And that’s fine, since I had to slow down anyway for my scribblings to resemble actual words. The intentionality of writing each letter took me back decades, which is likely why many still prefer to write by hand. You’re forced to slow down—something that’s almost unheard of in this fast-paced age we live in.

As for the lack of a backlight, I honestly didn’t find it an issue. I purposefully turn off the backlight on my Kindle Paperwhite to spare my eyes from yet another screen burning my retinas, so using the Paper Pure near a light source came naturally to me. I know some might legitimately need a backlit display, but I feel that would ruin what the Paper Pure’s attempt to function more like actual paper.

Useful features

Since we live in a digital world, the Paper Pure lets you transfer or upload files to and from the device. And if your handwriting is as bad as mine, you can even use some of the built-in AI features to clean things up. Don’t worry, as this is good AI that doesn’t get in the way.

With a Connect subscription, you can tap a button and watch your messy scribbles turn into a clean document. There is also an “Action Items” feature that scans your notes and automatically creates a separate to-do list, if necessary. I find this extremely useful, especially if I want to send a note to someone and don’t want them to spend unnecessary time deciphering my handwriting. This feature is also helpful if you take notes during meetings.

Speaking of meetings, you can sync your Outlook or Google Calendar, and the Paper Pure will pre-populate a note template with the date, time, and attendees of your next meeting. I wasn’t able to try this feature because my work account wouldn’t let me sync with my reMarkable account, but I can see it being handy.

Bottom line

Though I’m not yet ready to return to analog writing, I love what ReMarkable is doing overall. With so much digital noise around us, I appreciate that a device like the ReMarkable Paper Pure exists to deliver a more grounded and distraction-free experience.

Sometimes, it’s not all about how productive you can be, but how engaged you are with your work. If you agree with that sentiment, do yourself a favor and check out the ReMarkable Paper Pure. No pun intended, but it truly is a remarkable device—even for keyboard warriors like myself.

More from Tom's Guide

• ReMarkable Paper Pro Move review: E-paper in your pocket
• Kindle Scribe vs. ReMarkable Paper Pro: Which e-reader is right for you?
• I just tested the Kindle Scribe — and it will be hard going back to the Paperwhite

Kindles make it easier (and more enjoyable) to read — especially now as spring book clubs and summer beach reads come into view. Although the popular e-readers rarely go on sale, Amazon just so happens to be slashing the prices on select Kindle models as we speak.

Kindle Colorsoft, Paperwhite and Scribe models and bundles are currently on sale at Amazon, with up to 31% off. One of my favorite deals is on the standalone Kindle Colorsoft ($60 off), or you can grab the Colorsoft bundled with a protective case and a power adapter.

Kindles also make the perfect Mother's Day gift for the moms who love to read. So if you're hoping to grab a new Kindle for Mom (or yourself) this spring, now is the perfect time to snag one with a generous markdown. Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle Paperwhite (16GB): was $159 now $134
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle: was $161 now $140
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16 GB): was $179 now $154
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $189
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $209
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle (32GB): was $287 now $216
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $367 now $321
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle (64 GB): was $549 now $465

Kindle Deals

With spring in full swing and summer beach reads in your near future, now is the perfect time to grab a new Kindle. And while e-readers make it easier (and more fun) to read, it's no secret that they rarely go on sale. Luckily, Amazon is slashing the prices on select Kindle models as we speak.

In fact, Kindle Colorsoft and Paperwhite models and bundles are currently on sale with up to 31% off at Amazon. One of the cheapest deals is on the standalone Kindle Colorsoft ($60 off), or you can grab the Colorsoft bundled with a protective case and a power adapter. Plus, a Kindle makes the perfect Mother's Day gift for the moms who love to read.

If you're hoping to grab a new Kindle this spring, now is the perfect time to snap one up with a markdown. Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle Paperwhite (16GB): was $159 now $134
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle: was $161 now $140
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16 GB): was $179 now $154
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $189
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $209
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle (32GB): was $287 now $216
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $367 now $321

Kindle Deals

The Kobo Clara Colour is a godsend. Combining the best features of all of Amazon’s flagship e-readers, the Clara Colour has it all: color screen, warm night lighting, a touchscreen, 49-hour battery life, full waterproofing, and native Libby e-book borrowing. And my favorite part? It’s $90 cheaper than the Kindle equivalent, the Colorsoft.

But is this enough to make the Clara Colour one of the best e-readers you can get? Heck yeah! I love my Clara Colour. It’s everything I could ever want in an e-reader. The screen is paperlike and visible even in direct sunlight, and when I’m reading on a plane or car at night I can up the brightness without needing to turn on a separate light.

However, the Kobo library is considerably smaller than the Kindle library — which, personally, is a non-issue as every book I’ve tried to purchase has been available on Kobo — but if you’re a KU self-pubbed kind of reader, you might want to stick with the larger library. To find out the full story (pun intended), keep reading this Kobo Clara Colour review.

Kobo Clara Colour review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? If you want an e-reader without paying the Kindle tax
• What does it do well? It’s $90 cheaper than the Kindle Colorsoft and does everything just as well
• What are its weaknesses? The Kobo library doesn't have as many books, but this is a non-issue for readers like me
• What should you use it for? Um, getting back into reading like the insatiable little bookworm you are

Kobo Clara Colour review: Specs

Kobo Clara Colour review: Price & availability

I blurred all book text to protect copyright. The Kobo Clara Colour display is clear and distinguished in real life.

Interestingly, the Kobo Clara Colour is spelled the same in the U.K. and the U.S., despite “colour” being the British/Canadian/Australian variant. In the U.S., you’ll find the Clara Colour for $159 at Amazon, and for £149 in the U.K..

Even so, the clue’s in the name: the Clara Colour is the color version of the BW model, which is $139/£139. This is Kobo’s entry-level e-reader: if you want a Kindle Scribe ($449) equivalent, you’d be looking at the Kobo Libra Colour ($229) or Kobo Elipsa 2E ($399).

The Kobo Clara Colour is considerably cheaper than the Kindle equivalent — the Colorsoft is $249, $90 pricier than the Clara Color. Similarly, the BW Clara is $139, whereas the Kindle Paperwhite is $159. True, the basic Kindle is just $109 — but this doesn’t have a warm light setting (unlike the Kobo Clara), so you can’t switch to night-safe reading.

Kobo Clara Colour review: The ups

The Kobo Clara Colour has so much going for it: night mode, the display clarity, the bright color, IPX8 rating, super lightweight feel, scrollable library, and more.

Night mode!

Unlike the basic Kindle, which lacks a night mode/warm setting, the Kobo Clara Colour offers both daytime and nighttime display. You can either select night mode to come on automatically, or you can manually adjust.

When I first started testing the Clara Colour, I set my bedtime at 9:00PM (yes, I am a grandma). You can choose between 9:00PM-3:00AM, which I think is a bit crazy. Who’s out here going to be at 3:00AM? In a perfect world, I think it’d make more sense for bedtime to align with your location’s sunset and sunrise times — but this isn’t a major issue, as you can just manually turn on night mode whenever the sun sets in your area.

But even if you’re reading at nighttime in a dark environment — think of being on a plane where you don’t want to disturb your neighbor by turning on the overhead light — you can just up the brightness while in night mode. While not completely blue light free, reading a frontlit e-reader with a warm filter isn’t overly detrimental to your melatonin production.

Paperlike display

As touched on briefly above, the Clara Colour uses a frontlit display rather than the LED, backlit display you might be used to. Generally, smartphones and tablets utilize backlit, blue-light displays, which are both difficult to read in the sun and can be detrimental to your melatonin production.

The Clara Colour has a frontlit display, meaning it uses tiny LEDs that illuminate across the screen itself rather than up into your eyes. This is also a paperlike display — I genuinely think it looks 99% like real paper.

Take a look at the screen in direct sunlight.

As you can see, the text is clearly legible, even in strong, direct sunlight. I don’t think the screen is grainy at all, nor suffers from leftover shadows (A.K.A “ghosting”) like the Kindle Paperwhite is known to, either.

Pool-safe, dunk-in-the-tub-surviving IPX8 rating

The Clara Colour is IPX8 rated, which means it’ll survive up to 60 minutes in up to 2 meters of water. The Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Paperwhite have the same IPX8 rating, but the Kindle basic has zero waterproofing.

In real terms, this means you’ll be able to accidentally drop your Clara Colour in the bathtub or dry off from the pool beside it without it saying goodbye forever.

E-book renting — local library dependent, of course

If your local library uses Libby (Overdrive), you can rent e-books like you would borrow normal books. Unfortunately, my local library uses BorrowBox, which isn’t directly available on the Kobo store. However, I can still download ebooks from BorrowBox and manually load them onto my Kobo using Adobe Digital Editions and a USB-C cable.

I’d like to see Kobo introduce direct BorrowBox compatibility soon, as it’s much, much more widely used than Libby in the U.K., where I live.

If you’re in the U.S., though, you’re in luck. Libby is used by 22,000 libraries across the United States, so your local library might just be one of them. In this case, you can select Libby directly in your Clara Colour and browse available ebooks.

As you can see, the app is native to your e-reader itself, so don’t worry about downloading books onto your computer and manually installing onto the Kobo.

Manga, audiobooks, Kobo Unlimited, oh my!

If you’re a manga reader, audiobooks listener, or Kindle Unlimited devourer, don’t worry. Kobo has you covered. You can still get manga on the Kobo Store — and it looks fantastic. The clarity is incredible, and the full color cover is gorgeous.

As you can see, the color cover is beautiful, with no grainy, faded, or blurry areas. This is easily Kindle Colorsoft-equalling, and you save $90 in the process. Despite being on a 6-inch screen, I was able to read all the text on this manga, and I was never struggling to make out smaller words. Of course, you read manga right-to-left, so remember to tap the left side of the screen to change page.

In the Kobo Store, you can also browse tons of audiobooks. You’ve got the big names — think Stephen King, Sarah J. Maas, Terry Pratchett — but also books I’d never heard of by authors I’d never heard of. Of course, you can check Kobo’s ebook and audiobook store online without going through an e-reader.

Finally, if you’re coming from a Kindle, you’re in luck! Kobo also offers Kobo Plus, an unlimited service, where you pay a subscription for unlimited books each month. Kindle Unlimited is $11.99 a month for unlimited books and e-books. Kobo Plus is $7.99 for either just ebooks and just audiobooks, or $9.99 for both.

Kindle offers 5 million books, whereas Kobo offers 1.5 million books — this may or may not be an issue, depending on what kind of reader you are, which I’ll get into now.

Kobo Clara Colour review: The downs

As much as I’m enamored with my Kobo Clara Colour, there’s one thing that might hold me back from recommending it for everyone.

Kindle library is much bigger

Now, this one is a little weird for me. I think it depends on what kind of reader you are. Personally, I mostly read traditionally published books, and all of the books I’ve tried to buy from the Kobo Store have been available.

If you’re the Kindle Unlimited self-published kind of reader, you might be better off sticking to the bigger library. This is not to say that Kobo’s bookstore is lacking or threadbare, but more so that the Kindle bookstore had a wider variety of lesser-known, self-published books.

However, if you’re the kind of person who buys books from Barnes & Noble and your local independent bookstore, you’re probably going to be fine with the Kobo Store. As I said, every book I’ve tried to buy has been available, so this is a total non-issue for me.

Kobo Clara Colour review: Verdict

Would I recommend the Kobo Clara Colour to 99% of the population? Without a shadow of a doubt. I flew through every book I was reading on the Clara Colour because it was so easy to read everywhere — in bed, at the park, on the bus, you name it. The sleep cover also has a magnetic kickstand, so I could prop the Clara Colour up to read hands-free.

All that being said, if you’re predominantly a Kindle Unlimited self-published book lover, you might want to stick with the bigger library. Kindle offers millions of indie books, whereas Kobo offers just one million.

Even so, this is a non-issue for me. Every book I’ve looked up on the Kobo Store has been instantly available. If you’re the same kind of reader, you’ll be just as obsessed with the Kobo Clara Colour as I am.

Amazon is making a slew of older Kindle devices obsolete starting in May. This means that you won't be able to download new books unless you find a workaround or purchase a newer model.

As reported by The Verge (and elsewhere), starting on May 20th, 2026 Kindle e-readers and Kindle Fire tablets released in 2012 and before will "no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content via the Kindle Store."

Any books you already have on those devices will still be accessible. And you can still access your accounts and purchases via the Kindle mobile app, Kindle site and newer models. Additionally, if your older Kindle is factory reset or deregistered, you won't be able to re-register after May 20.

Here's the complete list of Kindle devices losing support going back to the original Kindle, which launched in 2007.

• Kindle 1st Generation (2007)
• Kindle DX (2009)
• Kindle DX Graphite (2010)
• Kindle Keyboard (2010)
• Kindle 4 (2011)
• Kindle Touch (2011)
• Kindle 5 (2012)
• Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation (2012)
• Kindle Fire 1st Gen (2011)
• Kindle Fire 2nd Gen (2012)
• Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012)
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012)

The youngest devices on that list is 14 years old at this point.

According to the report, Amazon will send out emails to impacted Kindle owners before the deadline which will outline what your devices can and cannot do. The pre-2012 Kindle Fire devices won't be able to download new books, but other Amazon services and apps you have shouldn't be updated.

Amazon is offering a 20% discount on new Kindle devices and a $20 ebook credit that will arrive on your account after the upgrade. The credit only lasts a month valid through June 20, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT.

Up until now, Amazon has largely left owners of older Kindles alone, letting them purchase and download ebooks as desired. There was a 2016 software update that maintained access to the Kindle Store.

Before last February, you could have gotten around this restriction by downloading your books on your computer and transferring them using the USB port. However, Amazon killed that function.

What are your options?

If you insist on keeping your older Kindle, especially if it's still working well, you could consider jailbreaking it. I won't tell you how to do it here, but there are ways.

If you want to upgrade, currently, Kindles start at $110 for the entry-level version. The Kindle Paperwhite will set you back $160, while the color-screen Kindle Colorsoft is $250. At the high-end, there is the giant Kindle Scribe writing tablet, which starts at $400 for the non-color version.

If you need help deciding, check out our guide to the best Kindles. We've also included recommendations for some non-Amazon ereaders if you're looking to get out of the Amazon ecosystem.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best DIY home security systems
• Amazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it
• I used ChatGPT to shop smarter on Amazon — and I finally stopped overpaying

I love buying physical books, especially the fancy ones that look nice on a shelf and show off how you're not just a phone addict who spends their days watching TikTok. But actually reading them isn't always practical, especially if you want to keep them in good condition. That's where e-readers like the Kindle Colorsoft come in.

The Kindle Colorsoft is a full-color e-reader from Amazon, letting you load up on books to read whenever you're not admiring that hardback copy of your favorite novel. It just so happens that this Kindle is now back to its lowest ever price in the Amazon Spring Sale. That means you can pick up a Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) for just $169 at Amazon. That's 32% off the normal price, and a total saving of $80.

If you've been sick of having to use boring black and white e-reader screens, then the Kindle Colorsoft might be the best Kindle for you. It packs in a sharp 7-inch full-color display and offers a comfortable design that helps you read all your favorite titles on the go.

Plus, being part of the Amazon ecosystem gives it full access to the Kindle library. That includes any ebooks you've purchased from the Kindle Store, ot the $12 a month Kindle Unlimited subscription. It sounds pricey, but it gives you unlimited access to the millions of ebooks in Kindle's library — which could save a bunch of money if you read a lot.

Other helpful features include an 8-week battery life, IPX8 water resistance, 16GB of storage and a crisp paper-like display. None of the glossy, smooth touchscreen displays you get on tablets and smartphones. There's no wireless charging, though. If you want that you'll have to upgrade to the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, which is currently on sale for $229.

One thing you do need to be aware of is that sideloading third-party ebooks (those not purchased from the Kindle store) is partially broken. You can still load those files onto the Colorsoft and read them as normal, but the actual cover page won't display correctly. So instead of fancy, colorful artwork, you get a page with the title and the author's name. As one Tom's Guide writer put it, it makes your ebooks look like "boring PDF files."

The power button is also situated on the side, which means you might accidentally hit it while you're reading. No, we're not sure why it's not on the top either, but that's the design Amazon has been sticking with. At least you know to try to avoid pressing it unintentionally.

If you're after the best Amazon deals this week, make sure you check in on our Amazon Big Spring Sale live hub for the latest updates.

Kindles make it easier (and more fun) to read — but it's no secret that they rarely go on sale. Luckily, Amazon is slashing the prices on select models ahead of this week's Big Spring Sale.

In fact, Kindles and bundles are currently on sale with up to 40% off at Amazon. One of the cheapest deals is on the standalone Kindle Colorsoft ($80 off), or you can grab the Colorsoft bundled with two different protective cases for a whopping 40% off. There are also discounts on the Paperwhite and Scribe bundles.

If you're hoping to grab a new Kindle this spring, now is the perfect time to snap one up with a markdown. Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle: was $161 now $125
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $169
• Kindle Colorsoft Clear Case Bundle: was $286 now $171
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $189
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $276 now $211
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $362 now $271
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle (64 GB): was $549 now $481

Kindle deals

My wife is fully, unapologetically BookTok-obsessed and has a reading routine that’s been optimized to levels you'd expect from a sci-fi space station. So when the Amazon Big Spring Sale landed, I knew that I should ask her for the best products for a book lover, eager to complete my Christmas shopping in March.

Unsurprisingly, it starts with a Kindle. And in Amazon's Big Spring Sale, the newest Colorsoft is 30% off. A Kindle is lighter than a paperback, easier on your eyes than a phone, and crucially, it makes reading in bed feel effortless instead of slightly inconvenient.

Then you get into the extras, and if you're buying for someone else, this is where you're going to start scratching your head. A Kindle stand sounds excessive until you use one (apparently). Suddenly, you’re not holding anything, you’re just… reading. My wife says, combined with a remote page turner, your book-reading setup is "elite". No reaching, no shifting, just tapping a button.

As I said, I'm a passenger in this BookTok world (I don't even have a TikTok account), but my wife has promised me the products listed below are excellent gifts for yourself or for anyone who's caught up in the world of Sarah J. Maas and co.

BookTok is massive. So massive in fact that the biggest romantasy, sports romance, and other romantic books are being made into TV shows and taking over the streaming world.

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is ramping up this week, and that means it's the perfect time to grab a bargain on one of the trendiest accessories in the world of BookTok today, trust me I asked my wife (and she's obsessed).

For just $15 you can buy yourself (or the book lover in your life) a remote page turner, so they can read in bed without reaching for their Kindle every few seconds. In fact, I bought my wife one of these a few months ago and she says it's completely evolved her book-reading obsession.

With seven colors to choose from there's one of these accessories for everyone, and while I might not quite understand the appeal myself, I do know that if there's a person in your life that loves the world of book social media, they'll absolutely want you to buy this.

I thought I’d seen everything in the world of displays, from foldable glass to transparent OLEDs that look like something out of Minority Report. But Samsung just threw a curveball that I genuinely didn't see coming. The company just announced a new 13-inch Color E-Paper display that’s built using a bio-resin derived from phytoplankton, or plankton. No, I’m not making that up!

As Samsung detailed in a blog post, the company is essentially using microscopic marine organisms to build a screen. It sounds like a plot point from a sci-fi novel where we’ve run out of plastic, but the goal here is sustainability. By using this bio-resin, Samsung claims it can slash carbon emissions during the manufacturing process by over 40% compared to traditional petroleum-based plastics. It’s a crazy science project turned into a real-world device.

The tech inside the screen is just as impressive as the plankton-based shell. This is a 13.3-inch panel with a 1600 x 1200 resolution that looks and feels like actual paper, according to Samsung. Since this is a digital paper display, it consumes 0 watts of power when showing a static image. It only drains a bit of juice when it changes to another image.

Now, before you get excited about a potential Samsung Galaxy Tab e-reader, I have some bad news. Right now, this device (the EM13DX model) is aimed strictly at businesses. Samsung wants these on store shelves, restaurant menus, and office doors to replace traditional paper signage. You can’t buy this device from Amazon or Best Buy just yet.

If you’ll permit me to speculate, I can see Samsung eventually bringing this tech to the consumer market. If that happens, we might finally see a true rival for the Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. Those are fantastic tablets that I use all the time, but it would be fascinating to see Samsung’s color-imaging algorithms applied to an e-reader. Again, this is likely wishful thinking on my part—but a man can dream!

More from Tom's Guide

• How to read library books for free on your Kindle or other e-reader
• Kindle Colorsoft vs Kobo Clara Colour: Which is the better color e-reader?
• Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft finally convinced me to get an e-reader

If you're anything like me, reading books is usually high on your list of New Year's resolutions — and 2026 is no exception. Kindles make it easier (and more fun) to read, and right now Amazon is slashing the prices on select models.

Kindles are on sale with up to 31% off at Amazon. The cheapest deal is on the basic Kindle for $89 at Amazon ($20 off), or you can grab the Kindle Scribe, which is sporting a nice $140 discount.

Full disclosure: these Kindles featured deeper discounts during the holiday season. However, Kindles rarely go on sale so this could be your last chance to grab them while they're still discounted. Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle (16GB): was $109 now $89
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $199
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $219
• Kindle Scribe 2024 (32GB): was $419 now $289

Kindle deals

Accessories

Also consider

Amazon just launched the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, an upgraded version of the Kindle Scribe that lets you read and write in color. It's a welcome upgrade for the Scribe that opens up some fun new possibilities, like color-coding your notes on a book or being able to read your favorite manga and comic books in color. But it's also quite expensive. In my Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review I called this slate the Cadillac of Kindles, and for good reason: Amazon slapped a $629 starting price on this e-paper tablet, so it costs more than a new iPad Air.

At that price, you have to be someone who loves reading and writing to buy one of these new Kindles, because otherwise you could get more features and a better screen for less by buying an iPad or Android tablet. And if you are someone who prizes the ability to put stylus to screen to jot down notes or doodle during boring meetings, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has serious competition in the ReMarkable Paper Pro.

I know because I wrote our ReMarkable Paper Pro review last year and loved it, calling it the best e-paper tablet for writers I'd ever used. Now that I've had a chance to test out the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft side-by-side with the Paper Pro, I've learned a lot about which is best for what, so I figured I could help you make your decision by breaking down the differences between the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs. ReMarkable Paper Pro. Let's dive in!

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Price

One of the tricky things about deciding between these two e-paper slates is the price: they both start at $629, though that climbs depending on what accessories and upgrades you want.

So let's quickly talk through what you get for that price: Amazon's Kindle Scribe Colorsoft starts at $629 for the 32GB model and comes with a free Kindle Premium Pen stylus, which has a built-in "eraser" tool on the rear end as well as a function button you can customize to do things like switch to a specific art tool, etc.

You can pay $50 more (so $679) for an upgraded model of the Scribe Colorsoft with 64GB of storage space, effectively doubling how many documents you can store at once. If you want a folio to protect the Kindle, you can get one direct from Amazon for $139.

The ReMarkable Paper Pro, by comparison, starts at $629 and comes with 64GB of storage and a basic ReMarkable Marker stylus that has no eraser end or function button. If you want the fancier ReMarkable Marker Plus stylus with the "eraser" tool on the end it will cost you (surprise!) $50 more, for a total of $679.

If you'd like to cover up your ReMarkable Paper Pro to protect it, you can get a basic Book Folio cover from the company for $89 or pay $229 for the Type Folio, which has a keyboard built in. ReMarkable offers some small discounts if you buy multiple products in a bundle, such that if you were to splurge for the Paper Pro with Marker Plus and Type Folio it would cost you $829 before tax, rather than something north of $900.

So if you want to get the best possible device for the least amount of money, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has the slight edge here because it comes with the Kindle Premium Pen stylus no matter what — you don't have to pay extra for the better stylus. The trade-off is that you get less storage space on the Kindle, and you have to pay $50 more if you want the same amount of space as you get with the ReMarkable Paper Pro.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Design

Both the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and the ReMarkable Paper Pro are thin, rectangular slates, though the Paper Pro is bigger and sports a slightly larger (11" vs 11.8") display. Both also have tiny feet on the back which help them rest flat on a table without scratching anything.

The e-paper tablets both weigh around a pound, though the ReMarkable slate is slightly heavier (14 vs 18.5 oz) and has a thicker bezel at the bottom of the device than the Kindle. This little lip at the bottom can be handy when you want to hold the device upright without touching the screen, but while using both tablets I don't find I miss it much on the Kindle.

Similarly, both have a single power button near the top (on the top edge for the ReMarkable vs on the top right edge of the Kindle) and a single USB-C port on the bottom edge for charging and data transfer.

So in terms of design, there really isn't a huge difference between the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro. However, the ReMarkable Paper Pro does have a slightly larger screen and weights slightly more than the Kindle, so if screen real estate is king you probably want the Paper Pro.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Display

The screens on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro look similar but are very different in their construction, which matters if you care about how it feels to drag the stylus across the screen.

I'll dig into that in depth in the Writing section, but before I do I want to point out that there is one area in which the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft clearly outperforms the ReMarkable Paper Pro. Put simply, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft can get brighter than the ReMarkable Paper Pro, so it's going to be easier to use in dark settings without external light.

In terms of display quality, well, some of this is going to be anecdotal because I'm no display expert. But first let me point out that technically the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is capable of displaying black and white images slightly sharper than the ReMarkable Paper Pro, while color images will be slightly less sharp.

That's because the ReMarkable Paper Pro's unique Canvas Color display has a rough PPI (pixels per inch) of 229 no matter what you're looking at. But the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft's Kaleido 3 screen has to halve its resolution when displaying color, so you get B&W images in 300 PPI but color images in 150 PPI.

In my experience, you won't notice the difference between the different resolutions unless you're paying very close attention. However, the fact that the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft can get noticeably brighter than the ReMarkable Paper Pro will make a difference in dark areas. Plus, the colors on the Scribe Colorsoft can seem to "pop" a bit more than they do on the Paper Pro because you can crank up the brightness for a bit of extra vibrancy.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Performance

I have both the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and the ReMarkable Paper Pro in front of me on my desk right now, and I have to admit that neither seems to perform basic functions in a particularly snappy or fast way. So if you're expecting responsiveness on a par with the best tablets from Apple and the rest, you're in for a disappointment.

Both slates are powered by quad-core CPUs, but the Kindle has double the RAM of the Paper Pro (2GB vs 4GB).

That said, I'm having a hard time figuring out which of these e-paper slates actually "performs" better because I've noticed inconsistent results when running basic tests like tapping the same file on both screens and seeing which opens the document faster.

The one thing I can say about using both at the same time is that the ReMarkable Paper Pro seems to load documents and new pages in those documents at pretty much the same (reliably slow) speed. But while testing the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft I noticed that load times seemed much more variable: sometimes the Kindle loaded the next page in a document or a recently opened document within two seconds, whereas other times loading the next page or a recent document seemed to take 3-5 seconds — not very long, obviously, but long enough to doubt whether the device had registered my input.

So ultimately I don't think you're going to notice a big difference in performance between these two e-paper slates, and their relative snappiness shouldn't make a big impact in your buying decision.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Writing

Both of these e-paper tablets come with a stylus because writing and annotating documents on them is half the reason to buy one. So if you care about what it's like to put stylus to screen, I have some key details you need to know before you buy.

This is an area where there's a big difference between the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro. For my money, no stylus and tablet have ever been as nice to write with as what ReMarkable sells, but the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is no slouch in this department either.

That's because Amazon put special effort into trying to make the feel of dragging the Kindle Premium Pen against the screen of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft feel as much like paper as possible. The company crows about having put new texture-molded glass on the Scribe Colorsoft and further squished the display stack (that is, all the tech beneath the screen) further to minimize the lag between when you put the stylus to the screen and when your input appears. And I can vouch that it seems to have made a difference, because I enjoy the feel of writing on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft more than I did when testing last year's basic Kindle Scribe.

But while the feel of writing on the Scribe Colorsoft is better than any Kindle I've tested to date, it still can't hold a candle to what it feels like to write on the ReMarkable Paper Pro.

That's because the Paper Pro's Color Canvas display is more textured than the Scribe Colorsoft (though they feel equally smooth to the touch) so that when you drag the ReMarkable Marker across the screen it feels and sounds like a pencil scratching across paper.

Maybe not as much as an actual No. 2 pencil would on real notebook paper, but as close to the real thing as to be indistinguishable unless you were doing both side-by-side. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, by comparison, does give you a bit of texture and resistance when dragging the Premium Pen across the screen but mostly feels like dragging plastic across glass.

Another reason I prefer writing on the ReMarkable Paper Pro over the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is the way annotations work on each device. See, with the ReMarkable Paper Pro you can open pretty much any document or file and start making marks directly on the page using the Paper Pro's 10 different art tools (including a highlighter, marker, pen, pencil, paintbrush and the like) and 9 different colors.

The marks you make on a document stay directly where you put them no matter how you move or change the document, which means you can do things like scratch out words (if you're editing someone's school paper, for example), color in illustrations and doodle on the document wherever you please, just like it was a real piece of paper.

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, on the other hand, offers you two ways of marking up documents (besides highlighting passages) and neither feels as intuitive as what you get on ReMarkable slates.

First, you can use the "Active Canvas" feature to jot down notes and annotations directly on a document. However, the Kindle doesn't actually render what you write or draw directly where you put it; instead, it automagically creates a space between the text (between paragraphs or sometimes between sentences) and puts your annotation in an "Active Canvas" between the text. That way, when you scroll around or change the size of the text your note will stay readable between the lines.

The other option to take notes on the Kindle (as of publication) is to use the expandable margins, which let you tap a little arrow icon on the side of the screen to pull out an expandable margin where you can jot down notes tied to the text.

This enables you to make annotations that feel like footnotes, since you can see a little icon that you have a note on this page but can't actually read the note(s) until you open the margin and look at them.

Both of these systems are effective on the Kindle, but they feel a bit like a compromise compared to the ReMarkable Paper Pro's intuitive "write directly on the page and see it" feature. For my money I much prefer the experience of writing on the ReMarkable Paper Pro over the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, but both are perfectly usable.

Kindle Scribe vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Libraries

Now let's talk a bit about what kinds of files you can get on these devices, and how easy they are to access.

If you just want to load them up with your own documents for work, you're in luck: both slates can display PDF and EPUB files with no trouble. ReMarkable has a nice suite of software that makes it easy to quickly drag and drop files to your Paper Pro, but you have to set up additional connections to third-party services (i.e. Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive) to do more advanced tricks like send Google Docs/Slides/Sheets to the slate as PDFs, transferring Word documents, PowerPoint files and more.

One key limitation of the Paper Pro is that it can't easily display DRM-protected ebooks like those you buy in Amazon's Kindle store, so you're limited to buying/downloading ebooks from DRM-free sources.

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has the advantage here because you can buy any ebook on the Amazon Kindle store and have it sent directly to your Kindle Scribe Colorsoft in moments, giving it a huge leg up in terms of available content. The Kindle Store is filling up with products specifically for Scribe users too, like ebooks full of Sudoku puzzles you can do right on the screen as well as digital coloring books you can work on using the Scribe Colorsoft's limited palette.

The Scribe Colorsoft also supports Bluetooth while the Paper Pro does not, so you can connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones to the Kindle and use them to listen to your Audible audiobooks on the go. Plus, you can also send files from outside Amazon's walled garden (like term papers and DRM-free ebooks) using the Send to Kindle feature.

So while ReMarkable's Paper Pro is fairly versatile, there's no question that the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has the edge in terms of library access and the convenience of the Kindle Store.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft vs ReMarkable Paper Pro: Bottom line

If you've made it this far you know that while these two $600+ e-paper slates look awfully similar, there are some key differences between them which can help you make the choice between where to spend your money.

For most people I suspect the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is the wiser choice because while it doesn't feel half as nice to write on as the ReMarkable Paper Pro, the Scribe has a brighter screen, more features and easier access to ebooks and other digital goodies via the Kindle Store accessible right on the device.

But for me personally, I think I still prefer the ReMarkable Paper Pro because it just feels so much nicer to use than the Kindle. Sure, the Kindle can feel snappier sometimes and gets brighter, but when I put the stylus on the screen no other tablet I've ever used feels as nice beneath my hands as the ReMarkable Paper Pro. And while I appreciate that the Kindle supports Bluetooth and gives you easy access to the Kindle Store, I'd rather jump through the hoops of loading the ReMarkable up with whatever I want to do (books to read, documents to edit, digital coloring books to fill in) than put up with the inferior writing experience and frustrating Amazon focus of the Kindle.

So if you care about writing and editing above all, I still recommend the Paper Pro. If you just want a fancy e-paper tablet with color for entertainment, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is probably your best bet. And if you just want a great slate for entertainment and don't care about writing or e-paper at all, get an iPad Air—it's just as expensive and way more versatile than either of these (excellent!) e-paper slates.

More from Tom's Guide

• Real books are good, but Kindles are better
• No Kindle? No problem: 5 places to buy DRM-free e-books
• I never liked e-readers, but the Kindle app on my phone has converted me

Amazon is rolling out a new generative AI feature for the iOS version of its Kindle app, the digital version of one of the best eReaders. The new “Ask this Book” tool is a chatbot that will provide “spoiler-free” answers about the book’s plot, characters, and more.

The AI feature was announced in a blog post proclaiming that the bot is available for “thousands of English-language best selling” books. .

Amazon is pitching the AI chatbot as an “expert reading assistant” that makes it “easier for you stay immersed in your books.” As you’re reading, you can highlight a portion of the book to get started with the bot.

Ask this Book can seemingly provide a broad array of information from plot details and character relationships to thematic elements, but the company claims it will only reveal information up to your current reading position.

Amazon also announced another AI-based feature, “Recaps”, which is supposed to give you a refresher about book series you’re reading while you wait for the next book or when you’ve taken a prolonged break.

How Ask this book works

According to Amazon, when you highlight a section of your book in the Kindle app you should see a new “Ask” button in the menu. Tapping that button will let you type in a prompt before being placed in a chatbox with the AI.

Additionally, some pre-made suggested queries will be available if you didn’t have a question prepared.

The feature is rolling out to the Kindle iOS app now. As mentioned, the Android Kindle app won’t receive this feature until next year. Additionally, Amazon says it will come to Kindle devices in 2026, though a specific timeline wasn’t provided.

Authors concerned

When it comes to artificial intelligence, there has been a lot of concern about rights and AI’s effects on authors. Most every AI company has been accused of copyright infringement, and Anthropic settled a class action lawsuit with authors earlier this fall.

Insider publication Publisher’s Lunch (via Writer Beware) highlighted the feature earlier this week with concern over the AI bot generating information without permission or rights. The site apparently did not receive a definitive answer from Amazon about the company’s process regarding the AI bot or what rights it relies on.

They did learn that the feature is always on and authors and publishers can not opt out.

“The primary focus has been on preventing unpermissioned AI training, but with the technology embedding itself at warp speed in all aspects of the book business, the rights implications are expanding just as fast,” Writer Beware notes.

This isn’t the first time the company has done something controversial to the Kindle platform this year. Back in February Amazon took away the ability to download Kindle books and back them up on a PC using USB transfer.

Let us know if you believe Ask this Book infringes or will it be a helpful tool for readers?

More from Tom's Guide

• Critical Amazon Kindle flaw could let hackers take over your account - don't fall for this
• Amazon just announced a huge delivery upgrade affecting 2,300 US cities
• I used the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio to create an Alexa Home Theater — here's how it sounds

I'll say this upfront: these Kindle deals were cheaper on Black Friday. However, (almost) every Kindle model is currently discounted, so it's a great chance to grab one of the best e-readers if you missed out on those Black Friday deals.

The holidays are coming up, and nothing is more enjoyable this time of year than a good book. Right now, Kindles are on sale with up to 33% off at Amazon. The cheapest deal is on the basic Kindle for $89 at Amazon ($20 off,) or you can grab our best-reviewed model, the Kindle Paperwhite on sale for $134.

Keep scrolling to see my favorite Kindle deals. I also recommend checking out our Amazon promo codes and the New Balance deals I'd shop in Amazon's sale.

Quick links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Kindle (16GB): was $109 now $89
• Kindle Kids (16GB): was $129 now $99
• Kindle Paperwhite (16GB): was $159 now $134
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB): was $179 now $144
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $189
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $209
• Kindle Scribe 2024 (32GB): was $419 now $279

Kindle deals

Kindle Kids deals

Accessories

Also consider

Note: these new Kindle models won't arrive before the holidays, but are great premium options for big fans of the brand.

I’ve used the best Kindles for years, with the Kindle Paperwhite being my go-to tablet for reading my favorite novels. That’s going to change, as I’ve fallen in love with the new Kindle Scribe after using and testing it for the better part of a week. Though I won’t completely abandon the Paperwhite, the Kindle Scribe is now the main Kindle I’ll use, both for reading novels and black and white comics.

What’s so great about Amazon’s latest e-reader? While it doesn’t have a color e-paper display like the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, the new standard Scribe features a more streamlined design than its predecessors. The tablet’s lightweight design makes it comfortable to hold for long periods of time. The 11-inch display and its auto-brightness feature also enable me to read without much (if any) eye strain.

You can read my full Kindle Scribe (2025) review for more details, but here are some thoughts on why the new Scribe is now my favorite Kindle model — and why my Kindle Paperwhite might not get as much attention as usual.

Easier reading

With the right font size and spacing, you can reasonably approximate the experience of reading a mass-market paperback on a Kindle Paperwhite. It reminds me of the days when I used to buy these small (and cheap) novels from the local pharmacy.

I don't read physical books as much as I used to, but when I do, I now tend toward the larger paperback or hardcovers since they’re easier to read than mass-market paperbacks. Going back to the comparatively smaller Kindle Paperwhite can be jarring.

This is no longer an issue with the Kindle Scribe, since its screen is either as large or larger than that of a standard paperback or hardcover. And like I said in my Kindle Scribe review, the default font size and line spacing make for comfortable reading out of the box. Don’t get me wrong, I fiddled with the settings to see what I preferred (since I always do this with a new Kindle). In the end, I just settled for default since it’s practically perfect.

I almost always turn off the front lights on a Kindle since I like reading near a light source the same way I would when reading a real book. I mostly do this on the Kindle Scribe, though I sometimes switch its front lights on so that the display matches the white bezels surrounding it. I actually wish the bezels were black, but that’s a minor complaint. Regardless, whether it's with the display’s front lights on or off, the Kindle isn’t scorching my eyes as the display on something like an iPad Pro M5 would.

Comfortable to hold

The Kindle Scribe’s aluminum body makes it feel more premium than the Paperwhite, which has a plastic chassis. I don’t dislike the latter, especially since its rubbery backside makes it comfortable to hold, but I just like the Scribe’s smooth and sturdy chassis more. It’s also very light to hold, and is actually a tad lighter than an 11-inch iPad Air M3 (14.1 ounces vs 16.2 ounces, respectively).

I mostly hold the Kindle Paperwhite with two hands as I would a real book, but I do occasionally prefer holding it in one hand. Though it’s not hard to hold the Scribe this way, I can only comfortably hold it for so long before my arm and wrist get tired. This is one of the few downsides when reading, but it’s not a deal-breaker since I generally use two hands anyway.

Another minor complaint is that the Scribe’s aluminum chassis can get pretty cold now that winter is approaching. Obviously, the Scribe’s back warms up as I hold it, but initially picking it up in between sessions isn’t always fun for my fingers. I’m considering purchasing the Amazon Kindle Scribe Folio Cover to alleviate this issue.

Versatility

Kindles are fantastic for reading books, but they’re not so great for comics since their screens are smaller than a comic’s page. Manga (black and white Japanese comics) aren’t as bad to read on a Kindle Paperwhite, but I enjoy reading this kind of book more on an iPad mini since the screen is larger and there’s better contrast between the white pages and black ink. Things are different on a Kindle Scribe, however.

The Scribe’s 11-inch e-paper display is roughly the same size as a standard American comic book page. That size, combined with the screen’s sharp 300ppi resolution and paper-like appearance, makes for an enjoyable comic book reading experience. Naturally, manga also looks fantastic on the Kindle Scribe. Of course, the main downside here is that all comics are in black and white. If you want color, you’ll need the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

I appreciate that the Kindle Scribe has expanded my reading options since it can expertly handle novels and black and white comics. It’ll be more convenient than always switching between a Kindle and an iPad to accommodate the kind of book I’m reading at the moment.

Read on!

The Kindle Scribe's main selling point is that it's a Kindle you can write or draw on. While that aspect works as intended, that's actually the least interesting feature since I don't like writing by hand. If that's what you're looking for with the Kindle Scribe, then you won't be disappointed when taking notes or doodling. For me, however, it's all about the reading experience, and the Scribe excels at that.

I was smitten the instant I unboxed the Kindle Scribe, and that feeling hasn’t diminished over the subsequent days. I’m still fond of the Kindle Paperwhite, and will no doubt use it when I’m on a cramped airplane ride to CES next month. But aside from specific situations, the Kindle Scribe will now be my go-to Kindle for novels and black and white comics.

More from Tom's Guide

• Real books are good, but Kindles are better
• How to set and manage bookmarks on Kindle
• This one Kindle Colorsoft shortcoming is getting under my skin

The new Amazon Kindle Scribe ($499) delivers meaningful improvements over its predecessors. Featuring a more streamlined design, larger e-paper display, and easier-to-access notes, it’s arguably the best standard Kindle Scribe yet.

I’ve been a Kindle Paperwhite user for years, so reading my favorite novels on the expansive 11-inch e-paper display has been a revelation. The 300ppi resolution makes everything from written text to black and white comic books appear sharp and defined. I appreciate not being forced to adjust the font and spacing to get a better reading experience. I get that right out of the box.

The lightweight design is another highlight. The Scribe is so light in my hands that it makes the 11-inch iPad Air M3 feel bulky in comparison. I also appreciate the sturdy aluminum chassis that makes this device feel more premium than a Kindle Paperwhite. Though I wish the bezels were a tad thinner, they’re thick enough to let you comfortably hold the device without having your thumbs on the actual display.

Writing is generally satisfying thanks to the chunky included stylus and how there’s virtually no lag when you write. The Quick Notes section on the Home screen allows you to instantly jot down or draw whatever comes to mind at the moment. Unfortunately, annotating text is as clunky and unintuitive as ever.

Faults aside, the new Kindle Scribe is an overall satisfying update. If you’re a Kindle fan who wants a device for taking notes and drawing, this and the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are excellent (if expensive) options. And if you’re not a notetaker or artist, you’ll have an enjoyable experience reading novels and black and comics on this device. I’ll explain further in my full Kindle Scribe review.

Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Kindle Scribe (2025) is an e-reader that allows you to take digital notes with its included stylus and to read books from the Kindle store. This updated model features a thinner design, a larger display, and a snappier interface.
• Who is it for? This tablet is for anyone who wants an e-reader that also allows them to take notes or draw.
• What does it cost? The Kindle Scribe (2025) starts at $499 for the 32GB model and $549 for the 64GB variant. You can purchase it from Amazon.
• What do we like? I like the lightweight design, sharp 11-inch display, and seamless integration with the Kindle store and Goodreads.
• What don’t we like? Annotating text is clunky and unintuitive. The Kindle Scribe also costs as much as an 11-inch iPad Air M3 but does less.

Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Specs

Kindle Scribe (2025) review: The ups

The Kindle Scribe (2025) impresses thanks to its thin and sturdy design, sharp 11-inch display, and generally enjoyable writing and reading experience.

Lightweight design

The new Kindle Scribe isn’t just a refresh, as it features a brand-new design. Besides a larger display, the tablet is thinner and lighter, and features a uniform look since it dropped the previous model’s asymmetrical handle design. The new Scribe has an aluminum chassis, which makes the tablet feel sturdy and more premium in hand.

The Kindle Scribe actually weighs less than an 11-inch iPad Air M3. Because of that, you can easily hold the e-reader for long periods of time without your hands or wrist getting tired. Sure, it’s not as comfortable to hold in one hand as a Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Basic, but it’s still very light for its size.

As I said in the intro, the bezels are a tad thin, but they’re just large enough to let me hold the Scribe without my thumb touching the display. I still prefer this over the previous design, which might have been more comfortable to hold but was awkward-looking. The Kindle Scribe hits the sweet spot of comfort and elegance.

Gorgeous e-paper display

The first thing I do on a new Kindle is dive into a book’s settings to adjust the font, letter size, and margins. I entered the Kindle Scribe’s settings only to find that I didn’t need to change anything, since the out-of-the-box reading experience is practically perfect. This is a testament to how easy reading novels and comics is on the 11-inch e-paper display.

I typically read Titan Comics' black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan comics on the iPad Pro M5, as its OLED panel delivers such inky blacks. While the Kindle Scribe doesn’t offer the same level of contrast and defined detail, black and white comics still look great on such a large and sharp canvas.

I normally keep the Kindle’s front light off to better simulate reading on paper, but when I want to read at night, the built-in front lights get the job done. Even if you crank the brightness all the way up, the lighting isn’t as harsh as on a typical tablet or monitor. The adjustable warm light is good for minimizing blue light, and the auto light feature smartly adjusts to your ambient lighting.

The Kindle Scribe’s large and sharp screen is so good that I don’t see myself going back to reading on a Kindle Paperwhite unless I want a smaller device for reading on a cramped plane. Pardon the pun, but the Scribe’s display is really a wonder to behold.

Comfortable stylus and easy note-taking

The included Kindle Premium Pen is a brilliant stylus that feels amazing to use and hold, thanks to its thick and chunky design. The tip easily lets you draw thick and thin lines, depending on how hard you push it against the screen. The texture-molded glass display creates a nice amount of friction when you write. There’s also an eraser on the end for when you need to correct mistakes.

You’ll also find a shortcut button that lets you highlight passages, at least by default. If you want, you can head into system settings and change the shortcut to perform other actions, such as changing the lines produced to simulate a pen or pencil. Conversely, you can also disable the shortcut button. I didn’t use the shortcut button much, but it’s good to have in case I do want to enable a specific function.

For easier note-taking, there’s a convenient Quick Notes option on the Home page. Tapping it will open a new note, which is useful for when inspiration hits or you want to jot something down before you forget it. You can create as many notes as you’d like, and the most recent will remain in the “jump back in” section on the Home page. You can view all your notes by clicking on the “Workspace” tab at the bottom of the Home page.

On a related note, the Scribe’s built-in AI does an admirable job of cleaning up your handwritten notes. This is especially true for my barely legible handwriting. The AI also lets you search for notes, and even has a “chat” feature, though I haven’t taken enough notes to try this myself. I can see this being useful if, for example, you’ve taken exhaustive notes on a sci-fi manuscript and want the AI to assist you in finding what you need.

Same great Kindle experience

Beyond the hardware upgrades and new features, the Kindle Scribe offers the same fantastic Kindle experience you’re familiar with. The Home page has selections from your library and recommendations from Amazon, along with your most recent notes. Navigating your library and settings is a snap thanks to the responsive interface.

Since this is an Amazon device, you can seamlessly connect to the Kindle store and Goodreads. I know some folks have justifiable reasons for disliking these services — DRM (digital rights management) and the amount of spammy self-published books being two of many. But I like being able to purchase digital books from the Kindle store with a simple tap, or updating my Goodreads followers on how far I am into the latest novel or comic I’m reading.

Kindle Scribe (2025) review: The downs

Using the Kindle Scribe for note-taking and doodling generally works as intended, but this e-reader has some notable setbacks you should be aware of.

Active Canvas feature is clunky

I share the same frustrations with annotating text as my colleague Alex Wawro, who reviewed the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. To be specific, I’m not a fan of the Active Canvas feature.

Sure, you can write or draw right on a document or page and have your annotation appear alongside the text. However, the way Active Canvas automatically inserts annotations breaks up the text of said document or page, which can make things extremely confusing and messy. I wish your annotations or drawings stayed exactly where you placed them without distorting a page, as they do on the ReMarkable Paper Pro.

The other way to take notes is to open the expandable margin and write them there. This is a cleaner option since it doesn’t warp pages, and you’re able to hide your notes when you want. I hope there’s a fix for Active Canvas awkwardly moving text around, but the margin is the best way to go right now.

Fewer features than a similarly priced iPad Air

The 2024 Kindle Scribe was already expensive for what it offered, and its 2025 counterpart costs $100 more. While the Scribe offers meaningful upgrades and updates over its predecessor, said improvements might not be worth $499 — especially for a device that is mainly for reading books and note-taking.

For the same price, you can purchase an 11-inch iPad Air M3. You can read all of your Kindle books from the Kindle App for iPad, and even read those books (and comics) in full color. The iPad Air is also great for doodling, so long as you don’t mind the smooth, glassy display. Beyond those basic Kindle Scribe features, you can also watch videos, play games and surf the web much easier on Apple’s thin tablet.

If you’re already invested in the Amazon ecosystem, then it might be easier for you to justify the Kindle Scribe’s asking price. However, if you want a device that offers more features for the same cost, you might want to consider the iPad Air instead.

Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Verdict

The Kindle Scribe (2025) might not have the same robust note-taking features as some of its competitors, but if you like writing by hand or drawing, it will get the job done. Just don’t expect the best note-taking e-reader out there. For that, you might want to check out the ReMarkable 2 ($449).

While the Kindle Scribe might fall a little short when it comes to the scribing part, it’s a phenomenal e-reader for avid bookworms. The 11-inch display is perfect for novels and black and white comics, which you can comfortably read for hours — thanks to the device’s lightweight and sturdy design. Seamless integration with Amazon services like the Kindle store and Goodreads is also a highlight, especially if you’re invested in the company’s ecosystem.

I instantly fell in love with the Kindle Scribe when I unboxed it, and it will now be my main e-reader when I’m at home. The Kindle Paperwhite is still brilliant, but if you need a larger display that’s easier to read on, this is the Kindle to get.

Amazon's new Kindle Colorsoft Scribe ($629) is the biggest and most expensive tablet the company has sold yet.

Luckily, Amazon packed a slew of features into this expensive slate. With a big 11-inch e-paper display that lets you view documents in color and a packed-in stylus you can use to highlight passages and jot down notes, you can get a wide variety of reading and creating done on this device.

There's also some level of AI assistance built in, just like there is on the Kindle Scribe. The Colorsoft Scribe uses it to do things like decipher your handwritten notes and summarize them as well as make them searchable, so you can search for something like "vet" and among the search results you'll find the "pick up cat from vet" from your to-do list.

Factor in the built-in backlight, and you start to see why this is one of the best e-readers I've tested in years. Of course, it's also more expensive than an iPad Air.

Is it worth it? The answer depends on what you plan to use it for. I'll walk you through what I mean in this Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review!

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2025) is the first Kindle Scribe to let you read and write in (a limited set of) colors.
• Who is it for? This premium Kindle is well-suited for anyone who expects to read and write a lot and likes to do so in color. Students, writers, educators and anyone with $600+ to drop on a Kindle will appreciate it.
• What does it cost? The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is available to purchase via Amazon at a starting price of $629 for the 32GB model, though you can pay an extra $50 ($679) for the 64GB version.
• What do we like? The big, easy-to-read 11-inch screen and the thick stylus are nice, and colors look pretty good on the display, especially with the brightness maxed.
• What don’t we like? This e-reader costs more than an iPad Air yet does less. There's also no waterproofing (avoid the beach), and it's a little annoying that the homepage is full of ads for books and other things to buy on Amazon.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: Specs

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: The ups

After using the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft for a few days, I'm impressed by how handy this device can be for the right person.

Big 11-inch e-paper screen makes reading easy

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft feels roughly about the same size as the Kindle Scribe (2024) I reviewed last year, but the display is actually bigger at 11 inches vs. 10.2 inches, so it feels even easier to read on than last year's Scribe.

The large e-paper display makes reading documents and comic books easier than on any other Kindle I've used to date. It also gives you enough room to work on documents while opening the expandable margin to take notes, and when doodling with the various colors, it's nice to have all this space.

However, one minor drawback about that is that I find the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft a little tricky to hold without smudging up the screen because the bezels are fairly thin. Not as thin as on an iPad Air, mind you, but still thin enough that if you have big hands or aren't delicate, you will find yourself accidentally tapping the screen occasionally.

I haven't found that to be a problem when doodling since you can typically rest your hand or wrist on the screen without triggering input, but it can be frustrating when reading because accidentally tapping the edge of the screen with your finger can cause your page to flip forward or back, losing your place.

Colors unlock a whole new world of entertainment

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft effectively marries the color e-paper screen of the Kindle Colorsoft with the expanded design and capabilities of the Kindle Scribe, and the screen has a special color filter and light guide (using nitride LEDs) that helps it display colors in a way that feels fairly bright and vibrant.

That effectively unlocks a whole new realm of use for the Scribe family, as you can now read comics, graphic novels and manga in color. And while your comics and images will likely look sharper and more colorful on an iPad, I never felt like I was compromising or settling while reading issues on our Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review unit.

However, I did sometimes need to flip between the two display modes (Standard and Vivid) depending on what I was reading. While you might expect Vivid to deliver better colors across the board, in some cases, I found switching back to Standard mode was better for parsing text or making out details in small images.

Likewise, I really appreciate the option to sketch and take notes in 10 different colors. Admittedly, two of them are black and grey, but the rest are more exciting options like aqua, pink, orange and green. I appreciate that you get some bright colors to work with on the Colorsoft screen, and they show up brighter than colors do on the comparable ReMarkable Paper Pro e-paper tablet I tested last year.

Premium Pen stylus is versatile and comfortable in the hand

I have big hands, which is often a problem when using modern gadgets because they're so gosh darn small. Heck, even this Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a little too thin for my liking, as being less than a quarter-inch thick makes it tricky for my clumsy paws to keep hold of.

I can't make the same complaint about the thick, chunky stylus that comes with the Colorsoft, which magnetically attaches to the side of the device and is bulging with useful features. It's technically called the Kindle Premium Pen, and in addition to the tip, it has a screen-sensitive rear end you can use to "erase" what you've written, as well as a shortcut button on the side you can customize to your liking.

By default, the shortcut button enables the highlighter tool, so no matter what you're doing, you can quickly squeeze the pen to start highlighting a passage. But I changed that in the system settings so that when I squeeze the pen, I can drag it to turn the page forward or backward, and I'm loving using the stylus itself to interact with the tablet because it feels more accurate and responsive than my fat fingers. Plus, it cuts down on screen smudges!

AI features are nice to have

There are a few AI-driven features built into the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, and while I haven't had enough time with the device to thoroughly test them yet, what I've seen so far seems fairly benign and useful.

In the days I've had with the device, the Scribe Colorsoft has been able to decode my horrid handwriting at least 80-90% of the time. It's nice to be able to scribble down notes and be able to search them later, and I could easily see this form of AI assistance being a boon for folks who love to write by hand.

However, I haven't yet taken enough notes or spent enough time with the device to effectively test the new feature, which lets you "chat" with your notes. This involves using a chat interface to ask questions in natural language (like "what is the screen size" if you have a page of notes about a gadget, for example) and get responses back, with a link to the notebook the answer was sourced from.

In my early testing, I've seen a few (minor) errors in the answers, but again, this product just came out on December 10, so I expect (and hope) the software will improve with time. I also think I need to put down a larger quantity of notes to really put this thing to the test — it seems well-suited to pages and pages of lecture notes or fiction writing, for example, than the few hundred words I've gotten in so far. Stay tuned!

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: The downs

I'm quite fond of the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, but there are some frustrating aspects that you ought to know about before buying one yourself.

Costs more than an iPad Air, does less

I already felt like last year's Kindle Scribe was priced a smidge too high (for what you get) at $399, so the fact that Amazon is asking $629 for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft feels painful.

I'm torn about how to discuss this because I don't know how much money and effort was spent fine-tuning the Colorsoft display for the Scribe, so I don't want to suggest that you're not getting what you're paying for here.

No, what I'm saying is that you get more for less with other tablets. Apple's 11-inch iPad Air M3 launched earlier this year with a starting price of $599, for example, and right out of the box, an iPad can do a lot more than a Kindle Scribe — including running games, playing music, streaming videos and downloading all sorts of apps.

Of course, the iPad Air doesn't come with a stylus included, but toss in a $129 Apple Pencil Pro and you have a faster, more useful tablet with a better stylus for roughly $730. That's more than any Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, but not much more, so I find it very tricky to understand who the Scribe Colorsoft is for.

Ultimately, I think it really only makes perfect sense for inveterate Kindle Scribe users who are already used to working within Amazon's ecosystem and want the added option to write, doodle and read in color. If that's not you, I suggest considering your alternatives before pulling the trigger on a new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

Annotating text is a bit frustrating

I haven't been a fan of the way you annotate text on the Kindle Scribe since I reviewed one, so I'm not surprised that it hasn't changed significantly on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

If you're not familiar, there are two main ways you can jot down notes when reading a document: my favorite requires you to open the expandable margin and write down notes there, then close it to hide them until you want to look at them.

The other way to do it is to use the Kindle's Active Canvas feature, which lets you write or draw directly onto a document and have your annotation appear alongside the text. It sounds good in theory, but in practice, I find it irritating to use because the Active Canvas inserts your annotations in ways that break up the text of the document.

So while you can write a note at the end of a paragraph or chapter easily enough, it's annoying to try and do things like edit a student paper because you can't easily annotate a single word or add in a bit of punctuation where it belongs — the Active Canvas automatically moves your annotations off the text and into blank spaces on the page.

This is in disappointing contrast to the ReMarkable Paper Pro ($579) I reviewed, which lets you basically draw a line or letter anywhere on the page and makes it appear to stay right where you made it, no matter how you scroll or adjust the page.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: Verdict

The new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is, without a doubt, the best Kindle I've ever used. While I wish it was slightly thicker with chunkier bezels so my big paws could comfortably hold it, I can't complain about the build quality or features of this Kindle Cadillac.

Well, okay, I can complain just a little: I wish I could annotate text directly like I can on ReMarkable slates, without having to rely on the Active Canvas or expandable margins. But that's a problem common to the Kindle Scribe family, and it's hardly a deal-breaker.

However, the high price does feel like just that for a lot of people. You can get a ReMarkable Paper Pro with a high-end stylus for the same $629 asking price, for example, and while I think the brightness is a bit better on the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (and thus the colors look more vibrant), I prefer the experience of writing on any ReMarkable tablet over any Scribe.

And if the "feel" of writing on glass with a stylus isn't important to you? Then it's hard to know why you wouldn't want to go for an iPad + Apple Pencil combo (or a comparable Samsung tablet) instead of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, given that you have to pay over $600 for this e-reader.

While I think the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is probably the best Kindle made yet and an impressive device, the high price and steep competition from comparably-priced tablets make it hard to give this expensive e-reader a full-throated endorsement.

But hey, if you've got $700 burning a hole in your pocket and you (or someone you love) wants an e-paper slate that lets you read and write in color, this is a great one!

With Black Friday approaching fast, now is the best time to buy an Amazon Kindle. If you want to go all out with your Kindle, Amazon is offering a deal that’s hard to resist.

Right now, the Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle is on sale for 40% off at Amazon. This is a fantastic deal considering how you’re getting a 64GB Kindle Scribe (2024), the upgraded Premium Pen, and the Leather Folio all for $230 off. This is a limited-time deal, so don't hesitate!

As we said in our Kindle Scribe (2024) review, this model improves on its predecessor by delivering a more comfortable writing and doodling experience thanks to an upgraded stylus, redesigned chassis, and new AI features. While it doesn’t have as many features as the best iPads, it serves its niche well.

Getting into specifics, the Kindle Scribe’s 10.2-inch display won’t easily strain your eyes, which means you can read comfortably for hours. Thanks to its front-lit glare-free display, you can use it in both bright and dim environments. And like the best Kindles, you get incredible battery life that can last up to 12 weeks.

The new Premium Pen has been upgraded compared to the original. This stylus is more comfortable to hold and glides smoothly across the Scribe’s screen. There are also AI features that can convert your handwritten notes into text, and then summarize them so you can look at all you’ve written at a glance.

The Kindle Scribe is great for what it offers, but it’s not perfect. For instance, your notes still appear separate from the text you’re reading, with the Kindle spacing the rest of the words around the notes you’ve made. Basically, you can’t truly write anywhere you want like you can in an actual book.

Though Amazon might offer this Kindle Scribe bundle during Black Friday proper, it’s not a bad idea to take advantage of this limited-time offer. Act fast before time runs out!

For more discounts, check out our Amazon Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Black Friday deals have officially dropped at Amazon! And that means that Black Friday Kindle deals are finally up for grabs. It’s officially the best time of year to cozy up with a good book, and these Kindle deals are perfect to treat yourself this winter or make for a thoughtful gift for a loved one.

Right now you can get up to 33% off Kindles at Amazon, with prices starting from $79. If you’re short on time, my top recommendation is the Kindle Paperwhite on sale for $124 at Amazon (22% off.) It’s the best Kindle overall because of its comfortable and lightweight design, large screen and IPX8 waterproof rating.

There are plenty more deals to choose from, so keep scrolling to see all my favorites. For more savings, stay tuned to our Amazon Black Friday deals live blog.

Quick links

• shop all Amazon Black Friday deals
• Kindle (16GB): was $109 now $79
• Kindle Kids (16GB): was $129 now $94
• Kindle Paperwhite (16GB): was $159 now $124
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB): was $179 now $134
• Kindle Colorsoft (16GB): was $249 now $169
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16GB): was $269 now $189
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle (64GB): was $569 now $339 [limited time deal!]

Black Friday Kindle deals

Kindle Kids deals

Chinese firm Onyx International has been making and selling e-paper tablets for years, and the Boox Note Max ($699) is one of the newest and largest.

With a 13.3-inch e-paper display, a fairly open Android 13 operating system and a packed-in stylus, it's a strong competitor to the Kindle Scribe and could be one of the best e-readers for folks who want a big e-paper slate that can create as well as consume.

I've been testing the Boox Note Max for a week or two now, and I'm enjoying myself. While I was initially perplexed by the interface and the intricacies of using Android on an e-paper slate, once I got the hang of it I've become pretty fond of this beefy tablet.

The experience of writing on it with the packed-in stylus is not as satisfying or as tactile as you'll get when writing on ReMarkable's e-paper tablets, but I find the Note Max to be as good or better than the Kindle Scribe in a few ways.

But of course, the Boox Note Max costs nearly twice what you'd pay for the Scribe and more than you'd pay for the ReMarkable Paper Pro, which offers a better writing experience as well as limited colors. Heck, it costs more than the entry-level iPad Air.

So is the freedom of having access to Android 13 and the Google Play Store worth the extra cost of the Boox Note Max? I'll walk you through the details and help you decide for yourself in this Boox Note Max review.

Boox Note Max review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 13.3-inch monochrome e-paper slate that runs Android 13 and sports speakers and a microphone, plus it comes with a stylus included.
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a general-purpose e-paper tablet you can write on and run limited Android apps on, allowing you to create art, take notes, annotate documents and more.
• What does it cost? $699 on the Onyx website, though I've seen it on sale for as low as $620. You can also order from a warehouse in the US, the UK or Hong Kong in order to avoid import tariffs.
• What do we like? I like the large screen, comfortable stylus and broad access to a wide variety of Android apps that allows you to access a variety of e-books and other file types with ease.
• What don’t we like? I don't love the lack of a backlight (so you need to be in good light to use the tablet), and I often find text and images on the screen look dark and harder to read than on other e-paper slates I've used. I also wish it was a bit cheaper.

Boox Note Max review: Specs

Boox Note Max review: The ups

I'm pretty fond of the Boox Note Max after spending some time testing it, and there are some features that I really wish other e-paper slate makers would copy.

Big, comfy design makes working easy, even in split-screen

I'm a fan of the Boox Note Max's expansive 13.3-inch e-paper display because it gives you plenty of room to read, doodle, take notes or annotate documents.

It's big enough that the built-in feature to be able to use two apps at once in spit-screen mode is both useful and fairly usable, as I was able to easily annotate PDF files one one half of the screen while taking notes on them in the other half.

At 13.3 inches diagonally the Boox Note Max offers notably more screen real estate than either the monochrome Kindle Scribe or the ReMarkable Paper Pro, whch is remarkable given that the Note Max is also a hair thinner than either of those competitors.

Android app access

When I first set up our Boox Note Max review unit I was surprised to discover it comes with a slew of apps already installed, including a web browser, a gallery app, a music player, Boox apps for pushing documents and files to your tablet and even an RSS reader.

Moreover, you can open up the Google Play Store (or at least, a monochrome e-paper version) and start downloading basically whatever Android app you want. You can install YouTube to watch (grainy, choppy, black and white) videos, download Spotify to listen to (tinny) music or pull down a game to entertain yourself with.

As you might imagine, most Android apps are a little tricky to use on the Note Max's 13.3-inch (3200 x 2400) e-paper display. The tablet has some built-in software tools you can use to fine-tune how apps look on the screen, allowing you to do things like darken, lighten or change the spacing on text and images so it's easier to read.

And input lag isn't terrible, either. While it takes longer than a standard Android tablet to change apps and the slow refresh rate doesn't serve games well, you can often play and enjoy slow-paced games that look good in black and white. However, I didn't find anything I much enjoyed playing on the Note Max and I expect the Play Store is better used for downloading sketching apps, note-taking tools and other software that plays to the slate's strengths: big display, decent writing experience and compatibility with a wide variety of files.

Personally, I've found basic Android apps like Google Drive, Google Docs and Evernote to be pretty useful on this e-paper slate. I can easily imagine folks who use such apps for work taking advantage of the Note Max's fairly open OS to use this e-paper slate as a productivity device at work.

Boox Note Max review: The downs

I confess I'm a bit surprised at how much I like the Boox Note Max, but in addition to the usual slow refresh rate you get on e-paper slates I think it has some downsides you should consider before pulling the trigger on a purchase.

No backlight is frustrating

I find it very frustrating there's no built-in lighting option on the Boox Note Max. While I appreciate that e-paper displays are less grating on the eyes since they don't emit bright light, I also hate that I constantly feel like I'm squinting to read or make out details on the Note Max.

Admittedly, you can buy an attachable light or flip on a lamp and hold the slate under it in order to see details more clearly. But I found that annoying, and I can imagine some folks (say, those on a red-eye flight or sharing a room with someone who's sleeping) might find it hard or impossible to increase the ambient light enough that you're not squinting and hurting your eyes to make out details on the display.

Moreover, it seems like such a minor detail to add a decent backlight to the screen (every Kindle has a backlight, even the cheapest model) that it almost feels like an oversight on Boox's part not to include one. Still, it's frustrating because other Boox tablets (including the cheaper Boox Palma 2) do offer built-in backlights.

Costs more than an iPad Air, does less

As much as I've grown to like the Boox Note Max, it's hard to recommend to anyone except e-paper afficionados at the $689 asking price. You get a decent amount of value out of the tablet and stylus, especially if you like the idea of doodling and annotating documents or taking notes.

Of course, you can probably wait for a sale to ease the sting. But it's hard to forget you can get a new iPad Air starting at $599 here in the States. Obviously they're two very different devices with different applications, so it's not a completely fair comparison. But what is fair is saying that the basic iPad Air offers a lot of features the Boox Note Max can't match, including a faster, brighter and far more colorful screen, a camera, better speakers and a wider variety of useful apps.

Admittedly, to get an iPad Air that can duplicate the functionality of the Note Max would cost closer to $700 since you'd need to get an Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil Pro as well. But even then an 11-inch basic iPad Air M3 with the basic Apple Pencil would cost you roughly $679, which is still cheaper than the Boox Note Max.

But of course, the Note Max does satisfy a specific niche desire that the iPad Air does not: demand for an e-paper slate that's easier on the eyes than an iPad, yet can still access many basic Android apps and deal with a broader variety of documents and files than you could access on e-paper competitors like Kindles.

Boox Note Max review: Verdict

While the Boox Note Max has as many flaws as it does strengths, I think it's generally a good e-paper slate with a much broader range of capabilities than any Kindle you'll own.

And while it doesn't feel nearly as good to write or sketch on as ReMarkable's e-paper slates, in a way I think the Note Max does a better job of delivering the core experience ReMarkable promises because you can do a lot more with it.

For example, many e-paper slates (including ReMarkable tablets) are marketed as reading and productivity devices that are less intrusive and eye-searing than a tablet or laptop with a bright display. Buy a Kindle Scribe or a ReMarkable Paper Pro for work or school, the ads usually go, and you'll be less distracted and more connected to your colleagues and your work.

And maybe that's true, but on the Boox Note Max it seems more true because you can do a lot more with this e-paper slate than you can with anything from Amazon or ReMarkable. Not only can you read e-books of all types (including EPUB, MOBI, CBZ and all basic document types) but you can listen to MP3s or WAV files, stream music via Spotify, access files on services like Google Drive or Box and even play games.

Perhaps that's enough functionality that you're back to the same distractions you'd be dealing with on an iPad, and of course a lot of iPads and Android tablets are cheaper than the Boox Note Max even if you factor in the cost of buying a stylus.

But I'm hard-pressed to think of a better device for someone who wants a big e-paper slate for work and play that can also do much of what a standard Android tablet can do. If I was in the market for an e-paper slate that I could use for both work and play, I think the Boox Note Max is one of the best choices I could make.

Amazon finally brought color to its Kindle Colorsoft lineup in the last year, but the color e-paper displays may not be the best for reading.

Notably, the Good e-Reader spotted recently-updated FAQ pages for the Kindle Colorsoft and the just announced Kindle Scribe Colorsoft that assert the Colorsoft displays deliver a "high-quality reading and writing experience." However, they also note that other Amazon e-readers offer a "slightly crisper black and white" reading experience.

"You may notice that the texture or brightness of the display looks different than the Kindle Scribe display. That’s because of the color filter layer that creates the easy on the eyes color reading experience on Kindle Scribe Colorsoft," reads an excerpt of the FAQ.

The page goes on to recommend one of Amazon's monochrome readers for customers who want the crispest reading experience. And it's likely correct, which is a surprising and welcome admission from any company, let alone Amazon.

Display tech

The folks at Good E-Reader claim most color e-readers today (like the Kobo Clara Colour) feature a Kaleido 3 e-paper display, which halves the resolution to 150ppi when in color mode. So if you're looking at a page in color and hold it side-by-side with the same page on a monochrome e-reader, the black and white version should look sharper.

The color is pretty good for comics, magazines, and more colorful PDFs. In our Kindle Colorsoft review, Tony Polanco praised the e-reader for reading comics and manga. However, he has found that the Paperwhite is sharper for regular black and white.

I've found that it's not a huge difference, but you might notice a slight fuzziness in side-by-side comparison.

Colorful alternatives

One of the advantages of an e-reader is that the e-paper display is easy on the eyes, especially in darker rooms. Adding color gives you more reading options, but it may not be the best way to read graphic novels and other hued texts.

We've found that the iPad is an excellent way to read comic books. The iPad Pro OLED (one of the best iPads and best tablets in general) features a vibrant OLED display, and its thinner design makes it more comfortable to hold. As we found, it's especially good for double-page spreads.

If you prefer the size of the Kindle, the iPad mini 7 is a great alternative that's cheaper than the Kindle Colorsoft Scribe and only marginally more expensive than the 16GB Kindle Colorsoft, which costs $249.

The current iPad Mini, meanwhile, starts at $499 for the base 128GB model.

When we compared the iPad Mini and the Kindle Paperwhit, we found that Apple's tablet is perfect for manga or comics thanks to great contrast and a similar size to Amazon's device.

More from Tom's Guide

• Obnoxious full-screen ads are making the Amazon Echo Show useless — here's how to fix it
• M5 iPad Pro is here — price, release date, specs and all the upgrades
• I spent two weeks with the iPad mini 7 and it reignited my love for smaller tablets

I am a big-time reader. I burn through books like they're going out of fashion, often committing to my next read before finishing my last. So when the Kindle Colorsoft — the e-reader I've been eyeing — was discounted for Prime Day last week, I snapped it up, thinking there was absolutely no harm in nabbing the newly released Kindle. But to my surprise, Amazon's first color e-reader has been plagued by an ongoing issue, and potentially some of its other models, too, due to Amazon's own actions.

As per multiple Reddit threads, Kindle Colorsoft users have found that "sideloading" e-books — the process of transferring e-books onto the device via the USB port or Wi-Fi from third-party libraries — failed to work correctly, as book covers did not appear on their device. The same issue was also found in older models, including one user's 2018 Paperwhite.

Undeterred, I attempted to sideload some new books via Calibre, a well-known program in the e-reader community, and was annoyed surprised to find that the book covers didn't appear in my Kindle's library either. Instead of seeing gorgeous, colorful covers of my latest fantasy reads (one of my main reasons for investing in the color version), I was greeted with bare title texts and authors' names, making my e-books look like boring PDF files.

Sideloaded kindle paperwhite / colorsoft from r/ereader

Upon further digging, Calibre's forum alleges that Amazon "deliberately broke this functionality in their ColorSoft and newer devices" to discourage users from reading third-party books on their devices.

While there is no real confirmation from the e-retailer that this was true or rolled out in a recent software update, it wouldn't be the first time that Amazon has blocked users from downloading e-books and their covers.

Back in February, Amazon removed the ability to download Kindle e-books to users' computers. This meant that users couldn't use files as a backup or convert them for use on another non-Kindle e-reader; they could only download books via Wi-Fi or through Amazon's own platforms. And we can't forget the incident that involved the ironic deletion of George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-four' and 'Animal Farm'.

That said, as per an Amazon spokesperson, "Kindle supports a variety of ways for customers to easily upload and read their own personal documents using Send to Kindle" — an Amazon-branded service used to send PDFs, Word documents and EPUBs to a user's Kindle library.

The spokesperson suggested that "some third-party files may display differently depending on how they’re created or formatted, but customers can continue to enjoy reading their personal documents across their Kindle devices and apps".

No true fix for the missing covers

If you're looking for an e-reader you can write on, Amazon's big Prime Day sale has just the deal for you, as the current Kindle Scribe just hit its lowest price yet. This deal saves you $100 off one of the biggest Kindles you can buy.

Thanks to the discount, the Kindle Scribe Gen 2 is down to $299 at Amazon right now. That's the cheapest I've seen this all-in-one e-reader designed for bookworms and note-takers alike. And yes, it comes packed with its upgraded Premium Pen stylus to make for an easier, far more comfortable writing experience. In the U.K.? The Kindle Scribe is now £269 on Amazon thanks to a £110 price cut!

As you'll find in our Kindle Scribe (2024) review, one of our biggest gripes was the price bump over its predecessor. Well, with this Prime Day discount taking $100/£110 off, that's no longer an issue, making this e-reader you can doodle on a very worthwhile purchase.

With its large 10.2-inch e-paper display and updated design to make it easier to hold, the Kindle Scribe isn't just the biggest e-reader in Amazon's suite you can grab, but it's also one of the most comfortable around. The extra screen space (compared to its predecessor) makes a fittingly big difference for reading and writing notes.

Speaking of its display, while it doesn't feel as paper-like as, say, the ReMarkable Paper Pro, it's still extremely comfortable to scribble on. And thanks to its backlighting options, it makes text clear to read — even when outdoors.

We also gave major points to the Premium Pen stylus, as it's more comfy to hold and works naturally to doodle, erase, highlight, select text and more. That's thanks to the Kindle Scribe picking up on actions near-instantly, and we especially like the "eraser" at the opposite end of the stylus acting like a proper, well, pencil.

It's not without some setbacks, as it takes some time to get used to jotting down notes with it automatically reorganizing text that's written. And it's important to note (no pun intended) that it's not waterproof, so stay away from reading and writing next to a pool.

Otherwise, the Kindle Scribe Gen 2 makes a compelling choice for anyone who enjoys a big-screen reading experience and doodling while they're at it. For $100/£110 off, you won't find this e-reader any cheaper. But if you're after even more options, Amazon has more price cuts on Kindles for Prime Day, with up to 30% off!

For more great discounts, be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day deals live blog right now.

Amazon has announced new Kindle devices at its hardware event today in New York City. Hosted by Panos Panay, the event — which also saw new Echo and Ring security devices announced — revealed the brand new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is joining the company's e-reader lineup alongside a standard Kindle Scribe 3.

The original Amazon Kindle Scribe is Amazon's tablet-sized e-reader with a stylus that launched back in 2022. We've had revisions since then, but this is the first time Amazon has given it a color display, and for comic book fans, this could be close to the perfect device.

The device has been on something of a diet, too. The latest model(s) come in at 5.4mm thin and weigh just 400g. According to Panay, the texture-molded glass display has a 12 millisecond latency when it comes to the pen input, which makes it feel just like "you're writing on paper".

That display has been made bigger, though. It's now 11 inches across up from last year's 10.2 inches.

The new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft boasts a customized chip and more memory, making it 40% faster on actions like page-turning and writing. There's also a non-color version, the regular Kindle Scribe 3, too.

We don't yet know how the new Kindles will hold up in terms of longevity, but Amazon says the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will offer "weeks of battery life".

AI productivity updates

Because it's 2025, and we can't have anything without AI in it, Amazon has also listed a bunch of new AI features coming to the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

Here's how the company pitches it:

• All-new Home: From our all-new Home, we’ve added Quick Notes so you can easily jot something down whenever inspiration strikes. You can also open recently opened and added books, documents, and notebooks.
• Access all your docs: With support for Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, it’s easy to import documents for mark-up and export annotated PDFs.
• AI-powered search: Search your notes naturally across your notebooks and you’ll get simple AI summaries. You can also dig deeper with follow-up questions.
• Send to Alexa+: Early next year, you’ll be able to send your notes and documents from Kindle Scribe to Alexa+ and have a conversation about them.
• Share notebooks with OneNote: Export your notes as converted text or as an embedded image to OneNote so you can keep them all in one place and keep editing from your laptop.
• Color pens and highlights: Write, draw, and annotate in one of 10 pen colors or highlight in one of 5 highlighter colors.
• Shading: Artists and creators can create smooth gradients and subtle tones with our new shader tool, giving you even more control over the depth and richness of your art.
• Workspace: Organize your documents, notebooks, books, and more in the same folder.

Pricing and availability

The Kindle Scribe 3 will be available starting at $499.99 and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will be available starting at $629.99. Kindle Scribe without a front light will be available early next year for $429.99.

Currently, the products are limited to the U.S., but Amazon says it will be bringing them to the U.K and Germany in 2026.

Speaking of price, I should point out that if you're not fussed about the latest version, you might be pleased to learn Amazon has knocked $100 off the price of the original Scribe in the lead up to next week's Prime Day event.

If you want to know more about what's been announced, check out our up-to-the-minute Amazon live blog for the latest news.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon settles Prime lawsuit with FTC for $2.5 billion — here's how much subscribers will get
• Amazon Fire TV Cube vs. Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K vs 4K Max: What should you buy?
• The best Amazon Fire tablets: our top picks

Prime Big Deal Days are getting underway very soon, and while Kindles are rarely discounted, we're already seeing some epic deals on the popular e-readers ahead of the October savings extravaganza.

Right now, Amazon is knocking up to 30% off Kindles, including some of the best Kindles we've ever tested. For instance, the Kindle Scribe is $100 off its usual price. If you're hoping to score a new Kindle for the kiddos, I recommend the Kindle Kids (16 GB) for just $94, or the Kindle Kids Colorsoft (16GB) for $209.

These discounts may deepen as we get closer to Prime Day, but these deals could also sell out at any moment. So if you're currently in the market for a new Kindle, now is the time to make that purchase. Keep scrolling to check out the best Kindle deals to shop ahead of Prime Day.

Quick Links

• Shop all Amazon Kindle deals
• Kindle Kids 16GB: was $129 now $94
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2024): was $179 now $134
• Kindle Colorsoft Kids 16GB: was $269 now $209
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (Black Leather): was $222 now $202
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $282 now $195
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $362 now $327
• Kindle Scribe (2024): was $399 now $299
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle: was $549 now $489

Best Kindle Deals

The ReMarkable Paper Pro Move ($449 to start) is the company's latest e-paper tablet, and after using it for a few weeks it might be my favorite ReMarkable slate yet.

If you're familiar with last year's ReMarkable Paper Pro then you can think of the Move as basically the same slate, just smaller and cheaper. The Paper Pro Move's 7.3-inch Canvas Color display makes it roughly the same size as a big airport paperback, so it's a lot easier to slip into a purse or jacket pocket.

Turns out, that smaller size makes the Paper Pro Move a lot easier to integrate into your daily life than the 11.3-inch ReMarkable Paper Pro. And while I occasionally missed the screen real estate of a full-size tablet, more often than not I was excited to pull out the Move because it offers the same tools and writing experience of other ReMarkable tablets in a more portable, usable design.

That's why I think the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move is a great e-paper slate for jotting down notes and tracking ideas, making it one of the best tablets for writers, note-takers and anyone who appreciates a pocket-sized notebook with infinite paper.

ReMarkable Paper Pro Move: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The first pocket-sized (well, almost) ReMarkable slate, offering the same writing tools, feedback and limited color palette as the Paper Pro in a smaller size.
• Who is it for? Writers, executives, journalists, students and anyone who likes the idea of an e-paper tablet that feels like paper to write on, with a limited color palette and a 7.3-inch display.
• What does it cost? The tablet itself is starts at $449 and comes bundled with a ReMarkable Marker, which is the only kind of stylus this slate supports. For $499 you can get it bundled with a ReMarkable Marker Pro, which sports an additional built-in "eraser" module at one end.
• What do we like? I've always loved how it feels to write on ReMarkable slates, plus the limited color support is nice and the small size and weight makes the Paper Pro Move very easy to carry around.
• What don’t we like? There's typically a noticeable delay when loading documents, moving between pages or waiting for a line you've just drawn to "fill in" on the page due to e-paper's limitations.

ReMarkable Paper Pro Move review: Specs

ReMarkable Paper Pro Move review: What we like

I do most of my writing with a keyboard these days, but there's something ineffably compelling about putting pencil to paper that I still enjoy.

ReMarkable has made a business out of selling e-paper tablets with advanced display and stylus technology that makes them feel almost the same as writing in an actual notebook, down to the sensation of pencil lead scratching against ridges in the paper.

It's not quite the same, but the effect is close enough that I always find it charming. If that alone isn't enough to sell you on a Paper Pro Move, here are some other strengths I noticed during my time with the slate.

Pocket-sized design makes it easy to carry and use

One of my immediate reactions to seeing the Paper Pro Move was delight at the portable design of this pocket-sized slate. I have big, meaty paws and the Paper Pro Move fits perfectly into one of them like a plus-sized reporter's notebook, which I love.

The slimmer, more portable size of the Paper Pro Move is especially important because it makes it easier to carry this slate around with you—and that in turn makes it a lot more likely you're going to carry it around and actually use it during your day.

It reminds me that while I love the ReMarkable Paper Pro, I rarely use it because since its as big as a full iPad it mostly sits at home on my desk. Whereas I love being able to slide the Paper Pro Move into my interior jacket pocket like a giant notebook, then whip it out throughout the day when I need to jot down a note or cross something off my to-do list.

Now, obviously that's not putting this ~$500 tablet to full use, and that is something to think about before buying—do you actually need a ReMarkable slate to do anything you aren't already able to do on the phone you carry in your pocket?

On paper, probably not. Your phone is just as capable of holding your notes and stray thoughts, and it can do a lot more. But one thing it can't do is replicate the feeling of dragging a pencil across a piece of paper, and no device I've ever tested can do that half as well as the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move.

Colors are still fun to use and help your work pop

ReMarkable introduced color e-paper displays to its product line for the first time with last year's ReMarkable Paper Pro, and what was true then remains true now: more color means more fun!

If you haven't seen the Paper Pro in person, let me set your expectations: you don't get full color on a ReMarkable slate the way you do on an iPad. Since the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move has an e-paper display it's not a "screen" in the traditional sense and can't do full HD, but ReMarkable has designed a Canvas Color display that combines tiny CMYK ink particles in different ways at different layers to create 10 possible colors you can use.

In practice, this means you can use the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move's toolset (which include tools like a marker, highlighter, pencil and paintbrush) to draw and color on notes and documents in up to 10 colors, including green, blue, magenta, yellow and orange.

So while the Paper Pro Move isn't a great device for someone who wants access to the full palette of colors and art tools that you can get on a tablet, the extra colors you can use do make it possible to doodle, illustrate your notes and add splashes of color to your work in a way that I love.

Writing on the Move's e-paper display feels excellent

As usual, the latest ReMarkable slate feels fantastic to write on.

That's not terribly surprising since the Paper Pro Move sports the same Color Canvas display that debuted on last year's Paper Pro. When used in conjunction with the company's ReMarkable Marker stylus you get 4,000+ levels of tilt/pressure sensitivity and a surprising amount of feedback as you drag the stylus across the screen.

Presumably that's why writing on the Paper Pro Move feels way better than using a stylus on a glass screen like that on the iPad. It's hard to describe if you've never tried one yourself, but when writing or doodling on the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move it feels like the stylus nib is actually scratching against the display in a way that's leaving a mark on it.

In fact, the ReMarkable Marker ships with replacement nibs that you will have to swap on occasionally as they wear down with use.

I actually hate to write longhand these days because decades of writing for a living have made my hands achy and weak, but it's a testament to how enjoyable writing on a ReMarkable feels that I find myself wanting to bring the Paper Pro Move with me places so I can doodle and jot down ideas as I have them.

ReMarkable Paper Pro Move review: What we don't like

I'm very fond of the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move, but I'm not so enamored that I can't see the clear weaknesses of this $449 e-paper tablet.

The lag takes some getting used to

ReMarkable has been working for years to try and make their e-paper slates feel faster and more responsive, and they've come a long way. But while the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move is the fastest and snappiest I've used yet, there's still a noticeable lag between when you draw the stylus across the screen and when your work actually appears.

But while these slates feel a lot slower to use than an iPad or even a Kindle, it's not always a bad thing. In some situations I actually appreciate that delay when shading, highlighting or drawing because it helps me see what I'm doing and fill in spots I've missed or given short shrift.

However, any time I'm trying to page through a document or quickly navigate through the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move's menus it's a frustrating experience because it typically takes a noticeable moment or two to load a new page.

It's not a deal-breaker, but it's absolutely something you need to be prepared for before you drop nearly $500 on this slate.

Price makes this a niche device

With a starting price of $449 the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move costs more than an iPad and almost as much as an iPad mini 7 yet does far less, and that's just something you have to be okay with.

Now the same is true for most of ReMarkable's slates, and I actually feel better about the price of the Move than I do about the larger Paper Pro ($579 to start) because this newer, smaller e-paper slate is both cheaper than its older sibling and easier to carry, so more people are going to find uses for it on more occasions.

And really, while you can get an Apple Pencil and pair it with an iPad mini 7 to get similar functionality no iPad can match the experience of writing on the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move. So while it is awfully expensive for what you get, what you're getting is a one-of-a-kind pocket-sized e-paper slate that feels great to write on and never runs out of paper or ink—though you do need to charge it.

ReMarkable Paper Pro Move review: Verdict

If it's not obvious yet, I'm a fan of the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move. The color e-paper display is a delight to write on, and the 7.3-inch display makes this slate perfect for slipping in a purse or coat pocket.

While I still think it's a bit too expensive and slow to be the perfect pocket-sized digital notebook, it's awfully close. And since it's smaller and cheaper than last year's Paper Pro I think it's easier to use and easier to justify buying, so more people are going to find more uses for the Paper Pro Move.

You can do more with a tablet from the likes of Apple, Amazon or Samsung, but if you care about the feeling of writing on paper there's something special about a ReMarkable device that no other slate I've ever tested can match. And now that the ReMarkable Paper Pro Move has arrived, you can get one that's lighter and cheaper than ever.

After overcoming a rather heinous reading slump, I have rediscovered my love for all things books. From burning through overrated 'romantasy' (romance/fantasy) novels to digesting the occasional biography, I spend all my free time reading, and now, my most-wished-for ereader has come within reach, making it easier to carry my favourite books with me everywhere.

The Kindle Colorsoft — the first ever colour Kindle — launched overseas late last year, but Amazon AU quietly released the device in July this year in Australia, listing it for a not-so-nice price of AU$399 for the 16GB model and AU$449 for the 32GB Signature Edition.

Since then, I've had an eye out for a discount, waiting with bated breath for a fair chunk of change to be knocked off the RRP. And after reading our glowing Kindle Colorsoft review, I knew it was the ereader that I wanted to get my hands on.

Right now, the Colorsoft has been discounted to AU$329 on Amazon — that's AU$70 off RRP! It’s the first discount in Australia on the colour Kindle, putting it within grasp for many a bookworm and entry-level ereader user (like me). Sure, it’s probably going to get a better discount when the second Prime Day sale in Australia takes place in October (even Black Friday sales aren’t too far away), but it's definitely worth considering if, like me, you've been eyeing this new Kindle.

Scoring an impressive 4.5 stars out of 5, our reviewer praised the Colorsoft’s sharp and vibrant display. A half star was knocked off as we thought the device was "decidedly expensive," given that it costs more than the entry-level Paperwhite and the Paperwhite Signature Edition. Even the Kobo Libra Colour is a better value at AU$379 with 32GB of storage and writing capabilities. But with this AU$70 discount on offer, this little niggle becomes almost irrelevant.

Thanks to its display, you can also enjoy book covers, comics and graphic novels in all their vibrant glory. You don't have to read colour texts to take full advantage of the display, as our reviewer found that the "monochrome performance remains strong" as black text benefits from the Colorsoft’s boosted contrast.

You can also fuel your reading addiction with Kindle Unlimited for AU$13p/m. Kindle Unlimited is similar to an online library, where you can "borrow" up to 20 books every month. The storefront is home to over 4 million ebooks and audiobooks; however, it’s important to note that Bluetooth connectivity is not available on any Kindle sold in Australia, so you can't listen to audiobooks via an Amazon ereader.

You'll need to be on the same page as me (pun very much intended) to snag this deal — this Kindle Colorsoft discount won't stick around long.

Labor Day is just around the corner — and while Kindles are rarely discounted, we're seeing some great deals on the popular e-readers that you don't want to miss.

Amazon is taking up to 25% off Kindles, including some of the best Kindles we've ever tested. Of course, the discounts aren't quite as good as they are during savings events like Prime Day and Black Friday. That being said, if you're currently in the market for a new Kindle, now is the time to make that purchase.

For instance, you can grab the standard 16 GB Kindle for just $89. You can also upgrade to the new Kindle Colorsoft (16 GB), which is on sale for $219. If you're hoping to score a new Kindle for the kiddos, I recommend the Kindle Kids (16 GB) for just $99. Additionally, you'll save some cash if you opt for Kindle bundles, which are all listed below.

Keep scrolling to check out the best Kindle deals this Labor Day Weekend brings.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon Kindle deals
• Kindle (16 GB): was $109 now $89
• Kindle Kids (16 GB): was $129 now $99
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16 GB): was $222 now $202
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (16 GB): was $249 now $219
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle (32 GB): was $282 now $257
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle (32 GB): was $362 now $327
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle (64 GB): was $539 now $489

Best Kindle Deals

Amazon may be testing out a new smaller Kindle with a color display. Recently, a post appeared on the Kindle subreddit (spotted by The Verge) that showed off a device labeled as a prototype Kindle.

The Redditor, Successful_Bear4855 writing in Portuguese, shared a couple of images, one of which showed the device with the name Kindle Petit Color in the corner of the screen. The poster does claim that the name hasn’t been finalized by Amazon yet.

They went on to say that the device will launch in November of this year. The Kindle ColorSoft is among the best Kindle e-readers, but has been hard to recommend because of its much higher price.

The display on Petit Color is supposed to be much better than the one on the Kindle Colorsoft, with a greater density of color and the ability to adjust the intensity and saturation of individual colors. The poster also said in a comment that you can change the colors of the icons, like the battery, wifi, and shopping cart.

The text of an ebook you're reading can also be colored and will transition from say black through four different colors as you progress. Alongside the status bar, this would be an additional visual clue telling you how much of an ebook you’ve read.

At first glance, the prototype appears to be similarly sized to the basic black-and-white Kindle, though the poster says it will be smaller than the 11th-generation version of the Kindle. Successful_Bear added that the prototype does not feature a screen light, but the final edition will have one.

More from Tom's Guide

• Kindle Colorsoft vs Kobo Clara Colour: Which is the better color e-reader?
• These are the best Kindles you can buy right now
• I didn't love the Kindle Scribe when I reviewed it, but this new feature changed my mind

Amazon just announced two new versions of the Kindle Colorsoft — a more affordable 16GB Kindle Colorsoft at $249, and a Kids edition to bring that color e-ink display tech to a child-friendly device.

The current Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition retains its $279 asking price and has features like auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and 32 GB storage. And just like Amazon's other Kids edition options, the Kindle Colorsoft Kids comes bundled with a kid-friendly cover, a year of Amazon Kids+, parental controls and a two-year warranty.

The aforementioned cover comes in two colors: Fantasy River or Starlight Reading. This reader will also have learning features such as the OpenDyslexic font and Bluetooth connectivity to listen to audiobooks with a pair of the best wireless headsets. Naturally, there will be parental controls via the Amazon Parent Dashboard.

I reviewed the Kindle Colorsoft when it launched last year, and it has been my main Kindle ever since. Despite being a fan of this device, it has been difficult to recommend because of its steep asking price. While $249 is still expensive compared to a $159 Kindle Paperwhite or an even cheaper $109 base Kindle, the $30 discounted price is at least more palatable.

The Kindle Colorsoft Kids announcement isn’t exactly surprising, but it’s a nice option for parents who want to get their kids a Colorsoft. The $269 asking price is a bit steep, but you at least get a year of Amazon Kids+. That service offers a range of age-appropriate content like books, movies, educational apps and games, which could be well worth it for parents. The bundled cover is also a great bonus—and a necessary accessory for keeping the tablet safe.

The 16GB Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Colorsoft Kids are available now on Amazon. If their respective prices are a tad steep, I’m sure we’ll see price reductions during the next Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. As always, we’ll keep you posted!

More from Tom's Guide

• Real books are good, but Kindles are better
• No Kindle? No problem: 5 places to buy DRM-free e-books
• Kindle Colorsoft vs Kobo Clara Colour

We're tracking the best Prime Day deals live all week. We've got deals on TV, outdoors, and even air fryers. Whatever you're after, we've got you covered.

However, this awesome Kindle Paperwhite sale has stolen my attention. The Kindle Paperwhite 2024 only came out last year (what gave it away?), but it's already crashed to its lowest ever price.

The Kindle Paperwhite has 16GB of storage, which works out to around 15,000 books. Yeah. That's a lot. I'm actually so tempted by this deal... especially as you can get 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for free!

And the good news? Each of the three colorways is discounted and this deal is matched over in the U.K. — so our British readers can also take advantage!

Quick links

• (U.S.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Black: was $159 now $124 @ Amazon
• (U.S.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Green: was $159 now $124 @ Amazon
• (U.S.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Pink: was $159 now $124 @ Amazon
• (U.K.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Black: was £159 now £124 @ Amazon
• (U.K.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Green: was £159 now £124 @ Amazon
• (U.K.) Kindle Paperwhite 2024 Pink: was £159 now £124 @ Amazon

• See all Amazon Prime Day deals right now!

Best Kindle Paperwhite deals

Which Kindle Paperwhite 2024 is for me?

We awarded the Kindle Paperwhite 2024 an enviable 4.5 stars in our review. Our reviewer Dave wrote, "If you don’t own an e-reader and are in the market, I’d 100% recommend getting the Kindle Paperwhite."

So, I'll help you choose exactly which model to get. There are a few different versions of the Kindle Paperwhite. As mentioned above, this deal is available in both the U.S. and the U.K., so readers both side of the pond can take advantage of these awesome savings.

The deal price listed above is for the ad-supported Kindle. Yes, I know. I know. You have to pay extra to get a Kindle without ads. As much as that fills me with rage, it's just the way Kindles are now, I guess.

If you get the ad-free version, it'll cost you $144 in the U.S. and £134 in the U.K.. If you are happy to spend an extra $20/£10, then get the ad-free version. However, if you're trying to save as much as possible, I would recommend getting the ad-supported version.

I wouldn't look at the ads anyway, so it just makes more sense to pay less money for the same product. I'm the kind of person who glazes over during no-skip ads on YouTube, and who just gets up and grabs a cookie during ads on Netflix. I can live with some lockscreen ads on my Kindle — I know I'm never going to buy the stuff they're advertising, anyway.

Once you've figured out if you're getting the Kindle Paperwhite with or without ads, you can then choose if you're going to get it with or without 3 months of Kindle Unlimited. Kindle Unlimited is $12/£10 a month, and it's what it says on the tin: it's unlimited books for a subscription fee. I would definitely get my Kindle Paperwhite with Kindle Unlimited.

At the rate I devour books, I'd get a free book a month if I had Kindle Unlimited. My friends are always trying to persuade me to bite the bullet and get a Kindle + Unlimited, and at this price, it's kind of rude not to.

Shop more Prime Day sales

• Shop Prime Day deals at Amazon
• YETI sale: up to 25% off
• Prime for Young Adults: 50% off
• Amazon Haul: Adidas, Columbia, from $5
• Lego: deals from $8
• Carhartt sale: deals from $9
• Amazon devices: from $14
• Switch 2: games/accessories from $14
• Outdoor String Lights: just $21
• Samsonite: travel essentials from $31
• Ninja appliances: deals from $44
• TV sale: from $69
• Garmin: from $149

The best Prime Day deals are coming in fast now. With less than 24 hours to go until the sale event kicks off in earnest, the deals are only getting better.

As someone who describes herself as a major bookworm (my author bio below literally says you can find me reading in my spare time before anything else), I need to get in on the Kindle hype. Sure, I love physical books, but I live in a tiny 1-bed apartment, and I am very quickly running out of space. I've already filled up two bookshelves, and I've got many more books in storage at my parents' house.

So when I found this awesome Kindle Colorsoft deal for $151 off, I knew I had to share it. Even though the Colorsoft only came out last year, it's already crashed to its lowest ever price in this bundle deal. Not only do you get a Kindle, you also get a vegan leather case and a wireless charging dock for just $211.

• See all Amazon Prime Day deals right now!

In our 4.5-star review of the Kindle Colorsoft, Computing writer Tony wrote, "As the company's first color Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft is an absolute winner and one of the best Kindles available. Though it’s certainly pricey, it’s the Kindle I’ve always wanted." (Well, I've got news for you — with this $68 saving, the complaint that it's "certainly pricey" is irrelevant!

But don't think you have to read color texts like comics or graphic novels to take full advantage of the Colorsoft's new screen. While Tony outlined that the color display is the Colorsoft's main selling point, the "monochrome performance remains strong and it’s just as good for reading novels...black text looks nice and bold thanks to the Colorsoft’s boosted contrast."

The fun doesn't end there — Amazon also offers Kindle Unlimited for $12 a month. Kindle Unlimited is basically like an online library, and it means you can "borrow" up to 20 books simultaneously. The library contains over 5 million ebooks and audiobooks. Some Prime users can even get a 3-month trial now!

I'm known for devouring books in a few days, so maybe I should just bite the bullet and save $$$ with a Kindle — at this price, it's almost unmissable.

We're tracking the best savings on our Amazon Prime Day live blog. Be sure to check back for the best kitchen appliance savings, TV deals, and everything in between.

Shop more Prime Day sales

• Shop Prime Day deals at Amazon
• YETI sale: up to 25% off
• Prime for Young Adults: 50% off
• Amazon Haul: Adidas, Columbia, from $5
• Lego: deals from $8
• Carhartt sale: deals from $9
• Amazon devices: from $14
• Switch 2: games/accessories from $14
• Outdoor String Lights: just $21
• Samsonite: travel essentials from $31
• Ninja appliances: deals from $44
• TV sale: from $69
• Garmin: from $149

Here at Tom's Guide, we're keeping our eyes peeled for the best Amazon Prime Day Deals. And when I'm not scouting Amazon for the newest tech deals, you can find me sat with a good book and a cup of tea trying to make a dent in my reading list... but a physical book isn't always the best option.

If, like me, you find yourself at on trains and planes, lugging around books with you, it might be time to make the switch to a Kindle. I love the feeling of reading a physical book, but the convenience of a Kindle just can't be beaten (and those batteries last a ridiculously long time).

I have been using the same Kindle Paperwhite for 14 years now, but Kindles really are an investment. And these Amazon Prime Day Deals are going to make me take the plunge for an upgrade. So I'm going to do a public service and share the best Kindle deals right now.

Quick links

• See all Amazon Prime Day Deals right now!
• Amazon Kindle Essentials (2024) Bundle: was $161 now $121 @ Amazon
• Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $362 now $211 @ Amazon
• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle: was $216 now $154 @ Amazon
• Amazon Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle: was $569 now $353

Best Amazon Kindle bundle deals

This is a great choice if you read at night since you won't need to keep a lamp on to see the screen like with the Paperwhite. A single charge gives six weeks of battery life so there's no need to worry about packing a charger to take with you on any trips because you're all set.

There is 16GB of storage so you can really jam pack it with all your reading backlog. The kindle is also incredibly compact so takes up far less space than your favorite books. I am notorious for over packing when it comes to books, and it annoys everyone in my life to no end, so this is my perfect solution.

While I don't think having a color screen is essential for the everyday reader, it does come with it's perks. It adds an extra element of realism to the reading experience, so you can take in the covers of your favorite books.

It also makes for a great option if you read picture books to younger children (if you're willing to share your beloved Kindle that is). The 32GB of storage means how many books you download really isn't a worry, and the whopping 10-weeks of battery life is the cherry on top.

The Kindle Paperwhite has been my best friend for many years now, and while there is no backlighting to the screen, this has only made my reading experience more authentic.

It comes with me literally anywhere, and while you do need a bedside lamp to read at night, it makes me feel a little sleepy so I can drift of to sleep easier.

This is the top contender for my Kindle upgrade. I am an avid note-taker when I read if only to keep track of my own theories on the page, and there is something so satisfying about scribbling your thoughts down in a book. While you can add highlights with any Kindle device, the Scribe gives a more authentic annotating experience.

Prime Day is just around the corner, and while Amazon hardware is typically discounted during the savings extravaganza, Kindle deals are few and far between.

But good news: Amazon is taking up to 42% off Kindles, including some of the best Kindles we've ever tested.

If you're looking to cross some books off your summer reading list, here's your opportunity! For instance, the all-new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle is on sale for $211 — its lowest price to date — and features all the benefits of a Kindle, only in glorious color.

Plus, the new Kindle Scribe is sporting a $140 discount, while the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is now down to $129.

Below, I've rounded up the best Kindle deals that are definitely worth adding to your cart ahead of Prime Day. Plus, take a look at our best early Prime Day deals live blog and our guide to the best Amazon promo codes.

Quick Links

• shop all early Prime Day deals
• shop all Amazon Kindle deals
• Kindle Kids 16GB: was $129 now $94
• Kindle Essentials Bundle (Rose): was $161 now $121
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2024): was $179 now $129
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (Black Leather): was $222 now $157
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $282 now $191
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle: was $362 now $211
• Kindle Scribe (2024): was $399 now $259
• Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle: was $539 now $344

Best Kindle Deals

You might be paying too much for your e-books when you can get them for free from your local library and read them right on your Kindle, Kobo, or even your phone.

A lot of people don't realize their local public library offers ebooks, which are often more convenient to check out than physical books (and get automatically returned on time so you don't get late fees).

I've saved a ton of time and money by getting my e-books from the library, and it's a lot easier than you might think, whether you're on Kindle or Kobo.

Getting started with a library card and Libby

Regardless of what type of e-reader you're using, you need to get set up with your local library first.

If you don't already have a library card, stop by your nearest public library, where you can usually get one for free in just a few minutes. While you're there, it's also a good idea to ask if your public library system offers e-books. Most public libraries do, but it's not a guarantee.

Next, you'll want to download the Libby app for Android or iOS. Most libraries in the U.S. that offer e-books go through Libby. You can search for, check out, renew and read e-books in the Libby app. If you're using a Kobo e-reader, you don't absolutely need it, but it's a must-have for Kindle users.

After you download the Libby app, all you need to do is enter your library card info in the app to access your library's e-books.

How to read library books on your Kindle

The easiest way to read library books on your Kindle is by going through the Libby app. Once you find the book you want, check it out and head over to the "Shelf" tab on Libby.

Select your book from the list and tap "Manage Loan." Here you should see a "Read With…" option. Tap it and choose "Kindle" to connect to your Amazon account and send the library book to your Kindle.

The next time your Kindle syncs up, you should see the library book in your Kindle library. You can download, read, and annotate it like any other Kindle book but once your library loan expires, you won't be able to open it anymore unless you renew the loan, which you can do through Libby.

You can return library books from your Kindle by tapping the three dots icon on the library e-book's cover and selecting "return early." Any other changes to your library loan have to be made through Libby, though.

How to read library books on your Kobo

There are a couple of ways to check out library e-books on your Kobo e-reader. My preferred method is to do everything directly through my Kobo without going through the Libby app.

On the Home screen on your Kobo you should see an option for "OverDrive." That's the legacy system for circulating library e-books. Libby is a newer version of the same thing, but Kobo still uses OverDrive. It's all the same books, though.

Tap the "OverDrive" tab on your Home screen and you should get a pop up screen where you can connect your library card to your Kobo to access all of your library's e-books. If you don't see that option on your Home screen, there's also an OverDrive option in your Kobo settings under the "More" tab.

OverDrive load times can be a tad slow on Kobo, but it's worth it. Once you have your card connected, you will see an option on all available books in the Kobo store to "Borrow with OverDrive" instead of buying the book.

That means you don't need to go to a different app or device. You can simply search for whatever book you want on the "Discover" tab on your Kobo and see if it's available at your library just by tapping the three dots icon next to the book's "Buy" and "Wishlist" buttons.

After you check out a book, it will appear in your "My Books" tab where it should show up as an "OverDrive" book with the days left in your loan displayed below your reading progress. Like on Kindle, once the loan expires the book will stay in your library but you'll need to renew your loan to open it again.

You can also check out library e-books to read on your Kobo through the Libby app, but it's not as straightforward.

Once you check out a book in the app, select it on your shelf and select "Manage Loan" then "Read With…" then "More Options" and choose "EPUB." This will let you download a DRM-protected EPUB version of the ebook, which you can manually send to your Kobo using the Adobe Digital Editions app.

Reading library books on your e-reader: FAQs

The steps above should be all you need to get started reading library books on your e-reader, but if you're new to e-readers or using them to check out library books, you might still have a few questions.

• Q: How do you place a hold on library ebooks on Kindle and Kobo?
  A: Like physical books, libraries don't have unlimited copies of ebooks they can lend out, so you might find that a book you want is currently unavailable, meaning you'll need to place a hold to get on the waitlist for it.
  
  If you're on Kindle, the easiest way to do this is through the Libby app. Simply search for the book you want and select the option to "place a hold." When it's your turn for the e-book, you'll get a notification from the Libby app.
  
  If you're on Kobo, when you search for the e-book you're looking for, the option to "Borrow with OverDrive" will say "Place a hold with OverDrive" if the book is currently unavailable. Simply tap that to join the waitlist. Then you'll get a notification on your Home screen (a badge on the bell icon at the top of the screen) when your turn for the ebook comes up.
• Q: Can you get library late fines for ebooks?
  A: No, which is one of the most convenient benefits of reading library books on your ereader. When the due date for your ebook arrives, it will be automatically returned, so you'll never get late fees. This applies regardless of whether you're reading on a Kindle, Kobo, or in an e-reader app like the Kindle or Libby apps.
• Q: Can you check out e-books from the library if you don't have an e-reader?
  A: Yes! Some may be surprised to learn that you don't need an e-reader to read e-books from your local library. As long as you have a library card and your library offers e-books, you can read them for free through the Kindle app, the Kobo app, or the Libby app.

More from Tom's Guide

• I read 100 books a year —and Meta AI struggled to come up with new recommendations
• I never liked e-readers, but the Kindle app on my phone has converted me
• No Kindle? No problem: 5 places to buy DRM-free e-books

Ever gotten so lost in a book series that you don't remember a particular character's arc or the ending of the last novel? Thanks to an AI-automated summary feature for Kindle devices, you’ll be back on track in no time.

Simply known as Recaps, the new feature acts like a "Previously on…" television segment, giving readers a quick refresher on storylines and characters before reading the next book in a series. This feature, however, is only available for books borrowed (aka via Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited) or purchased from the Kindle Store and, of course, across ebooks in a series.

Users can access the new feature by downloading the 5.18.1 update on a 10th-gen or newer Kindle device. Once updated, readers should look for the “View Recaps” button in the series page in the Kindle Library or the “View Recaps” item within the series grouping three-dot menu. If the "View Recaps" button isn't available, the feature is inaccessible for that series.

Tap, tap the side to turn

Another great feature included in the latest software update is Double Tap to Page Turn. As the name suggests, the feature can be switched on in Kindle settings, and instead of pressing the screen, users can double-tap the Kindle's frame to turn a page or scroll down (i.e. on the Home or Library screen).

This is a fantastic new addition that makes Kindles with no physical page-turn buttons easier to use in one hand. There’s one disadvantage though: you can only move forward with double taps when reading, and users will have to rely on the usual screen taps to go back.

Both of these features are a real page turner for Kindle users, as they allow forgetful readers (like me) to recap a previous book or flip through pages without smudging the device's screen. So far, Double Tap is available globally, whereas Recaps has only rolled out on Kindle devices in the US and on the iOS app. Amazon has not confirmed when it will be accessible for readers globally.

How does Recaps work?

While the company's press release doesn't explicitly mention the use of AI in Kindle's new feature, it has been confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch. As per an Amazon spokesperson, "we use technology, including GenAI and Amazon moderators, to create short recaps of books that accurately reflect book content".

This isn't Amazon's only foray into using AI across its devices. The Kindle Scribes have AI summaries and handwriting recognition, while Ring cameras recently introduced a Smart Video Search for premium subscribers, using text-to-image prompts to scour saved footage.

Readers have raised some red flags on Reddit about these AI-powered features, with concerns about recap accuracy and how Amazon plans to ensure that moderator checks are actually completed. The company claims recaps do accurately reflect content, but we have reached out for verification of these processes. We'll keep you updated on how this narrative pans out.

The Kindle (2024) is the latest entry-level e-reader from Amazon. As always, the base model Kindle delivers on the essentials, providing a crisp display that boasts the same features as the panel on the Kindle Paperwhite (2024).

With a smaller footprint than others in the line-up, this Kindle is ultra-portable and easier to hold. Surprisingly, this device excels at displaying manga. Though smaller than the average manga volume, the display makes details even sharper. The 6-week battery life, which is likely closer to two or three weeks in real-world scenarios, doesn’t disappoint.

Unlike the 2022 Kindle, which underwent a significant redesign, the 2024 Kindle stays largely the same. Aside from a slightly brighter display, the device isn’t much different from its predecessor. And while we liked the older model enough to give it a 4-star review three years ago, this new Kindle offers essentially the same experience for $10 more.

The Kindle (2024) remains a solid, budget-friendly e-reader for those who want a bare-bones device. While this is probably the best Kindle for most people, it leaves me wanting more.

Kindle (2024) review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is the 11th-generation entry-level Kindle from Amazon.
• Who is it for? For people who want a simple e-reader that doesn't cost too much.
• What does it cost? The Kindle (2024) costs $109 on Amazon
• What do we like? The portable design, ergonomics, and battery life.
• What don't we like? Higher price tag than the previous version, has no dust or water protection, and has a small storage capacity.

Kindle (2024) review: Specs

Kindle (2024) review: The ups

The entry-level Kindle doesn't have all the bells and whistles of its higher-end counterparts but it manages to impress thanks to its portable design, sharp display and decent battery life.

Ergonomic and portable

This Kindle is the most portable e-reader I've ever used. It easily fits in my jeans’ back pocket and it's durable enough that I don't have to remove it when sitting down. Whether I'm going for a walk or taking the train, I can stash this Kindle in any pocket before heading out. This is great for me because I find it hard to read at home — there are too many distractions. While I still haven't made significant headway on my backlog of e-books, this Kindle makes it more manageable.

If you want a smaller e-reader backed by a company that will continue to update it for years, the Kindle is a good choice. The 6-inch display, though a turn-off to some, makes this Kindle an absolute pleasure to use. I can hold it in one hand for long periods and feel no fatigue, and I can easily grip it on the sides for extra security when lying on my back.

The one minor setback is the placement of the power button, which is where I typically rest my pinky. It's not a dealbreaker because the button requires more force than the graze of a pinky to actuate. However, it's worth mentioning. Having the power button at the top makes more sense.

Classic Kindle reading experience

I've owned several Kindles over the years, but I still rock the Kindle Oasis—boy, do I miss buttons on e-readers. Though the Oasis is getting old, its frequent updates have kept it relevant, making switching to the new Kindle seamless. If you have used a Kindle in the last few years, the experience won't shock you. Expect the same interface and settings.

When reading Seven Games: A Human History, I adjusted the font size and switched to the OpenDyslexic font, which is helpful for concentration. You can also adjust the layout, including changing the margins, spacing, alignment, and switching between portrait and landscape orientations. You can also find other essential features such as highlighting, note-taking, bookmarks, and jumping to chapters or sections.

My favorite feature, Lookup, is also available on this Kindle and lets you look up definitions and Wikipedia entries by highlighting a word or phrase. The review unit I received was set to Italian by default, so I had to download the Oxford Dictionary of English to get it to work.

Outside of the reading experience, this Kindle offers an interface that's easy to navigate. Hitting the kebab menu on the homepage lets you view your lists, Goodreads, the web browser, and your settings. The home screen is too busy for my taste, but at least it scrolls fast enough. Speaking of speed, browsing the Kindle Store is not bad at all. It's not lightning-fast, but it's also not frustratingly slow.

The dropdown menu on the Kindle is the main hub for enabling settings such as airplane mode, Bluetooth, sync, brightness, and dark mode. You can also jump to the settings page from here. In the settings menu, you can view device information and wireless settings but don't expect the kind of robust settings menu found on the best phones.

As with any Kindle, you can find your Send-to-Kindle email in the settings page, a feature that lets you send books and other media directly to your Kindle via email. This setting has saved me from a boring trip on more than one occasion, including when I went camping last year.

Great for reading manga

When you think of the Kindle, you think of books, not comics or manga. Yet, the Kindle is one of the best devices for reading manga. The display is smaller than a volume of manga, which is called a tankōbon, but that doesn't bother me. Sure, words are smaller and harder to read, but manga looks crisp on the 300 ppi display — the 94 nits of brightness, which is the same as the Kindle Paperwhite, keeps everything illuminated even in direct light.

Reading through the first volume of Vinland Saga, I noticed every little detail, which made me appreciate the work of the manga artist a lot more. The pages flip just as fast as if reading a book, and ghosting is barely noticeable. You have to squint to really notice it. Another plus is that the Kindle automatically flips the book's orientation, so you can flip pages from left to right as manga is meant to be read.

Arguably the best part of reading manga on this Kindle, or any Kindle for that matter, is access to Amazon's huge library of manga. You can purchase digital volumes of almost any manga you can think of, saving you shelf space in the long run. With a subscription to Amazon's Comixology Unlimited, you can access loads of manga titles, including heavyweights like Attack on Titan and Fire Force. Unfortunately, this subscription only provides access to a fraction of the available volumes —- e.g., the first 11 volumes of Fire Force. As a gateway to popular manga titles, that's not a bad deal for $5.99 monthly, especially because you can read thousands of comics and graphic novels on other devices.

Strong battery life

Amazon claims the Kindle has 6 weeks of battery life, but there are some caveats. To get 6 weeks on a single charge, you have to shut off wireless, read no more than 30 minutes per day, and keep the backlight level at 13. In other words, take that claim with a grain, or large pinch, of salt. A 6-week battery life is unlikely for more people. What's more realistic is a few weeks. That will vary based on the light level, reading time, and use of wireless features.

During my time with this device, I put the battery through its paces by cranking up the screen brightness to the max. In that time, I read for about five hours over four days and kept the wireless features turned on. I lost about a quarter of the battery in that time. Theoretically, if I were to continue at the same pace, I would have to recharge roughly every two weeks.

My advice is to lower the brightness and shut off the wireless features unless you're downloading media, which will lower battery usage when idle. Do that, and you can likely get away with charging once or twice a month.

Kindle (2024) review: The downs

Like the previous base Kindle model, this Kindle is good but far from perfect. Rather than fixing the flaws of the previous iteration, this new Kindle mostly stays the same while costing more. The lack of a version with more storage and no protection against water or dust makes it a lackluster follow-up to the 2022 Kindle.

Few upgrades for a higher price

Look behind the fun matcha color and you'll find a Kindle that's virtually the same as the 2022 model.

Ostensibly, there was no reason to fix what wasn't broken, especially since the 2022 Kindle was a big refresh that included a higher resolution display and double the storage than the model before. Yet, calling this a new Kindle and charging $10 more because the screen is a little bit brighter deserves to be called out.

In this economy, no one is immune to inflation, but you still have to offer something new when raising a product's price. To be fair, the display on this Kindle is as bright as the Paperwhite. But brighter lighting isn’t enough. The Kindle has the same design and virtually the same specs as the Kindle from two years ago, and the same flaws as well.

Paltry amount of storage

With the last iteration of the base model Kindle, Amazon doubled the internal storage to a grand total of 16GB, bringing it up to speed with modern standards. That's more than plenty for storing thousands of books. Yet, it's not nearly enough for manga or audiobooks.

Manga file sizes vary depending on the file type and the length of the manga volume. Typically, you can expect a volume of manga to take up as little as a few hundred megabytes to as much as a gigabyte or more. For example, the first volume of Vinland Saga is nearly a gigabyte, and it's just one of 13 available volumes. That severely limits the device, capping storage at a few dozen volumes of manga. Audiobooks also vary in file size, but they are typically around a few hundred megabytes, putting you in the same position.

I won't waste time roasting Amazon for not including a microSD card slot — that ship sailed a long time ago — but it is frustrating that there isn't a basic Kindle version with 32GB of storage, which is something that is offered with the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. The only fix is to constantly delete older files as you download new ones. It's doable, if not a bit annoying.

Slow downloads

Downloading manga on this device takes longer than I'm used to. When downloading the same volume of manga on the latest iPad Mini and the 2024 Kindle, the iPad beats the Kindle by over 5 minutes. Despite being an unfair comparison, it paints a picture of how the Kindle stacks up to modern devices when it comes to downloading files.

It's not a dealbreaker if you're downloading a few volumes of manga every month. However, if you like to stock up on downloading media before a big trip, it will take you a long time. Good luck downloading several volumes of manga via the airport Wi-Fi before your flight.

No water or dust protection

Many modern devices have some form of water and dust protection. It's become so standard that I hardly look for it anymore. In this case, the lack of protection stands out because this is a device meant to be taken everywhere.

I don't expect the Kindle to be completely waterproof. That would be too much to ask from a budget device. What bothers me is that it's not even water-resistant. A slight drizzle or coffee spill could ruin this device.

Other Kindles, which have bezels that are flush with the screen, offer this type of protection, making them more expensive. With Amazon charging $10 more for a device launched two years ago, this could have been the feature that justified the $10 price hike. Instead, we have a super portable e-reader that becomes a liability as soon as it's overcast.

Kindle (2024) review: Verdict

The Kindle (2024) is as good as the model that came out two years before because it's effectively the same device. You get a small e-reader that's the ideal companion when leaving the house or going on a trip. The bright, crisp display lacks color temperature adjustment, but it's every bit as good as the display on the more expensive Paperwhite model.

Although this Kindle delivers the same basic experience as the previous model, it's more expensive while only offering a bump in brightness. Instead of buying this Kindle new, try to get a used or refurbished 2022 Kindle; you'll get the same experience at a fraction of the cost. If you’d rather have this model, you can wait until Amazon Prime Days to get a better deal.

You have just over a week to download your Kindle e-books before Amazon removes the ability to download them to your computer.

Starting Feb. 26, 2025 (via ZDNet) you will no longer be able to download copies of your Kindle books and use those files as a backup. After that date, you will only be able to download books via Wi-Fi or through the Amazon platforms.

Most people probably won't notice this latest example of an Amazon service getting worse, but the feature has existed for over a decade and is useful for backing up your purchases or converting them to formats compatible with other non-Kindle e-Readers or devices. It's also useful for those times when you don't have access to Wi-Fi, and of course, there's peace of mind knowing you have copies of your books.

This is not the first time Amazon has made a sweeping change to its Kindle platform that changes how or when customers can use the books they've purchased. In the past the company has removed books from its online store and remotely deleted them from Kindles or replaced books with edited or updated versions. The most famous incident involved the ironic deletion of George Owell's 'Nineteen Eighty-four' and 'Animal Farm', though at the time the company said that the books had been mistakenly published to its platform. More recently, in 2023, a number of Roald Dahl books were updated with 'censored versions.'

All in all it is a reminder that you don't actually own many or most of your digital purchases, as what you are typically actually "buying" are licenses to use content that can be revoked at any time.

Here are some alternatives

If you find this decision annoying and want to find alternatives, here are a few.

To start, might we recommend the Libbyapp which lets you borrow ebooks from your local library. You can also borrow audiobooks. Personally, I haven't bought an ebook from Amazon since I setup the app on my phone. You can use multiple library cards, sample books and tag titles at your leisure. It lets you send the ebook to your Kindle. If you have a different device it will let you download an EPUB version that you can send to your Kobo or Nook.

Speaking of, it may be time to give another e-reader a try like the Kobo Clara Colour or the Nook GlowLight 4. Kindles tend to be among the best e-readers but there are others, like the ReMarkable Paper Pro, that offer an alternative.

You can also try purchasing books from places like Google Books and Apple Books, both of which offer a number of ebooks. eBooks.com offers DRM free books and EPUB formats.

For those looking for free ebooks there is always Project Gutenberg which has over 75,000 free books largely those in the public domain though there are some more recent titles as well.

How to download your e-books for now

Currently, you can download purchased books from your content library on Amazon. You'll need to log in to your account go to Accounts & Lists and click on Content Library in the menu. From there you can see all of the Amazon content you own including ebooks, music and some videos. Your books will be under the Books icon.

For now, when you go to a book you want to download you have to click More actions in the book's menu and then Download & transfer via USB.

You will see this warning:

So, if you want to download your books, you're going to have to get going, especially if you happen to own a lot of Kindle books. It will take a minute but could be well worth the hassle if you ever want to read your Kindle books on anything other than a Kindle again.

More from Tom's Guide

• No Kindle? No problem: 5 DRM-free places to buy ebooks
• Help improve Tom's Guide — your chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card
• Amazon Project Kuiper: Everything you need to know about Amazon’s satellite internet service

Amazon released a new version of the Kindle Scribe firmware this week that adds a new expandable margin feature for taking notes, and after using it myself I think it makes one of the best e-readers a little bit better for note-takers.

This is kind of a big deal because the Scribe's note-taking features have been a little lackluster since launch.

When Amazon released the Kindle Scribe in 2022, the fact that it was the first Kindle e-reader you could read and write on was pretty neat. But the software felt less than snappy, and taking notes in e-books was a lot less fun and intuitive than just writing them down in the Scribe's separate notebook feature.

Two years later Amazon followed it up with the 2024 Kindle Scribe, and when I reviewed it last year I found a lot to like about Amazon's decision to improve the design and include the Premium Pen stylus with all units.

But as you can read in my Kindle Scribe (2024) review, this e-paper slate still isn't great about letting you take notes directly on a document. When you're reading an ebook or other document you can either make "sticky notes" that auto-hide the text you're writing unless you tap on a small note icon that appears on the text, or you can use the Scribe's "Active Canvas" feature to create empty spaces alongside the text that you can then write or draw in.

The "Active" part of Active Canvas kicks in when the Kindle attempts to reformat text around your note boxes, which I personally found more of a hassle than a help because text often became awkward or frustrating to read.

Now there's a new expandable margin feature that lets you access a persistent, hideable margin on every page where you can jot down notes. The rough location of those notes in the text are then marked with note icons, so you can see which pages have notations in the margins and which don't.

To access these new margins, you just tap a new margin button that now appears along the edge of the screen. This summons an adjustable margin that can expand to cover roughly 1/3 or 2/3 of the screen, with the e-paper text adapting to fit the remaining space.

I think this minor upgrade is bigger than it seems if you take a lot of notes on texts, because I find it makes annotating a text on a Kindle Scribe easier than it was a month ago.

While these new expandable margins don't eliminate my quibble that the Scribe stumbles by forcing you to take notes "off" the page in areas separated from the text, the margins do make it easier to quickly skim the annotations you've made as you move through a text. Since you can keep the margin open as you flip between pages, you're not stuck waiting until you see a little note icon and then tapping it with your finger or stylus to read each individual annotation.

Instead, you can leave the margin open as you read through the text and see every note you've made alongside the text where you made it. And since the Kindle doesn't have to do as much work reformatting the text to accommodate the margin as it does to accommodate notes you make on the text, it's a lot easier to quickly skim through a novel or textbook and see all the notes you've made without ruining the layout of the text.

Outlook

This is ultimately a minor update for the Kindle Scribe, but it does make the device easier to use in my experience and is a nice little upgrade for Scribe owners who take a lot of notes.

I also think this complicates the question of whether to buy a Kindle Scribe (2024) vs. Remarkable Paper Pro a bit, because one of the clear weaknesses of the Scribe vs. Remarkable's color e-paper tablet is the fact that the Paper Pro accommodates you taking notes directly on the text.

That means you can scribble notes around words, cross out things you don't like, doodle in the margins and generally do almost everything on the Paper Pro that you could with a pen on a real paper book.

The Kindle Scribe still can't match that intuitive ease of use, but these new expandable margins do make it a lot easier to take notes on texts and review those notes quickly. It's a big upgrade for note-takers that own a Kindle Scribe, and I think it makes the device a bit better than it was at launch — which is all you can ask from a good update.

More from Tom's Guide

• Real books are good, but Kindles are better
• No Kindle? No problem: 5 places to buy DRM-free e-books
• I never liked e-readers, but the Kindle app on my phone has converted me