Even though it has a fancy name, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a simple gadget. It’s the same as the new, fifth-generation Kindle Paperwhite, but it costs $50 more and has four improvements: 32GB of memory (up from 8GB), wireless charging, a front light that automatically adjusts, and no ads. Those are some interesting new features, but Amazon is also selling a “Signature Edition” (SE) this year. The normal model only has 8GB of storage, but the SE has 32GB, a backlight that adjusts itself, wireless charging, and no ads on the lock screen. And it’s still waterproof, can play Audible ebooks over Bluetooth, and has a huge battery life.
It’s not cheap at $190, and the regular Paperwhite isn’t either at $140. But if you’ve had yours as long as I have (or longer), this site has a lot to offer. It doesn’t make a big difference to how the Kindle works, but it does make it a lot nicer. If you’ve used a Kindle at all in the last 10 years, the new Paperwhite will look familiar. Like other e-readers, the Paperwhite is dominated by an E Ink touchscreen with soft backlighting that you can turn on or off and adjust to suit your viewing needs. Like older Kindles, the rest of the device is made of soft-touch plastic that is a little too easy to get fingerprint grease on.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Specifications
- 7.8-inch glare-free display with 300 ppi
- Adjustable warm light
- Audible audiobook support
- Waterproof up to 2 meters for 60 minutes
- 32GB storage
Where to get Kindle Paperwhite Signature?
Like the 2018 Paperwhite, the screen on this one is flush with the front of the device instead of being slightly set back like on older models. I liked this change because I was used to an older one. It makes it much more nice to swipe the touchscreen to turn pages, and it also feels better to have the screen a little closer to your eyes. It’s just a better experience, which you already know if you have a 2018 Paperwhite or the more expensive Kindle Oasis.
The bigger screen size is more important. Amazon kept the same 300 pixels per inch resolution, so the screen still looks great. You just have more room for your books and to use the Kindle’s user interface. With more screen room and some changes to how the device works, it is much easier to use than it used to be. You should know that the new Paperwhite is just a little bit bigger and taller than the old one. If you have small hands or already thought the Kindle was too big, this could be a problem. But for me, the bigger screen is a huge gain, and the slightly bigger body doesn’t change that at all.