I received my Kindle PW (Paper White) 2024 yesterday!
My Kindle History Up to Current:
I was using the previous PW which I loved until losing it on a flight - so I dusted off my 2018 PW, popped on a new case and have been using it again for the past 2 years again.
Initially I was holding out for the Colorsoft version. However, when it finally came out the reviews were mediocre to poor. The clincher against my buying the Colorsoft was reading that even in B&W mode, the resolution wasn't as crisp as the standard Kindle PW products. So given the choice between mediocre resolution + mediocre color vs excellent B&W I opted for the 2024 PW.
From reading reviews on it across the spectrum here, I admit I had the return already prepared.
However, my unit arrived in beautiful condition.
Color:
The chief thing I was looking for was the complaint regarding predominantly yellow screen with the bottom ‘yellower’ band. Not sure if these were faults with the earlier units.
On mine, if I have warmth at 0 and the brightness turned up, the color while not being cool, is about as neutral as possible against physical paper. Dimming to 0 relying on ambient light exaggerates the warmth on the Kindle device especially in my place which uses 2700K warm white light sources.
The uniformity on the page is perfect - I have not been able to create the darker color band on the lower screen that several reviewers have reported.
I haven't yet taken it out into sunlight. I still find the page color at all spectrums is well within my comfort for reading as with paper books where there are also many variations of white color on the pages under different light sources.
Resolution:
Before ordering I researched the difference between eink and eink carta as my 2018 PW also has 300 ppi. I can't say there is a noticeable difference in the clarity between the 2018 and 2024 unless I look at it under magnifying glass side by side. The difference is nowhere near as detectable as when I upgraded from my 1st gen Kindle to the 2018 PW. In any case both are acceptable and the 2024 resolution is crisp and beautiful as I expected.
EDIT: I finally used this at night in the dark with the brightness set at 8.
During the day, the resolution to my naked eye looked about the same as my 2018 PW.
At night though, the 2024 PW looks far neater and crisper than the older model, even though both are 300 points (the eink Carta difference at work)
Performance:
This area is where I could really feel the upgrade.
I had no complaints on reading the 2018, but starting, inputting my pin or typing anything in the search area, there was noticeable lag that I was accustomed to since using my first Kindle device.
The 2024 has almost no latency; if it does I have a hard time noticing it. Whether keying in my PIN or typing a search, it is now as instantly responsive as typing on my phone or tablet.
The page turning is as crisp as advertised, and I’m enjoying the animation.
Size, Weight, Etc .
Form Factor - I'm still in love!
Size - I loved the compact size of the 2018 - almost same as small paperback. While the 2024 is a hair larger, I know I'll acclimate with no problem. It's now about the same as a larger paperback - but much lighter in most cases. I also use it with the Cobak Jade color case - while I love the minimalism of the naked Kindle device, having the stand for me is a must rather than having to hold it. Of course, I remove the case when I want to use it in the hot tub.
Power Button Location
Jury is still out on this.
I really wish they'd move the power button to the top. On all the Kindles I have owned over the years, I'm annoyed when I hold the unit (even with the case) my finger tends to brush the power button putting the unit to sleep while I'm reading!
On this 2024 PW, I'm noticing that with the increased width and offset position of the button, this may be enough for me to avoid the problem as I typically hold the unit on the bottom dead center, so I'll reserve judgement until I have used the product more.
Overall, while I could have used my 2018 a few more years, the improvements in the 2024 made upgrading completely worthwhile.
Product contains recycled material.
As certified by
Recycled Content Certification for Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Recycled Content Certification for Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Recycled Content Certification for Electrical and Electronic Equipment certifies the total percentage of recycled material in covered products. Covered products are required to achieve certification with more than one recycled material input to promote the use of more recycling inputs and most material impact. The minimum total recycled content to be eligible for the certification ranges from 10-50% depending on the product type. This certification is third-party verified by SCS Global Services.
