Kindle Colorsoft review: The missing link in Amazon’s ereader lineup

Effectively, it lastly occurred. After years of ready and requests, Amazon debuted the $280 Kindle Colorsoft, its first ereader with a shade show. The corporate’s ereaders have dominated this area because the unique Kindle got here out 17 years in the past, however on this case, it seems like Amazon is taking part in catch-up. Shade E Ink shows aren’t novel: we’ve examined and reviewed a lot of shade ereaders and E Ink tablets from Kobo, Boox and reMarkable in recent times. However Amazon is basically making an attempt to tug an Apple with the Colorsoft: with claims that shade E Ink know-how simply wasn’t ok to place right into a Kindle till now, Amazon’s promising the Colorsoft will get this implementation proper thanks partly to the customized tweaks it made to the show. And, unsurprisingly, Amazon’s able to cost you a premium for it. So is all of it it’s cracked as much as be? As you may suspect, the reply isn’t so simple as sure or no.

Replace 11/4/24, 11:54am ET: There have been a number of reviews of Kindle Colorsoft homeowners seeing a yellow band on the backside of their ereader’s show. My assessment unit was not affected in the course of the time I spent testing the Colorsoft, however upon checking this morning, it has appeared for me, too. I reached out to Amazon for remark and a spokesperson instructed Engadget: “We’re conscious of a small variety of reviews from clients who see a yellow band alongside the underside of the show. We take the standard of our merchandise severely and are wanting into it. If clients discover this on their gadget, they’ll attain out to our customer support workforce.”

Display screen know-how and comparisons

Let’s get the tech particulars squared away first. The Kindle Colorsoft’s seven-inch display screen is predicated on E Ink Kaleido 3 know-how, however a consultant from the Kindle workforce defined to me that they developed a customized show stack for this gadget. Which means they made fairly a number of modifications to the tech with the intention to obtain issues like higher-contrast pigments and improved speeds total. The Colorsoft’s customized oxide backplane makes use of 24 driving volts to maneuver pigments round extra shortly and it helps these pigments seem with higher distinction. Nitride LEDs improve colours and brightness, and a customized coating in between the show’s layers helps focus gentle by means of every pigment so there’s much less shade mixing. A number of the identical tech helps make page-turns faster and supposedly reduces excessively noticeable display screen refreshing if you go from one shade web page to a different, or pinch-and-zoom on a picture.

Engadget / Amazon

The Kindle Colorsoft (lastly) brings shade to Amazon’s ereader lineup. It’s a strong premium ereader that might be superb for individuals who primarily learn issues like comics, graphic novels and different materials greatest skilled in full-color glory.

Professionals

• Shade on a Kindle, lastly!
• Fast page-turns and cargo occasions
• Pinch-to-zoom characteristic helps you to get nearer to particulars
• Auto-adjusting entrance gentle
• No lock display screen advertisements by default

Cons

• Costly
• Display screen has a noticeable blue skew to it when the nice and cozy gentle is off
• Slight discount in sharpness and distinction when studying black-and-white textual content

$280 at Amazon

That’s all to say that Amazon would love you to consider that this E Ink Kaleido 3 display screen will not be like the opposite ladies on this area, and whereas I don’t doubt the Kindle workforce’s efforts, the variations will not be as dramatic because the story would counsel. Till Kobo updates the Sage with shade, the closest competitor to the $280 Kindle Colorsoft is the $220 Kobo Libra Color (in dimension, platform and total expertise), so I did a whole lot of side-by-side comparisons of the 2.

The largest distinction I noticed was that the Kobo’s display screen skews hotter than the Kindle’s; I kicked the brightness as much as the utmost and turned all heat/pure gentle settings right down to zero on each units and the distinction was noticeable, no matter if the shows had been exhibiting shade pictures, black-and-white textual content or a mixture of the 2. This could counsel that the Kindle will present extra correct colours extra usually since there’s much less of a heat lean to its show.

However on the flip aspect, the Kindle display screen’s blue tint was simply as noticeable, significantly in low-light conditions (like a darkish workplace or a dimly lit front room). At max brightness with heat right down to zero, the Kindle’s display screen was borderline uncomfortable to learn in these environments — however all it took was a slight adjustment to heat stage 4 (out of 24) to get it to match the Kobo’s show in heat virtually precisely (at the very least to my eyes). That made it extra snug to stare at in darkish areas. I additionally in contrast the Colorsoft’s display screen to my private Kindle Paperwhite (earlier technology) and the blue skew was noticeable there too.

Finally, how a lot heat or cool gentle you favor whereas studying is as much as private style. My preferences would lead me to regulate the heat on the Kindle to be a bit greater than zero, mimicking that of the Kobo. In an unscientific ballot of the Engadget employees, each in individual and with gadget images, everyone most popular the display screen on the Kobo. I believe the slight added heat in Kobo’s display screen makes colours seem a bit extra saturated and extra inviting total. It additionally will get near mimicking the look of precise bodily pages (as a lot as one in all these units might, at the very least), and that’s the expertise I’m going for after I learn just about something. However I might perceive why some hardcore comedian followers would wish to begin off with probably the most color-accurate baseline as attainable, after which regulate from there to suit their preferences.

Along with adjusting the nice and cozy gentle, the Kindle Colorsoft has vivid mode, which “enhances shade in much less saturated pictures.” For the sake of efficacy, most of my time was spent in commonplace mode when testing the Colorsoft. However in making an attempt out vivid mode, I seen that its enhanced saturation was most noticeable in warm-toned pictures: reds appeared ever-so-slightly extra putting, whereas oranges and yellows had a extra bronze impact and the like. However I needed to flip vivid mode on and off a number of occasions to clock the impact as a result of it’s fairly refined.

Then there’s the query of really studying phrases on the Colorsoft. Even the Kindle workforce consultant I spoke with acknowledged that, because of the additional bodily layer within the display screen that permits shade, one may discover a bit much less sharpness and distinction in black-and-white textual content on the Colorsoft’s display screen. That’s not distinctive to this explicit Kindle — each shade ereader can have this subject to some extent.

When evaluating the text-only expertise of the Kindle Colorsoft to that of the Kobo Libra Color, I discovered each to be fairly good and comparable to 1 one other. The place there’s an even bigger chance for discrepancies is in a comparability of the Colorsoft to, say, the brand new Kindle Paperwhite. I didn’t have the latter gadget to check to, however I did have my private, previous-generation Paperwhite, and the distinction was ever so slight, with the usual Paperwhite having the (small) higher hand within the distinction and sharpness departments.

Studying expertise

The colour display screen is probably the most consequential factor in regards to the Kindle Colorsoft, and likelihood is if you happen to’ve had a Kindle up to now, the studying expertise on this new gadget will really feel fairly acquainted. The Kindle UI hasn’t modified a lot, nonetheless dividing the primary display screen into Residence and Library choices. The previous is principally an area for Amazon to serve you personalised ebook suggestions and promote new Kindle releases, whereas the latter reveals your complete digital library together with books, paperwork, Audible audiobooks and library loans. The Library web page is putting in shade and there’s something undeniably satisfying about seeing your entire title covers in full-color glory.

Whereas studying a ebook, you possibly can nonetheless customise and save totally different themes with fonts, font sizes and web page layouts that greatest fit your preferences. You continue to have the choice to shortly navigate inside a title by web page, location, chapter and even in style highlights. Web page turns are speedy and can probably be an enchancment for anybody coming from an older Kindle or different ereader.

Annotations and your individual highlights are collected in the identical place for simple reference, and with the latter, you possibly can filter by spotlight shade as nicely. You might have 4 colours to select from on the Colorsoft — orange, yellow, blue and pink — so if you happen to use the yellow highlighter to mark favourite quotes, you possibly can then filter by simply that shade. Observe that each one highlighting and note-taking should be finished along with your fingers as a result of, in contrast to the Kindle Scribe, the Colorsoft has no stylus assist.

The pinch-to-zoom characteristic on the Colorsoft is sweet for individuals who learn a whole lot of graphic novels and comics. Amazon developed a customized algorithm to make this movement as easy as attainable, and it’s a fairly good expertise, albeit not a singular one. You can too pinch to zoom on the Kobo Libra Color, which largely helps get in nearer to comedian panels to learn small textual content or higher see minute particulars.

On each units, there are full-screen refreshes if you pinch to zoom on shade pictures and the pace of completion is roughly the identical. I additionally discovered picture high quality to be fairly comparable as nicely, and it’s value noting that artwork fashion can skew your impression of a picture’s high quality. A comic book that employs clear, distinct traces in comparison with one which’s extra grungy and watercolor-like will at all times come off extra crisp.

The Colorsoft, just like the common Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version, additionally has an auto-adjusting entrance gentle that guarantees to light up the show excellent relying on if you happen to’re studying exterior on a sunny day, at nighttime cabin of an airplane or wherever else. It’s a pleasant {hardware} perk to have and, with the characteristic turned on, removes a lot of handbook fiddling that some may discover annoying to do after they take their Kindle into totally different environments.

The competitors

Whereas we already went by means of the display screen comparisons for the $280 Kindle Colorsoft and the $220 Kobo Libra Color, there are many different variations between the 2 that it is best to contemplate when selecting your subsequent ereader. I’ve added a spec listing under to interrupt down the fundamentals, and probably the most consequential to me are the truth that the Kobo has page-turn buttons and stylus assist.

The previous is known as a matter of choice — you both love bodily buttons otherwise you discover no use for them — however the latter is pure added worth even if you happen to do need to buy the $70 Kobo stylus individually. It basically permits you to flip the Libra Color right into a makeshift Kobo Sage or Kindle Scribe, which might be helpful for anybody in academia (college students and educators alike) or anybody who simply loves the sensation of placing pen to “paper.” In the meantime, the Kindle has the higher hand in its wi-fi charging capabilities and its barely cleaner flush-front design.

In the case of precise content material accessible on Kindle and Kobo units, the libraries you should purchase from on each are huge: each have ebooks and audiobooks accessible, and each the Colorsoft and Libra Color assist Bluetooth, so you possibly can take heed to audiobooks instantly from the gadget along with your wi-fi headphones. On the time of scripting this assessment, all the high 5 New York Occasions bestseller titles had been accessible on each platforms on the identical costs, with the one discrepancies being one which was on sale as a Kindle book and one which was accessible to learn at no cost for Kindle Limitless and Kobo Plus subscribers. Each of these month-to-month subscriptions provide you with limitless studying entry to 1000’s of titles, however I’d give the benefit to Amazon on this one since Kindle Limitless has been round for for much longer. Amazon additionally has Prime Studying and Youngsters+ subscriptions that work with Kindle units and supply much more content material to paying subscribers.

So far as borrowing ebooks out of your native library goes, it is perhaps a draw. Kobo integrates elegantly with Overdrive, making it practically seamless to get borrowed books in your ereader. Merely join your Overdrive account and library card within the settings menu and you may then both browse your library’s choices instantly on gadget, or use the Libby cell app to borrow titles and people will seem robotically in your Kobo. My solely gripe with this method is that it really works greatest you probably have only one library card, since you possibly can solely join separately. I’m a singular case the place I’ve at the very least three library playing cards and I change amongst them in Libby relying on which has the title I’m on the lookout for.

These like me may choose the “ship to Kindle” choice in Libby, which simply takes a pair extra clicks to get any ebook from any library community to your Kindle gadget. The largest draw back right here is that my Colorsoft assessment unit didn’t present all of my library ebook covers in full-color glory on the lock display screen. After troubleshooting with a consultant from Amazon, it was decided to be a title-specific subject. Based on Amazon: “For library books, the lock display screen is taken from the designated advertising and marketing cowl for the ebook utilized by the library, which is probably not the identical because the precise ebook cowl.” So simply know that if you happen to get most of your studying materials out of your native library, there’s an opportunity a few of the covers could not show correctly on the Colorsoft.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the $250 Boox Go Shade 7, which earned a spot in our greatest ereaders information after my colleague Amy Skorheim examined it. First, it’s crucial to know that Boox units require a bit extra tech-savvy than a Kindle or a Kobo, in addition to a willingness to experiment. They’re full-blown Android tablets in any case, and that is perhaps precisely what you’re on the lookout for if you happen to get your studying materials from many alternative sources, because it affords entry to the Google Play Retailer and all of its apps. As for specs, the Go Shade 7 has a seven-inch Kaleido 3 show with 300 ppi in black and white and 150 ppi in shade (just like the Colorsoft), together with a heat gentle, page-turn buttons, a splash-resistant design and 64GB of storage (and a microSD card slot for more room!). It’s much more just like the Kobo Libra Color in characteristic set and value, so it’s an alternative choice for anybody prepared to suppose a bit exterior the usual ereader field.

The choice between Kindle, Kobo and Boox is infinitely extra difficult than selecting between the Colorsoft or the usual Kindle Paperwhite — and that’s exactly due to the stark value distinction. The Colorsoft is $120 greater than the common Kindle Paperwhite ($100 extra if you happen to pay to take away the lock display screen advertisements from the Paperwhite, and $80 greater than the Signature Version) and other than the colour panel, it solely provides wi-fi charging, the auto-adjusting entrance gentle sensor and doubles the storage. Take away shade from the equation, and arguably probably the most helpful of all of these is the additional storage however, make no mistake, 16GB of area on the Kindle Paperwhite is nothing to scoff at and might be simply high-quality for most individuals. Except you’re 100-percent sure that shade will make an enormous distinction in your day-to-day studying expertise, the usual Paperwhite is the higher worth.

Wrap-up

Whereas it’s very late to the colour E Ink occasion, the Kindle Colorsoft is a strong premium ereader that gives a superb expertise each in shade and black and white. I targeted rather a lot on comparisons on this assessment as a result of most individuals won’t have the chance to have the Colorsoft and any of its contemporaries aspect by aspect (except you’re my dad, who buys virtually each ereader and small pill beneath the solar). However to be clear, the Colorsoft is an efficient Kindle, and in some ways, Amazon did pull an Apple right here. In the event you’re already closely entrenched within the Kindle ecosystem and have been holding out for a shade ereader, that is the gadget to get — simply be ready to pay a premium for it.

Additionally, like Apple and its varied working techniques, there’s one thing to be stated in regards to the comfort and ubiquity of the Kindle ecosystem. The library is seemingly infinite (with reductions galore), supplemented by Prime Studying and Kindle Limitless, so it’s simple to get sucked in if you’re already procuring on Amazon for family items and vacation items. However on the subject of worth on your cash (and a pure spec breakdown), you may get extra from Kobo and Boox units. Kindle isn’t the one identify on the town anymore for ereaders, and it hasn’t been for a very long time, and that appears to be a extra pronounced truth now with the introduction of the Colorsoft. If nothing else, Amazon has lastly crammed a obtrusive gap in its ereader lineup with this gadget.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft vs. the competitors