Amazon isn’t holding back with the sales this holiday season. Nearly the full range of Amazon devices — Echo speakers, Fire TV Sticks, Fire tablets and Ring security devices — are at or near their Prime Day pricing for Black Friday sales that are on now. Have you been holding out for a new Kindle? Or do you want to give one as a gift? Well here’s your chance to score some of the best e-readers at great prices.
Read more: Best e-reader for 2020
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This is the Goldilocks in Amazon’s line and our current CNET Editors’ Choice in the category. Here are some things we love about the Kindle Paperwhite:
- It’s 10% thinner and lighter than the previous version.
- It has a “flush-front” design with a back made of a softer, grippy material instead of hard plastic.
- It’s a fully waterproof Kindle, like the high-end Kindle Oasis, and has a plastic screen that Amazon says is shatter- and scratch-resistant.
- It has built-in Bluetooth, so you can download Amazon Audible audiobooks and listen to them with wireless headphones.
The Paperwhite was last updated in November 2018. Aside from USB-C charging and maybe an updated screen, it’s unclear what more Amazon could add to the Paperwhite in 2021, so this is a pretty futureproofed gift idea for avid readers.
Read our Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018) review.
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The latest iteration of Amazon’s entry-level ebook reader, which Amazon simply calls the Kindle, now has a self-illuminated screen and an upgraded design. We prefer the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, which has a higher-resolution display (text and images appear a bit sharper), is waterproof and has a slightly better lighting scheme. But if you don’t want to spend much for an e-reader, the standard Kindle is a good option, especially when it’s discounted like this.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Most people will be happy with the more affordable Paperwhite for their Kindle ebook reading and basic Kindle needs, but if you want the best of the best with an anti-glare screen — and don’t mind paying a premium for it — the Oasis is arguably it when it comes to a premium ebook device. $175 is a good price for it.
Amazon’s top-of-the-line E Ink e-reader was updated in 2019 — but this Kindle e-reader device is basically identical to the previous Kindle Oasis except for one key difference: It has a new color-adjustable integrated light that allows you to customize the color tone from cool to warm, depending on whether you’re reading during the day or at night. You can also schedule the screen warmth to update automatically with sunrise and sunset — not unlike Night Shift mode on Apple devices.
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The Kids Edition on sale here includes a case — there are four case options to choose from — along with a year of Amazon Kids Plus (FreeTime Unlimited), which normally costs $3 a month and gives you access to hundreds of kids’ books. Amazon Kids Plus includes the complete Harry Potter series, and the first book from other popular series such as Artemis Fowl.
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