They’re here, they’re gone and now… they’re back again. I’m talking about discounts on Amazon devices, of course. They got their usual big drop for Prime Day (which was later than its usual July slot this year), and now Echo speakers, Fire TV Sticks and Kindle readers will be back at or below their Prime Day pricing for Black Friday, thanks to sales at Amazon and Best Buy.
On the Kindle front, a $45 discount will return to the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon by Cyber Monday, which makes it just $85. The top-of-the-line Oasis reader will also return to its previous $75 discount, bringing its price back down to $175.
Read more: Best e-reader for 2020
Amazon also has Fire tablets on sale, with most expected to be available at their lowest prices of the year.
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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.
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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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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.
Note that Amazon could update the Kindle Paperwhite in 2020 (it was released in November 2018). If and when that happens, it’s unclear how much of an upgrade it will be. For instance, USB-C charging could be added and perhaps the lighting scheme could be updated, but we wouldn’t expect any dramatic upgrades.
Read our Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018) review.
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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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