Amazon’s new Kindle Colorsoft is a premium e-reader with a premium price

Amazon recently unveiled its refreshed Kindle lineup introducing a new basic Kindle, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft. The new Kindle Colorsoft starts at $290, while the Signature Edition, which I’ve spent the past few weeks testing, costs $320. 

The base model comes with 16GB of storage, while the Signature Edition doubles that to 32GB and is available in graphite or a maroon-like Fig finish with an aluminum back.

Amazon first brought color to its Kindle lineup in 2024 with the launch of the original Colorsoft. The latest model is lighter and thinner than its predecessor and features an edge-to-edge display. If you already own the first-generation Colorsoft, there’s little reason to upgrade. 

The core reading experience remains largely the same. Both models have a 7-inch color E-Ink display, 300ppi resolution for black-and-white content and 150ppi for color.

However, if you’ve been eyeing a color e-reader, the new Colorsoft is worth considering if you can get past the hefty price tag. 

Unlike standard Kindles, which display everything in black and white, the Colorsoft brings your digital bookshelf to life with their original colors. This makes it a particularly appealing option for readers who enjoy comics, graphic novels, or cookbooks, where color makes a big difference. It’s also great for readers who like highlighting passages in different colors.

It’s worth noting that colors on the Colorsoft are still relatively muted and not as vibrant as what you’d see on an iPad. Still, they add a welcome splash of color and make a noticeable difference compared to the black-and-white displays of standard Kindles. 

The Colorsoft lets you adjust the screen’s color temperature, so you can switch to a warmer, more yellow-toned display that’s easier on the eyes when reading at night. There’s also an auto-adjusting brightness option that comes in handy.

When it comes to battery life, Amazon says that the Colorsoft can last up to eight weeks on a single charge, compared to up to 12 weeks for the Paperwhite. During my testing, I didn’t have to stress about charging the Colorsoft because like other Kindles, its battery lasts a relatively long time compared to other everyday electronics. 

One small but welcome improvement on the new Colorsoft is the repositioned power button. On the previous generation, it was on the bottom of the device next to the charging port, making it easy to accidentally press it when handling the Kindle. On the new model, Amazon has moved it to the top-right edge, where it’s less likely to get in the way. I quite like this change, and found the new location more intuitive when powering the device on and off.

I enjoyed the premium feel of the aluminum back on the Signature Edition. Although Amazon provided a case with my review unit, I rarely used it, and the finish held up well. While the slimmer design isn’t a major change, I found the new Colorsoft quite comfortable to hold compared to older Kindle devices.

For those who enjoy reading in the bath or by the pool, the Colorsoft is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about accidental splashes or spills damaging the e-reader.

One thing I appreciated about the Colorsoft was how infrequently the screen needed to refresh, which was something I noticed more often with the larger Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. I also didn’t experience any noticeable ghosting, where text from previous pages lingers on the screen, which is common on some e-readers.

The Signature Edition supports a magnetic cover with built-in page-turn buttons that connects to the pogo pins on the back of the device, but I can’t speak to this experience because I didn’t have access to the case. 

The biggest drawback of the Colorsoft is its price. It’s a steep investment for a device that’s just used for reading. That said, if you really want a color display, the Colorsoft is definitely worth considering. For everyone else, it’s a nice upgrade, but far from a must-have. Many readers would be better off with the basic Kindle or Paperwhite, which start at $169.99 and $199.99, respectively.

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Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University.

You can contact or verify outreach from Aisha by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at aisha_malik.01 on Signal.