Amazon Kindle 11th gen review: Ease-of-use helps rekindle love for reading

When Amazon launched the first generation Kindle e-reader in 2007, it sold out in five and a half hours. It was not the first e-reader, not even the first e-ink e-reader. Sony had launched one before it. But Kindle was soon king of the e-reader market. That position has remained unchanged since.

The thing is so near-perfect that Amazon hasn’t had many reasons to change too much. If you have used Kindle Paperwhite, launched in September 2012, then you would wonder what is different in the all-new 6-inch Kindle launched in 2022. The 2012 Paperwhite had a 6-inch e-ink display, and the 2022 device also offers the same, albeit sharper. It now has a 300 ppi e-ink display. It is the same glare-free display which makes it a breeze to read whether you are reading at night in a room or on the beach out in the sun during the day.

The supremely energy-efficient e-ink display has always given the Kindle a long battery life, and the 6-inch 2022 version is no different. It is priced at Rs 9,999. It now comes with a USB Type-C charging port, and a very quick charge will also last you a really long time. Amazon says if you use this device for half an hour of reading daily with the light set at 13 and Wi-Fi connectivity switched off, a full charge will last you six weeks.

What really sets this device apart from the older versions is the 300 ppi display and its negligible size and weight. The 2012 Kindle Paperwhite also had a six-inch display, but it had bigger bezels, and it weighed more. This all-new 6-inch Kindle (2022) has smaller bezels and doesn’t put much weight on your wrists, no matter which position you prefer to read in. And it's easier to carry around. With a little effort, you could actually fit it into the front pocket of your jeans.

If you want a slightly bigger display and a bit more premium feel, you can opt for the more expensive (Rs 14,999) 2022 Kindle Paperwhite, which has a 6.8-inch display. That device also comes with a 300 ppi e-ink display and a USB Type-C charging port.

Kindle’s perfection lies in its simplicity and its lack of distractions. The device only allows you to read or browse books on the Kindle Store. The only grouse one can have is that reading PDF documents remains a sub-par experience. However, if you can get over that bit of a hiccup, this new Kindle will serve you well and make reading a pleasure.