Amazon has refreshed its Kindle lineup with a new basic Kindle, a Paperwhite and a color model called the Colorsoft, which begins at $290. The Signature Edition of the Colorsoft, which was tested over the past few weeks, costs $320. The base Colorsoft ships with 16GB of storage, while the Signature Edition doubles that to 32GB and comes in graphite or a maroon-like Fig finish with an aluminum back.
The Colorsoft is Amazon's second color Kindle, following the original Colorsoft that launched in 2024. The new model is lighter and thinner than its predecessor and has an edge-to-edge display. Owners of the first-generation Colorsoft have little reason to upgrade. Both models carry a 7-inch color E-Ink display with 300ppi resolution for black-and-white content and 150ppi for color.
The core reading experience is largely unchanged. The Colorsoft displays bookshelf content in its original colors rather than black and white, which the article positions as appealing to readers of comics, graphic novels and cookbooks, and to those who highlight passages in different colors. Colors on the device are described as relatively muted and less vibrant than on an iPad, though they add a noticeable difference from standard Kindles. The screen's color temperature can be adjusted to a warmer, more yellow-toned display for night reading, and an auto-adjusting brightness option is included.
Amazon says the Colorsoft can run up to eight weeks on a single charge, compared with up to 12 weeks for the Paperwhite. During testing, charging was not a source of stress, consistent with other Kindles. The power button has moved from the bottom of the device next to the charging port, where it was easy to press accidentally, to the top-right edge, a change described as more intuitive.
The Colorsoft is waterproof, so splashes or spills do not threaten the e-reader. The screen needed refreshing infrequently, and no noticeable ghosting, where text from previous pages lingers, was observed. The Signature Edition supports a magnetic cover with built-in page-turn buttons that connects to pogo pins on the back of the device; that experience could not be assessed because the case was not available. The aluminum back on the Signature Edition held up well and felt premium, and the slimmer design was comfortable to hold compared with older Kindle devices.
Price is the Colorsoft's biggest drawback, according to the article, which calls it a steep investment for a reading device. Readers who want a color display are told the Colorsoft is worth considering, while others are better served by the basic Kindle or Paperwhite, which start at $169.99 and $199.99, respectively.
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