Amazon announces new Kindle Paperwhite lineup with 6.8-inch screens, USB-C

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  The new Kindle Paperwhite is faster and has a larger screen than the old model. [credit: Amazon ]

Amazon is giving the Kindle Paperwhite its first major update since 2018, the company announced today. The new Paperwhite lineup includes two different hardware models, plus a separate Paperwhite Kids edition that comes with its own case, has ads turned off by default, and includes a one-year subscription to the Amazon Kids+ service and a two-year “worry-free guarantee” warranty. The new Kindles can be preordered starting today and ship on October 27.

The basic Paperwhite is still probably the best combination of features and price. For $140 ($10 more than the last-generation version), you get a larger 6.8-inch screen with slimmer bezels than the old Paperwhite, plus a faster processor that delivers “20% faster page turns” than the old model. The number of LEDs used for the Paperwhite’s front-light has increased from five to 17, which should make the lighting look smoother and more uniform. Like the Kindle Oasis, the new Paperwhite has a “warm light” option that can make the Kindle’s backlight warmer if you don’t like the default bluish light.

Amazon also promises improved battery life for the new Paperwhite, but when you do need to charge it, you can finally do it using a USB-C charger rather than the increasingly outdated micro-USB port on older Kindles. Like the previous Paperwhite, the new model has an IPx8 waterproofing rating, 8GB of storage, an antiglare coating, and buttonless bezels that sit flush with the device’s screen.