For those who prefer a Kindle e-reader, one may wonder about the interest of choosing a Kindle Basic e-reader rather than a Kindle Paperwhite e-reader (or the opposite). While the “basic” Kindle is cheaper, the two are not exactly the same. Is it worth spending a little more for a Paperwhite instead of a Kindle Basic? Let’s find out!
Hardware and software differences
Both e-readers are similar. While the finishes on the screen glass may give Paperwhite a slightly more “high-end” look, the difference is minimal in terms of appearance and handling. The Kindle Basic is 160 x 113 x 8.7mm and 174g, while the Kindle Paperwhite is 167 x 116 x 8.2mm and 182g. The big difference is the screen used in each device.
They both have0 a 6-inch Carta screen, but the Kindle Basic has a screen with 167 pixels per inch (ppi) when the Paperwhite has a 300 ppi screen. The text is crisper on the Paperwhite, closer to what you’d see on paper. That said, the difference is very small when reading text (mobi format e-books, for example) and is more noticeable when reading comic books or PDFs, formats for which these e-readers are not ideal, devices with a larger screen being more comfortable.
Another notable difference is in the front light. The Paperwhite comes with 5 LEDs, while the Kindle Basic has only 4, and this is recent: most models available on the second hand market have no lighting.
Value for money and different uses: what to choose?
Both e-readers are often available at a good price. They can be bough with or without advertisements, and cost around 10 EUR/USD more if you don’t want to see the ads. The Kindle Basic can often be bought for 65 bucks and the Kindle Paperwhite for 99. When there is no discount, these e-readers are a little more expensive, but the price difference remains similar, although often slightly more in favor of the Kindle Basic.
For a bit more pixels, which means better image quality, and a better front-light, is it worth it?
In my opinion yes. That being said, you should keep in mind that a Kindle Basic, despite its smaller number of LEDs and slightly lower resolution is still a good e-reader. In use, the software runs great, and reading is comfortable. For those who have never experienced anything else, there is no need for a 300 ppi screen! On the other hand, for those who are used to a screen with a higher resolution, the difference may be perceptible.
If you plan to mostly read books downloaded from Amazon, without images, the difference is negligible, and for that use the Kindle Basic is a device that offers a great bang for the buck. If you plan to use your e-reader to read manga, or PDF documents (a format that is quite well supported by the Kindle software!) a higher resolution e-reader will be preferable, and you’d be better buying a Paperwhite.
tl;dr : More versatile, the Kindle Paperwhite is preferable, but the Kindle Basic is a great device for those looking for cheap e-reader. Both devices are well built, and make if possible to read eBooks comfortably. They offer great value for the money in this price range, especially when they are on sale.