Color enhances the book-browsing experience, but that's about it. Most readers will be just as happy with a grayscale Kindle.
After 16 years of murky monochrome screens, Amazon's first color e-reader is here. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition doesn't arrive with the same dramatic impact as, say, the first color television, but it's significant all the same. Book covers, comics, graphic novels, magazines and other such content clearly benefit from a color screen, as do any highlights you care to add to text. However, don't expect tablet-level vibrancy; this is still e-ink technology, with all the limitations therein. So is this the logical choice for your next e-reader upgrade? Or does it merely qualify as "nice to have"? Here's my Kindle Colorsoft review.
Update (11/5/24): Following reports of a faint yellow band appearing at the bottom of the screen, Amazon is temporarily halting shipments of the Colorsoft and offering a refund or replacement to anyone affected by the issue. Although it's barely noticeable, I did encounter this on my review sample -- but it doesn't change my overall opinion of the device.
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Amazon may be the e-reader pioneer and market leader, but the $279 Colorsoft isn't the only game in Book Town. Over the past couple months I've looked at the Boox Go Color 7 and Kobo Clara Colour -- the former priced $30 less, the latter an even more compelling option at just $150. Of course, there are some differences, but for now let's focus on Amazon's effort.
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: Up and running in minutes
Like all other Kindles, this one is quick and easy to set up -- though if you're expecting printed instructions, don't. Save for a couple illustrations showing the charging port and power button, there's merely a QR code to scan (and a web address for those who'd rather sit at a computer).
Thankfully, if you already have the Kindle app on another device, setup couldn't be much simpler; a few taps and you're connected to Wi-Fi, your book library gets synchronized, etc. You can also create up to four child profiles in case you want to share this with the youngsters in your house; each one can be configured for individual content, reading goals, progress tracking and so on. That's one area where Amazon definitely exceeds other e-readers.
Kindle Colorsoft design and features
It seems remarkable that the Colorsoft is no thicker and barely heavier than its non-color counterpart, but that's the case: It has the exact same svelte dimensions as the Paperwhite Signature Edition and weighs a negligible 0.2 ounces more.
In other words, you sacrifice no comfort or portability by choosing the color option -- which incidentally, consists of a 7-inch, 300-ppi E Ink Kaleido screen with an oxide backplane and auto-adjusting nitride-LED front light.
Let me de-technobabble that for you: This is essentially a Kindle Paperwhite with color. In nearly every other respect, they're the same: 32GB of storage, an auto-adjusting front light sensor, support for wireless charging and an IPX8 waterproof rating. (Dropped it in the tub? Not a problem.)
One understandable difference: battery life. Amazon says the Colorsoft can last up to eight weeks on charge, versus 12 weeks for the Paperwhite. Those are both amazing numbers, to the point where wireless charging feels like a pretty superfluous feature. Nice to have, but it's not like it's saving you daily wrangling with a power cord.
As with other Kindles, you can pair a Bluetooth speaker or headphones for listening to audiobooks, but there's no speaker onboard. That's a feature that does come with the Boox Go Color 7.
Also included on that Boox model: physical page-turn buttons. It's deeply disappointing that Amazon's flagship Kindle doesn't have them.
Kindle Colorsoft: The pink elephant in the room
OK, so what's it like to read on a color Kindle? For starters, I suspect you'll experience some disappointment the first time you see the screen. Current e-ink technology pales (literally) in comparison with modern LCDs. We've all been spoiled by the vibrant, dazzling colors produced by our phones and tablets. That's not, er, on display here.
Instead, color e-ink looks muted, more closely resembling color newsprint. Resolution, contrast, brightness -- they're also overshadowed by phones and tablets. Of course, e-ink causes less eyestrain and exposes you to less blue light (it's directed at the screen rather than your eyes), and battery life is measured in weeks, not days. And let's not ignore the advantages of a totally distraction-free reading device.
This isn't to say the Colorsoft's screen isn't pleasing. It is, it's just lackluster -- or, to borrow from the product's own nomenclature: soft. I liked it for browsing books but can't say it excited me too much elsewhere. Reading comics or graphic novels on a Kindle is a rough experience because of all the screen-flashes when you zoom in or scroll around a page. (Unlike an LCD, e-ink screens will periodically flash to refresh themselves between pages.)
Speaking of which, vertical scrolling -- even just on the Home and Library pages -- isn't smooth; it jumps a chunk at a time, which is jarring. The Boox Go Color 7 somehow manages to feel more tablet-y in this respect, with fairly fluid vertical scrolling. On the other hand, that model exhibits a bit of "ghosting" at times, leaving faint artifacts of the previously viewed section or page until it does a refresh. There's no ghosting on the Colorsoft.
Meanwhile, color text highlights are a big point in favor of a color e-reader, but be prepared: The four available hues are pretty drab, especially yellow. Orange looks light-brown. Pink and blue are more accurate and pleasing, and all four are certainly better than a grayscale highlighter. It's natural to want (and even expect) more vivid hues, but, as noted, e-ink technology just isn't there yet.
Taking color out of the equation for a moment, I found that the Colorosoft's screen had a whiter (and slightly bluer) cast than the Paperwhite, with slightly better contrast overall. That said, so did the entry-level Kindle 2024; for whatever reason, this year's Paperwhite isn't the whitest screen in the bunch.
The photo below shows the Paperwhite on the right and the Colorsoft on the left. The former looks almost yellow in that picture (yes, I made sure the warmth slider was set to zero), which isn't accurate; it's just how the camera captured it. But there's no debating the Colorsoft screen is the whiter of the two. Whether one is actually better than another might just boil down to personal preference.
Amazon's first-ever color Kindle: Should you buy it?
I'm just about split down the middle on this. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is a fine first effort from Amazon, adding color to the device it made famous (and, dare I say, essential). It's thin and light, with a sharp screen and plenty of storage.
It's also expensive, arguably the most important thing to weigh against the fact that color, while nice, isn't essential for reading books. Indeed, I'd argue that if you really want the best of both worlds, choose an Amazon Fire HD 8 **, which is often on sale for as little as a fifth of the price.** You won't get the same battery life, but you will get a lot more versatility and dramatically better color **and screen refresh rates. (The Apple iPad Mini delivers an even more brilliant color screen, but that model's higher price bracket is a totally different conversation.)**
At a minimum, wait for the inevitable discounts; sale pricing is a regular occurrence at Amazon, especially as Black Friday and the holidays approach. What's more, it's quite possible that a less expensive non-Signature Edition Colorsoft is waiting in the wings, though that's not likely to debut until well into 2025 (if at all; it's just a guess on my part).
The Kindle Colorsoft is nice, but ask yourself if you really need a color e-reader yet -- or at all. The Kindle Paperwhite is mighty good, and over $100 cheaper.