(checked 2026-10-10)Amazon shows a 'newer model' notice on this page because a 2026 Paperwhite is on preorder.
Tom's Guide and NBC Select's best overall pick: a fast, waterproof 7-inch Kindle with very long battery life and the lowest Amazon low-star share in this group. Reviewers say it's expensive for what it is, the slippery back attracts smudges, and the base model shows lock-screen ads.
Top complaints
- Pricey for what you get
Wirecutter notes a $20 launch increase over the previous model and says prices are now $40 above launch. TechRadar calls it 'expensive for its feature set' and says to wait for a sale. Tom's Guide also lists the higher price as a con.
- Awkward power button and slippery back
Tom's Guide calls the power-button location bad, and Engadget says the bottom-edge button is easy to press by accident. TechRadar says the slim bezels and smooth back make it hard to grip, and the plastic attracts dust and smudges more than any other reader it tested.
- Ads, store nudges and no page buttons
Engadget says the standard Paperwhite shows lock-screen ads (the Signature Edition doesn't). TechRadar says the home screen constantly points you to the Kindle Store, and that only about 11.5 GB of the 16 GB is usable. Wirecutter regrets that Amazon still hasn't added page-turn buttons. Amazon's summary calls functionality and compatibility mixed.
What owners love
- Fast, crisp, evenly lit 7-inch screen
Wirecutter says taps register near-instantly and lighting is even. TechRadar saw no ghosting. Tom's Guide says page turns are 25% faster than before.
- Waterproof
Rated IPX8. Wirecutter submerged it in a bathtub for 30 minutes with no problems afterward.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) - Very long battery life
Rated at up to 12 weeks (Tom's Guide, NBC Select). Wirecutter says it lasts more than two months. Amazon shoppers call the battery life impressive.
- You want physical page-turn buttons
- You want to shop outside Amazon's store
- You don't want lock-screen ads (pay extra or buy the Signature)
- Kindle readers who want a bigger, faster, waterproof screen
- Reading by the pool or in the bath (IPX8)
- Going many weeks between charges
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Tom's Guide: Best Kindle overall (updated 2026-10-07). The cons are a $10 price increase and a bad power-button location.
- Wirecutter (NYT): Upgrade pick for a bigger, waterproof screen with color-temperature control. Price hikes are irritating, and there are still no page-turn buttons.
- TechRadar: Best mid-range pick, but 'not ergonomic', a 'smudge and dust magnet', and expensive for its feature set.