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Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) ranks higher (#2 vs #4 of 11) and scores better on battery, ease of use, build & durability. Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) wins on screen.
The biggest complaint about the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) is pricey for what you get; for the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) it's very expensive. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Good for: Kindle readers who want a bigger, faster, waterproof screen
Its catch: pricey for what you get
Check price on AmazonGood for: Kindle users who annotate books and PDFs
Its catch: very expensive
Check price on AmazonPaid links. We don't list prices — they change daily. Neither one feels right?
Side by side
| Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) | Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in e-readers | #2 | #4 |
| Price tier | $$ | $$$ |
| Type | E-reader | E-reader + writing |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 5% | 8% |
| Overall score | 4.2 | 3.9 |
| Screen | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Battery | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Book store & formats | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Ease of use | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Build & durability | 4.0 | 3.5 |
Price tiers: $ under $120 · $$ $120–250 · $$$ over $250. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
- 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.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)
- Very expensive
Wirecutter says the Scribe is too expensive compared with other digital notebooks. TechRadar lists 'very expensive' and says it's hard to justify. Tom's Guide says the high price makes it hard to recommend. Amazon owners are mixed on value.
- Too big for handheld reading
TechRadar says the larger size makes handheld use difficult. NBC Select lists the older Scribe as less portable.
Source: TechRadar, NBC Select - Freezing, clutter and limited file support
Amazon's review summary says some owners report routine freezing. TechRadar finds the home screen cluttered with Kindle Store recommendations, says the OS takes nearly 10 GB of storage, and says file support still trails Kobo and Boox.
Who should pick which
Pick the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) if
Kindle readers who want a bigger, faster, waterproof screen
Reading by the pool or in the bath (IPX8)
Going many weeks between charges
Skip it if: 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)
Pick the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) if
Kindle users who annotate books and PDFs
Handwritten notes with AI summaries and search
Reading large-format documents
Skip it if: You mainly read novels (an expensive e-reader if you don't write); You want something to hold one-handed in bed; You want the best writing feel (Tom's Guide prefers reMarkable)
We don't list prices — they change daily. Paid links.
Neither one feels right?
If both catches are deal-breakers, start here.
Engadget's best premium e-reader: the fast 7-inch Paperwhite plus an auto-adjusting warm light, 32GB, wireless charging and no lock-screen ads. Engadget says those extras aren't essential, Amazon owners are split on value and some report yellowing screens, and a 2026 aluminum Signature Edition replaces it on October 28.
Its catch: extras aren't essentialA third option · #3Kobo Libra ColourTechRadar's best e-reader overall and NBC Select's best color pick: a 7-inch color screen, physical page-turn buttons, 32 GB of storage and optional stylus notes. The stylus costs extra, some functions lag, and the Kobo store is smaller than Amazon's.
Its catch: stylus sold separately; small for notesAll 11 comparedSee every e-reader, rankedEach one's biggest complaint at a glance, with the full ranking.
Browse e-readers →More head-to-heads
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) vs Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) vs Kobo Libra Colour
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) vs Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs Kobo Libra Colour
- Kobo Libra Colour vs Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) vs Amazon Kindle (2026)