In the long human habit of carrying stories in our hands, Amazon has once again tried to refine the glowing slate of reading, this time with a fuller palette of color arriving on a device that still asks for patience. The refreshed Kindle Colorsoft is lighter, slimmer, and framed edge to edge, yet its heart beats much as before, so the change reads less like a leap than a careful step. For those who already hold its predecessor, the wisdom offered is to stay where they are, while for everyone else the question becomes whether a few added colors justify a price that rises well above simpler, eq
Amazon's New Kindle Colorsoft Delivers Color at a Premium Price
A nice upgrade, but far from a must-have
Mark
So what actually changed between the first Colorsoft and this one?
Mimi
Mostly the body. It's lighter, thinner, and has an edge-to-edge display. The power button also moved from the bottom, next to the charging port, to the top-right edge.
Mark
And the screen itself?
Mimi
Same 7-inch color E-Ink. 300ppi for black-and-white, 150ppi for color, on both generations.
Luke
So the review's advice to first-gen owners is basically "don't bother."
Mimi
Yes, it says there's little reason to upgrade.
Mark
Who is the color really for?
Mimi
Comics, graphic novels, cookbooks, and people who highlight in different colors. The colors are muted compared with an iPad, though.
Luke
Worth flagging that this is one reviewer's few weeks with the device. The eight-week battery figure is Amazon's own rating, not a measured result. The reviewer only says charging was never a worry.
Mark
Anything they couldn't test?
Luke
The magnetic cover with page-turn buttons. They didn't have that case, so there's no verdict on it.
Mimi
The price is the sticking point: $290 for the base, $320 for the Signature Edition, against $169.99 for the basic Kindle and $199.99 for the Paperwhite.
Il Polso
- A hard price tag of $290 to $320 sits heavily against a device whose core reading experience barely moved.
- Color lifts comics, graphic novels, and cookbooks, but the hues remain muted next to an iPad's vivid screen.
- Owners of the first-generation Colorsoft are being told plainly there is little reason to rush into an upgrade.
- The repositioned power button and slimmer body quietly fix small annoyances, even as the broader lineup keeps its cheaper rivals in view.
In the long human habit of carrying stories in our hands, Amazon has once again tried to refine the glowing slate of reading, this time with a fuller palette of color arriving on a device that still asks for patience. The refreshed Kindle Colorsoft is lighter, slimmer, and framed edge to edge, yet its heart beats much as before, so the change reads less like a leap than a careful step. For those who already hold its predecessor, the wisdom offered is to stay where they are, while for everyone else the question becomes whether a few added colors justify a price that rises well above simpler, equally capable readers.
Amazon has refreshed its color Kindle, and the Signature Edition the reviewer carried for several weeks arrives in a graphite or Fig finish over an aluminum back for $320, with the base Colorsoft at $290. The new model is lighter and thinner than the 2024 original and has an edge-to-edge screen, but the reading experience itself is nearly identical, using the same 7-inch color E-Ink display and storage that doubles to 32GB on the Signature.
Color is the real draw for certain books. Where a standard Kindle shows everything in black and white, the Colorsoft reveals a book's original colors, which suits comics, graphic novels, cookbooks, and readers who highlight in several hues. The colors are softer than an iPad's, yet they stand out clearly beside a grayscale Kindle. Warmer night tones and auto-brightness add comfort, and battery life of up to eight weeks never caused the reviewer any worry.
The most welcome change is modest. The power button has moved from the bottom, where it was easily pressed by accident, to the top-right edge, and the reviewer found it more intuitive. The slimmer body is pleasant to hold, the aluminum back feels premium, and the device is waterproof for reading by the pool or in the bath. Minor issues remain, including infrequent screen refreshes and a magnetic case that could not be tested.
The verdict is clear: the price is the main obstacle. For someone who truly wants color, the Colorsoft is worth serious thought. For most readers it is a pleasant upgrade rather than a necessity, and the $169.99 basic Kindle or $199.99 Paperwhite would serve them well.
The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition that TechCrunch's reviewer has spent the past few weeks with comes with a graphite or Fig finish, a maroon-like shade, over an aluminum back. It costs $320. The base Colorsoft starts at $290. Both are part of a refreshed Kindle lineup Amazon recently unveiled, which also includes a new basic Kindle and a new Paperwhite.
Amazon first put color on a Kindle in 2024, with the original Colorsoft. The new model is lighter and thinner than that one and has an edge-to-edge display. The reviewer's verdict on upgrading is blunt: anyone who already owns the first-generation Colorsoft has little reason to move up.
The reason is that the reading experience has barely changed. Both generations use a 7-inch color E-Ink screen, with 300ppi resolution for black-and-white content and 150ppi for color. On storage, the base model carries 16GB and the Signature Edition doubles that to 32GB.
What color adds is most apparent with certain kinds of books. Standard Kindles show everything in black and white, while the Colorsoft displays a book's original colors. That makes it appealing for comics, graphic novels and cookbooks, and for readers who like to highlight passages in different colors. The reviewer cautions that the colors are still relatively muted and not as vibrant as an iPad's, though they make a noticeable difference next to a black-and-white Kindle.
The screen's color temperature can be adjusted toward a warmer, more yellow tone that is easier on the eyes at night, and there is an auto-adjusting brightness option. Amazon rates battery life at up to eight weeks per charge, against up to 12 weeks for the Paperwhite. In testing, the reviewer never worried about charging.
The most welcome change is a small one. On the previous generation the power button sat on the bottom next to the charging port, where it was easy to press by accident. Amazon has moved it to the top-right edge, and the reviewer found the new spot more intuitive. The slimmer body is comfortable to hold compared with older Kindles, and the aluminum back on the Signature Edition feels premium. Amazon supplied a case with the review unit, but the reviewer rarely used it because the finish held up well. The device is also waterproof, so bath or poolside reading is safe from splashes and spills.
Two other observations stood out. The screen refreshed infrequently, which the reviewer had noticed more often on the larger Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. And there was no noticeable ghosting, the lingering text from earlier pages that is common on some e-readers. The Signature Edition also supports a magnetic cover with built-in page-turn buttons that attaches through pogo pins on the back. The reviewer could not assess it because that case was not available for testing.
The price is the main drawback: a steep investment for a device used only for reading. For someone who really wants a color display, the review says the Colorsoft is definitely worth considering. For everyone else it is a nice upgrade but far from a must-have. The basic Kindle at $169.99 and the Paperwhite at $199.99 would serve many readers better.
Citazioni salienti
If you already own the first-generation Colorsoft, there's little reason to upgrade.— TechCrunch reviewer
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