Why the Kindle Basic is probably all the Kindle you need. Review and comparison to the Paperwhite 

I agree completely. I’ve really enjoyed the basic kindle since you forced me to buy it the other day. The size makes a big difference actually. It’s so much more convenient to carry.

I prefer the basic kindle due to size and weight. It's so much more comfortable holding a lighter kindle for long periods.

I'm just getting into the kindle. I'm an older guy, 74, and getting to library is more difficult for me. This is a great alternative for me. I have fire HD8 with 64g. I appreciate sites like yours as I'm in learning mode.

it doesnt feel cheap at all. im loving my basic kindle for 2 weeks now ❤

I purchased this about 6 months ago. It was on sale. I am completely satisfied with its performance and size. It replaced an old paperwhite. Probably 1st generation.

I just bought the Basic Kindle and I love it. Why pay more when the Basic Kindle does all that I need and more.

I'm an ebook reader, so I have tried about all of them. I kept a few and gave some away. My favorite is my Pocketbook Era, Touch HD and my Kindle Paperwhite 11. I also have the Paperwhite 10, the basic kindle ( denim) , and a Kindle Oasis ( the first one) . I am an addict. This, cats , and lava lamps are my vices.😂

I just bought this and I am in love. I love it more than my Paperwhite.

I actually bought a Kindle Basic based on your video (and the sale) and I love it. The size is perfect.

Agree, I’ve been saying this for years! It can sometimes be slow and clunky but still more user friendly than a physical book.

Thanks for the review, you have delightful professor energy.

My weapon of choice is the Kindle Oasis 1 - small/compact and has buttons. The main downsides to it are: 1. Battery is near dead since it's an old device. 2. Internal storage is small, so it'll hold a couple of thousand e-books, but won't hold more than regular e-books (forget audiobooks and comic books). 3. Finding a cover is not easy. The original battery covers are also near dead or pretty much destroyed. The analogs for this device are the Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight 3 and 4. I use the Oasis 1 for e-books and the GlowLight 4 for manga. The size and buttons make aaaaaaall the difference for me. I have a Kindle 10 and, while it is the right size and has quite a bit of internal storage, without the buttons it does not get nearly as much use as the Oasis 1. 🤔🧐

I still have the OG kindle that I bought used in 2012and I love it. The only thing I wish it had was the reading light, but other than that it's great. Battery life is fantastic and plenty of storage. You do make Kindle Basic sound quite nice though.

Thank you! It is on sale today -- I just put it in my cart. My current Kindle is the first one that ever came out -- probably time to get a new one.

I’ve bought this on offer and absolutely love it! I had a paperwhite 3 which I traded in towards this making it even cheaper! I would recommend it completely! I’ve been amazed by how good it is. Also I spoke to Amazon nicely and they removed ads free of charge.

I watch (way too many) e-reader review channels and I have to say that the basic kindle is such a high tier e-reader IMO. I have a Meebook because I needed a note taking and e-reader and it solved it, but honestly I would buy a basic kindle if I had to replace it

I have a first generation Paperwhite, (10 years now, I believe) and it still works, still gives me a lot of joy. There was a time I thought about buying a new one, especially because I couldn't read eBooks of my local library, but I got a second hand Tolino of a friend, so that problem solved. Sometimes I still think about buying a new kindle because buying new things is fun, but that reason is not good enough for me. Paperwhite first generation is (was) a very, very good product and I love my kindle deeply!

I'm planning on getting one of these this Black Friday (today, in fact). But I sure do wish they made a color Kindle, akin to the original 1st gen Fire (my alltime favorite e-reader); with minimal tablet clutter and waste. I do like to see my book covers in color.

I have the kindle basic 10th gen and just bought the 11th gen because I really wanted the dark mode and the usb-c....I read when I walk, and it rains a lot where I'm from. so far I've had no issues. I also have small hands and the basic kindle's size is really perfect for me. I di want the paperwhite but I dfind it uncomfortable to hold onto...Also, amazin customer support removed the ads for me for free when I asked their support via their in-app chat 😂

I dig the channel, got a new sub from me! I have three Kindles - the Scribe, the Oasis, and the really old school Kindle Keyboard. Believe it or not, I actually use the Kindle Keyboard quite a lot, it fits perfectly in the saddle bag on my bicycle (unfortunately the Oasis is too wide). I recently replaced the battery on it and it's as good as new! I have considered getting a Basic to replace my Keyboard version, but there's weirdly something nostalgic with my Kindle Keyboard. It's the first Kindle I owned and there's still something really fun about using it, I even have the original leather case for it with the pull-out light and it still works after all these years! (though it's kinda fidgety, if I tap the light it will flicker). The only thing that kinda stinks about it is the font options are incredibly limited and the built-in font is pretty meh. Anyway, not sure why I typed all this up, but hey, here ya go.

I used to own an older version of kindle basic w/o the screen lights (I'm guessing a 2016 or so model) and was surprised the basic now comes with them. but the fact it doesn't have the warm light slider is a dealbreaker for me and made me go for the paperwhite. which kinda means I paid way too much for the warmth filter haha, but I already rely on it too heavily on my laptop and mobile in the evenings not to have it on the reading device as well.

After nearly 10 years with the wonderful 4th Gen Kindle, I "upgraded" to the 10th Gen, white model. I can't see much in the way of difference here, except that my white model (the 11th Gen doesn't do white) doesn't attract fingerprints; a big deal for me. I just wish it were possible to permanently disable the "progress in book," feature. I find myself "triggering it," by accident all of the time!

I agree 100% ... I changed mine after 10 years and now I bought basic ...super

I agree. I got my new basic Kindle recently and I think it is great.

going to try to snag a kindle basic this prime day and this video has made me feel great about my decision! (i'm justifying it as a reward for wisdom teeth removal later this week, but really i just want it. 😉) since 2020, i have read almost every single book on my phone, through the libby library app and i never knew how much i would prefer the e-reading experience - but the difference is INCREDIBLE! though the paperwhite definitely has a few extra cool features, the size of the basic just can't be beaten! especially since i'm now used to reading on my phone, the small compact size of this one is really important to me. thanks for the review!

Agreed. As other people have mentioned the smaller size is actually a plus for me. The typing isn't great but I barely type on my kindle so even that doesn't matter really

The kindle basis is all i needed 😍

I got the Kids' Paperwhite. It's waterproof, has 2 year warranty, comes with a case(which is quite nice) and no ads. On sale for $109+tax. Personally I think it's a better buy than the basic.

I would definitely buy the basic model if I haven’t bought the paperwhite in previous year. Warm-light is a good feature to have but not a necessary. When I read in the dark, I always use dark mode which you can’t really tell the difference on warmer or cooler tones.

Thanks, I have Kindle Touch Reader that I bought in 2011 and decided to get this one too. My old one is still working and have had no issues, except that the battery no longer last for 6 weeks. The new one is lighter than the Touch. I now have one for the road and one for home. Don't care about ever buying a paperwhite.

I like the look of the kindle basic. At the moment im using a kindle paperwhite 7 generation at the moment it iis great. It just a shame about the storage on it. I might buy the kindle basic next year on my birthday.

So I’m trying to analyze the pros and cons of buying one, and trying to figure out what the benefits are of digital over physical. For me, the only benefit I think I would cherish is being able to take multiple books with me in a small package. But, then again, I only really read one thing at a time, so I think I will probably always stick to physical, despite my home quick becoming a library. Cheers bud!

Thanks for the review. I have problems getting my phone into the back pocket of some of my jeans. Your Kindle pocketing made me laugh out loud. It's the TARDIS.

I am definitely going to go basic for my next! I have a paperwhite at the moment and love it - not sure it's waterproof? Might be too old, it's 7th generation. When this one retires, I will go basic because I love the smaller size/easier portability.

I've had the Paperwhite 5 for a month now and I'm seriously considering getting this Kindle Basic. While the warm light is great, the weight of the PW5 plus the case I use is just a tad much for me for extended use. The Basic weighing in 50g less than the PW5 is really really tempting... 😩

The Paperwhite has page turn animations, which the Basic doesn't have. A very small thing, but something I like on my Paperwhite.

I just purchased my first Kindle, and it is the basic. I love the size which was a big deciding factor for me. The waterproof issue concerned me since I live at the beach and spend a lot of time there or at the pool, but my phone has never been waterproof and I've never had an issue with the phone.

I was an early kindle adopter in 2008 (b/c I was moving across country and hauling my books was expensive). I have upgraded to each that came out including paperwhite, oasis and scribe. I recently went back to Kindle Basic and it my favorite yet. It is small and compact, easy to use and read. With the oasis and then the scribe, I resorted to reading the kindle app on my iphone and hardly ever the kindle. I missed the kindle but the oasis and scribe to me were too heavy and awkward. I wanted something small and light like my iphone. Since going back to kindle basic, I am reading my kindle every day again and the iphone only when in the doctors waiting room. The plastic cheap finish does not bother me because I put a cover on it. I love the lightness. It is by far my favorite having experience with all in the kindle line.

The beveled edge gives me trauma from when my Nook bit the dust years and years ago due to sand and salt air. One thing you didn’t mention is that here in the US and maybe other places is LIBRARY access. I will get e-books from the library and push those library loan to my Kindle for wonderful easy reading. Same does with Advance Reader Copies via NetGalley. It’s a fabulous for those two things. You are indeed a kindle addict. 😂Kindle fashion shots are next level CriminOlly.

I love my Kindle Basic! 🥰

I have a Paperwhite but do most of my ebook reading on a Kindle Fire 7. I think the Kindle Fire is superior in many ways and is certainly much cheaper than even the basic Kindle.

I still use my original kindle 4th gen from 2011 with the buttons. Still works ok although one button is suspect and it’s just developed a black blob near the top of the screen in the middle where the led’s have failed but still hard to justify replacing as it works!. Tempted with a new basic model mind with illuminated screen and higher dpi mind. One thing I find very irritating with my old kindle is the inability to zoom in so if you have a map or whatever you cannot actually read it as it’s so small. Another thing which is extremely irritating is in the uk you cannot use BorrowBox from the library with kindles! Obviously cos they want you to buy books but really? Nice video, thanks.

I feel I'd miss the extra LEDs for front lighting. The basic only has four which I think I would notice after 17 on the Paperwhite and 25 on the Oasis. But I'm having e-book/e-reader angina today anyway, so probably not the day to make a new purchase.

What brightness do you have the backlight set as? I have mine fairly low and it drastically improves length of battery charge.

I have a kindle oasis right now and I have noticed with the warm light it’s been flickering a lot. I’ve been also using my Kobo more. Would you recommend the basic kindle for a secondary device? I like having both kindle and kobo to price things out.

You put it in a case usually anyway… so you wont notice the ‘build’ .. also, I like the raised edges as with the paperwhite i was always touching the screen and skipping pages

As someone whos wrists are absolutely shot i am so extremely excited for this small and light device. Lately gripping my thicker books has been rather uncomfortable and has drastically shortened my reading time.

I want to know Reading in night or dark experience . Can i read in dark ?

My view is protect your investment and get the paper white which is waterproof so your covered for all situations.

As someone interested in buying from Amazon Kindle, I'm curious about why you still opt for physical books alongside digital ones (especially with all the books behind you). Great video!

I think I've had my basic Kindle for 10 years. Never felt the need to upgrade. Mainly because I prefer books.

Prime Reading allows you to have 10 books out at a time, and there's no time limit.

Can I connect to dropbox on the kindle basic? I already have ebooks on my computer and want to be able to put them on a kindle without too much hassle.

i am getting both basic 2022 version and paperwhite 11th gen for same price. so which one should i go for ?

thank you

I use an old second-generation ipad. It's the only thing it can do since it sat unused for so long that I can't remember passwords for anything else.

Hello! Kindle paperwite 2021 and 2022 is suport default epub format...? Tank you!

Lightning by Dean Koontz is really good

My current Kindle is an earlier Paperwhite, which I think is the same size as the basic. I like the size. I would prefer it if it still had the buttons on each side for paging forward & back, which made it easy for me to hold it in one hand & go to the next, or previous page by clicking with my thumb. I could reach either button, and I could switch to the other hand when I wanted to rest the one I was holding it in, & use the buttons on the other side. The touch screen makes it impossible to navigate in both directions, without using both hands. The older Paperwhite has a bevelled screen, & I don't really get the benefit of not having one. The one thing I really, really hate is that a software update forced a change to the menu style you have, with the tiny covers. I much preferred the simple text list of author & title. Many cover thumbnails aren't easily readable. I wish they'd made that change optional.

Both the Basic 2022 and Paperwhite 2022 have the exact same Mediatek processor and 512 RAM. Seriously the only differences are the screen size and body material. That's it.

This would be my perfect device if it just had some flush page turn buttons...

I’ve fallen out with Amazon devices. I recently upgraded to Virgins super high speed broadband, and whilst I get lovely 600mps download speeds my 2020 Paperwhite, an Echo Dot and an Echo Show completely refuse to connect to it. My 10 year old Kindle is fine and no one can explain it. I’m currently using an IPad Mini 6 with the Kindle app…

I remember the question I had! Is the power button still on the bottom?

Reading 3 books before you need to charge. And how long does 3 books take for you?

The missing of warm light is nearly a deal breaker for me. I never read in the shower or in the rain - why would anyone? If you drop a paperwhite into the pool I don't think that waterproofing is worth anything. I'll say the Kobo is my favorite e_reader. Small including the cover and isn't linked with the "amazon-monster".

Olly, may I ask a really dumb question? Can you listen to Audible audiobooks on a Kindle?

💚🖤

I got the Paperwhite for the waterproofing. Because I know me.

I thought your screen was set to hot, you sexy thing you 🤣🤣 I love the form factor but hate the price ($179 AUD here). Keeping my eyes peeled for sales.

What kindle is it please ? Is it kindle 3 ?

Do i need to use a protector for that?

I hope so because my paperwhite batt finally died yesterday and I'm fucking broke!

You don’t get a warm light which makes this model a non-starter.

with case or not

The small size for putting the device in ones pocket is the only con for the basic. Why would you want an inferior device other then that? The built quality? Battery life? Unvenly lit screen with 4 lights? (Paperwhite has 17 lights). No warmlight? Not water proof? No thank you. If the basic was like 50 Dollars or so it would make sense. But the Basic is very pricy for being so very basic:/

Nah, I'll just stick with my kindle oasis.

No thanks. I prefer actual books. I will never support ereaders.

I’ve got this basic model a kobo and a new paperwhite biggest difference for me is not having the yellow light on this one which the others have . Bought this to take with me to work.

Your voice reminds me of Bruce Forsyth 🤔