Kindle Paperwhite (2024) Review: Buy It Cheap or Wait for November?
Two editorial testers and a specialist e-reader blog all reach the same view of the 12th-generation Paperwhite: a very good reader that improves only a little on the 2021 model. The bigger news for anyone buying this autumn is that Amazon announced a new Paperwhite on 1 October 2026, due on 11 November. Here is how to decide between the two, and what the price tag does not tell you.
Where the reviews line up
Our evidence comes from Expert Reviews, which gives it a Recommended badge, TechRadar, which scores it 4/5 and ran the only battery test we found, and The eBook Reader, a specialist blog that compared it side by side with the 2021 Paperwhite. All three agree on the basics.
The screen is the real upgrade. It is now 7 inches at 300 ppi, with darker blacks and a front light that washes out the text less than before. The battery lasts weeks, not days. Amazon claims up to 12 weeks, and TechRadar's three-week test pointed to at least 10. It is only a small step up on the 2021 model. Expert Reviews says owners of that model should not bother, and The eBook Reader found the page-turn speed gain had been mostly cancelled out by a software update to the older model.
The complaints are consistent as well. There are no page-turn buttons. The flush glass screen picks up fingerprints, and the power button is easy to press by accident. TechRadar calls the full price expensive and says to buy it on discount.
Our view: at £160 or less it is still the e-reader most people should buy. At full price, or if you can wait five weeks, look at the new model first. If you borrow ebooks from your library, check the Libby section below before you buy any Kindle.
The three reviews this summary is built from
- Expert ReviewsEditorial test by Andrew Williams, 15 November 2024. Recommended. Best for first-time buyers, not 2021 owners.
- TechRadarEditorial test by Sharmishta Sarkar, 4 December 2024. 4/5. The only measured battery result we found.
- The eBook ReaderSpecialist e-reader blog, 28 October 2024. Side-by-side comparison with the 2021 Paperwhite.
Before the review: a new Paperwhite is on the way
On 1 October 2026 Amazon announced a redesigned Paperwhite with a thinner, lighter body, a 16 GB standard model at £184.99 and an aluminium-backed 32 GB Signature Edition at £229.99. National World reports a release date of 11 November 2026. Pre-orders are open, but it is not out yet and nobody has reviewed it, so this page covers the 2024 model that is actually in stock today. Currys lists it as in stock, and Amazon was selling it on discount during Prime Big Deal Days on 6–7 October. Amazon says the new model also lasts up to 12 weeks and is waterproof. The 2024 model is still a sensible buy if the price is right.
Specification at a glance
| Spec | Figure | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 7-inch E Ink, 300 ppi, flush glass front, anti-glare | TechRadar and Currys agree |
| Warm light | Adjustable warmth, with a schedule that switches it on and off automatically | Expert Reviews |
| Auto-adjusting light | Signature Edition only | Expert Reviews |
| Battery, claimed | Up to 12 weeks | Amazon's claim, as listed by Currys. We could not see the usage figure behind it |
| Battery, tested | 72% to 45% over three weeks at 2–3 hours a day, which TechRadar reads as “at least 10 weeks” | TechRadar, brightness 8, warm light 4 |
| Charging | USB-C. Under 2.5 hours with a 9W adapter, and the base model has no wireless charging | TechRadar and Currys |
| Waterproofing | IPX8. Expert Reviews says immersion to at least 2 metres | All three sources and Currys |
| Storage | 16 GB, or 32 GB on the Signature Edition | Expert Reviews and Currys |
| Weight | 211 g | TechRadar and Currys agree |
| Dimensions | 127.5 × 7.8 × 176.7 mm (W × D × H) | Expert Reviews |
| Page turns | “25% faster” than the 2021 model (Expert Reviews) or “20% faster” (Currys listing) | The sources disagree, and we print both |
| Page-turn buttons | None. Touchscreen only | Expert Reviews |
| Guarantee | 1-year manufacturer's guarantee | Currys listing. Your UK statutory rights apply on top |
| Price | Launched at £159.99. Currys lists it at £184.98 today, and it was £160 in the October sale | See the price section below |
Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews' headline is its verdict: this is an evolution of the 2021 Paperwhite, not a new design. Williams likes the faster browsing in the Kindle Store, the even front light and text that looks sharper than on colour e-readers. He also likes the warm-light schedule, which turns the screen amber in the evening without you having to do anything. He confirms IPX8 waterproofing, Bluetooth for Audible audiobooks, and black, jade green and raspberry pink colours.
His complaints are the ones most buyers will notice. There are no buttons, so it is touch only. The auto-brightness sensor is only on the Signature Edition. Amazon's own case cost £37 at the time, which he thought was a lot. At the time of his test the base model was £160 with ads or £170 without, and the Signature Edition was £190 with wireless charging and auto brightness added. His advice is easy to follow: buy it if you are new to Kindle or have a much older one, and skip it if you have the 2021 Paperwhite.
Watch: 2024 Kindle Paperwhite 6 vs Paperwhite 5 Comparison Review
A side-by-side of the 2024 and 2021 Paperwhites, which is the question Expert Reviews answers. Watch it if you already own the older model.
Watch on YouTube ↗TechRadar
TechRadar is the only source that tested the battery claim instead of repeating it. Over three weeks of reading for two to three hours a day, at brightness 8 with warm light on level 4, the battery fell from 72% to 45%. TechRadar reads that as at least ten weeks between charges. That is a little short of Amazon's twelve weeks, but it is also heavier use than most people manage. A 9W charger tops it up in under 2.5 hours. TechRadar measured 32% to 50% in about 20 minutes.
The review praises the 7-inch screen and calls this the fastest Paperwhite yet. Its main objection is the price: it calls the Paperwhite expensive for a mid-range e-reader and suggests waiting for a discount. Sarkar also found the body slippery, which led to accidental touches, and she objects to lock-screen ads that cost extra to remove. TechRadar's pricing note gives £159.99 for both versions, which conflicts with Expert Reviews' £10 gap. We could not settle that from Amazon's own page because it blocks our checks. TechRadar also reviewed the Signature Edition separately and later made it its top Kindle pick.
Watch: Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) Review - 6 Months Later
A long-term owner review. It goes well with TechRadar’s battery test, because six months of use shows more than a launch-week review can.
Watch on YouTube ↗The eBook Reader
Groezinger has reviewed e-readers for years, and he is cautious about this one. He says the screen does look better, with darker blacks that make the text stand out, and a front light that “doesn't wash out the text as much as it used to”. The size increase from 6.8 to 7 inches is hard to notice in practice. On speed he is more sceptical than Amazon. Pages are advertised as 25% faster, but a software update had already brought the 2021 model up to almost the same speed, and menus are only slightly quicker.
His criticisms are practical. He calls the flush screen “the most fingerprint and smudge-prone screen” he has used. The power button sticks out on the bottom edge and is easy to press by mistake. He also notes that Amazon has removed the Download & Transfer option for newer Kindles, which matters if you back up your purchases yourself. He had not run the battery flat at the time he wrote, so his battery comments are Amazon's figure, not his own.
Watch: 2024 Kindle Paperwhite Full Review and Features Walkthrough - 12th Gen
A full tour of the menus and settings, including warm light, the schedule and the lock screen. It is the best way to see the software before you buy.
Watch on YouTube ↗The things the box does not tell you
Ads, and how to remove them. The cheaper version shows sponsored screensavers and banners. Currys calls them “special offer banners and sponsored screensavers”. You can remove them later. Sign in to your Amazon account, go to Manage Your Content and Devices, choose Devices and then your Kindle, and under Special Offers choose Remove Offers and pay the fee shown. That is the route SlashGear describes. Amazon shows the fee at that point, so check it then. Expert Reviews saw a £10 gap between the two versions at launch. In the October 2026 sale, National World listed the Signature Edition as coming without ads.
Signature Edition differences. You get 32 GB instead of 16 GB, wireless charging and a light sensor that adjusts brightness automatically. The screen, the battery claim and the waterproofing are the same. It was £190 at Expert Reviews' test, and £190 again in the October sale against a “was” price of £229.99.
Kindle Unlimited costs £9.49 a month in the UK, according to Amazon's UK news site. That page was last updated in December 2025. It is an optional subscription, and you do not need it to use a Kindle.
Library ebooks. Many UK councils lend ebooks through Libby, but Medway Council's library page says “Libby will not work on most Kindle devices.” If free library books are a big part of your reading, check with your own library before you buy a Kindle.
Charging away from home. The Kindle charges over USB-C, so any USB-C power bank will top it up on a long trip. The Anker Nano power bank we reviewed has its own USB-C cable built in. If you are buying into Amazon's other devices too, our Echo Dot Max review covers what Alexa costs and does in the UK.
Page-turn buttons. There are none. Amazon's new Kindle Click remote is compatible with Kindles from 2024 onwards, according to IBTimes UK, but we have not confirmed its UK price or release date.
Price spread and when it is cheapest
The 2024 Paperwhite launched at £159.99 according to TechRadar, and Expert Reviews priced it at £160. Today Currys lists the 16 GB black model at £184.98 including VAT, with 10+ in stock, checked 7 October 2026. National World's sale round-up on 2 October 2026 had it at £160, “was £184.99”, and the Signature Edition at £190, “was £229.99”. Be careful with those “was” prices: they are exactly the prices Amazon announced for the new 2026 models. They may be a genuine price rise or a mix-up between the two generations, and we could not check which on Amazon. The pattern is clear, though. The Paperwhite drops to around £160 during Amazon events such as Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days and Black Friday, so £160 is a fair price and £185 is not.
Strengths and weak points
What holds up
- A sharp 300 ppi screen with better contrast and darker blacks than the 2021 model.
- Adjustable warm light with a schedule, which is useful for reading at bedtime.
- Weeks between charges. TechRadar's test pointed to at least 10, against a 12-week claim.
- IPX8 waterproofing, so it is fine in the bath or by the pool.
- USB-C, and a full charge takes under 2.5 hours.
- Often discounted to around £160.
What people complain about
- No page-turn buttons.
- The flush screen picks up fingerprints, and the power button is easy to press by accident.
- Only a small upgrade on the 2021 Paperwhite.
- The cheaper version has lock-screen ads, and removing them costs extra.
- Libby library loans do not work on most Kindles.
- A replacement is announced for 11 November, so the full price is hard to justify.
Who it actually suits
Buy it if you are new to e-readers or still have a Kindle from before 2021, you buy most of your books from Amazon or use Kindle Unlimited, and you can get it for around £160. At that price it is the safe choice, and it should still be well supported years after the new model arrives.
Look elsewhere if you already own the 2021 Paperwhite, you want physical page-turn buttons, or most of your reading comes from the library through Libby. If you are paying close to £185, wait for the reviews of the November model before you decide.
What we could not check
- Amazon's own product page. Amazon blocks our checks, so specs come from Currys' listing and the reviewers, and prices from Currys and National World's sale round-up.
- Buyer ratings with a sample size. Argos and Amazon load their review counts in a way we could not read, so this page uses no buyer star ratings at all.
- The current fee to remove ads after purchase. Amazon only shows it inside your account.
- Whether £184.99 is really the 2024 model's current list price or a mix-up with the new model's price.
- The basis of the 12-week battery claim, meaning how many minutes a day and at what brightness. We have seen the claim but not Amazon's test conditions.
- The new 2026 Paperwhite. It is not released and has not been reviewed. Its 11 November date comes from one publisher group. Its screen resolution, weight and battery test results are not yet public.
- The videos. All three were confirmed through search listings, not by opening them, and none of the listings named the channel.
- Whether your library works with Kindles. The Libby note comes from one UK council's page, and arrangements vary between library services.
Sources last checked 7 October 2026. Kindle prices change daily around Amazon events. Check the price in front of you and whether the listing is for the 2024 or 2026 model before ordering.