The matte backing helps to prevent slippage, too. Compared to the Oasis, the Paperwhite is taller, and because it doesn't have the page-turn buttons, it's not as wide, so it's easy to palm for one-handed reading. The screen gets more room overall, and the whole thing looks a little more sophisticated. The bezels are also smaller, less than half an inch from the top and sides. The screen on the 2021 Paperwhite is larger, at 6.8 inches over 2018's 6 inches. Prices vary depending on whether or not you have ads, so read the Amazon page closely before checking out. I tested the Signature Edition here, but I included information on how all three compare. With its first update since 2018, it has turned into three models of its own: the standard Paperwhite ($140), the Signature Edition ($190), and a kids version ($160).

The Paperwhite has always been the midlevel upgrade in the Kindle family-better than the basic Kindle, but not as feature-packed as the pricey Oasis. It's nice to be able to spend less on ebooks or check them out for free from the library without leaving my house. They sit, half-read, gathering dust on a bookshelf and getting moved from apartment to apartment. Nothing compares to the feel of flipping through physical pages, but I've spent a lot of money on books. After reading with the new Paperwhite Signature Edition, I can confidently confirm that Amazon's latest update to their beloved ereader is still great. Then I tried the Oasis, and suddenly I was hooked. “How could you give up real books?” I screamed into the void. Kindles are fantastic little devices, but I was staunchly against them until recently.