Amazon debuted its first ever color Kindle — dubbed the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition — on Wednesday, and it seems the company might have a hit on its hands.
Hands-on reviews from tech writers with early access to the Kindle Colorsoft are in, and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive. Of course, these are the early reviews — a lot could happen between now and when the full reviews go live — but initial impressions paint the Colorsoft as one of the best color e-readers made to date.
If you, like many others, have been waiting for a color Kindle for years, you can skip ahead to pre-ordering Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft now. The tablet officially launches on October 30.
To see what all the fuss is about, here are the most compelling reasons critics recommend the Kindle Colorsoft.
People are praising Amazon's color E Ink tech
The feature most critics are raving about is the Colorsoft's unique selling point: its color display.
Other color E Ink tablets exist, which has made Amazon appear a bit late to the party. But much like Apple's seemingly late foray into AI, Amazon's strategic decision to wait until the tech was just right seems to have paid off, according to reports.
I'll spare you the specifics of the Kindle Colorsoft's new oxide backplane and Nitride LEDs, and just tell you about the end result.
Tech Radar explains how the Kindle Colorsoft is "built to deliver a relatively rich color experience," whether you're looking at the screen in shade or direct sunlight.
An Engadget reviewer praises the e-reader's color accuracy, saying, "The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' green skin and different-colored eye masks looked accurate in the comic book we looked at."
CNET went so far as to make an early prediction that "Amazon's color e-reader offers slightly more vibrant color than Kobo's e-readers, as well as better overall performance," but notes more side-by-side testing is needed to solidify that prediction.
Colorsoft Kindle reviews: People love the lightweight, waterproof design (and extra base storage)
Amazon didn't change up much between the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition's design and that of the Kindle Colorsoft — and that's a positive for most critics!
A Stuff reporter writes, "Amazon has long focused on creating the right weight and balance in devices so they're nice to hold. That much remains true of the Colorsoft too." Seeing as the Paperwhite is Amazon's best-selling e-reader, it makes sense the company wouldn't want to stray too far from its design.
Tom's Guide expands on the beloved similarities between Amazon's fan-favorite Paperwhite and the new Colorsoft, saying the Colorsoft "is also waterproof, supports wireless charging, has an auto-adjusting front light, and has a claimed eight weeks' worth of battery life" — just like the new Paperwhite Signature Edition.
And to top it all off, the Kindle Colorsoft boasts 32GB of base storage, a point that Tom's Guide highlights because "color files are larger than black and white."
Colorsoft Kindle reviews: Your pages will turn faster
Across the board, most reviewers note the Kindle Colorsoft's speedy performance, specifically with page-turning. Amazon told Stuff that the new Kindle Paperwhite offered 25% faster page-turning and that the Colorsoft is a little slower than that.
PC Mag says the Kindle "Colorsoft's screen is very fast," and notes it may feel "a hair slower than the new Paperwhite," but it's certainly faster than the previous-gen Kindle Paperwhite.
In agreement with this barely noticeable speed difference is The Verge, for which a tech reporter writes: "iI this thing is meaningfully slower than the new Paperwhite, I didn't really notice."
Most reviewers also note a full-screen flash refresh when loading a new page with images, but it's short-lived, and the end result is worth it.
Colorsoft Kindle reviews: What critics don't love? The price
If there's one thing holding the Kindle Colorsoft back from a perfect score, it's the price.
There's not a non-Signature Edition of the Kindle Colorsoft, and it's not clear whether there will be, but those higher-end features and extra storage are definitely driving the price up. Because 32GB is likely necessary for those who'd be interested in downloading color-rich reading, like comics, making a 16GB Kindle Colorsoft doesn't seem plausible.
The Kindle Colorsoft is $279, which is $80 more than the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and $120 more than the ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite. This makes the Kindle Colorsoft pricier than its competition, but with critics praising its color display, maybe that premium is worth it.
