The Kindle Colorsoft: Amazon’s E-Reader Lineup Finally Gets Color

Amazon has officially launched the Kindle Colorsoft, marking a significant moment in the evolution of its e-reader lineup. Priced at $280, this device is notable for being the first Kindle to feature a color display. For years, Amazon has dominated the e-reader market since introducing the original Kindle 17 years ago. However, the debut of the Colorsoft feels like a response to a long-standing demand for color e-readers, especially as other companies, like Kobo, Boox, and reMarkable, have already released various models with color E Ink technology. Amazon claims to have refined this technology to make it suitable for the Kindle, asserting that previous iterations weren’t good enough until now. As such, the Colorsoft comes with a premium price tag, raising the question of whether it lives up to the expectations.

To understand the Kindle Colorsoft’s capabilities, it’s essential to examine its screen technology. The seven-inch display utilizes E Ink Kaleido 3 technology, but Amazon has made significant modifications to enhance its performance. A representative from the Kindle team highlighted that they developed a custom display stack for the device, which includes higher-contrast pigments and improved refresh rates. The Colorsoft features a custom oxide backplane that employs 24 driving volts to facilitate faster pigment movement, resulting in better contrast. Additionally, nitride LEDs are incorporated to improve brightness and color vibrancy, while a specialized coating minimizes color mixing, enhancing the clarity of images. This combination of technologies aims to provide quicker page turns and a smoother transition between color pages, which is particularly beneficial for users who frequently pinch and zoom on images.

Despite Amazon’s claims of innovation, the differences in screen performance compared to other e-readers may not be as dramatic as advertised. In comparisons with the $220 Kobo Libra Colour, the most direct competitor at the moment, noticeable variances emerged. One key distinction was the warmth of the Kobo’s display, which appeared warmer in tone, even at maximum brightness with all warmth settings turned off. This suggests that the Kindle Colorsoft could produce more accurate colors, as the lack of a warm tint allows for a clearer representation of hues. However, in low-light settings, the Kindle’s display exhibited a noticeable blue tint, which some users found uncomfortable. Adjusting the warmth slightly resolved this issue, aligning the Kindle’s display with the Kobo’s in terms of comfort.

User preference plays a crucial role in the reading experience. Many users may prefer the slightly warmer tone of the Kobo screen, which can enhance color saturation and create a more inviting reading atmosphere. However, for those who prioritize color accuracy, the Kindle Colorsoft might be more appealing. The Kindle also includes a vivid mode designed to enhance colors in less saturated images, though the impact of this mode can be subtle.

When it comes to reading black-and-white text, the Colorsoft’s performance is comparable to that of the Kobo Libra Colour. While the extra physical layer necessary for color may lead to a slight reduction in sharpness and contrast for text, the overall reading experience remains familiar to long-time Kindle users. The Kindle’s user interface has not undergone significant changes, maintaining the familiar layout that divides the main screen into Home and Library options. Users can easily customize themes, including font styles and sizes, and navigation within texts remains quick and efficient.

The Kindle Colorsoft supports various annotation features, allowing users to highlight text in different colors and filter highlights by color for easy reference. However, it’s important to note that the device does not support stylus input, which limits some functionalities available on competitors like the Kobo Libra Colour. For those who enjoy reading graphic novels and comics, the pinch-to-zoom feature on the Colorsoft provides a good user experience, and both it and the Kobo offer similar performance in this regard.

In terms of lighting, the Colorsoft includes an auto-adjusting front light that optimizes brightness based on environmental conditions, reducing the need for manual adjustments when moving between different lighting situations. This feature enhances convenience, especially for users who frequently read in varying conditions.

While comparing specifications, several differences between the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kobo Libra Colour stand out. Notably, the Kobo includes physical page-turn buttons and supports stylus input, adding versatility for users who prefer these features. Conversely, the Kindle offers wireless charging capabilities and a more streamlined design. When it comes to content availability, both platforms boast extensive libraries, including e-books and audiobooks, and both devices support Bluetooth connectivity for audio playback.

Borrowing e-books from local libraries presents another consideration. Kobo seamlessly integrates with Overdrive, allowing users to access library offerings directly on their devices, while Kindle users can use the “send to Kindle” option in Libby, although this may be less straightforward for those with multiple library accounts. Some discrepancies exist in how borrowed titles are displayed on the lock screen of the Colorsoft, as library books may not show their actual covers.