Amazon began taking preorders on Wednesday for its new e-reader device, the Kindle Oasis. While the company has been releasing Kindle readers for the past eight years, the Oasis is its most dramatically different option.
That's because it is slimmer and lighter than the other Kindles, has a new economic design and more luxurious look, complete with a brand new cover. Of course, this all comes at a price.
Amazon updated its Kindle Paperwhite in 2015, making it the most recent e-reader, but the Kindle Oasis is actually more comparable to the Kindle Voyage.
However, if you have been waiting to upgrade your Kindle e-reader, you might want to first compare the two devices to see which one really is the better fit for you.
We put Amazon's Kindle Oasis up against the Kindle Voyage to see which one is really the better e-reader to buy.
Kindle Oasis
| •Size: Amazon says that this 8th generation Kindle is 30 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than previous models at just 3.4 mm and 4.6 ounces.•Other specs: This e-reader has a 0.13-inch thin high-res 300 ppi display, presenting crisp text that will let you feel like you are reading paper without being distracted by glare. The five-inch display is the same size as the Kindle Voyage, but has 60 percent more LEDs (10 instead of six) to provide the best lighting when reading at any time of day or in any location. It also has the longest battery life of the e-readers thanks to its new dual-battery charging system, lasting for "months." That's because of the new cover that charges the device when attached, along with the plug-in wall charger.
•What else is new: The Kindle Oasis features an ergonomic design that has a handgrip on the back so that it mirrors the spine of a book for comfortable holding with one hand. Users can turn the page by touching the display or hitting the buttons on the front of the handgrip. It also has a new premium leather cover, adding to its high-end feel to protect the device as well as charge it. The cover comes in black, merlot or walnut. •Best features: It's super thin, easy to hold and the pages rotate so you can read comfortably whether you are right- or left-handed. Not to mention, it will last a long time without dying, perfect for serious bookworms. •Price: The Kindle Oasis is the most expensive e-reader, starting at $289.99. It comes with the cover, but not the Amazon power adapter that retails for $19.99. A year warranty with accident protection costs an additional $69.99. |
Kindle Voyage
| •Size: If you really want a sleek and slim e-reader, the Oasis is better. The Voyage is 7.6 mm thin and slightly heavier at 6.34 ounces.
•Other specs: Just like the Voyage, this device has a six-inch display touchscreen with a 300 ppi resolution. It only has six LEDs, but also has an adaptive light sensor for adjusting from day to night. The Voyage is designed to be like a sheet of paper, to be both sleek and durable, although the Oasis wins design-wise. Battery life on this model lasts "weeks," which is still better than the "hours" the older models last. The main difference is whether or not you want to ability to charge on-the-go, something the Oasis provides. •What's different: The Oasis has plenty of new features that seems to blow this option out of the park, but compared with the Paperwhite, the Voyage features a more seamless bezel, has better light sensors and is lighter than the previous model. •Best features: This e-reader has the PagePress feature, which uses sensors to allow the reader to turn the page by placing their thumb on the bezel. With one simple gesture, the device knows when it's time to go to the next page. •Price: The Kindle Voyage costs $199.99, making it slightly less expensive. If you really want to get a Kindle reader but not spend a lot of money, the Paperwhite might be the better bet at $119.99. |
Both the Kindle Oasis and Kindle Voyage come with Wi-Fi or W-Fi plus free 3G options, and can hold thousands of books — only the Oasis can download them faster. The Paperwhite, Voyage and Oasis all come with features like Page Flip that allows the reader to skip without losing their place, the ability to highlight and make notes and then share them on social media, look up words without leaving the page, and use the X-Ray timeline to remember what happened previously in the book.
The Kindle Paperwhite starts at $119.99, and the basic Kindle starts at the cheapest price of just $79.99.
