Amazon's new Kindle for 2022 has a few improvements over its 2019 predecessor, making it a tempting alternative for anyone in the market for a new eReader.
This latest entry in Amazon's range of e-readers is an upgrade from the company's lower-end device. It's aimed at people who want an affordable Kindle without all the bells and whistles - that is, fancy features - of the Paperwhite or Oasis alternatives.
You can't buy the new Amazon Kindle (2022) just yet, but it's available for pre-order in select regions. This article will walk you through everything important about the device, to walk you through until we've run our tests for a full review.
Amazon Kindle Release Date and Price (2022)
In the United States, Amazon's Kindle was pre-ordered on September 13, although no final release date was specified. We have not received any dates for the other regions.
Judging by the launch of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite from 2021, it's not the end of the world: it had a similar launch, although the e-reader was pre-ordered in other regions before it went on sale.
The device costs $99.99 in the US and $84.99, and we'll likely see pricing in other countries when it's ready to pre-order there.
For context, the latest Kindle model costs $69.99 / £89.99 / AU$139, so the new model is touch-priced in the US, and could be in other regions as well.
Amazon Kindle Design and Display (2022)
In terms of design, Amazon's new Kindle looks a lot like the last version from three years ago.
That means it's a plastic block with a screen on the front and a port and a single button on the bottom edge. Amazon made the switch to USB-C from micro-USB for the port, which means faster charging.
The color options for this version are blue, replacing the white option from before, and black.
Thanks to the plastic frame, the entry-level Kindle is lighter than the higher-end Oasis. The plastic is also quite durable, although it doesn't feel as premium in the hand.
As in the last generation version, the screen measures 6 inches diagonally; frankly, that's probably enough for most people. A nice upgrade is a resolution of 300ppi (pixels per inch) over 167 in the latest version. This extra sharpness should be useful for images and illustrations.
Amazon Kindle (2022) Features
As with all of Amazon's Kindle e-readers, the entry-level 2022 model comes with the company's proprietary software, which provides easy access to your Kindle library and store; after all, those are the main things you'll be using on the device.
Although locked down to Amazon services, the software can be surprisingly open. For example, you can send PDF files to your Kindle to read.
Amazon subscription services may provide you with additional features. Available to all Prime subscribers, Prime Reading gives you free access to a curated library of classic and new works, and you can download 10 books at a time. Kindle Unlimited enhances that, giving you access to a huge library, even though it costs more. You can check out our Kindle Unlimited review to see if it's worth it.
Both ComiXology and Audible give you additional ways to use your eReader: the former is for comics, the latter for audiobooks.
Most of these services have free trials, so you can see if they're right for you before you commit financially.
Amazon Kindle Performance and Specs (2022)
Amazon says the new Kindle will have a battery life of six weeks. While it's unclear how much use you'll get in those six weeks, whether it's daily reading or one short story per week, the company is billing it as a battery upgrade on the latest-gen version.
For context, we found that an hour of reading per day got us through two weeks of using the previous device, so we're hoping to get more this time. We'll have to test the device to be sure.
As we mentioned, the USB-C port means charging will be faster. One advantage will be that you probably already have a working charger on your device: USB-C is the modern charging standard and most smartphones, tablets, headphones, and other devices use it.
Another update is that the storage space for the default Kindle has been increased. Whereas it was 8GB before, the 2022 model is 16GB, giving you more space for your books.