Editors' Note: This is the most recent version of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. Read our original review from October 26, 2021 below.
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition tries to carve out a space between the standard $139.99 Paperwhite and the high-end $249.99 Oasis, but doesn't quite deliver an experience worthy of its $189.99 price. For the extra $50 it costs over the regular Paperwhite, you get four upgraded features: no lock screen ads, wireless charging support, a front light that adjusts automatically, and more storage. None of these changes significantly improve the ebook reader experience, however, so we think most people will be perfectly happy buying the less expensive, Editors' Choice-winning Kindle Paperwhite.
What's the Difference Between Paperwhite Models?
Two-and-a-half ebook reader manufacturers control the US market, although others play bigger roles overseas. Amazon's Kindles dominate stateside. The Kindles are best for reading books from Amazon, and they work fine with material from public libraries. For other sources and formats, check our Kobo's ebook readers. Barnes & Noble's Nook models also still exist, though I'm not sure for how long.
Amazon's 2021 lineup features four E Ink Kindles: the $89.99 Kindle, the $139.99 Paperwhite, the $189.99 Paperwhite Signature, and the $249.99 Oasis. Amazon last updated the Paperwhite lineup in 2018 by introducing a waterproof and flat-front design. Both changes made the Paperwhite better for bath and beach reading than previous or lower-cost models. This year, the Paperwhites get a noticeably larger screen and USB-C charging.
My main Paperwhite review discusses all of the hardware and software commonalities between the standard model and the Signature Edition, as well as why the bigger screen makes sense. Below, I simply walk you through the difference between the base Paperwhite and the Signature Edition.
The little check box on the right shows the option to automatically adjust the front lightSignature Features Are a Little Underwhelming
Four things account for the $50 difference between this Kindle and the regular Paperwhite.
The first difference is the lack of lock screen ads. Note, however, that you can pay $20 on top of the cost of the regular Paperwhite to remove ads, too. I like how the ad-free screen now shows the cover of the book you're reading, but I'm also amused by the weird self-published titles that Amazon sometimes pushes as ads. Whether these extra costs are worth it depends on how much the ads bother you.
The second difference between the two is the Signature Edition's automatically adjusting front light. This is a genuinely useful feature. I have my regular Paperwhite's front light set to 18, or at about half brightness. In my living room, the Signature chose level 15, a little easier on my eyes; outside it chose 19, a little brighter. Of course, you can just as easily adjust the screen brightness on either Paperwhite model with two taps.
The third difference is that the Paperwhite Signature supports wireless charging. Charging a Kindle takes hours, but you generally only need to do it once every few books. Unlike with a smartwatch or phone, it's not a huge daily deal. The Signature works with Qi-enabled charging pads and in some cradles; however, in testing, a stand-up charging cradle proved problematic because it would sometimes hit the Kindle's bottom-mounted power button.
Left to right: Kindle Paperwhite (2021), Kindle Paperwhite (2018), Kindle Paperwhite Signature EditionFinally, the Signature Paperwhite features 32GB of storage. Text-based Kindle books are only a few megabytes apiece, so you only need more than the standard Paperwhite's 8GB of storage if you listen to a lot of audiobooks. That said, neither Kindle Paperwhite is ideal for listening to audiobooks, as the devices won't fit in your pocket and don't have headphone jacks. A phone, even a cheap one, is a better option and will still sync your last-read location with a Kindle.
Go With the Standard Paperwhite
The $249.99 Kindle Oasis lacks wireless charging and USB-C, but it feels noticeably more premium and has physical page-turn buttons, which are delightful. If you're willing to read outside of Amazon's walled garden, meanwhile, higher-end Kobo models also have physical page-turn buttons and some support stylus annotation. For example, Kobo's Libra 2 ($179.99) is slightly more affordable than the Paperwhite Signature Edition and has physical buttons for turning the page.
But Amazon knows where its best seller lies, and prices it accordingly. The $139.99 standard Kindle Paperwhite offers the best balance of price and performance of any of the company's ebook readers, earning it our Editors' Choice award. The Signature Edition's extra features, while appealing, simply don't justify the premium cost over that model.
