Which Kindle should you choose for Amazon Prime Day?

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Amazon has kicked off their two-day Prime Day sales event and as expected, they have some great deals on their own smart devices. For anyone in the market for a Kindle e-reader, this is a fantastic time to get a great price on an excellent device.

Kindles have been the leader in e-reading devices since they were introduced. They weren’t the first e-readers, but they brought the technology to the masses, to the point where they’re practically synonymous with the entire product line (like Band-Aids).

There’s a good reason they’ve remained so popular: Kindle e-readers are easy to use and have some of the most impressive feature sets in the category, offering an experience that’s as good as or better than reading a physical book. The hardware is also updated almost annually, so the devices on offer are constantly improving.

But with every Kindle on sale, how do you decide which one to buy? Do you just buy the cheapest one? You can, but you might miss out on features that are important to you. Do you go for the most expensive one? Sure, but you might waste your money on things you don’t need.

Let’s take a look at the differences between the Amazon Kindle e-readers on sale during Prime Day.

Amazon Kindle

With a 6” screen and a 300 ppi high-res, glare-free display, the standard Kindle e-reader has a fantastic screen that’s easy on the eyes. It has four user-adjustable LEDs on the front, so you can turn the screen brightness up or down to your liking. It’s the size of a paperback but less than half an inch thick, making it a lot more portable than your collection of deck-out COTR novels. And with 15% off for Prime Day, it’s under $90, an impressive bargain.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

So what’s so good about the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite that you’d pay $50 more? At $134, it’s only 10% off, not as much of a bargain as the standard Kindle. However, if you’re a fan of reading at the beach or pool, the Paperwhite has something the regular Kindle doesn’t. It’s waterproof! It’s also much easier on your eyes, with a 6.8” display and 17 LEDs (so you have more control over the brightness levels). The Paperwhite can also set the screen temperature to a warmer level in low light, so you don’t ruin your sleep cycle with blue light.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature

Of course, all of those devices are outdone by the Paperwhite Signature Edition, which adds auto-adjusting LEDs to the mix. Once you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to use an e-reader that doesn’t have it. It also adds wireless charging in addition to the standard USB-C charging, and has twice the storage, at 32GB. The problem is, Amazon barely marked down the Signature Edition for Prime Day, with it taking just $10 off, a paltry 5% off. While the Signature Edition is undoubtedly a luxury e-reader, it’s hard to justify the $45 price increase over the Paperwhite, let alone the $67 difference over the original Kindle.

Amazon Kindle Writer

Then there’s the Kindle Scribe, an e-reader and digital notebook (just like my beloved reMarkable 2). It’s even got a hefty 34% off for Prime Day, bringing the total price to $234. In addition to being able to take handwritten notes and highlight with the included stylus, you’ve got a massive 10.2” display, a massive month-long battery, and 35 LEDs. If you’re looking for the biggest screen and most functional versatility, this is the Kindle for you. The only problem is that the device itself is quite large. As thin as it is, this isn’t a Kindle you’re going to throw in your bag for the beach.

Get an even bigger discount with a trade-in

So Amazon’s Prime Day deals on Kindles are a bit of a mixed bag. But what if you could create your own deal?

Every Kindle page has a Trade-In link that gives you quick access to all of your eligible Amazon smart devices. Yep, even that forgotten Fire Stick you’ve been rotting in a drawer will earn you 20% off a new device, plus a trade-in credit based on the type of device you send in. It’s a great way to bypass all the Prime Day theatrics and get straight to the best Kindle deal on the site. Even better? The 20% trade-in discount stacks with Prime Day deals!

The only catch is that you are limited to 4 of these deals per year, once per quarter. The good news is that we are at the beginning of Q3, so unless you traded in a device in early July, you should be good!

Which one should I choose?

For my money, the Kindle Paperwhite offers the best balance of value and features. The larger screen, added water resistance, extra LEDs, and warm lighting make it the perfect book companion. Plus, the Paperwhite’s screen is flush with the body of the device, so it feels smooth under your fingers.

That said, if you’re just looking for a cheap e-reader, the standard Amazon Kindle offers an excellent experience. At just $84, it’s a steal.

Whatever you choose, you’ll want to act fast. Prime Day deals are only valid until midnight on July 17.

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