Amazon has officially released a new Kindle Paperwhite for 2024, which makes it the 6th Paperwhite model overall, so most Kindle fans will call it the Paperwhite 6, or PW6, but Amazon refers to it as the 12th gen model.
This new Kindle Paperwhite is a lot like the last Paperwhite model, with a few minor details changed. It’s now slightly larger with a 7″ E Ink screen instead of a 6.8″ screen, but the overall size has only increased by a few millimeters, and it’s actually thinner than the previous version. It weighs 6 grams more so the difference is negligible.
There’s a new 12th gen Signature Edition model as well with some upgrades over the base model. The upgrades are the same as the 11th gen version, meaning it adds wireless charging, an auto-brightness sensor for the frontlight, and it comes without screensaver ads. It also has more storage space with 32GB of internal storage, which is beyond overkill for ebooks but handy for things like audiobooks and large comic collections.
Amazon claims the new Kindle Paperwhite has a higher contrast ratio. Here’s an interesting quote from the press release: “The display uses an oxide thin film transistor which gives it the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle, so text and images pop off the screen.”
That sounds good, but I’ll believe it when I see it. The Kindle Voyage has long been regarded as having the best Kindle screen so we’ll see if the new Paperwhite can beat it.
They also say the new Paperwhite has 25% faster page and 20% faster performance so it’s supposed to be the fastest Kindle yet.
It still has a 300 ppi E Ink screen and a warm frontlight like before, and battery life is still rated at up to 12 weeks. It’s waterproof as well.
There are some new color choices for this model. It comes in black like usual, but there’s also a jade color and a raspberry color, and all three color choices are the same for the upgraded Signature Edition model too, except the SE colors are described as “metallic” and they have a different sheen to them.
The 12th gen Kindle Paperwhite is available to order now on Amazon. The price is $159.99 for the regular version with ads and $179.99 without ads. The upgraded Signature Edition sells for $199.99.
Amazon is also selling a new Kindle Paperwhite Kids Edition bundle for the 12th generation model. It’s the exact same device; it just comes with a cover (there are three different designs), a better warranty, and a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. It sells for $179.99 for two of the three cover options; the Diary of a Wimpy Kid version is $189.99.
Kindle Paperwhite 12th Generation Specs
- 7″ E Ink screen.
- Frontlight with color temperature control.
- 16GB or 32GB internal storage.
- Waterproof: IPX8 rated: tested to withstand immersion in 2 meters of fresh water for 60 minutes.
- WiFi: Supports 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz networks.
- Bluetooth for audiobooks and VoiceView screen reader.
- USB-C port, charging cable included.
- Battery Life Estimate: up to 12 weeks.
- Supported formats: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion; Audible audio format (AAX).
- Dimensions: 127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm.
- Weight: 211 grams (214 grams SE).
- Price: $159-$199 at Amazon
Signature Edition Upgrades
- Wireless charging (charger sold separately).
- Auto-brightness sensor.
- 32GB internal storage.
- No screensaver ads.
- Colors have metallic finish.
Other New Kindles List
Kindle Colorsoft
Kindle Scribe 2
2024 Kindle
