After years of waiting, Amazon took advantage of the end of 2024 to enrich its range of reader, and go to color. After the Kobo Clara Color and the Boox, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition completed a still stammering market, but resolutely promising: that of a new era for readers, hitherto confined to black and white. This summer, the American brand does it again, with a more affordable model, with the barely lower technical sheet. It’s time to take stock.
Kindle Colorsoft at the best Price Basic price: € 299
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Comparative technical sheet
| Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition | Kindle Colorsoft | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | Ecran 7″ E-Ink Kaliduid 3 | Ecran 7″ E-Ink Kaliduid 3 |
| Resolution | – 300 ppi NB – 150 ppi color – 4000 colors displayed |
– 300 ppi NB – 150 ppi color – 4000 colors displayed |
| Internal memory | 32 Go | 16 Go |
| Dimensions | 127,6 X 176,7 x 7,8mm | 127,6 x 176,7 x 7,8mm |
| Weight | 219 grammes | 215 grammes |
| Charge | – Charge USB-C – Qi wireless load – Up to 8 weeks of autonomy |
– Charge USB-C – Up to 8 weeks of autonomy |
| Waterproof | Yes, IPX8 | Yes, IPX8 |
| Supported formats | AZW, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DECX, JPEG… | AZW, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DECX, JPEG… |
| Prix | 299,99€ | 269,99€ |
Very few differences
The Classic Colorsoft takes over the essentials of the Edition signature, which itself borrowed a lot from the 2024 Paperwhite. The two readers have the same 7 ″ e-ink Kaleido 3 color screen, and it is clear that the differences are less. With a slightly higher price, the model released in 2024 adds wireless recharge, a more generous storage of 32 GB, and … that’s it.
No design differences, the two Kindle Colorsoft wear a neat, refined design, and very pleasant finishes. The 7 inch format is halfway between the compactness of the classic 6-inch model, and the large 10.2 inch format of the Kindle Scribe. The borders are thick, with an occupancy rate of the slab under 67.5 %, where some competitors are around 74 %, but it must be admitted that this does not spoil the use.
The Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature Edition are so similar, that it becomes difficult to differentiate them when they are placed next to each other. However, we appreciate the quality of their grip, with a plastic with a velvety coating, and a comfortable handling, even after long reading sessions.
An effective, and contrasting slab
The Kaleido 3 E-Ink screen from Kindle Colorsoft has many advantages in the English Channel. First, it seduces with its brightness (136cd/m²), one of (if not the) best in the segment. Despite a reflection that remains quite classic, the promise of color is held, with 4000 shades displayedand a soft and natural rendering, sometimes slightly pastel. If the comparison is obvious in comparison with a classic screen, colors have the advantage of being treated uniformly. On reading, and without direct comparison, the eye gets used to quickly.
Especially since the contrast of 19: 1 is exceptional for a color reader, with deep blacks and very bright whites. The OLED obviously remains out of reach on this point, but the electronic color ink finally gains in punch.
Interface Amazon
The Kindle Colorsoft interface to the letter takes up that of the Kindle Paperwhite: readable, fluid, customizable, with instant access to the library and the official Amazon store. Regulars will not be disappointed, novices will quickly find their account. Everything is simple and intuitive, with the possibility of configuring the reader in a few seconds from its smartphone when the Kindle application is installed there.
In terms of configuration, all the classic functions are there: choice of fonts, sizes, margins, orientation … Colorsoft add the possibility of highlighting in four colors: orange, yellow, blue or pink. Practical for studious readers. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest advantages of the model, with the mosaic presentation, which largely benefits from color jackets, and offers a much better user experience.
The quality of the Kaleido 3 screen and its software optimization are no longer to be proven. The general responsiveness is stunning for electronic ink, without however equaling that of the Kindle Paperwhite 2024, sacred the fastest model of the brand since its launch. On novels and text in general, no unpleasant latency on the horizon. Too bad, the zoom on the comic strip pages and color magazines remains sluggish: count one to two seconds (or even more in color). Mangas lend themselves better to exercise, but lose the advantage of color, because they are mainly in black and white. After several weeks of testing, it is clear that if The color brings notable visual comfortthe seven inch format is too limited to appreciate a graphic novel without having to fold your eyes. Rather, you will have to turn to large format models to leaf through your comics on Liseuse, for example the Boox Note Air 3C.
The problem of the Amazon ecosystem?
The Amazon ecosystem has long been criticized for being too closed, prohibiting (or at least strongly complicating) the integration of files not directly from the American platform. Faced with more flexible competition, the company has seen its copy: it is now much easier to transfer a file to its Kindle, whether by email, or directly from the site.
The fact remains that the main problem of Kindle persists in their application catalog. The books you Buy from the official store do not really belong to you. It is not possible to download them if you want to change the ecosystem, and you remain dependent on their availability in the Amazon catalog.
Features and autonomy
The features of the two Kindle Colorsoft play elbows. Thus, we will focus mainly on their differences, which are counted on the fingers of the hand. The Edition signature benefits from the wireless load in addition to its USB-C socket, almost completely eliminating the constraint of the cable. IPX8 waterproofing is there, but we always regret The impossibility of installing audible (Amazon’s audio reading platform) on machines related to a French account, even though some countries are already entitled to it.
On the storage side, the Edition signature benefits from 32 GB of memory, against 16 GB for the classic Colorsoft. What to tip the scale in favor of the most high -end model? Not necessarily. Admittedly, the 32 GB can accommodate more files. Except that it is questions of tens of thousands of references here. Concretely, the 16 GB model can save approximately 12 000 livreswhile the 32 GB will be entitled to double. In reality, it is almost impossible that you one day reach the storage limits of the device, even in its most modest configuration.
On the finally autonomy side, the Kindle Colorsoft do not disappoint. The autonomy of eight weeks Announced is easily verified for an average user (30 minutes of daily reading), and easily holds a month for library rats which would spend hours glued to them.
Price and availability
If the new Colorsoft is displayed at a competitive price, it remains about 100 € more expensive than Paperwhite Signature Editionwhich apart from black and white, benefits from the same technical sheet. Does the additional cost of the transition to color justify? It is a matter of tastes, and means. What is certain is that it is not essential to take advantage of its reading. In the event that the color seems essential to you, opt instead for the classic edition. Its 16 GBs are largely sufficient for readers Even the most greedy, and it benefits from a more advantageous price.
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