Should I Upgrade my Kindle Paperwhite?

I recently had a bit of a debate with people on Reddit after suggesting that there is really no need for anyone to upgrade their Kindle Paperwhite. “Akindlepaperwhite is akindlepaperwhite,” I said. It’s just an e-ink reader and there is nothing much that the manufacturer can do to make it better. Well, I didn’t know that I was provoking some people. After a few hours of debate, I had to call for a ceasefire. But the whole affair taught me a few things. If you are wondering whether or not to upgrade your Kindle, then here are some of the takeouts that I got from the debate. Hope they will help illuminate things. Whatever you decide, not that you can get 20% off when you trade in your Kindle e reader using the banner below.

Why trade in your Kindle Paperwhite?

We live in a world of gizmos, and manufacturers make money by convincing people that the perfectly functional gadgets that they bought last year or the year before that have become obsolete. No sooner do you buy that latest iPhone or Samsung phone than “leaks,” start appearing online about the new version that will soon be coming out. Now, I am not one to be had. As long as my phone works the way I want it to work, I am not going to upgrade it. I had a Samsung Galaxy S2 for over 6 years and only let it go when it broke apart. It didn’t bother me that by then, the Galaxy S was on it’s 7th or so iteration. As long as my phone worked, I was happy with it. And the Galaxy S2 was really a good phone.

My Kindle Paperwhite

I bought the Kindle Paperwhite on a whim. I used to read Kindle books using a tablet or on my computer, but that tended to something of a pain in the eye. The glare on those devices does not make for very good reading. Anyway, one day I was reading about e ink readers and I got interested in the Kindle. Moments later, I had placed an order for mine on Amazon. Or was that eBay?

Anyway, I own the 2017 version of the Kindle Paperwhite. That’s the previous from the latest model. It’s the one that comes with a raised bezel. Buying this thing has been something of a negative for me. See, the Kindle has turned me into more of a bookworm than I already was. It appears I am always reading something or the other, which can be annoying to those around me. If you don’t already own an e reader, then you are missing out on a lot. I mean, the device is a true marvel for the following reasons;

• You don’t get glare when reading books.
• The device can hold thousands of books.
• Books can be read anywhere and at any time. In fact, you can read your books even in direct sunlight without worrying about straining your eyes.
• E readers are highly portable. You can read your books on the train, on a plane or anywhere else.

Prompts to trade in my Kindle

The latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite is from 2018. As said, I own a previous version Kindle. My debate on Reddit was provoked by the fact that I sometimes gets prompts on my Kindle to trade the device in for the latest version. Apparently, I can do so at a discount. This is what I mentioned on Reddit, along with the statement that I am not going to upgrade anytime soon because my device works very well, thank you! From the debate that ensued, I learnt some of the following things;

Should I upgrade my Kindle?

1. People on Reddit have no sense of humor. I mean, my statement was meant to be provocative, but I ended up being bludgeoned.
2. One of the reasons why people tend to upgrade is the issue of battery. Though you may be happy with your current device, the fact remains that the battery on these gadgets is non removable. What this means is that once it begins to die, you will need to get a new gadget. I suppose, there are ways of getting a new battery if you are tech savvy. Otherwise, it may be better to simply trade-in your current Kindle for a new one.
3. Another reason why you may wish to upgrade is the issue of screen resolution. If you have earlier version Kindles, then they will have DPI of less than 200. The current Kindle Paperwhite has a DPI of 300. Apparently, this is very noticeable and makes the upgrade worthwhile. Well, in my case, as I pointed out on Reddit, the 2017 Kindle Paperwhite actually has a DPI of 300, which is similar to that on the latest version. So, I am unlikely to benefit should I decide to upgrade.
4. People also tend to upgrade their Kindles to the latest version because they are looking for waterproofing. The latest Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof and this is a big draw for some people. Well, not for me. I mean, I don’t intent to read books in the rain or in a pool any time soon. The waterproofing is just one marketing gimmick, in my view. I am not going to buy a new device for the waterproofing.
5. The new version of the Kindle Paperwhite has a bezel that’s flush with the screen. This is another draw for some people, from what I heard. In my case, it’s actually a drawback. One of the things that I like about my device, the 2017 Kindle that has a raised bezel, is that the bezel actually protects the screen from scratches. Not that the screen is very scratcheable in any case. But I like to think that there is some protection there.
6. Some people mention that they upgrade because of the bigger screen. I used to read books on a Samsung Galaxy S 2 so the 6 inch screen on my Kindle Paperwhite is more than enough. In fact, it’s nicely sized like a book. So, that’s no reason for me to upgrade.

So, there you have it. If you are wondering whether or not to upgrade to the latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite, the answer is, it depends on the version that you currently are on. In my view, there is really no reason for anyone to move from the 2017 version to the 2018 version. However, if you have an earlier than 2017 version, it may be time for you to upgrade. You can get a discount by trading in your current device using the banner below. So, what do you think? Feel free to leave comments. And talking about gadgets, here are the best Bluetooth headphones 2020. Also feel free to check out the standard headphone jack size if you want to learn more about headphones.