E-reader model, Kindle Colorsoft, struggles with text display for books
New Kindle Colorsoft Offers Color E-Paper Screens, but Battery Life Suffers Compared to Kindle Paperwhite
The latest addition to Amazon's Kindle family, the Kindle Colorsoft, boasts a color e-paper screen, setting it apart from the popular Kindle Paperwhite. However, this new technology comes with a trade-off in battery life.
Michael Kozlowski, a veteran writer on audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers with 18 years of experience, lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. According to Kozlowski, the Kindle Colorsoft's max resolution for color content is 150 PPI and can display 4096 different colors. In contrast, the Kindle Paperwhite uses the latest generation Carta 1300 and boasts a resolution of 300 PPI. This results in deep blacks and razor-sharp fonts on the Paperwhite.
The Kindle Colorsoft uses a reflective LCD with a color filter, enabling it to display color e-books. However, this LCD consumes power continuously to produce images, making it less power-efficient compared to the Paperwhite's E Ink technology. As a result, the Kindle Colorsoft has a shorter battery life than the Kindle Paperwhite.
Other differences between the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Paperwhite include storage options, weight, finish, and lighting features. The Colorsoft generally comes with larger storage options (16 GB or 32 GB Signature Edition) versus Paperwhite's 16 GB. The Colorsoft is slightly lighter and offered in black, while the Paperwhite has different color finishes. The Colorsoft may lack an auto-adjusting front light (standard on Colorsoft vs Paperwhite’s adjustable light).
In terms of price, the Kindle Colorsoft is generally priced higher due to its color screen and larger storage. If you're looking for a device for color e-ink reading and don't mind shorter battery life, the Kindle Colorsoft might be the right choice for you. However, if you prefer black-and-white reading with longer battery life and a lower cost, the Kindle Paperwhite is the better option.
The Kindle Colorsoft's display also includes a front-lit display, color temperature system, and capacitive touchscreen. These layers on the Kindle Colorsoft's display make it suitable for reading content in color, such as comics, webtoons, graphic novels, and magazines.
Sources: [1] Michael Kozlowski. (2025, March 1). Kindle Colorsoft vs Kindle Paperwhite 12th Generation: A Comprehensive Comparison. Good E-Reader. Retrieved from https://goode-reader.com/kindle-colorsoft-vs-kindle-paperwhite-12th-generation-a-comprehensive-comparison/
[2] Amazon. (2025, February 1). Kindle Colorsoft. Amazon.com. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Colorsoft/dp/B0B4P1HZQY/
The Kindle Colorsoft stands out with its touchscreen and offers a color display for reading comics, webtoons, graphic novels, and magazines. Despite its advanced technology and larger storage options, it has a shorter battery life compared to the Kindle Paperwhite, which utilizes more power-efficient E Ink technology.
Modern gadgets like smartphones, e-readers such as the Kindle Paperwhite, and devices like the Kindle Colorsoft all embody various forms of technology, with the latter featuring a color e-paper screen and touchscreen for enhanced user experience.
