Best read: Kindle Voyage reader review
This fall, Amazon has traditionally unveiled a new line of e-ink readers. The main premiere was the "reader" of the premium Kindle Voyage. The reader has become the most compact in the history of Kindle in general and the most expensive in recent years in the line of devices, while it has the best screen resolution among devices of this class and the not-so-familiar touch buttons for turning pages. In this review, we compare the new product with the recent favorite among e-book readers - Kindle Paperwhite, which continues to be the most popular backlit reader in the world. And also try to answer the question: is the new Kindle Voyage justifiably expensive?
Kindle Voyage comes in a miniature box, the dimensions slightly exceeding the device itself. As usual, in the kit we get only the cable to the computer, the brochure and the reader itself.
It is immediately apparent that the Kindlle Voyage is more compact than its “older brothers”. Let's say that this is generally one of the thinnest devices of this type on the market. It is noticeably shorter and yet lighter by 25 grams than Kindlle Paperwhite. If we compare the dimensions of books "on paper", the difference will most likely seem insignificant - in reality, the miniature Kindlle Voyage feels more refined (both figuratively and literally).
It is important to mention that the entire front side of Kindlle Voyage is on the same level, a very small half-millimeter-sized border surrounds the entire “book” around the perimeter (just like with modern smartphones), while the screen of Kindlle Paperwhite is “pressed” by several millimeters deep into the device. Thus, breaking or scratching the display of a new product will most likely be easier. Also on the left and right sides of the display are touch buttons designed for "mechanical" page turning (they will be described in detail below).
The changes also affected the back side of the device: the “back” is heterogeneous, with “cuts” and a small well-illuminated area on top. Also, a small power button is now located behind (Kindle Paperwhite, recall, it is on the bottom of the device). Let's say that after just a few uses of the reader, your index finger of the right hand can easily find and activate the device; in Kindle Paperwhite this is not so convenient: you need to intercept the book. When used in the cover, turning devices on and off will happen automatically in both readers.
We also note that the device is assembled efficiently and tightly: no dents or creaks can be detected here.
Comparison with Kindle 4, previously the smallest e-reader in the Amazon line.
Comparison with Kindle Paperwhite. Kindle Voyage hereinafter - to the left.
The Kindle Voyage has an advanced display with a resolution of 1448x1072, which is the first time in 6-inch devices on electronic ink (we saw such a concentration of dots when considering the Kobo Aura Hd , but there the screen diagonal is slightly higher - 6.8 inches). That's 300 dpi (DPI) versus just 212 on the Kindle Paperwhite. At the first cursory comparison of the new reader with the old model, the eyes unaccustomed to electronic ink are unlikely to notice a significant difference. But if you look a little at the device displays, there are differences.
The best clarity of the Kindle Voyage is especially noticeable when setting small font sizes. If you use medium or large font sizes, then without much consideration, the display of the text will be very similar. Due to the difference in the pixel density of devices with the same font size set, the displayed letter size in Kindle Paperwhite turns out to be larger and, thus, the words fit on the page less. After getting used to the screen of the new Kindle, upon closer inspection, the image of the Kindle Paperwhite seems to be slightly “blurred” and blurry.
In the “full page refresh” mode, both readers do not leave traces of text, while with a partial refresh, they “sin” on “noise” about the same.
The new Kindle's tactile display resembles the screens of modern smartphones: the finger glides easily and pleasantly over the surface, while the Kindle Paperwhite has a matte and much rougher screen, so the response to pressing the latter seemed more accurate to us. Comparing glare, both devices are not perfect, but still a little less reflects the Kindle Paperwhite display.
As for the “whiteness” of the background and the “blackness” of the text rendering, here the advantage of some of the models is difficult to detect, though in good daylight, a more white background and better contrast of the Kindle Voyage are noticeable.
The screenshot of the Kindle Paperwhite (right) is enlarged in proportion to the Kindle Voyage (left). The set font size is the minimum
Display text in daylight at a minimum level of backlight. The font size is 4.
Note that the backlight in Amazon readers is very tricky: you cannot turn off the backlight in standard firmware, you can only set its level: so at the “zero” value, the displays are still slightly illuminated and if you really want to, you can even parse text in the dark. Depending on the illumination of the room, the backlight to a certain level remains invisible, only increasing the “whiteness” of the screen. Say, in a dimly lit room at the level of 6-7 the glow will not be noticeable yet, but at 8-9 the illumination will clearly “betray” itself. In bright daylight, the indicator can even be set close to the maximum to achieve an even greater level of "paper" background.
The maximum brightness level of the Kindle Voyage is 10% higher than that of the older model, but usually the highest divisions of the Kindle Paperwhite are not particularly necessary in real use, so the higher backlight level of the new “reader” is rather of a status character.
In the Kindle Voyage backlight, we also note an innovation: an automatic brightness adjustment has been added, changing the backlight level depending on the light. It works for the time being correct, after which it can start to be slightly annoying, fortunately, turning it off is very simple.
In general, the Kindle Voyage backlight looks white, giving off a little “blue” or may even seem a little pinkish at maximum brightness, while Kindle Paperwhite has a fairly strong yellow tint * .
In general, let's say that the difference between e-books is insignificant, but subjectively, the Kindle Voyage, due to the backlighting and detailing of the drawing, is closer to the “display” rather to a smartphone, while the “picture” of the Kindle Paperwhite is a bit more like a page of a classic book with yellowish paper and not perfect clear "typed" text.
* Depending on the party of the Kindle Paperwhite, the backlight may also be with a blue tint, but yellow is considered more pleasant to the eyes. It is possible that the Kindle Voyage backlight can also have a slightly different glow option.
Due to the increased RAM in the Kindle Voyage, page turning is faster than that of the 2013 model. With another navigation of the “books”, differences in speed were not noticed.
One of the main differences between the new model from Kindle Paperwhite is the presence of "buttons" turning pages. Amazon first made them touch. The areas duplicating each other to the left and right of the screen under the “buttons” are highlighted only visually, but, unfortunately, are not separated tactilely. The most frequently used of them, responsible for the transition to the next page, is located below the center of the screen; the top, returning to the page back, occupies a much smaller area and is located slightly higher. The convenience of this particular arrangement of keys will depend on the size of the hand and the preferences of the reader.
The location of the large “button” seemed rather successful to us: holding the device with one hand and thumbing through the pages at once turned out to be right away, but judging by the forums, palm owners with more than average touch buttons will be uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the ability to change the purpose of the buttons is not programmatically provided.
As for the sensitivity of the “buttons”, accidental pressing is practically impossible here. Even at the weakest level of response for paging, you need to make an effort, and a simple touch of the reaction of the device will not cause. In the device settings, it is proposed to choose one of three levels of pressing force of the “buttons”.
Each press will be accompanied by a vibration feedback emitting a “mechanical” touch. Vibration can be adjusted to your liking by choosing from three possible levels, or completely disabled. In our opinion, it is most comfortable to use a weak level of vibration.
Accustomed to the touch screens of the phone, the user will most likely indulge in an additional way, but then he will still switch to standard “swipes” on the screen. Fortunately, the Kindle Voyage can disable touch buttons.
We also note that for some reason the “buttons” of scrolling work only in portrait reading mode, becoming completely inactive in landscape mode. We see the same situation when reading through the browser: side paging also does not work; it’s a pity, because the button kindle has been perfectly implemented button browsing of Internet pages in article mode, while the use of “swipe” in the browser significantly impairs the usability.
Kickback and touch force settings in the Kindle Voyage.
Apart from auto-adjusting the brightness and setting the “buttons”, the interface of the new reader completely repeats the Kindle Paperwhite, so nothing new can be found here.
Kindle Voyage has more than 3 GB of memory available for storing books, which on average is enough for three thousand art books. For those purchased at Amazon, an unlimited amount of space in the cloud is provided (plus 5 GB for using personal content through Send to kindle applications).
Kindle always has the opportunity to bookmark, highlight text, write a comment or simply click on a specific word to get its translation (Kindle also provides the ability to separately study previously marked words). It is very convenient to scroll through bookmarks in an additional window when the main window is open. A six-inch screen is not always enough for comfortable reading .pdf, but if necessary, the Kindle is ready to cope with this task. A built-in browser will allow you to feel relatively comfortable if you need to read articles on the Internet.
You can learn more about the features of the Kindle Voyage in the second part of the Kindle Paperwhite review .
Unfortunately, we were not able to test the original origami cover for the Kindle Voyage, but we note that the reviews on it are not the best. Of the advantages, users note only a spectacular appearance and the ability to transform into a stand. At the same time, the thinness of the cover of the cover and, accordingly, the weak protective functions of the screen, as well as the not always convenient opening, cause dissatisfaction (it is not opened sideways, but upwards). Recall that the cover for the Kindle Paperwhite is not so thin, so comparing the sizes of the readers in the covers, you need to note an even greater advantage in favor of the Kindle Voyage.
The Kindle Voyage is cool and balanced: compact, fast, with a great screen and great backlight. It is difficult to call the Reader a breakthrough, but it is probably the best reader that can be purchased in the near future.
Note that the touch buttons are not as comfortable as the classic mechanical buttons, and not everyone will like it, but they are implemented thoughtfully and quite conveniently.
In the USA, the price of a novelty starts from $ 199, while for Kindle Paperwhite they still ask for 119. The difference in the final price is noticeable for us (especially in the real world), and therefore, if possible, we recommend that you look at both models, because not for everyone the difference in the display of text will vary greatly.
Undoubtedly, we liked the new device very much, and, in our opinion, paying a price one and a half times higher is justified. If the price of the device available to you is too high, we recommend that you still get by with the Kindle Paperwhite or wait until the Kindle Voyage costs significantly more than in the United States.
The outer shape.
Kindle Voyage comes in a miniature box, the dimensions slightly exceeding the device itself. As usual, in the kit we get only the cable to the computer, the brochure and the reader itself.
It is immediately apparent that the Kindlle Voyage is more compact than its “older brothers”. Let's say that this is generally one of the thinnest devices of this type on the market. It is noticeably shorter and yet lighter by 25 grams than Kindlle Paperwhite. If we compare the dimensions of books "on paper", the difference will most likely seem insignificant - in reality, the miniature Kindlle Voyage feels more refined (both figuratively and literally).
It is important to mention that the entire front side of Kindlle Voyage is on the same level, a very small half-millimeter-sized border surrounds the entire “book” around the perimeter (just like with modern smartphones), while the screen of Kindlle Paperwhite is “pressed” by several millimeters deep into the device. Thus, breaking or scratching the display of a new product will most likely be easier. Also on the left and right sides of the display are touch buttons designed for "mechanical" page turning (they will be described in detail below).
The changes also affected the back side of the device: the “back” is heterogeneous, with “cuts” and a small well-illuminated area on top. Also, a small power button is now located behind (Kindle Paperwhite, recall, it is on the bottom of the device). Let's say that after just a few uses of the reader, your index finger of the right hand can easily find and activate the device; in Kindle Paperwhite this is not so convenient: you need to intercept the book. When used in the cover, turning devices on and off will happen automatically in both readers.
We also note that the device is assembled efficiently and tightly: no dents or creaks can be detected here.
Comparison with Kindle 4, previously the smallest e-reader in the Amazon line.
Comparison with Kindle Paperwhite. Kindle Voyage hereinafter - to the left.
Display.
The Kindle Voyage has an advanced display with a resolution of 1448x1072, which is the first time in 6-inch devices on electronic ink (we saw such a concentration of dots when considering the Kobo Aura Hd , but there the screen diagonal is slightly higher - 6.8 inches). That's 300 dpi (DPI) versus just 212 on the Kindle Paperwhite. At the first cursory comparison of the new reader with the old model, the eyes unaccustomed to electronic ink are unlikely to notice a significant difference. But if you look a little at the device displays, there are differences.
The best clarity of the Kindle Voyage is especially noticeable when setting small font sizes. If you use medium or large font sizes, then without much consideration, the display of the text will be very similar. Due to the difference in the pixel density of devices with the same font size set, the displayed letter size in Kindle Paperwhite turns out to be larger and, thus, the words fit on the page less. After getting used to the screen of the new Kindle, upon closer inspection, the image of the Kindle Paperwhite seems to be slightly “blurred” and blurry.
In the “full page refresh” mode, both readers do not leave traces of text, while with a partial refresh, they “sin” on “noise” about the same.
The new Kindle's tactile display resembles the screens of modern smartphones: the finger glides easily and pleasantly over the surface, while the Kindle Paperwhite has a matte and much rougher screen, so the response to pressing the latter seemed more accurate to us. Comparing glare, both devices are not perfect, but still a little less reflects the Kindle Paperwhite display.
As for the “whiteness” of the background and the “blackness” of the text rendering, here the advantage of some of the models is difficult to detect, though in good daylight, a more white background and better contrast of the Kindle Voyage are noticeable.
The screenshot of the Kindle Paperwhite (right) is enlarged in proportion to the Kindle Voyage (left). The set font size is the minimum
Display text in daylight at a minimum level of backlight. The font size is 4.
Backlight
Note that the backlight in Amazon readers is very tricky: you cannot turn off the backlight in standard firmware, you can only set its level: so at the “zero” value, the displays are still slightly illuminated and if you really want to, you can even parse text in the dark. Depending on the illumination of the room, the backlight to a certain level remains invisible, only increasing the “whiteness” of the screen. Say, in a dimly lit room at the level of 6-7 the glow will not be noticeable yet, but at 8-9 the illumination will clearly “betray” itself. In bright daylight, the indicator can even be set close to the maximum to achieve an even greater level of "paper" background.
The maximum brightness level of the Kindle Voyage is 10% higher than that of the older model, but usually the highest divisions of the Kindle Paperwhite are not particularly necessary in real use, so the higher backlight level of the new “reader” is rather of a status character.
In the Kindle Voyage backlight, we also note an innovation: an automatic brightness adjustment has been added, changing the backlight level depending on the light. It works for the time being correct, after which it can start to be slightly annoying, fortunately, turning it off is very simple.
In general, the Kindle Voyage backlight looks white, giving off a little “blue” or may even seem a little pinkish at maximum brightness, while Kindle Paperwhite has a fairly strong yellow tint * .
In general, let's say that the difference between e-books is insignificant, but subjectively, the Kindle Voyage, due to the backlighting and detailing of the drawing, is closer to the “display” rather to a smartphone, while the “picture” of the Kindle Paperwhite is a bit more like a page of a classic book with yellowish paper and not perfect clear "typed" text.
* Depending on the party of the Kindle Paperwhite, the backlight may also be with a blue tint, but yellow is considered more pleasant to the eyes. It is possible that the Kindle Voyage backlight can also have a slightly different glow option.
Page turning.
Due to the increased RAM in the Kindle Voyage, page turning is faster than that of the 2013 model. With another navigation of the “books”, differences in speed were not noticed.
One of the main differences between the new model from Kindle Paperwhite is the presence of "buttons" turning pages. Amazon first made them touch. The areas duplicating each other to the left and right of the screen under the “buttons” are highlighted only visually, but, unfortunately, are not separated tactilely. The most frequently used of them, responsible for the transition to the next page, is located below the center of the screen; the top, returning to the page back, occupies a much smaller area and is located slightly higher. The convenience of this particular arrangement of keys will depend on the size of the hand and the preferences of the reader.
The location of the large “button” seemed rather successful to us: holding the device with one hand and thumbing through the pages at once turned out to be right away, but judging by the forums, palm owners with more than average touch buttons will be uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the ability to change the purpose of the buttons is not programmatically provided.
As for the sensitivity of the “buttons”, accidental pressing is practically impossible here. Even at the weakest level of response for paging, you need to make an effort, and a simple touch of the reaction of the device will not cause. In the device settings, it is proposed to choose one of three levels of pressing force of the “buttons”.
Each press will be accompanied by a vibration feedback emitting a “mechanical” touch. Vibration can be adjusted to your liking by choosing from three possible levels, or completely disabled. In our opinion, it is most comfortable to use a weak level of vibration.
Accustomed to the touch screens of the phone, the user will most likely indulge in an additional way, but then he will still switch to standard “swipes” on the screen. Fortunately, the Kindle Voyage can disable touch buttons.
We also note that for some reason the “buttons” of scrolling work only in portrait reading mode, becoming completely inactive in landscape mode. We see the same situation when reading through the browser: side paging also does not work; it’s a pity, because the button kindle has been perfectly implemented button browsing of Internet pages in article mode, while the use of “swipe” in the browser significantly impairs the usability.
Kickback and touch force settings in the Kindle Voyage.
Functionality.
Apart from auto-adjusting the brightness and setting the “buttons”, the interface of the new reader completely repeats the Kindle Paperwhite, so nothing new can be found here.
Kindle Voyage has more than 3 GB of memory available for storing books, which on average is enough for three thousand art books. For those purchased at Amazon, an unlimited amount of space in the cloud is provided (plus 5 GB for using personal content through Send to kindle applications).
Kindle always has the opportunity to bookmark, highlight text, write a comment or simply click on a specific word to get its translation (Kindle also provides the ability to separately study previously marked words). It is very convenient to scroll through bookmarks in an additional window when the main window is open. A six-inch screen is not always enough for comfortable reading .pdf, but if necessary, the Kindle is ready to cope with this task. A built-in browser will allow you to feel relatively comfortable if you need to read articles on the Internet.
You can learn more about the features of the Kindle Voyage in the second part of the Kindle Paperwhite review .
Information For Those Not Familiar With Amazon Readers
Kindle readers have several distinctive points that can often lead users to choose a different brand. Among these, the following can be noted.
By default (without additional firmware), all popular Kindle versions only accept .pdf, .mobi, .txt formats. If you have large stocks of literature in .fb2, then the caliber program will solve the problem in semi-automatic mode . In any case, you can always download almost any artwork in the desired format directly from the device via wi-fi from flibusta . It will not be superfluous to also use the Send to kindle service, which allows you to receive through wi-fi, books sent from a computer already in converted form.
Not everyone likes such a feature that sometimes it’s not easy to organize a large number of books on the device: if they were downloaded into folders in the Kindle memory, then adding to the menu will happen “in bulk”; they can be sorted by time added, by author, by name. However, after registration, it becomes possible to create collections, which can be called a kind of replacement folders.
Previously, readers from Amazon could not boast of the official Russian language, but the latest generation of KIndle, to the joy of it, will not be able to scare off this feature.
Don't look for advanced features in the Kindle as an alarm clock, calculator, or drawing application. Kindle is designed to enjoy reading and working with text with ease. This is really a quality device that is worth the money.
By default (without additional firmware), all popular Kindle versions only accept .pdf, .mobi, .txt formats. If you have large stocks of literature in .fb2, then the caliber program will solve the problem in semi-automatic mode . In any case, you can always download almost any artwork in the desired format directly from the device via wi-fi from flibusta . It will not be superfluous to also use the Send to kindle service, which allows you to receive through wi-fi, books sent from a computer already in converted form.
Not everyone likes such a feature that sometimes it’s not easy to organize a large number of books on the device: if they were downloaded into folders in the Kindle memory, then adding to the menu will happen “in bulk”; they can be sorted by time added, by author, by name. However, after registration, it becomes possible to create collections, which can be called a kind of replacement folders.
Previously, readers from Amazon could not boast of the official Russian language, but the latest generation of KIndle, to the joy of it, will not be able to scare off this feature.
Don't look for advanced features in the Kindle as an alarm clock, calculator, or drawing application. Kindle is designed to enjoy reading and working with text with ease. This is really a quality device that is worth the money.
Covers.
Unfortunately, we were not able to test the original origami cover for the Kindle Voyage, but we note that the reviews on it are not the best. Of the advantages, users note only a spectacular appearance and the ability to transform into a stand. At the same time, the thinness of the cover of the cover and, accordingly, the weak protective functions of the screen, as well as the not always convenient opening, cause dissatisfaction (it is not opened sideways, but upwards). Recall that the cover for the Kindle Paperwhite is not so thin, so comparing the sizes of the readers in the covers, you need to note an even greater advantage in favor of the Kindle Voyage.
Total
The Kindle Voyage is cool and balanced: compact, fast, with a great screen and great backlight. It is difficult to call the Reader a breakthrough, but it is probably the best reader that can be purchased in the near future.
Note that the touch buttons are not as comfortable as the classic mechanical buttons, and not everyone will like it, but they are implemented thoughtfully and quite conveniently.
In the USA, the price of a novelty starts from $ 199, while for Kindle Paperwhite they still ask for 119. The difference in the final price is noticeable for us (especially in the real world), and therefore, if possible, we recommend that you look at both models, because not for everyone the difference in the display of text will vary greatly.
Undoubtedly, we liked the new device very much, and, in our opinion, paying a price one and a half times higher is justified. If the price of the device available to you is too high, we recommend that you still get by with the Kindle Paperwhite or wait until the Kindle Voyage costs significantly more than in the United States.