5typos.net
Eight months with the Kindle Voyager
Two weeks ago I would have said that justifying the Kindle Voyager versus the Paperwhite was a close affair — but in the end the increased pixel density of the Voyager would edge out in the end.
Since the release of the 2015 Kindle Paperwhite with a 300-ppi screen last week, I see now reason to get a Voyager for $80 more.
The main reason I upgraded from my 2012 Paperwhite was mainly because of the hardware buttons. The Kindle Keyboard — still the best version yet IMHO — had great physical buttons on the sides for page-turning.1
The Paperwhite backlight and increased resolution were a fun geeky upgrade. But after a few weeks it was clear that using the e-ink screen for page turns was not a great experience. The lag is just to much to make accidental screen touches a complete turn-off when you’re in the reading zone.
During my first few hours with the Voyager, I was happy with its peculiar buttons. But after a few days I started to notice that the innovate PagePress Sensors were not consistent. You have to think about where to press on the edge of the device, which messes the whole experience.
It’s a wasted opportunity really. In everything else the device is pretty great: flush screen, super light and durable. It’s a good device, not a great one.
So get the latest Kindle Paperwhite if you’re in the market for an ebook reader. It’s the same reading experience for almost half the price2.