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Amazon Kindle (10th Gen) reviews

8/10 AVG.
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Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)
Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)
Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)
Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)
Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)
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8/10
Informr score
The Amazon Kindle (10th Gen) currently has an Informr score of 8 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 26 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

While far from a high-end experience, the Kindle (10th gen) offers an ultra-affordable e-reader option for the casual reader or audiobook lover.

What's good

  • Great battery life
  • Built-in light
  • Audible support

What's bad

  • Low resolution screen
  • Non-Amazon books require conversion

Amazon’s Kindle series pioneered mainstream e-readers. With their latest release, they bring some nice convenience features to their lowest price ereader. But with e-readers adding more specs and “luxury” features at lower and lower prices, do the updates make Amazon’s most basic offering worth buying?

Design

Like most budget e-readers, the Kindle (10th gen) takes a minimalist approach. There is a black plastic chassis with subtle Amazon branding, a power button, and a USB port. If you’d like to add some personality to your reading experience, you’ll need to spend a bit for a case.

There are no physical page buttons or an IP rating. So be sure to avoid splashes and weather while reading.

Still, reviewers found the device comfortable in the hand -- even when reading for hours.

ExpertReviews UK says, “The 2019 Kindle is solidly made, is light and feels comfortable to hold. The edges and front bezels are a little more rounded than the old model, but otherwise it’s a familiar design.”

Screen

The e-reader features a 6-inch, 600-by-800 pixel eInk display with built-in 4 LED light. Pixel density is lower than most e-readers on the market today at only 167 pixels per inch. However, reviewers found the screen plenty readable. The backlight also received praise as a new addition with this release. It’s only 4 LEDs, so you might notice a bit of unevenness, but it makes the Kindle 10th gen one of the most affordable lit e-readers on the market.

ZDNet notes, “Fonts still look great, but you can tell some clarity difference when looking at images, charts, or maps. Most of what I read is text so I barely noticed a difference reading on this new Kindle.”

Storage

The 2019 Kindle ships with 4GB of internal memory with no microSD support. While this might not seem like much space, ebooks are small files compared to music, video, and even the pictures we take using our phone these days.

Unless you like to read complex PDFs or want to store a multiple lifetimes of books on your e-reader, 4GB will likely do just fine.

If you run out of space, you can always store books on your Amazon account and sync them to the e-reader wirelessly when you run out of things to read.

Battery Life

Battery life will depend on how you use the e-reader. Leave the Wi-Fi off unless you’re synching and keep the light dim and you’ll be able to read for days or weeks on a single charge. However, a bright backlight or leaving Wi-Fi on 24/7 will see things drop significantly faster.

Also, there is no form of fast charging. So when it’s time to top up, be sure to have a few hours available as most reviewers found a full charge required around 4 hours with the included charger.

The Guardian tested the latest Kindle and says, “I managed to get through two 270-page books between charges at various brightness levels and with wifi switched on occasionally to sync progress. Cranking up the brightness and leaving it hooked up to the internet all the time will reduce that quite a lot.”

Software & File Format Support

The Kindle includes easy-to-navigate software with the option to remove ads for a small one-time fee. Even if you don’t, ads are fairly unobtrusive apart from lock screen ads. Native GoodReads support, a basic browser, and access to Amazon’s massive book library.

Amazon’s X-Ray feature also provides easy access to various facts about the book or series of books you’re reading -- such as settings, characters, timelines, and more. It’s an interesting feature if you’re really looking to get lost in a fictional world but has some uses in non-fiction books as well.

There’s also the usual set of reading tools, such as highlighting, dictionary support, wikipedia support, and sharing quotes.

The weakest point of the Kindle (and all Amazon e-readers) is file support. The e-reader will natively read AZW, MOBI, PDF, PRC, and TXT files. You can also convert JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, DOC/DOCX, and HTML files using the Documents feature to send files to your Kindle.

Of course, you can also convert files to work with your Kindle as well. But that requires third-party software.

Extra Features

The Kindle (10th Gen) also allows you to listen to your Audible audiobooks. Unfortunately, you’re limited to wireless headphones as there is no 3.5mm headphone jack -- only Bluetooth.

However, reviewers had no issues pairing headphones with their Kindle and found the audio quality great. There are also features to skip forward and back, speed up playback, or make bookmarks.

But the most interesting feature is WhisperSync between Audible books and Kindle books. This means you can listen on the commute then seamlessly switch to your e-reader at bedtime and pick up where you left off.

_

The Takeaway

As long as you’re not looking for color adjustments on the light or a high-PPI display -- and don’t mind being locked into the Amazon ecosystem or converting books before reading, the Kindle 10th Gen checks most of the boxes the average reader needs.

BGR India says, “... The Kindle 2019 is a product worth buying if you want to stay away from your smartphone to read.”

The Guardian declares, “If you’re an infrequent book reader who wants an e-reader, doesn’t want a luxury item and is not going to dunk the thing in a bath or pool, this is the Kindle for you.”

Expert Reviews UK says, “... None of the 2019 Amazon Kindle’s failings affect its overall appeal. Although it isn't quite the cheapest Kindle, the addition of a front light and Bluetooth connectivity mean it’s clearly the best-value Kindle in the range.”


6"
Screen Size
Screen Size
6"
Yes
Backlight
Backlight
Yes
4 GB
Storage
Storage
4 GB
No
3G
3G
No
14 hours
Reading Time


What the Critics Are Saying...


Business Insider
Business Insider

The entry-level Kindle is a fine choice for people who are looking to save some money and those who are trying ebooks for the first time. It's a joy to read on the Kindle, and it's very easy to use. After a year of testing, it's still in great shape and works just as well as it did when it first arr...

- Malarie Gokey, Business Insider
Tom's Guide
Tom's Guide

The Kindle can be a good product, if you're willing to tweak it, but reading under default conditions can be very distracting.

- Marshall Honorof, Tom's Guide
Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

To be brutally honest, however, none of the 2019 Amazon Kindle’s failings affect its overall appeal. Although it isn't quite the cheapest Kindle, the addition of a front light and Bluetooth connectivity mean it’s clearly the best-value Kindle in the range. If you’re looking for a cheap replacement f...

- Lauren Johnson, Jonathan Bray, Expert Reviews
TechRadar
TechRadar

It’s by no means the best ereader money can buy, but introducing a backlight to the cheapest Kindle means it’s now much more difficult to justify buying a more expensive, top-end ereader. If you’re always reading, the Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis may be more for you, but as an all-round and affordable...

- James Peckham, TechRadar
Gadget Guy
Gadget Guy

If you are at all interested in electronic book reading, a Kindle is the way to go. It’s easy to use and easy to read. The only real danger is that with the ease of purchasing books, you may well find yourself overspending.

- Thomas Bartlett, Gadget Guy


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Quick view

Screen Size
6"

The Amazon Kindle (10th Gen)'s screen size is 6 inches with 600 x 800 pixels resolution.

Backlight
Yes

There is a built-in backlight for reading in the dark.

Storage
4 GB

Internal memory is 4 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

3G
No

This model has no 3G wireless capabilities.

Reading Time
14 hours
Battery life is rated for up to 14 hours reading time according to Amazon's.

Kindle (10th Gen) Specs

Overview
Release Date April 10, 2019
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Networks
SIM No
Operating System Custom

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Processor Unknown
Internal Storage 4 GB
RAM Unknown
ROM No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Unknown
Languages English
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Power & battery
Battery Capacity Unknown
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 4 hours
Reading Time Up to 14 hours
Standby Time Unknown
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White
Dimensions [H x W x D] 16 x 11.3 x 0.87 cm (6.3 x 4.5 x 0.3 in)
Weight 174 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Display / Screen
Type Grayscale
Technology E-ink
Colors No
Resolution 600 x 800 pixels
Pixel Density 167 pixels
Size 6 inches
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification No
Screen Orientation Lock No
Multi-Touch No
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Anti Glare Yes
Additional Display Features
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Page Turn Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech Yes
Screen Reader Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control No
Fingerprint Sensor No
Web / Email / Messaging
Web Browser No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth Yes
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, HSP
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Wi-Fi Encryption WPA/WPA2
Memory Expansion Slot No
PC Synchronization Yes
Audio / Video
Audio Playback Yes
Audio Formats No
Video Playback No
Streaming Video No
External Speakers No
Headset Jack No
Vibration Alert No
Content Formats Supported
Content Formats Supported AZW, AZW3, DOC, DOCX, GIF, JPEG, MOBI, PDF, PNG, TXT
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Kindle (2019)
Related Links Amazon Kindle (10th Gen) Reviews
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