Aisha Malik Reports Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Starts at $290

In a review published by TechCrunch on Friday writer Aisha Malik reported that Amazon’s new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition costs $320, while the standard Colorsoft starts at $290.

The Tech TL;DR:

• The new Kindle Colorsoft starts at $290, with the 32GB Signature Edition priced at $320.
• Both models feature a 7-inch color E-Ink display running at 300ppi for monochrome and 150ppi for color content.
• Amazon claims the device delivers up to eight weeks of battery life on a single charge.

Amazon unveiled the refreshed Kindle lineup, introducing a new basic Kindle, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft. Malik spent the past few weeks testing the Signature Edition, which doubles the base storage to 32GB and offers a graphite or maroon-like Fig finish with an aluminum back.

Amazon first brought color to its Kindle lineup in 2024 with the launch of the original Colorsoft. The latest hardware iteration is lighter and thinner than its predecessor, featuring an edge-to-edge display.

For current owners, Malik said that there is little reason to upgrade because the core reading experience remains largely the same. Both the base and Signature models feature a 7-inch color E-Ink display, maintaining 300ppi resolution for black-and-white content while dropping to 150ppi for color.

Colors on the panel remain relatively muted compared to an iPad, but they provide a noticeable upgrade over standard monochrome screens for graphic novels, comics, and cookbooks.

Malik found that the screen required infrequent refreshing and displayed no noticeable ghosting, where text from previous pages lingers on the panel. The hardware includes adjustable color temperature for night reading and an auto-adjusting brightness option. Battery performance reaches up to eight weeks on a single charge, trailing the Paperwhite’s twelve-week limit.

Amazon relocated the power button from the bottom of the device next to the charging port to the top-right edge, preventing accidental presses during handling. The waterproof chassis allows usage near water pools or in baths. Malik observed that the Signature Edition’s aluminum back held up well during testing without needing the provided case.

While the Signature Edition supports a magnetic cover with built-in page-turn buttons connecting to pogo pins on the back, Malik did not test this accessory. The steep price remains the primary drawback for a device dedicated solely to reading. Malik said that many users would be better served by the basic Kindle or Paperwhite, which start at $169.99 and $199.99 respectively.

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