Kindle 2019 review – Amazon’s £70 e-reader is better value than the £120 Paperwhite
We tested out Amazon's cheapest e-reader to see if it's worth your hard-earned cash
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AMAZON has launched a new version of its budget Kindle, and it gives the firm's pricier models a run for their money.
Launched this week, the £70 Kindle 2019 is Amazon's latest entry-level e-reader, and in terms of value for money is its best yet.
I've spent about a week reading with the gizmo, and it packs a real punch for what you pay.
Like other Kindle devices, the Kindle 2019 is a low-power e-reader that's synced up to Amazon's impressive online book library, giving you access to more than 5.5 million books, newspapers and magazines.
The idea is that you ditch your paper books and convert to the convenience of digital e-books – which are typically much cheaper than the physical versions.
The Kindle 2019 is the latest addition to Amazon's entry-level e-reader range, coming in a fair chunk cheaper than the £120 Paperwhite and £230 Oasis.
- Amazon Kindle 2019 at Amazon for £69.99 -
And while it doesn't pack all of the bells and whistles of its bigger brothers, it gives them a good run for their money.
Its biggest new feature is the addition of an adjustable front light, which is supposed to make the gadget a little easier to read at night or in direct sunlight.
That means the Kindle 2019 is its first with a front light for under £100, which is nothing to be sniffed at.
Apart from that, the gadget has the same sleek design as all of Amazon's Kindles.
Its 6-inch touch screen is bright and easy to read, and isn't tough on the eyes, even when reading in the dark.
The reader is small and light, comfortably fitting in one hand for those of us who read on the bus or train.
It's thicker than pricier Kindles, and has a plastic finish that isn't quite as cool as the Oasis's aluminium body, but still looks and feels good in your hand.
The new Kindle also has Audible integration – that means you can use it to listen to audiobooks.
Audible offers more than 200,000 audiobooks that you can listen to, but you'll need a pair of Bluetooth headphones or a wireless speaker to actually use the feature.
However, with just 4GB of storage, you won't fit many Audiobooks on there before running out of space – something the Paperwhite and Oasis have less of an issue with.
Amazon doesn't provide specific battery life details, but I struggled to run it down.
With normal usage, you'd expect to manage at least a few weeks of reading before it needs a re-charge. Charging it to full takes just a few hours too, so it's hardly a pain.
Amazon Kindle 2019 - final verdict
While it certainly doesn't live up to the heights of the Oasis, Amazon's new entry-level e-reader is impressive given the competitive price.
The more hardcore readers among you may prefer the Paperwhite, which for just £40 offers a cleaner design and top-end screen resolution.
However, while the entry-level Kindle not have the design or storage space of its pricier siblings, it's a smart buy for the more casual reader.
- Amazon Kindle 2019 at Amazon for £69.99 -
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