A mountain view, a cup of coffee, and a Kindle in hand. What more one can want in life?
If you have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, you must be aware of the Amazon eBook readers. It is there, where the Kindle Oasis vs Paperwhite debate arises. Which among them must be chosen?
Both products are amazing. Both can serve your purpose of wrapping up that novel in a couple of nights. But only one can be a winner.
In this blog, I will delve deeper into the Kindle Paperwhite vs Oasis debate, by comparing them on their specific features, performance, and prices.
Amazon Kindle Oasis vs Paperwhite: Overall Specifications
It is not at all easy to resolve the Amazon Kindle Oasis vs Paperwhite debate. However, a thorough look at their overall specifications might give you some idea.
Let us compare both products in the following table.
| Specs | Kindle Oasis (10th generation) | Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation) |
| Display | 7-inch | 6.8-inch |
| Weight | 194 grams | 205 and 208 grams |
| Size | 159 x 141 x 3.4-8.3 mm | 174.2 x 124.6 x 8.1 mm |
| Resolution | 1680 × 1264 pixels | 1648 × 1236 pixels |
| Memory Storage | 8GB and 32GB | 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB |
| Cloud Storage | Free for Amazon content | Free for Amazon content |
| Wi-fi Support | Supports all public and private networks | Supports 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz networks |
| Cellular Support | Supports Android and iOS hotspots plus free cellular connectivity | Supports Android and iOS hotspots only |
| Battery Life | 6-weeks | 10-weeks |
| Battery Charging Time | 3 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Charging Cable | USB 2.0 | USB-C |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty | 1-year limited warranty |
| System Requirements | None | None |
| Content Formats Supported | AZW, AZW3, PRC natively, TXT, unprotected MOBI, PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, EPUB, HTML, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, and AAX | AZW, AZW3, PRC natively, TXT, unprotected MOBI, PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, EPUB, HTML, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, and AAX |
| Waterproof | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| Colors | Graphite, Champagne Gold | Black, Agave Green, Denim |
| Prices | $179 – $299 | $119 – $207 |
One amazing thing is that, if you have subscribed to the audiobook subscription services, you may listen to your ebooks on both products.
So to further resolve the new Kindle Oasis vs Paperwhite Signature edition debate, let us delve deeper into some of the core features of these products.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite vs Oasis: Design and Durability
You can also understand the Paperwhite and Oasis comparison with the help of their design and durability aspects.
The following table seeks to draw that exact comparison.
| Kindle Oasis (10th generation) | Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation) |
| Aluminum body with a thick section at one side | Matte plastic body with thick bezel |
| Page-turn buttons | No buttons |
| Can withstand up to 2 meters of water for 60 minutes | Can withstand up to 2 meters of water for 60 minutes |
| The thicker bottom supports an easier grip | Evenly distributed weight |
| Our rating for design and durability: 9.5/10 | Our rating for design and durability: 7/10 |
It is easier to hold a Kindle Oasis and perform page-turning than doing it on the latest version of Kindle Paperwhite. However, for both of them, you must first learn how a Kindle works.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis: Display
When it comes to Amazon Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis display features, there are certain subtle differences between the two.
The following table illustrates these differences in detail.
| Kindle Oasis (10th generation) | Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation) |
| 7-inch screen | 6.8-inch screen |
| Auto screen rotation is available | Auto screen rotation is not available |
| Better control of backlight through 25 LEDs | Slightly less control on the backlight due to the 17 LEDs |
| Better automatic adjustment of brightness and color tone with light | Less automatic adjustment of brightness and color tone with light |
| Our rating for the display: 9/10 | Our rating for the display: 8/10 |
If you are an obsessive book lover you may even use the display functions to annotate a book, in both products.
Although, the display of Oasis is slightly better than Paperwhite. However, the difference is not that big, and in fact, both products are among the best e-readers of 2023.
Battery Performance of Oasis and Paperwhite
Further, doing an Amazon Kindle Oasis vs Kindle Paperwhite comparison on battery performance also gives useful insights into both products. Especially for high school students working overnight on their persuasive essay topics, with the help of e-books.
Below is a table depicting each of their features on battery and charging.
| Kindle Oasis (10th generation) | Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation) |
| Bigger battery to support larger display. | It has a smaller battery than the Oasis. |
| A single charge lasts for 6 weeks, with a half-hour reading per day, Bluetooth and wireless off, and light setting at 13. | A single charge lasts for 10 weeks, with a half-hour reading per day, wireless off, and light setting at 13. |
| Uses Micro-USB port for charging. | More adaptable with modern chargers due to Type-C port. |
| Fully charges in 3 hours, with a 5W adapter or computer USB cable. | Fully charges in 2.5 hours with a 9W adapter and 5 hours with a computer USB cable. |
| Does not charge with the wireless charging pad. | Signature gets fully charged in 3.5 hours with a 10W Qi wireless charging pad. |
| Our rating for the battery: 7.5/10 | Our rating for the battery: 9/10 |
However, for both of the products, if you try to listen to and share audible books, the battery may last for only 2-4 weeks, depending upon the amount of consumption.
Software and Overall Performance
A comparison of Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis by Amazon also needs to be made on their software, updates, and overall performance.
The following table illustrates the separate aspects of both products.
| Kindle Oasis (10th generation) | Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation) |
| The software will receive updates at least until 2026. | Similar software to Oasis, with regular updates. |
| Connects to Wi-Fi, hotspots, and cellular networks. | Connects to Wi-Fi and hotspots only. |
| Slightly less responsive due to the older generation and more features. | Slightly more responsive due to the simplicity of features. |
| Slightly higher ghosting – a faint impression of the previous page. | Slightly less ghosting. |
| Flashes back on every page turn in PDFs, leading to lesser experience than Paperwhite | Does the partial page refresh upon changing pages in PDF, leading to a better experience |
| Slightly less responsive to zooming in and out | Slightly more responsive to zooming in and out |
| Our rating for the software and overall performance: 8.5/10 | Our rating for the software and overall performance: 9/10 |
When it comes to software performance, there is not much difference between Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis.
Whatever you choose – fiction or nonfiction books, if you perform software updates regularly, you will never be disappointed in your reading experience.
Amazon Oasis and Kindle Paperwhite 2024: Prices Comparison
Even with the Paperwhite Signature edition and the new Kindle Oasis, the price differences are significant. Let’s look at the prices of each of these products.
Prices of Kindle Oasis
- Kindle Oasis (8GB) (lock screen ad-supported): $179
- Kindle Oasis (8GB) (without lock screen ads): $199
- Kindle Oasis (8GB) (with 3-months free Kindle Unlimited): $269
- Kindle Oasis (32GB) (without lock screen ads): $274
- Kindle Oasis (32GB) (with 3-months free Kindle Unlimited): $299
Prices of Kindle Paperwhite
- Kindle Paperwhite (8GB) (lock screen ad-supported): $119
- Kindle Paperwhite (8GB) (without lock screen ads): $139
- Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) (lock screen ad-supported): $109
- Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) (without lock screen ads): $144
- Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB): $207
Therefore you may make good use of Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis price charts to make a well-informed decision.
Final Verdict
Kindle Oasis Overall rating: 9/10
Kindle Paperwhite Overall rating: 8/10
Below is a summary table of the pros and cons of choosing one product over the other.
| Kindle Oasis | Kindle Paperwhite |
| More expensive | Cheaper in price |
| Connects to the cellular networks | No cellular connection |
| Better design and features for comfortable reading | Less reading-friendly design than Oasis |
| USB 2.0 charging port and shorter battery life | Longer battery life and modern charging port |
“For premium readers Oasis is a ‘must’. For budget lovers, Paperwhite is an option very close in its quality and features to Oasis.”
FAQs
Ans: With its 25 LED lights, Kindle Oasis is slightly better than Paperwhite (17 LED) for your eyes.
Ans: As compared to offline books, Kindle Paperwhite is better due to its adjustable font, nightlight, dictionary, search feature, and ability to carry it anywhere easily.
Ans: Yes, you may use Paperwhite or Oasis without a subscription. However, the number of books available will be limited.
Ans: You may put between 2000 – 6000 e-books on an 8GB Kindle. However, the number of audiobooks might be limited to even less than 40.
Ans: Yes, all types of Kindle come with a charging (USB) cable. However, they might not give you a power adapter.
Ans: The memory of any Kindle product cannot be increased, as they do not have a Micro-SD card slot.
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