Amazon Kindle Colorsoft 2nd Gen: Premium Color E-Reader at $290+
Original: Amazon’s new Kindle Colorsoft is a premium e-reader with a premium price
Why This Matters
Color e-readers are still a small niche; Amazon's pricing signals it's betting on premium readers, not mass adoption.
Amazon refreshed its Kindle lineup with a new Colorsoft starting at $290, or $320 for the Signature Edition with 32GB storage. The 7-inch color E-Ink display runs at 300ppi (B&W) and 150ppi (color), with up to 8 weeks of battery life.
Amazon's second-generation Kindle Colorsoft arrives two years after the company first brought color to its e-reader lineup in 2024. The base model starts at $290 with 16GB storage; the Signature Edition pushes to $320 and doubles storage to 32GB, adding an aluminum back in graphite or a maroon-ish Fig finish.
The new model is lighter and thinner than its predecessor and gains an edge-to-edge display — though the core specs stay the same: a 7-inch color E-Ink screen, 300ppi for black-and-white content, and 150ppi for color. Amazon claims up to 8 weeks of battery life, trailing the Paperwhite's 12-week claim.
Colors remain muted compared to an iPad but noticeably better than a standard Kindle. The device suits comics, graphic novels, and cookbooks well, and supports multi-color highlighting. A repositioned power button — moved from the bottom edge (where it was easy to accidentally press) to the top-right — is a small but meaningful hardware fix. Adjustable color temperature and auto-brightness round out the display options.
For first-gen Colorsoft owners, there's little compelling reason to upgrade. For newcomers to color e-reading, the hardware is solid — if the price clears your threshold.