Looking for a Kindle but not sure which Kindle to buy? This side-by-side Kindle model comparison chart should help you sort out the various features and specifications of Amazon’s popular e-readers.
| Feature Color-Coding Legend: | = Best | = OK | = Worst |
|---|
 Kindle  |
 Kindle Paperwhite  |
 Kindle Keyboard 
|
 Kindle Fire  (2nd Gen) |
 Kindle Fire HD 7″ 
|
 Kindle Fire HD 8.9″  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
$69
|
$119
|
$139
|
$159
|
$199
|
$269
|
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| Price |
$69
|
$119
|
$139
|
$159
|
$199
|
$299
|
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Kindle |
Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard
|
Kindle Fire (2nd Gen) |
Kindle Fire HD 7″
|
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Cost to Remove Ads | $20 | $20 | $20 | $15 | $15 | $15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Device Type | E-Reader | E-Reader | E-Reader | Media Tablet | Media Tablet | Media Tablet | ||||||||||||||||||
| Age | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year of Last Update | 2012 | 2012 | 2010 | 2012 | 2012 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Generation | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Screen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Screen Size | 6 inches | 6 inches | 6 inches | 7 inches | 7 inches | 8.9 inches | ||||||||||||||||||
| Touchscreen | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Color Screen | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Visible in the dark? | No | Yes (Frontlit Screen) |
No | Yes (Backlit Screen) |
Yes (Backlit Screen) |
Yes (Backlit Screen) |
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| Susceptible to glare? | No | No | No | Yes | Somewhat | Somewhat | ||||||||||||||||||
| Can view video in HD? | N/A (no video support) |
N/A (no video support) |
N/A (no video support) |
No | Yes (720p HD) |
Yes (1080p HD) |
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| “Retina display” like iPad? | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard |
Kindle Fire | Kindle Fire HD 7″ |
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Supported Content | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Books | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Audiobooks | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| College Textbooks | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Magazines | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Newspapers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Music | No | No | Yes, but must load from computer via USB | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Movies | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV Shows | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Apps | Limited selection | Limited selection | Limited selection | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Games | Basic games only | Basic games only | Basic games only | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| PDFs & Docs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Parental controls | Yes, but limited (Lets you disable Kindle Store and web browser) |
Yes, but limited (Lets you disable Kindle Store and web browser) |
No | Yes (Includes kid-friendly FreeTime mode) |
Yes (Includes kid-friendly FreeTime mode) |
Yes (Includes kid-friendly FreeTime mode) |
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| Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard |
Kindle Fire | Kindle Fire HD 7″ |
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Accessibility features | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Text-to-Speech | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Voice-assisted navigation | No | No | No | No (coming in 2013) |
No (coming in 2013) |
Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Storage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertised space | 2 gigabytes | 2 gigabytes | 4 gigabytes | 8 gigabytes | 16 to 32 gigabytes | Wifi Version: 16 to 32 gigabytes |
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| 4G Version: 32 to 64 gigabytes |
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| Percentage of space actually available for content |
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| Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard |
Kindle Fire | Kindle Fire HD 7″ |
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Battery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery Life | 1 month (if wireless is off) |
2 months (if wireless is off) |
2 months (if wireless is off) |
8.5 hours | 11 hours | 10 hours | ||||||||||||||||||
| USB cable for charging via computer | Included with purchase | Included with purchase | Included with purchase | Included with purchase | Included with purchase | Included with purchase | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time required to charge via USB cable | 3 hours | 4 hours | 4.5 hours | 11.5 hours | 13.5 hours | 14 hours | ||||||||||||||||||
| Adapter for charging via outlet | $10 extra | $10 extra | Included with purchase | $10 extra | $10 extra | $10 extra | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time required to charge via adapter | 3 hours | 4 hours | 4.5 hours | 3.3 hours | 4 hours | 5 hours | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hardware | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 6 ounces | 8 ounces | 9 ounces | 14 ounces | 14 ounces | 20 ounces | ||||||||||||||||||
| Keyboard | No; must use controller to pick out letters one-by-one | Virtual touchscreen keyboard | Yes | Virtual touchscreen keyboard | Virtual touchscreen keyboard | Virtual touchscreen keyboard | ||||||||||||||||||
| Speakers | None | None | Stereo speakers | Stereo speakers | Dolby Audio speakers | Dolby Audio speakers | ||||||||||||||||||
| Physical volume buttons | N/A | N/A | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Camera | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Microphone | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard |
Kindle Fire | Kindle Fire HD 7″ |
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Device connectivity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Can output to HDTVs? | No | No | No | No | Yes (has HDMI port) |
Yes (has HDMI port) |
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| Can connect to headphones? | N/A | N/A | Yes (has headphone jack) |
Yes (has headphone jack) |
Yes (has headphone jack) |
Yes (has headphone jack) |
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| Can connect to wireless headphones? | N/A | N/A | No | No | Yes (supports Bluetooth) |
Yes (supports Bluetooth) |
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| Can connect to wireless keyboards? | No | No | No | No | Yes (supports Bluetooth) |
Yes (supports Bluetooth) |
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| Available accessories | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| “Smart covers” (auto sleep/wake) available? | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Covers with built-in reading light available? | Yes | N/A (not needed) |
Discontinued | N/A (not needed) |
N/A (not needed) |
N/A (not needed) |
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| Internet functionality | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Web browser | Basic | Basic | Basic | Full-featured | Full-featured | Full-featured | ||||||||||||||||||
| No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Exchange accounts | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Skype calls | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Video chat | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite |
Kindle Keyboard |
Kindle Fire | Kindle Fire HD 7″ |
Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ |
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| Internet connectivity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wifi connectivity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wifi antennas | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 (better signal strength) |
2 (better signal strength) |
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| Cellular network connectivity | No | Wifi Version: No |
Yes | No | No | Wifi Version: No |
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| 3G Version ($50 extra): Yes |
4G Version ($130 extra): Yes |
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| Cellular service cost | 3G Version: Free for life |
Free for life | 4G Version: 12 months of service costs $50 |
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| Cellular network speeds | 3G Version: Average speeds |
Average speeds | 4G Version: Fast (within 4G coverage area) |
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| Where can you browse the Web? | Only where there’s Wifi |
Only where there’s Wifi (even with 3G version) |
Anywhere there’s cell signal or Wifi | Only where there’s Wifi |
Only where there’s Wifi |
Wifi Version: Only where there’s Wifi |
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| 4G Version ($130 extra): Anywhere there’s cell signal or Wifi |
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| Where can you purchase content? | Only where there’s Wifi |
Wifi Version: Only where there’s Wifi |
Anywhere there’s cell signal or Wifi | Only where there’s Wifi |
Only where there’s Wifi |
Wifi Version: Only where there’s Wifi |
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| 3G Version ($50 extra): Anywhere there’s cell signal or Wifi |
4G Version ($130 extra): Anywhere there’s cell signal or Wifi |
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| Feature Color-Coding Legend: | = Best | = OK | = Worst |
|---|
John,
I think your chart is the best that I have found to compare Kindles and I bet the revision is going to be fantastic. I am kind of impatient however because I am almost ready to leave for a trip driving to the tip of South America. I’ve heard that a Kindle is almost a must to have (according to other travel bloggers) but I don’t know which one to purchase and I have to be very careful with my budget. I will be using it for guidebooks and I also like to read a lot. I might also be able to download maps – do you know about this?
Anyway, I value your opinions an hope you can give me some ideas.
Thanks,
Gary
The revised guide for the 2012 models is now up.
Love this chart. Looking forward to the update with Fire HD and Paperwhite. Any idea when you’ll release it?
The updated guide should be up within a week or two.
Thanks for this!
I don’t see why anyone would want to buy a Kindle any more. There is just so much more that you can do with a full featured tablet …
There are several reasons why someone might choose a Kindle e-reader over a tablet: