Despite Amazon pioneering eReaders, the company’sKindle Colorsoftwas noticeably late to the color e-paper party. Then, when it did arrive, it had a host of issues. Thankfully, now in 2025, it’s in a better place, even if it’s not a must-buy.
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft
The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon’s first color eReader. It has all the same features as the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition except for an eight-week battery life.
Price and Availability
The Kindle Colorsoft is available to buy now and retails for $279. While other Kindle models come in different colors, the Colorsoft only comes in black.
The Colorsoft supports wireless charging, but does not come with a wireless charger. There are several wireless chargers designed for the device, or any Qi charging pad should work.
Color Is the Only Reason to Get This Kindle
The Kindle Colorsoft (2024) has plenty of features, but most of them can be found in the Paperwhite Signature Edition, too. Some of those niceties include wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light sensor, and 32GB of storage.
The main exception is the color display staring you back in the face. The black and white parts of the screen feature 300 pixels per inch (ppi), and the color aspects are less dense at 150ppi. This is common among eReaders with color layers. Without too much inspection, however, you might not notice the differences between the color dots and the black ones. For places like your library and the Kindle bookstore, the color helps make browsing faster and more pleasant.
Is It Safe to Buy the Kindle Colorsoft in 2025?
The Kindle Colorsoft encountered some initial problems on its launch in late 2024. So, setting aside whether the product is a good deal for a moment, I was curious whether it actually works. Have its problems been addressed?
The reported issues that the Colorsoft suffered from were a yellow band across the screen, a hazy display, and fast battery drain.
In my testing, I didn’t see any of those things. I updated the device to the latest software out of the box, and it’s been working as expected. I used it across various types of lighting, indoors and outside. I turned the backlight on and off frequently. I haven’t seen any discoloration or bands across the screen.
Similarly, I haven’t noticed a hazy or grainy display. I compared the Colorsoft screen directly to the Boox Go Color 7 and BooxPalma 2. I didn’t notice any major differences. The contrast and clarity of the Colorsoft look good without any cloudiness. The screen is easy to read on.
Battery life can be a little tricky to measure, especially when also testing the wireless charger, but I’ve put it through several long reading sessions and tracked those percentages to estimate the amount of battery used. Even when reading for hours, I never saw major drops in percentages. I also never saw any meaningful changes in battery percentage in its sleep mode overnight.
So, is the Kindle Colorsoft fixed and working properly? I think so. I haven’t seen any glaring hardware problems that would suggest it’s no longer suffering from its initial launch problems. It seems like Amazon was able to fix those things using software or by replacing faulty units. As of now, however, the Colorsoft should be safe to buy.
Comparing the Kindle Colorsoft to the Boox Go Color 7
While I think the color on the Colorsoft looks good, I was curious how it compares to other color e-readers. Since the Boox Go Color 7 runs Android apps, I have the Kindle app on that device and can compare them directly.
I tried to match the brightness, tone, and other settings as best as possible. To my eyes, the Colorsoft display has better color reproduction despite matching specs. The screen on the Kindle looks more natural and less washed out. The black text looked identical to me across different lighting conditions.
Even though the Colorsoft screen seems better, the buttons on the Boox Go Color 7 are hard to ignore. TheGo Color 7 (Gen II)version should be even better. But the buttons are sorely missed on Kindles.
With the latest Kindle software, you’re able to double-tap on the back to advance pages. Even with that trick, I found it difficult to switch pages when holding the device in one hand. It’s better than nothing, but don’t think that with a double-tap that the Kindle Colorsoft wouldn’t be a much better eReader with two buttons for turning pages.
Should You Buy the Kindle Colorsoft?
TheAmazon Kindle Colorsoft’s highlighting feature—its color display—is compelling. It’s one of the best e-readers—even if it’s not quite necessary. Dedicated readers who are willing to splurge on the $279 device won’t regret it. The digital page turns are smooth and fast. Plus, the device includes most modern conveniences you could want.
The flipside is that most of the cost is wrapped up in the color display. I like the added color and think it adds enough to the browsing experience, both in the library and store, to justify its existence. However, if your budget doesn’t afford the Colorsoft or you don’t want color for whatever reason, then I’d look at the $199Paperwhite Signature Edition. And if you don’t want wireless charging or extra storage, then the regularPaperwhitefor $159 should suit you fine.
