Amazon’s 2026 Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft Signature Editions retain features such as auto-adjusting front lights, wireless charging, and extra storage, while adding aluminum rear frames and pogo-pin connections for new accessories. The redesigned models are heavier than their predecessors, and the most notable accessory is an $80 cover with physical page-turning buttons. Although the setup works well, its price pushes it above $300 and puts it up against e-readers with those controls built in.
New materials and limited colors
The 2026 Signature Editions use a new aluminum back frame that gives them a more premium feel and glossy appearance. The frame also includes pogo pins for connecting new Kindle accessories.
The aluminum construction increases the weight to 8.1 ounces, compared with 7.2 ounces for the previous model. The difference is noticeable, but the taller design appears to distribute the weight better than the shorter, lighter Kindle Aluminum.
If you want a Kindle with a screen of at least 7 inches, colorful finishes are largely limited to the Signature Editions. The base Kindle is a 6-inch plastic model, while the base Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft are available only in black. The Signature Editions add more distinctive colors: the Paperwhite Signature Edition tested here comes in Seagrass Green, while the Colorsoft Signature Edition is available in deep-purple Fig. The Paperwhite also has a purple option. It is unfortunate that each model has only one color when the devices are relatively expensive and the Kindle Aluminum comes in two colors.
A page-turning cover brings back physical buttons
The main reason to choose a Signature Edition is not the color, but compatibility with Amazon’s new accessories, especially the Kindle Page Turn Cover, which costs $80.
Amazon previously offered the Kindle Oasis, an e-reader with physical page-turning buttons, but it has not released one in years. The company says that about 5 percent of Kindle users—what it describes as a vocal minority—want page-turn buttons. Rather than build the feature into an e-reader that might have limited appeal, Amazon has made it an optional accessory.
The cover attaches easily to the Paperwhite Signature Edition and makes turning pages quick. Its button can also move up and down a page, although that behavior feels counterintuitive: pressing the “Forward” button at the top moves down the page, even when you might expect it to move up.
Otherwise, the cover is lightweight and sleek, with a design similar to the slim cover Amazon introduced for its aluminum Kindle models. The buttons are positioned so they are ready to use as soon as the cover is opened, and the accessory remains unobtrusive.
The cost of the Signature Edition setup
The drawback is the price. The Page Turn Cover requires a Signature Edition Kindle, adding $80 to the purchase. The Signature Edition itself costs $40 to $50 more than the base model, and the least expensive combination—the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with the cover—costs more than $300.
That is roughly the price of the Kobo Libra Color, the reviewer’s favorite non-Kindle e-reader. The Kobo includes built-in page-turning buttons and a stylus, and it can also function as a digital notebook. The Kindle combination works well, but its price is difficult to overlook when competing products include more features.
For users who do not specifically want a page-turning cover, the Kindle Click Bluetooth remote costs $35. It is significantly cheaper and works with older Kindle models as well.
Which Kindle should you choose?
Existing Kindle users may not need to upgrade to either of these devices. For first-time buyers, the Paperwhite remains the recommended choice, particularly because the older model has disappeared from Amazon’s website. The latest version is also worth considering because previous models are not necessarily much cheaper.
Source: www.wired.com
