Whether you’re an avid comic book reader or just want an easy and eye-catching way to highlight your e-books, then a Kindle Colorsoft is an appealing choice.
Amazon offers two Colorsoft iterations: the entry-level Colorsoft and the Colorsoft Signature Edition, with the latter sporting a fairly uninspiring three-star rating. So considering the more expensive Signature Edition didn’t achieve a particularly high score, is it really worth splurging? Or is the entry-level Colorsoft perfectly sufficient for your reading needs?
To help you decide which Kindle Colorsoft to go for, we’ve highlighted the main differences and similarities between the two iterations below.
Otherwise, if you aren’t fussed about having a colour display then our best Kindle guide lists our favourite alternatives from Amazon. Or, visit our best e-reader guide which rounds up the highest-ranked models from other brands too.
Price and Availability
As it lacks some of the more premium features found in its Signature Edition alternative (which we’ll explain in more detail later), the Kindle Colorsoft is the cheaper of the two models.
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While its official RRP is £239.99 / $249.99, it is possible to nab the e-reader with a hefty discount, especially during sales events such as Black Friday. In fact, at the time of writing, you can pick up a Kindle Colorsoft for just £164 in Amazon’s Black Friday sale.
In comparison, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition’s RRP starts at £269.99 / $279.99. However the Colorsoft Signature Edition should also see price drops throughout the year, and especially during Black Friday and other similar sales events.
For example, at the time of writing, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition was down by a massive 32% for Black Friday.
Both are fitted with a colour display
We’ll start with the main similarity, which is that both the Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature Edition are fitted with a full colour display. While we haven’t reviewed the entry-level model yet, we were still left somewhat disappointed with the Colorsoft Signature Edition and conclude it isn’t “the revolutionary colour display” we were hoping for.
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While of course there are perks to having a colour display, especially with comics or cookery books, we did note that text wasn’t as sharp as on the Kindle Paperwhite. Not only that, but we also found that the colour layer “adds a fuzzy finish”, although this is an issue we have also encountered on other colour e-readers.
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition has an auto-adjusting front light
While visually, the Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature Edition appear similar, the differences lie in their respective specs. Although both sport a seven-inch, glare-free display with up to 300 ppi (when in black and white), the Colorsoft Signature Edition boasts the addition of an auto-adjusting front light.
However, it’s worth noting that both Kindles feature an adjustable front light, which ranges from white light to a warm amber, allowing you to use the devices comfortably in all lighting conditions. The difference with the Colorsoft Signature Edition is that its front light auto-adjusts, which alleviates the need for you to dive into the device’s settings.
You need to manually adjust the front light of the Kindle Colorsoft. Image Credit: Amazon
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition has double the storage
With 32GB of internal storage, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition boasts double the space of its cheaper Colorsoft counterpart.
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Amazon doesn’t explicitly state the exact amount of content that either the 16GB or 32GB Kindle can hold, as both are promised to simply hold “thousands of books”. It’s also challenging to determine what these storage sizes equate to, as it depends on the file size and content type.
If you have lots of books in your Kindle library, or enjoy reading and listening to multiple audiobooks at one time, then we’d argue it’s worth spending the additional £30 / $30 to ensure you don’t run out of space.
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition supports wireless charging
Although this may not necessarily be a deal-breaker when choosing between the two Kindles, it’s worth noting that the Colorsoft Signature Edition supports wireless charging.
With just 7.5W support, wireless charging is only beneficial if you leave the device on a charging stand, which should ideally be Amazon’s bespoke charging dock as this is specifically designed to support the Kindle. Due to the positioning of the Kindle’s charging coils, other wireless chargers may struggle to top up the device.
Otherwise, both Kindle Colorsoft versions support USB-C charging. While we haven’t reviewed the Kindle Colorsoft’s performance yet, we found the Colorsoft Signature Edition takes about an hour to go from 0-100%. Even so, Amazon promises both Kindle Colorsoft editions should last for up to eight weeks.
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Early Verdict
AlthWe’ll refrain from giving a more definitive verdict until we review the Kindle Colorsoft.
Even so, it’s worth noting that we concluded the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition felt more like a prototype rather than a finished product, even despite the fact it sports more premium features like wireless charging and an auto-adjusting front light.
With that in mind, as the Kindle Colorsoft lacks those additional features but still has the same middling specs found in its pricier alternative, then at this stage we’d recommend opting for a Kindle Paperwhite or another of the best Kindles.
Or, if your heart is really set on a colour display, then we’d recommend either holding out for an updated Kindle Colorsoft or opting for the likes of the Remarkable Paper Pro Move instead.
Of course, we’ll update this versus once we review the Kindle Colorsoft.
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