Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis?
Does it really matter? I mean there’s still print!
What’s more cozy than snuggling up with a good book in front of a crackling fire?
Doing so from the comfort of your favorite leather bound armchair and a glass of 1985 Castello di Ama Merlot.
However, if you’re like me… the glow of the crackling fire has been replaced by the soft tint of street lights from my apartment window. The armchair… an old futon (remnant of a younger time). And that wine… replaced with a hot mug of Earl Grey– two sugars and a squeeze of lemon.
But the book. That stays the same right? The crisp turn of a page. Creaking of a leather spine opening to reveal the adventure inside. The smell of paper turned more than its fair share of times.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
As much as I would love to own a library full, realistically, I just don’t have the space. Or the cash. Now, I do keep a few of favorites in print form. BUT… when books are a major part of your life, a scant selection of print does not for a very merry life make. So, I have turned a lot of my book reading towards the 21st century.
Now, there are a ton of e-reader devices out there. And when it comes to e-readers, Amazon Kindle is leading the charge. The word Kindle has become synonymous with e-reader just as Coke has for really any carbonated beverage. (Southern folks, I’m looking at you.)
And when it comes to Kindles, there are two major options in my eyes. The Paperwhite and the Oasis. In all reality, both of these devices get my seal of approval. Each have the quality you would expect from an Amazon product and the ability to access Amazon’s Kindle store. But it’s their differences that set them apart from one another. That being said…
Let’s take a closer look at these two industry leaders and some features to help determine which one is right for you!
Kindle Paperwhite
vs
Kindle Oasis
Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis–Price
The Kindle Oasis is Amazon’s flagship top of the line e-reader. And for good reason. It comes with many unique qualities and features. But along with those top notch features comes a price to match it. Starting at $249.99, the Oasis does boast a pretty steep price point.
The Kindle Paperwhite, on the other hand, is much more budget friendly. Coming in at $129.99, the Paperwhite is substantially less expensive than the Oasis.
These prices may seem to be a little steep–especially that of the Oasis. But things do need to be considered. Your average NYT Bestseller costs around $15 for a hard cover and $8 for a paperback copy. E-books on the other hand are usually half the price.
For avid readers, e-books are much more cost effective than print. Investing in a quality reader may be worth your while.
Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis– Design Construction
Price isn’t the only difference these two have. (Well duh, Samantha!) But their are key differences in the actual construction of the two.
The Kindle Paperwhite isn’t all too heavy. Weighing in at 191g, it is constructed of a thick plastic body with a soft back coating. While the Paperwhite doesn’t feel flimsy… It lacks that certain premium touch.
That’s where the Kindle Oasis shines.
The Oasis has swapped out the plastic body for that of aluminum. And a sleek looking aluminum as well! Its beveled edges give it a sleek, angular design which holds great in your hands. Not only that but, the Oasis clocks in at 194g (another great lightweight option) making this a great holding experience.
But the materials used aren’t just it. The Paperwhite uses the industry standard touchscreen. Simply tap and swipe your way to a happy ending. But Oasis is not so run of the mill. It comes equipped with PagePress buttons.
PagePress buttons seem kind of wonky at first, but you will get accustomed to them very quickly. They work to replicate the feeling of real buttons. These are actual found on the back bezels. They are activated by placing appropriate pressure on the applicable bezel. It takes a few minutes to learn, but in the end… They are really comfortable and help keep your screen smudge-free.
Speaking of…
Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis: Screen and Display
A screen’s a screen right? I mean, they can’t be that different.
Or can they?
The Paperwhite is equipped with a 300ppi (Pixel per inch) display. This is the same pixel resolution that was debuted with the Oasis. So… the Paperwhite does have an absolutely wonderful resolution. But… once again the Oasis has some tricks up its sleeve.
The Oasis comes equipped with a micro-etched glass screen (unlike the plastic display of the Paperwhite). This is an awesome feature! The tempered glass is more resistant to scuffs and scratches–especially useful if you happen to have a few cantankerous cats running around who love to jump on everything… But I digress. And the micro-etching… That helps to prevent reflections.
Not only does the Oasis have a glass screen, but adaptive light technology. This makes transitions from dark to light and vice versa extremely useful. And this is done with 12 separate LEDs compared to the Paperwhite’s 5.
IMHO, both displays are just great. But the Oasis takes the cake.
Tech Specs
Now, most of this is pretty much the same.
Both have the same battery life–a staggering 6 weeks! I wish I had other batteries that lasted that long…
Each come with 8 or 32GB of internal storage. This might not seem like much in today’s day and age, but remember that ebooks don’t take up much space. As a matter of fact, each reader can hold thousands of book on their internal storage. If for some reason you need more space, you can always avail of free cloud storage.
So What’s the Bottom Line?
The real question here is:
So, Paperwhite vs Oasis?
And the answer is…. Not that clear.
For those who are full on dedicated to ebooks, the Oasis is probably your best bet. It has so many great features and wonderful specifications. The major setback here is the price.
But no need to worry, the Paperwhite is also a wonderful option! Although the Paperwhite lacks some of the bells and whistles of the Oasis, that does not make it any less viable an option. The Paperwhite is ideal for casual readers looking to enter the world of ebooks.
Well, that’s my take! If you have any experience with either of these, feel free to comment below and let me know what you think. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
