Ever since the original Amazon Kindle hit the virtual shelves back in November 2007, the company has managed to refine the design with each passing generation, chipping off bits here and there to make it one of the best-looking ereaders around.
What the new Kindle Oasis proves is that Amazon has struggled to refine the device any further in its current form. The Kindle Oasis is a time for change.
The new ereader sits at the top of the Kindle hierarchy as the highest-priced ereader so far; it’s even more expensive than the Kindle Voyage, which Amazon launched back in 2014 to criticism that it was too pricey.
The Kindle Oasis, however, costs a whopping US$289.99 (£269.99, AU$449) which at first glance seems like too much money to spend on a device you can only read ebooks on.
But don’t throw your arms up in disgust too quickly – if you’re an avid reader then surely it’s worth getting the best possible experience while using ebooks? Amazon is trying to offer that in the Kindle Oasis, making the experience as close to reading a real book as possible.
Picking up the Kindle Oasis, this really does feel like a new generation for ereaders.
The design is radically difficult to that of the last few Kindles, and I was assured by a Kindle rep that this is the next step toward Amazon’s future vision of an ereader. The company eventually wants to create a device that acts just like a sheet of paper.
There are three key elements in the Kindle Oasis: the screen, the battery and the processing unit. These are all inserted into a metal case which is covered with the plastic body.
Amazon has slimmed everything down to the smallest form factor possible. If you’re looking for something that feels entirely different to a traditional Kindle, this won’t disappoint.
For one thing, one end of the Kindle Oasis is thinner than the other. At its thinnest point it comes in at 3.6mm. The other end is slightly thicker, but still thinner than other Kindles. The thick end is designed for gripping the device, while the thinner and lighter end enables the device to feel more natural in the hand.
I found the device easier to hold than other ereaders, and I feel like I’d be able to spend more time holding this up on a commute than other Kindles I’ve used.
On the front of the device are two buttons that you can press to flick through pages; you can also tap the display as you do on other Kindles. The buttons come in useful when reading one-handed, as you can hit them with your thumb without having to shuffle the device around in your hand.
If you’re left-handed, you’re covered here too. You can just flip the device the other way round and the screen will follow suit. From there you can use your dominant hand for grip and page flicking.
The only issue here is that the power button and micro USB charging slot will now sit at the bottom of the device rather than on the top, although you won’t be constantly using those.
There’s a plastic grip on the side you’ll be holding with your fingertips, which doesn’t look as premium as I’d have liked at this price. The other side features the Amazon logo emblazoned on the back and was a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but fortunately you won’t be touching this much unless you use the device two-handed.
On the grip section there’s a connector for Amazon’s new range of cases, one of which comes in the box. It’s a flip case to cover the top of your Kindle, but it also houses a larger battery which sits on the thinner edge of the Oasis, making the device a similar thickness all over.
Snap this on the back and it’ll up your battery life by another seven weeks. One disappointment is that without the case the Oasis will only last for two weeks rather than the usual six weeks for a Kindle. That’s according to Amazon – we’ll test battery life fully when we get a review unit.
You get a choice of three cases: brown, red or black leather, so there’s no option for those who aren’t a fan of leather products.
The screen on the Kindle Oasis is similar to the one on the Kindle Paperwhite. It’s a 300ppi display, which means reading text is super clear and isn’t going to strain your eyes.
There are improvements in the screen on the Kindle Oasis though, and I think these are the real highlights of the device.
Amazon has moved the backlight to the side of the device rather than leaving it at the top edge. In doing so Amazon has managed to make its e-ink display 60% brighter than before, and you can really notice it when reading.
Reading on the device for just a few minutes really highlighted how much brighter the display was, and I much preferred reading on the Oasis to any Kindle I’ve used before.
Early verdict
I can see a market for the Oasis among avid readers. It certainly won’t be for everybody, but that’s why Amazon has a range of other Kindle products. The Oasis sits at the top end of the range, and is pitched at those who are using an ereader almost daily, or are heavily invested in Amazon’s ebook content.
Comfortable handling and ease of reading are the main things you look for in an ereader, and Amazon has managed to deliver the most comfortable experience I’ve so far enjoyed on a device. If you’re reading for a long time you may actually get your money’s worth from the Kindle Oasis.
Read our round-up of the best Amazon Kindles and ereaders
Source: techradar.com