Amazon Just Released New Kindle E-Readers, but I’m More Interested in the Accessories for Them.
When Amazon raised the prices of most of its Kindle devices last month—some by more than 30%—it seemed like a reaction to the ongoing RAM crisis, but it might have been a good move: Today, the company announced a near-complete redesign of its e-reader lineup , which is now thinner, lighter, faster, and more thoughtfully designed than ever, and since we’ve all gotten used to price hikes, we don’t have to deal with this news.
The new Kindles are certainly beautiful devices: the entire line, from the $150 base model to the $319 Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, now features a new design with a flat front panel. The improved standard Kindle and the more expensive Signature Edition now feature an aluminum back, giving them a premium look and allowing for a new line of magnetic accessories. And all of these devices, according to Amazon, are the fastest ever, with a promised 30% faster page turn speed.
Yesterday, Amazon invited Lifehacker and a number of other tech sites to its headquarters to unveil its new line of devices. And while I can say these are undoubtedly the most beautiful Kindles ever—available in several trendy new colors—they’re still largely just Kindles: improved, sure, but not quite new . That’s why I’m even more excited about the accompanying line of accessories, including a case with built-in physical buttons and, finally, a Bluetooth remote for turning pages.
The standard version of Kindle now feels more premium.
As before, the updated Kindles are sold in several variants, some of which are (significantly) more expensive than others. The “cheapest” is the standard 16GB Kindle , which costs $149.99 with lock screen ads and $169.99 without. It retains the same core features as the previous model, including a six-inch, 300-ppi touchscreen and adjustable backlighting, but in a refreshed design with a flat front panel and a variety of vibrant new colors, from the bluish “Alpine Sky” to the lavender “Ube.” (Kevin Keith, vice president in charge of Kindle, said the company was shocked by the reaction to the match-colored Kindle released a few years ago—it accounted for more than 50% of device sales—so it’s no surprise Amazon continues to boost sales.)
A premium version of the standard Kindle is also available for the first time, featuring 32GB of storage and an aluminum back, also available in the same color scheme (including a sophisticated metallic graphite finish). This version costs $189.99 without lock screen ads, meaning you’re paying $20 more for twice the storage, which isn’t too bad in 2026.
Despite a more premium appearance and Amazon’s claims of a lighter (around 140g) and thinner (6.8mm) body, as well as “30% faster page turns,” the new Kindles aren’t all that different from the old ones, and I’m not complaining: nearly 20 years after its debut, the Kindle remains the gold standard among e-readers in many ways. While I’m a fan of competing devices of varying sizes or with open Android operating systems , on a hardware level, Amazon still leads the pack.
The updated Kindle e-readers (also available as a Kindle Kids edition with a one-year warranty, a free Kindle Kids+ subscription, and a colorful protective case for $179.99) are available to order today for immediate delivery.
The new Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft Signature models are made entirely of metal.
The aluminum design of the updated Kindle has also carried over to the more expensive Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft versions. The former is once again available with a textured plastic case, lock screen ads, and 16 GB of storage for $199.99 , or a “Signature Edition” with an aluminum back, no ads, and 32 GB of storage for $249.99 —though only the latter is available in the new Sea Glass color.
The Colorsoft Kindle e-reader is also available in two versions: the standard Colorsoft version, $289.99, offers 16GB of storage and a new design with a flat front panel. If you want an aluminum back panel, you’ll need to upgrade to the Signature Edition, $319.99 , which also has 32GB of storage and is available in a rich, reddish “Fig” color. Plus, all Colorsoft versions come with no lock screen ads.
Here’s the bad news: if you want one of the new Paperwhite or Colorsoft devices, you’ll have to wait. Pre-orders for these devices are now open, and shipping begins on October 28th. (Kindle Kids versions are also available for these devices.)
Accessories really offer something new (or something completely new).
As noted, despite all their advantages, the updated Kindles still look and feel a lot like the older models, especially when you’re fully immersed in reading. But the accessories the company also unveiled today offer something new, or at least a return to something familiar.
The page-turning cover turns your Paperwhite into an oasis.
While it’s been many years since Amazon sold a Kindle with physical page-turn buttons (goodbye, beloved Kindle Oasis), a new case, called the Page-Turn Cover by Amazon, has been released for the aluminum versions of the Paperwhite and Colorsoft. This case magnetically attaches to the devices, connecting to contacts on the back, and adds two page-turn buttons to one side of the device. Like magic, and with virtually no weight, the Page-Turn Cover makes your Kindle feel like it has real buttons again.
It’s an elegant solution to a niche problem—according to Amazon, only about 5% of readers are obsessed with physical buttons, so everyone can be happy with this… provided you don’t mind paying an extra $80 for a case for your $250-plus e-reader. The Page-Turn Cover (available in a variety of colors to match the new devices) goes on sale October 28th.
Finally, the Kindle supports a Bluetooth remote control.
Physical page-turning buttons don’t have to be attached to your device, as for the first time, the entire Kindle line now supports a Bluetooth remote control for turning pages with the press of a button, rather than tapping the screen (competing e-readers have supported similar remote controls for years , but Amazon has blocked this feature until now).
The idea behind these devices is to allow you to read a book without holding your Kindle, perhaps due to mobility issues, while running on a treadmill, or while cozying up under a blanket. The remote control, called the Kindle Click , costs $34.99 and will be available in November.
A charging dock for your new remote control.
Finally, Amazon is also releasing a new charging dock that allows you to stand your Paperwhite or Colorsoft upright, providing a more comfortable hands-free reading experience, especially when paired with the Click. The dock isn’t available for pre-order yet, but it will cost $59.99 .