Every book-loving girl faces 3 problems: not enough room to store your books, not enough time to read all of your books, and wanting to read in peace without feeling judged for what you’re choosing to read.
The Kindle Colorsoft solves 2 of those 3 problems.
If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know I like to test things for a good long while before I give you my first review. And most products get an updated review annually, so you know if your initial investment will actually hold up long term.
Since we’ve officially moved past our 1-year mark of owning and using the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, it’s time for me to share my 2 cents.
*This product was purchased by me. Not gifted.
Why Buy A Kindle Colorsoft?
Now there are loads of reasons to buy a Kindle ColorSoft, but for me, the standout points in owning it have been having graphics (mainly maps in books) in color, the option to highlight in color, and being able to see all of the book covers with the original designs & colors.
I can’t say that I use this for comic books or magazines.
That being said, I felt like being able to open my Kindle and see all of my books in color feels a bit like having a true mini home library on the go.
I browse my shelves and the Kindle store (more often than not judging a book by its cover). And it works for me. I do love reading a book for the vibes, and those often start with the cover art.
What Are The Specs For The Kindle Colorsoft?
7″ glare-free color display
16 GB memory (for standard)
32 GB memory (Signature Edition)
Up to 8 Weeks of battery life
Fully charges in under 2.5 hours
What Are The Best Features Of The Kindle Colorsoft?
As someone who reads mainly novels, there are a few features I reach for the most.
Highlighting – I have a BA in English. I can only imagine how much easier it would have been with a Kindle in my life to manage all my reading. I enjoy highlighting passages I want to reference (or maybe quote in content later) as well as new words I’d like to use when I write.
The benefit of highlighting is that with the Colorsoft you have the option to change the color of the highlight you use. But you can also just view your highlights if you need to quick reference.
Defining Words – This is one of my favorite features of the Kindle in general. It means I can easily keep up when I’m reading if I’m unfamiliar with a word. Ali Hazelwood loves a 50 pt Scrabble word and my kindle helps me make sure I know what’s happening, even if I’m in science romance territory.
This feature only works if you’re on wifi. But to be honest, I didn’t realize how much I relied on it until we started Classic Book Club and I tried to read via paperback.
Maps In Color & Better Graphics – My previous Kindle was almost a decade old when I decided to upgrade, so there were little things I was looking forward to having with the Colorsoft. Certain things like text bubbles in books or little graphics that separate chapters, didn’t quite translate on the ancient device.
I certainly appreciate having the maps in color or being able to see the text bubbles properly when they’ve been added to a book. It’s by no means life changing if you’re already using a newer kindle device. It was also a welcome upgrade for me.
How Does The Audiobook Feature On Kindle Colorsoft Work?
If you’re someone who likes to listen and read at the same time, don’t get too excited.
Given that this isn’t a feature I use often (but could see myself using), I made sure to test out what I hoped would be the obvious benefit of putting audiobooks on a reading device: being able to listen and read at the same time.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Here’s what you need to know. If you own a audiobook via Audible, it will automatically appear in your library. You can’t “listen” without bluetooth headphones. And the volume control can be found where you adjust your brightness settings.
If you own both a kindle version of a book and the audio version, you can swap back and forth via the icon in the bottom right corner (book or headphones). You’ll see the opposite of whatever you’re using at the time (as long as you’ve also downloaded the audible version).
You do have the option to increase the speed, easily choose chapters, and skip ahead. But if you’re someone who likes to read and listen at the same time, you’ll still need two devices to do it.
Is It Waterproof?
They are very specific specs on this as always, because “waterproof” doesn’t mean it can’t be damaged by water. But the basics cover 2 meters of water for up to 60 minutes of immersion. So if you accidentally drop it in the tub while reading, there’s a solid chance it will still be okay.
How Do I Know If I Need A Kindle Colorsoft In My Life?
While we are a year into the Colorsoft being in the world, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed mine. But also paid attention to other readers and their opinions on the Colorsoft vs the Paperwhite. At the end of the day, I think it always comes down to what you need, what you’re already using, and what feels comfortable financially.
I upgraded when my beloved and ancient kindle started skipping page, making it impossible to read anything in the right order. For me, this was a much needed upgrade.
If you’ve got a newer model, say from the last 3 years, you may not find that it’s not much more magical.
I’ve read a lot of the reviews that have suggested issues with things like the screen yellowing or someone who found the screen was leaving an imprint so the previous graphics were overlaying when she went to read.
I have not had any of these issues.
At the end of the day, it’s been incredibly worth it for me (minus a few hiccups which we will chat through in a moment). A reminder, I have the Colorsoft Signature Edition, and I believe these issues were for people with the Colorsoft.
What, If Any Issues, Have You Had With The Kindle Colorsoft?
There are two things that can be a bit annoying for me when using my colorsoft. And I think these are more so issues for me than a general issue.
Sometimes the screen is too sensitive. And sometimes connecting to wifi is difficult.
I use a lot of electronic devices doing this job. I swap between an ipad, iphone, 2 different cameras, a laptop and my Kindle on any given day. So it’s easy to forget how to use things or need to readjust to the different touch screens.
For the Kindle, if you press too hard on the edges, you can accidentally flip the page. It can take me a few tries to remember where to tap on the screen to pull up the brightness, bookmark or exit settings. But pressing too hard is a user error that annoys me while also being manageable.
However, the wifi thing does occasionally drive me crazy. I don’t use my Kindle to read every week but I would say it happens often enough it’s a notable struggle. Usually, restarting my kindle fixes it. Or swapping to another wifi.
I’ve been known to use the hotspot wifi on my phone to download books after Hurricane Michael when internet was non-existent.
Typically the issue doesn’t last long and it’s easy enough to fix. But it’s worth noting if you’re someone who would be bothered by this.
How Long Does The Battery Last If You’re Reading Consistently?
If you’re having a readathon weekend, one charge will likely hold you. I say likely because if you’re going away with the girls for a book weekend, I would hate to guarantee and you not have packed the charger only to have your book die right at the plot twist.
So you know, pack a charger just in case.
If you’re reading for an hour or two before bed every night, you’ll definitely get a few weeks out of one charge.
Why Should I Buy A Kindle Colorsoft or Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition?
I didn’t actually realize I owned the signature edition until writing this post. But I will say based on the reviews, the basic Colorsoft has a higher overall review. Possibly because it’s been purchased by more people and therefore has more opportunities to rate righter.
I do believe that there was only one option when the Colorsoft came out that I can recall. So hopefully any issues found with the Signature Edition were solved for the Colorsoft version.
Based on what I can tell, there are two things that will most likely be your deciding factors: do you want to spend more and do you want more memory?
Do I Need A Case? And Where Do I Buy One?
It’s been a year so most places have updated their descriptions to say that their cases fit the colorsoft. But most paperwhite cases also work for this device. I ordered mine via Etsy. However, I would focus on the features you want on the case and then find the design.
I used a popsocket on the last Kindle. It was lovely, but it left my screen unprotected. So, I eventually ended up with a small hole in it. This time I opted for a cute cover that has a front magnet. But it’s not my favorite to hold in my hand for a long time.
I would suggest something that has a magnet lock on the back and a handle in the middle of the screen. Otherwise, it looks a lot like how you hold your phone towards the bottom of your right hand. Which is fine but after a while it starts hurting.
Overall, I can say after a year of use I do really love having the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. While I don’t know what sales are coming up for Black Friday, I suspect it’s likely that there will be a discount. But in general, having a Kindle has been a lovely experience for me.
If you want to know what I’m currently reading, feel free to come hang out with me on IG stories. I share as I go with mini reviews on books when it suits. Or subscribe to the newsletter for my next reading round up. Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
