Why I’m Returning My Kindle Colorsoft After One Week

Last week I unboxed the Kindle Colorsoft, and at the time of writing this, I have had 8 days using it.

It’s been great getting to know this product and seeing whether I feel it is worth upgrading from my 11^th-Generation Kindle Paperwhite.

If you want to find out more about the Colorsoft, then we’ll be covering the technical details, my experiences, who I think it’s for, and my final verdict.

🛠️Technical Overview

Screen Size: 7-inch Kaleido 3 display, which adds an extra colour filter layer on top of the traditional black and white e-ink panel.

Battery Life: 8 weeks, and over the 8 days of testing the Colorsoft, it has lost 12%, which suggests this is an accurate reflection.

Price: $249.99, although keep an eye out for deals on Amazon, as the price was $179 on Prime Day recently.

Storage: The version I bought was 16GB, although this goes up to 32GB. On my 11^th-Generation Paperwhite, I have 8GB and despite a huge library, still have 5.61GB free.

Additional benefits: The Colorsoft is waterproof up to IPX8, so it’s safe to use in the pool or the bath.

💨My Experience Using the Colorsoft

Here are my key takeaways from a week with the Kindle Colorsoft:

1. The Colour: Having colour was an enjoyable addition to my experience, and this really stood out on Graphic Novels, which was something I haven’t enjoyed reading on my Paperwhite.
2. Battery Life: Over my week of testing, I am confident that this can stand up to 8 weeks of battery, and this feels like plenty, even against the 12 weeks on a Paperwhite.
3. The Speed: Compared to my 11^th-generation Kindle Paperwhite, the latest Colorsoft is noticeably faster and removes some of the clunky feeling I sometimes feel with my Paperwhite.
4. Screen Size: The Colorsoft is 0.2” larger than my Paperwhite, which might not sound huge, yet it manages to feel like an increase in screen size, without becoming any more awkward to hold.
5. Colour Highlighting: With the Colorsoft, when you make highlights on a book, you can select one of four colours for your highlight. With the Paperwhite, there is only one option.
6. Dark Mode Option: You can switch between a Light and Dark mode, which alters the background colour as you read.

🤷‍♂️Who I Think It’s For

I have been impressed by the Colorsoft, but I think that it really stands out as a product to the following users:

1.     First-time Kindle Users: If you are looking to enter the Kindle world, then this would be a great starting point.

2.     Upgrading Kindle Users: If you have an older Kindle which needs an update, and you like the idea of adding colour, then I think you would be happy with the upgrade to the Colorsoft.

3.     Graphic Novels/Recipe Book/Travel Guide Users: If you enjoy any of these three, then a Colorsoft may be the perfect companion for you as an e-reader.

👨‍⚖️My Personal View & Final Verdict

Although I have enjoyed the Colorsoft, there was something nagging at me over this week.

And that was the fact that I was convinced the Colorsoft felt slightly more “digital” in look than my Paperwhite. At first, I put this down to the Colorsoft being newer and possibly sleeker, but as it persisted, I looked up my thoughts and found that this is indeed a real challenge for the Colorsoft.

The Kaleido 3 display can create a slightly more digital look, against the “slightly crisper” appearance of text on a Paperwhite.

It is mainly for this reason that I decided to send my Colorsoft back. I still think the Colorsoft is a great product, but comparing it to an 11^th-Generation Paperwhite left me feeling the upgrade wasn’t right for me.

💭Closing Thoughts

As someone who was on the fence about adding colour to an e-reader, there is clearly a growing interest in these products.

Kobo launched its first colour e-reader in April 2024, and the first Colorsoft came out later that year, in October. The Colorsoft I tried was the latest 2025 edition, but that still feels relatively young in the life of these devices. 

I am sure there will be plenty of growth in the products available in colour, and I’m excited to see how this tech grows over time. But for now, I’m still a Paperwhite over a Colorsoft e-reader.

You can check out my full review on my YouTube channel below:

If you’re passionate about reading or want to discuss the subject of e-readers, I’d love to hear from you. So please drop me a message.

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