Kindle Oasis Review
Amazon just released its new Kindle Oasis, which promises to be the best, lightest, and thinnest Kindle ever made. Here’s our Kindle Oasis review.
What Is The Kindle Oasis?
The Kindle Oasis is the latest installment in the lineup of Kindle e-readers from Amazon. Like all new Kindles that came before it, the Oasis promises to be the lightest, thinnest, and best Oasis to date. It’s also the most expensive one yet released, priced at $290.
The 8th generation Kindle is the third version of the Kindle that comes with built-in backlighting. Today, the original Kindle with no backlighting can be purchased for around $60, while all other Kindles are under $200. So the $290 price tag on the Kindle Oasis is a significant premium.
The Oasis launched on June 1, 2016 and promises to be “unlike any Kindle you’ve ever held.” Amazon claims to have made specific improvements in battery life (longest battery life ever) and better reading performance in direct sunlight.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the features in the Kindle Oasis.
Kindle Oasis Features
The Kindle Oasis comes with all of the following features:
-Thinnest and lightest Kindle ever. It’s 20% lighter and 30% thinner on average than any other Kindle, with a handgrip that tapers to an “ultrathin” 0.13” display so you can read comfortably for hours.
-Enhanced light cover glass. The Kindle Oasis uses the strongest cover glass and a featherweight frame infused with metal “using structural electroplating” to ensure it’s as lightweight as possible while still remaining strong enough to take anywhere.
-Ergonomic design. The Oasis has an ergonomic handgrip designed to shift the center of gravity to your palm so that it rests in your hand like the palm of a book. As a result, it’s “perfectly balanced for one-handed reading.”
-Multiple turning options. You can turn the page with either the touch display or dedicated page turn buttons found on the front of the handgrip, making it easy to turn pages whether you’re using your left or right hand to hold the Kindle.
-High resolution. The Oasis is the highest resolution Kindle ever released. It uses the same 6” display as the Kindle Voyage, but has 60% more LEDs and a 300ppi pixel density (that’s actually the same pixel density as the Paperwhite and Voyage).
-Dual battery charging system for long battery life. Charge the device and cover at the same time while snapped together and plugged in. When you’re on the go, the cover will recharge the device, giving you “months of combined battery life”. There’s also a new hibernation mode to minimize power consumption.
-Leather cover. Your $290 price tag for the Kindle Oasis includes a premium leather cover made from high-quality leather. It’s available in black, merlot, or walnut varieties.
-Built-in lighting. The Kindle Oasis has more LEDs than any other Kindle. It has 10 LEDs, while the Voyage has 6 LEDs.
The most noticeable feature on the Kindle Oasis is its ergonomic handgrip. Other Kindles have tried to make the bezel around the edge of the display disappear to make it seem like you’re reading a piece of paper. With the Kindle Oasis, the handgrip adds some new thickness to the device while giving you an easy way to hold onto your Oasis.
It’s also important to note that the Kindle Oasis is not waterproof, despite early rumors stating that it could be waterproof. That’s important, because the latest Nook is waterproof. So if you plan on going to the beach or pool with your e-reader, then the Kindle Oasis may not be the best option.
The Kindle Oasis is also the first e-reader to come with its own mandatory leather battery cover. Previously, Kindle e-readers just came with an option to purchase a cover as an accessory. The leather comes in three colors, including brown, black, and red. That leather cover is very good-looking. It has the same leather-look of an old book. An Amazon logo is engraved into the front and it feels sleek to the touch.
If you consider the cost of a leather cover could be $60 or $70, then it’s not unreasonable to see the cost of the Kindle Oasis as like a Kindle Voyage ($200) with a premium leather cover added on. The tech specs, aside from the ergonomic handgrip, aren’t that different.
Despite early rumors stating that the Kindle Oasis would last for 20 months of standby time, it doesn’t appear that’s the case. However, the Kindle Oasis will last for “months” on its hibernation mode. Amazon also claims it will last for about 8 weeks when you’re reading 30 minutes a day.
Kindle Oasis Tech Specs
The Kindle Oasis comes with all of the following tech specs:
-Display: 6” Paperwhite display with E Ink Carta and 10 built-in LED lights, 300 ppi, 16-level gray scale
-Size: 5.6″ x 4.8″ x 0.13-0.33″ (143 mm x 122 mm x 3.4-8.5 mm) Cover: 5.7” x 4.9” x 0.07-0.18” (144 mm x 125 mm x 1.9-4.6 mm)
-Weight: Wi-Fi: 4.6 oz (131 g); Wi-Fi + 3G: 4.7 oz (133 g); Cover: 3.8 oz (107 g)
-System Requirements: None. You don’t need a computer to download anything onto your Oasis. It does everything via Wi-Fi or 3G.
-Storage: 4GB (enough to hold “thousands of books”)
-Battery: A single charge with cover will last up to 8 weeks, based on 30 minutes of reading per day with wireless off and the light set to 10.
-Charging: Fully charges in less than 3 hours from a computer via USB cable.
Should You Buy the Kindle Oasis?
Ultimately, all of these features make the Kindle Oasis a Kindle for those who need a premium e-reader option. If you’ve liked the idea of previous Kindles, but never got around to buying one, then the Kindle Oasis may be the high-end solution you need to jump into the e-reader industry.
If, however, you already own one of the nicer Kindles – like a Paperwhite or a Voyage – then there’s not a big incentive to buy the Oasis. Unless you really like the leather cover and new ergonomic hand grip.
Of course, some people may not like the lack of waterproofing on the Oasis – something we see on other competitors like the new Nook. And some may not like the fact that the leather cover is included in all purchases whether you like it or not.
However, if you don’t mind the $290 price tag, then you’re getting an excellent device with the Kindle Oasis. It’s the best Kindle made and the leather cover (which also comes with its own built-in charger) makes it feel like an even more premium option.