Much of Amazon’s experimentation in the Kindle line has generally led to bigger devices that are easier to read, but the Kindle Colorsoft is the first that ventures beyond a fully monochromatic viewing experience. Of course, that comes with a higher price tag than comparably sized Kindles, but if you’re a Prime member, you can finally save a bit. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition has dropped to $229.99 ($50 off) at Amazon in its first sale.

We feel the Kindle Colorsoft’s 7-inch display offers the best color available in an ebook reader yet, thanks to better-than-average vividity and contrast. It makes browsing and reading books more pleasant, if nothing else. But there are other improvements we like, such as faster page-turning performance and smoother zooming. Those benefits aren’t necessarily exclusive to the Colorsoft, however, as all of Amazon’s newer Kindles have achieved similar results, thanks to performance bumps and software updates. This includes the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite, which the Colorsoft takes its design cues from.

But like most newer Kindles, it’s still lacking physical page turn buttons. That’s a bit of a damper for something that costs considerably more and has a display that needs to be kept pristine. And while the color is great, the display’s maximum 300ppi resolution is halved when using it — something to keep in mind, especially if you already have trouble reading standard text sizes on the Kindle’s display at full resolution. Its advertised eight-week battery life also falls short of the 12 weeks you can squeeze out of the Paperwhite. That’s still plenty, though, and you have convenient charging options between USB-C and wireless (the latter requires a separately sold $39.99 dock).

Finally, before you decide whether to purchase one, it’s worth noting that early Kindle Colorsoft units suffered from a display issue that caused yellow discoloration. Amazon says it has since addressed the issue with a combination of hardware and software tweaks. It even halted shipments temporarily while it investigated the issue and has allowed buyers to refund or replace their devices. If you buy one and happen to encounter the defect, Amazon should provide a remedy without much fuss.