Kindle Showdown: Paperwhite 4 vs. Oasis 3 – Which is Best for You?
Amazon currently offers three Kindle models in its lineup: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Oasis. In this Kindle comparison, we’ll explore whether you should choose the Paperwhite 4 or the Oasis 3.
If price is your only consideration, the choice is straightforward: the Paperwhite is available in its most affordable version for 120 euros, while the Oasis starts at 230 euros.
If price isn’t the deciding factor and you simply want the best value for your money, the decision becomes a bit more complicated. Whether the Paperwhite or the Oasis is the better choice for you ultimately depends on your personal requirements.
Below, we’ll directly compare the two current devices (as of November 2019) and highlight the most important differences in terms of casing and craftsmanship, features, software, display, and price-performance ratio.
Casing and Craftsmanship
The differences in casing are immediately apparent, but it’s not so easy to say which is better.
Different design: Kindle Paperwhite 4 (left) vs. Kindle Oasis 3 (right)
Kindle Paperwhite: Traditionally Good
The Kindle Paperwhite 4 features a traditional design, similar to what you find in smartphones and tablets. The bezels around the screen are relatively narrow, and there are no physical buttons.
The front is flat and has a seamless surface. Apart from the power button, the Paperwhite does not have any buttons. Both the craftsmanship and the haptic feedback are excellent. The e-reader feels high-quality and sturdy in the hand.
New Kindle logo and flat front on the Paperwhite 4
Thanks to its light weight of only 182 grams, the device remains comfortable to hold even during long reading sessions.
The Kindle Oasis 3 features an unusual, asymmetrical design. The screen is not centered within the casing; instead, the grip area or grip bar is located on the side of the screen.
There are two navigation buttons on the grip bar. These are real, physical buttons that are easy to locate even in the dark. The tactile feedback is excellent, making operation extremely effortless.
Navigation buttons for added comfort
The casing is asymmetrical not only on the front but also on the back. The Oasis is thicker on the grip side, shifting the weight in that direction. Because the back tapers off with a distinct contour, you can securely hold the e-reader at that spot.
The front, aside from the two navigation buttons, is also flat. The back is made of aluminum, which gives the Oasis 3 a particularly premium feel. The build quality is flawless.
At a weight of 188 grams, the Kindle Oasis also sits comfortably in the hand.
The back of the Oasis 3 is made of aluminum
An interesting detail: While the new Kindle logo is placed below the display on the Paperwhite, the Oasis does not have a Kindle logo on the front. Only the Amazon logo can be found on the back.
Handling in Comparison
In summary, both devices are excellently crafted and feel great in the hand. The Kindle Paperwhite does not need to hide, despite its much lower price.
However, thanks to its unique design and choice of materials, the Kindle Oasis appears to surpass the Paperwhite in almost every area. The Oasis 3 feels more premium and offers a superior tactile experience. In addition, the navigation buttons provide extra user comfort.
In my opinion, the Paperwhite is still more pleasant to hold, as its edges are more rounded.
Features
The differences in features between the two Kindles are relatively minor.
You can choose between models with varying internal storage capacities, and optionally with built-in cellular connectivity. In both cases, the storage is not expandable.
The optional 4G connectivity is limited to browsing the Kindle Store and downloading eBooks. Audiobooks cannot be downloaded via cellular—this function is only available over Wi-Fi.
Audiobooks can be played on both devices via Bluetooth, but only Audible is supported as a source; MP3 files are not playable.
Both the Kindle Paperwhite and the Oasis are water-resistant to the IPX8 standard. Both e-readers can survive submersion in fresh water for up to 60 minutes at a depth of up to 2 meters. If you handle the device with wet hands after a dip in the pool, there is no need for concern.
Advantages of the Kindle Oasis 3
Additionally, the Oasis 3 is equipped with an accelerometer that detects the device’s orientation and automatically rotates the screen display. This allows you to turn the e-reader 180 degrees to hold it in your left hand, and the display will automatically adjust. On the Paperwhite, this feature is not required due to its symmetrical design.
The Kindle Oasis also includes built-in brightness sensors for automatic adjustment of screen brightness. This works surprisingly well and adds noticeable convenience. This feature is not found on the Paperwhite, where you must always adjust brightness manually—although, to be fair, this is not a major drawback.
Screensaver with ads on the Paperwhite (left) and ad-free on the Oasis (right)
An important difference in features concerns special offers. Amazon refers to these as optional integrated ad displays on the sleep screen (when the device is off) and the home screen. These ads typically promote Kindle accessories, new book releases, or eBook offers.
The Kindle Paperwhite, in its cheapest version, includes these by default, while the Kindle Oasis is sold exclusively without special offers. The ads can be removed after purchase. If you wish to buy the Paperwhite ad-free from the start, it will cost you an additional 20 euros.
Overall, both devices offer a solid array of basic features that can be customized via different options. However, the Kindle Oasis 3 generally stands out as the superior device due to its ad-free experience and more refined solutions.
Software
When it comes to software, there are no significant differences between the Oasis and the Paperwhite. Although the Kindle Oasis 3 offers a larger screen, the range of functions is essentially the same.
The main differences are the result of previously mentioned hardware differences. For example, on the Oasis, you can disable touch input on the screen, allowing you to turn pages exclusively with the physical buttons. This may sound like a small detail but provides a significant increase in comfort, letting you rest your fingers on the screen without accidentally triggering any actions.
Aside from that, you enjoy the same user-friendly experience. Kindle devices are easy to operate, so even those unfamiliar with technology can quickly get started.
Both models offer an optional parental control feature. However, there is no dedicated Kids Edition available, unlike the base-level Kindle.
It is important to note: ePub files (the standard format in many other eBook stores) are not supported on Kindle devices. In addition, library lending services cannot be accessed. Amazon uses its own file formats and services.
Display
The displays of both devices may seem similar at first glance, but there are actually several distinctions.
The Kindle Paperwhite 4 is equipped with a 6-inch display, whereas the Kindle Oasis 3 features a larger 7-inch screen. The difference is immediately noticeable in direct comparison, but not especially prominent on its own.
Both use E-Ink Carta technology with a pixel density of 300 ppi. Text and icons appear equally crisp and high-contrast on both models.
Both with Uniform Lighting
The Paperwhite’s display is illuminated from below using 5 LEDs. The Oasis, on the other hand, uses 25 LEDs positioned along the grip bar to provide backlighting.
Very good illumination quality on both devices. The Oasis is slightly brighter, and the lighting is more neutral even without the night light.
The illumination quality is excellent on both devices. Despite the lateral lighting, the Oasis offers superb uniformity—a quality often lacking in competitors with similar designs. Light halos are only faintly visible and not distracting. During testing, neither of our Oasis devices showed annoying brightness or color gradients to the naked eye.
That said, the Kindle Paperwhite 4 is also well-illuminated. Despite having fewer LEDs, there is no compromise in quality. Like the more expensive model, the Paperwhite does not display any obvious color or brightness gradients, nor are there visible shadows. It is currently the most evenly illuminated device in the 6-inch category.
Oasis with Night Light Advantage
The biggest display difference has yet to be mentioned: the Kindle Oasis features blue light-reduced illumination. This function can be continuously adjusted. The large number of LEDs is largely due to this feature: 13 cool-white and 12 warm-white LEDs are integrated into the housing.
This blue light reduction is designed to make evening reading more comfortable. The light color becomes yellowish-orange, which may feel unusual at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll notice a real reduction in eye strain.
Adjustable color temperature on the Oasis (right)
Moreover, after a short reading session, the orange light no longer appears so orange; it actually starts to look more neutral. You adapt to it quickly. If you suddenly disable the night light while reading, the cool-white light feels distinctly uncomfortable by comparison.
The Kindle Paperwhite 4 does not offer this night light function. The Oasis 3 is presently the only Kindle e-reader to include blue light reduction.
Price-Performance Ratio
Even though the Kindle Oasis offers several noteworthy benefits, it still cannot match the Paperwhite in terms of price-performance ratio.
With the Paperwhite, available for a suggested retail price of 120 euros, you simply get more for your money. The Oasis’s 110-euro markup nearly doubles the price, so you should carefully consider whether you’d rather invest that amount in eBooks or a suitable cover instead.
This does not mean the Oasis has a poor price-performance ratio—it still presents good value for your money. However, the Paperwhite delivers a somewhat better balance overall.
Conclusion of the Kindle Comparison
As you can see from the previous sections, both e-readers are excellent choices.
I can recommend both devices with confidence, as you can hardly go wrong with either.
However, the question of whether to buy the Kindle Paperwhite or the Kindle Oasis is not entirely straightforward. Considering the following two questions should help you decide:
- Can you do without blue light reduction and a larger screen? If so, choose the Paperwhite. While the Oasis’s otherwise improved features and distinctive design are compelling, they alone do not justify the nearly 100% increase in price.
- Are you looking for the best overall package? If so, go for the Kindle Oasis. Features like blue light reduction and navigation buttons promise years of enjoyable reading, with little to tempt you to upgrade when new models are released. For the Kindle Paperwhite, the absence of a night light is certainly the biggest shortcoming in comparison.
In closing, I’d like to share a few thoughts from my own experience as an e-reader enthusiast since 2007, in the days before built-in lighting. The introduction of integrated LEDs marked a significant evolution, dramatically increasing reading comfort—especially in the evening, but even during daytime reading as well.
The Paperwhite is already a very good device. The extra cost for the Kindle Oasis is still worth it.
With the addition of blue light-reduced LEDs, comfort has improved even further. From personal experience, I can truly say that the ability to adjust the color temperature in the evening is well worth it and gentler on the eyes.
Just as I no longer use e-readers without screen lighting, I also avoid reading devices without blue light reduction. The more frequently you read at night, the more I recommend choosing a device with this feature set.
Therefore, I recommend the Kindle Oasis 3 to anyone willing to pay the higher price. In my opinion, it is worth the investment.
