I Never Travel Without My Kindle, and Amazon’s Discounted eReaders Are Ideal Christmas Gifts

Having traveled extensively with a laptop—sometimes those sleek, 14-inch models decked out with dazzling OLED screens—I’m still not inclined to read entire novels on them. Instead, my trusty Kindle Paperwhite always finds a spot in my bag. This little device, with its impressive battery life, keeps ticking for months without needing a charge, ensuring I never face the dreaded ‘low battery’ alert at an inopportune moment.

Amazon isn’t resting on its laurels with these eReaders. They’ve boosted the battery life on the 7-inch Paperwhite to around 12 weeks. Meanwhile, even the 6-inch ‘New Kindle’ comfortably lasts up to 6 weeks.

Currently, you can snag the latest Kindle Paperwhite for $129.99 on Amazon, which is slightly higher than the ‘New Kindle’ at $84.99. Nevertheless, the Paperwhite remains my top pick. With a 25% faster page-turning speed, it addresses one of the lingering complaints from earlier models. If eReaders are uncharted territory for you, there’s no better time to dive in. Amazon is tempting newcomers with a 3-month free trial of Kindle Unlimited, offering instant access to over 4 million books, alongside magazines, comics, and audiobooks.

🔥 The hottest Black Friday deals 🔥

Microsoft could learn a thing or two from Amazon

Amazon’s Kindle Scribe, though often overshadowed by the more book-focused models, brings a fresh perspective to note-taking with its E-ink touchscreen akin to the Paperwhite. As our Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Rubino, put it: "The Scribe has revolutionized my work tasks. It’s the tech I would have died for during graduate school, offering features that any student or professional would find invaluable."

If you’re pondering whether to jump on the Kindle bandwagon this Black Friday, consider trying out the Amazon Kindle desktop app on a Windows device. It’s free, and there are numerous free books to explore in the Kindle store. This experience closely mirrors using a physical Kindle.

What sets a Kindle apart, especially the Paperwhite, is its unmatched battery longevity, stepping into a league of its own compared to any Windows laptop. Even devices like the Surface Pro 11 don’t quite match this. Yet, Surfaces offer a suite of functions beyond what Amazon’s eReaders can provide.

Trying the Kindle app comes with zero risk, and if you decide to purchase, I’d recommend the Kindle Paperwhite at $129.99. It’s a beloved travel companion for myself and my fiancée, with its astonishingly durable battery erasing any worries of it dying mid-vacation.

Waiting for Cyber Monday probably won’t benefit you here, as it’s unlikely anyone will offer a better deal than Amazon on its own gear. Plus, if you have an older eReader, trading it in could nab you an extra 20% discount on the already reduced price. So, if you’re feeling the urge to upgrade, go ahead—you likely won’t regret it.

🍁 More great Black Friday deals 🦃

Here’s where else you can find awesome savings:

• Best Buy: Great deals on games, accessories, and more
• Walmart: Early discounts across the board
• Target: Ongoing deals on a wide variety of items
• Dell: Savings on laptops, gaming PCs, and more
• HP: Big discounts on computers and accessories
• Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on Lenovo products
• Newegg: Deals on PC gaming gear
• Razer: Free shipping for a limited time
• Samsung: Holiday deals on electronics are live
• Amazon: Continually rotating deals on just about everything.