Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: Amazon added color and finally got this e-reader right
As a passionate reader and technology enthusiast, I've always held a special place in my heart for Kindles. In the vast landscape of e-readers available today, Kindles generally stand out as the top choice for the majority of readers, offering a blend of reliability, user-friendliness, and access to a massive library. While I certainly appreciate competitors like Kobos for their unique strengths and innovations, the Kindle ecosystem often provides the most seamless experience for dedicated readers.
However, within the usually stellar Kindle lineup, there has been one product that, despite its potential, consistently fell short of expectations: the Kindle Scribe. I've had the opportunity to rigorously test the two previous versions of the Scribe. While they offered a decent reading experience and held the unique distinction of being the only Kindle devices with integrated writing capabilities, they never quite hit the mark. The earlier Scribes felt too large and cumbersome, their performance was often sluggish, and perhaps most critically, their price tag seemed disproportionate to the value they delivered. They were functional but lacked the "wow" factor or the refined experience that makes a device truly indispensable – until now.
The latest iteration, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, was initially announced in September 2025, building anticipation for what many hoped would be a significant overhaul. It finally made its way to consumers in December 2025. Having spent considerable time with the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, I can confidently say that my initial skepticism has been replaced by genuine delight. This new model is a true game-changer and, without exaggeration, the first Kindle Scribe that I can wholeheartedly recommend buying. It boasts remarkable improvements in speed, a brighter and more vibrant display, and offers an incredibly enjoyable experience for anyone looking to combine reading with active note-taking, journaling, or even casual doodling.
The enhancements are so substantial that they address nearly all the criticisms I had leveled against its predecessors. Yet, even with these impressive upgrades, there remains one significant hurdle that prevents it from being an absolute no-brainer purchase: It is still considerably expensive.
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft Price and Features
The 2025 Kindle Scribe Colorsoft marks a significant departure from its predecessors, featuring a thoughtful and comprehensive redesign. Amazon has clearly listened to user feedback, moving away from the somewhat clunky and space-consuming sidebar found on earlier models. The new design embraces a more narrow and sleek profile, giving the device a refined and modern aesthetic that is not only more pleasing to the eye but also improves handling and portability. This isn't just a cosmetic change; it contributes to a more focused and immersive user experience, making the large 11-inch display feel even more expansive for reading and writing.
Let's delve into the detailed specifications that define the 2025 Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, highlighting what each feature means for potential users:
11-inch Glare-Free Display: At the heart of the Scribe Colorsoft is its expansive 11-inch screen, which is designed to mimic the feel and look of real paper. The "glare-free" aspect is crucial, as it allows for comfortable reading even in bright sunlight, eliminating annoying reflections that plague traditional tablets. The display boasts up to 100 nits brightness, ensuring texts and images are clear and readable in various lighting conditions, from dimly lit rooms to bright outdoor settings. For black and white content, the resolution is a sharp 300 pixels per inch (ppi), delivering crisp text clarity that is on par with the best dedicated e-readers. Crucially, for color content, it offers 150 ppi resolution. While 150 ppi for color might seem lower than what you'd find on an LCD or OLED screen, it represents a standard for current color e-ink technology, providing a gentle, pastel-like color experience that is easy on the eyes, albeit not as vivid as tablet displays.
USB-C Charging Port with Excellent Battery Life: The inclusion of a USB-C charging port brings modern convenience, allowing for faster and more versatile charging with common cables. Battery performance is a standout feature for e-readers, and the Scribe Colorsoft excels here. It offers up to an impressive eight weeks of battery life when used primarily for reading, which means less time tethered to a charger and more uninterrupted reading pleasure. Even with its writing capabilities, the battery still lasts up to two weeks, a respectable duration for an e-ink tablet that supports active pen input. This balance ensures that whether you're a heavy reader or a frequent note-taker, the device will keep up with your demands.
32GB or 64GB Storage Options: Users have the choice between 32GB and 64GB of internal storage. For most readers, 32GB is more than sufficient to store thousands of books and a substantial number of notebooks. However, if you plan to keep a vast collection of annotated PDFs, graphic novels, or frequently create detailed notebooks, the 64GB option offers extra peace of mind, ensuring you never run out of space for your digital library and creations. This flexibility allows users to choose the model that best suits their specific needs and usage patterns.
Premium Pen Included: Unlike many tablets where a stylus is an additional, often expensive, accessory, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft comes with a premium pen included in the box. This is a significant value proposition. The pen is designed for a natural writing experience, offering pressure sensitivity and a comfortable grip. It seamlessly connects to the device, making it ready to use right out of the box for all your writing, drawing, and annotating needs. This ensures that users can immediately leverage the Scribe's unique capabilities without needing further purchases.
Google Drive and Microsoft One Integrations: Understanding the needs of modern productivity, especially for students and professionals, Amazon has wisely integrated support for Google Drive and Microsoft One. These integrations allow users to easily import documents, PDFs, and other files from their cloud storage directly onto the Scribe for reading and annotation. More importantly, it facilitates the export of notebooks and annotated documents back to these cloud services, creating a streamlined workflow. This feature transforms the Scribe from a mere e-reader into a powerful tool for academic study, professional review, and personal organization, allowing for seamless collaboration and access across devices.
Comes in Fig (Purple) or Graphite (Dark Gray): The Scribe Colorsoft is available in two sophisticated color options: "Fig," a subtle and elegant purple, and "Graphite," a classic and understated dark gray. These color choices offer a touch of personal style, moving beyond the traditional monochrome e-reader aesthetics. While primarily an aesthetic choice, it contributes to the overall premium feel of the device.
Not Waterproof: It's important to note one limitation: the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is not waterproof. While many smaller Kindles offer water resistance, the larger, more complex design of the Scribe, especially with its writing capabilities, does not include this feature. Users should exercise caution when using the device near water, such as at the beach, by the pool, or in the bathtub, to avoid accidental damage. This is a practical consideration for those who enjoy reading in diverse environments.
Classic Kindle Speed and a Redesigned Home Screen
One of the most frustrating aspects of previous Kindle Scribe models was their noticeable sluggishness compared to other Kindles. That performance gap has been entirely closed with the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. This latest iteration feels every bit as zippy and responsive as any top-tier Kindle, a crucial improvement for a device that juggles both reading and writing functions. Navigating through countless pages of a novel is smooth and effortless, with quick page turns that keep you immersed in your story. Switching between different books or documents is equally fluid, eliminating the frustrating lag that often broke concentration in earlier versions. While there's a slight, almost imperceptible slowdown when delving deep into detailed note-taking or intense doodling within the notebooks, it's a monumental improvement over previous models. The difference is so minimal that it barely registered during my extensive testing, marking a huge leap forward in overall user experience.
Beyond raw speed, Amazon has also made significant strides in refining the user interface of the new Scribe. Kindles have always been praised for their intuitive and user-friendly design, but the Scribe Colorsoft takes this a step further with a completely redesigned home screen. The most impactful change is the prominence given to notebooks. They are now front and center, easily accessible right from the main display. This thoughtful arrangement makes switching between various notebooks incredibly convenient and efficient. Imagine seamlessly transitioning from jotting down ideas in your personal journal to reviewing notes in a work planner, all with just a few taps. This streamlined access minimizes friction and maximizes productivity, especially for those who rely on the Scribe for multiple organizational tasks.
Furthermore, a brilliant feature for students, researchers, or anyone who frequently cross-references is the ability to integrate documents or books directly into your notebook section. This means you no longer have to jump back and forth between your main library and your dedicated notebook area to consult your readings while taking notes. The cohesive integration allows for a far more efficient workflow, keeping all your related materials organized and immediately available. It’s a small but powerful enhancement that drastically improves the device’s utility as a serious academic or professional tool.
The visual appeal of the device has also seen a dramatic improvement. The Scribe Colorsoft now incorporates a front light, which breathes new life into the display. This isn't just about reading in the dark; it fundamentally changes the aesthetics of the screen. Instead of the somewhat dull, muted gray background that characterized previous generations of e-ink displays, the new front light provides an actual, crisp white background. This makes text pop with greater contrast, making the reading experience more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. It gives the Scribe a more premium, modern feel, making it a joy to look at and interact with, even when the ambient light is perfectly sufficient.
It Conveniently Collects Notes
Another area where the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft truly shines is in its intelligent and highly organized system for collecting and managing notes. My testing period with the Scribe coincided perfectly with my enrollment in a challenging class that required extensive reading and active engagement with the material. This real-world scenario allowed me to put the Scribe's annotation features through their paces, and I was thoroughly impressed. I found myself annotating passages directly on the page, scribbling detailed notes in the ample margins, and making quick comments right alongside the text, just as I would with a physical textbook.
The true genius of the Scribe's note-taking system lies in how it meticulously gathers all these disparate annotations and comments into a single, easily navigable location. This centralized notes section provides an organized overview, allowing you to quickly scan through all your insights, highlights, and thoughts for an entire book or document. Each entry clearly shows your comment alongside a snippet of the original text it relates to, giving immediate context. Even better, with a simple tap, you can instantly jump back to the exact page where you made that note. This feature proved invaluable during class discussions. When a topic arose, I could swiftly pinpoint my relevant thoughts or a specific quote I wanted to reference, making my contributions more informed and timely. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for academic study, research, or anyone who needs to revisit their thoughts and findings within a text efficiently. This level of integration between reading and active recall elevates the Scribe beyond a simple e-reader to a robust learning and productivity companion.
Did Kindle Solve Ghosting?
One of the most persistent and widely criticized performance issues that has plagued every generation of the Kindle Scribe up until now is "ghosting." For those unfamiliar, ghosting is a phenomenon inherent to e-ink displays where faint traces or residual images of previous screens or actions linger on the display, creating subtle shadows or outlines. It's a common characteristic of e-readers in general, as the e-ink particles need to be refreshed to display new content. However, devices with writing capabilities are particularly susceptible to more pronounced ghosting due to the frequent, localized changes made by pen input and erasing.
In our previous reviews, the ghosting on earlier Kindle Scribes was quite egregious, often distracting and detracting from the overall user experience. This led to a degree of skepticism about whether Amazon could truly conquer this challenge with the latest model. To my pleasant surprise, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has made monumental strides in this area. When used primarily as an e-reader, for simply reading books or documents, ghosting is virtually nonexistent. The display remains clear and crisp, with no discernible lingering images from previous pages or menus. This is a significant achievement and puts the Colorsoft on par with the best dedicated e-readers in terms of display clarity.
However, when actively writing or drawing within the notebooks, some minor ghosting does still appear. This is most noticeable immediately after performing an erase action. You might see very faint remnants of what was previously written or drawn, even after it has been wiped away. Yet, even this residual ghosting is considerably mild compared to older models. Crucially, I found that these faint marks quickly disappeared as soon as the page was refreshed or I navigated away and then back to the page. This indicates a much more efficient and effective display refresh rate and management system. While not entirely eradicated during intensive writing tasks, the ghosting on the Scribe Colorsoft is no longer a significant or distracting issue, marking a vast improvement that greatly enhances the writing and drawing experience.
The technological advancements behind this improvement likely involve more sophisticated e-ink panel technology, optimized display controllers, and refined software algorithms that manage pixel updates and full-page refreshes more intelligently. By minimizing the appearance and persistence of ghosting, Amazon has addressed a core complaint, making the Scribe Colorsoft a much more polished and enjoyable device for its dual purpose.
Feeling Like Lady Whistledown When I Write
For anyone who has ever attempted to write or sign their name digitally using just a finger on a touchscreen, you know the result is often, well, terrible. The lines are wobbly, the handwriting unrecognizable, and the entire experience is far from satisfying. Thankfully, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft completely transforms this digital writing experience. With the included premium stylus, my handwriting on the Scribe truly looks better than it ever has on a digital device. It brings a level of precision and natural feel that makes writing enjoyable again.
The premium pen is a key component of this enhanced experience. It automatically connects to the Scribe, eliminating any setup hassle, and is designed to feel comfortable and balanced in the hand. The tip glides across the glare-free display with just the right amount of friction, mimicking the tactile sensation of writing on real paper. This physical feedback is crucial for control and legibility, making the act of writing feel intuitive and natural, rather than clumsy and artificial.
The Scribe Colorsoft offers a rich array of writing tools, providing five distinct pen styles to suit various needs and preferences. You can choose from a standard "pen" for everyday notes, a elegant "fountain pen" for a more sophisticated look, a bold "marker" for emphasis, a delicate "pencil" for sketching or lighter notes, and a "shader" which is perfect for illustrators or for highlighting broad areas. Each of these styles comes with adjustable width settings, allowing you to fine-tune the thickness of your lines, from razor-thin annotations to thick, prominent headings. And, thanks to the "Colorsoft" moniker, you can also select from a range of muted, pastel colors, adding a subtle visual hierarchy or artistic flair to your notes and drawings.
While I am certainly no artist, I can confidently judge the Scribe Colorsoft's performance based on its writing capabilities. On that front, it exceeds expectations, consistently making my handwriting appear neater, more consistent, and genuinely more beautiful than when I write on traditional paper or other digital devices. My personal favorite is the fountain pen setting. The way it renders strokes with a subtle variation in thickness, reminiscent of ink flowing from a real nib, evokes a sense of old-world charm. Using it, I truly feel like Lady Whistledown, crafting elegant prose with a refined quill, adding a touch of romance to my digital note-taking. This feeling of creative satisfaction and improved legibility makes the Scribe Colorsoft a delight for anyone who values the act of writing.
Where Does It Stand to Improve? The Color Resolution
While the emergence of color e-readers has been a welcome development, bringing a new dimension to the e-ink world, certain aspects of this technology are still in their early stages and have room for significant improvement. The primary area where the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, along with most other color e-readers currently on the market, faces a limitation is in its color resolution. Typically, the standard color resolution across these devices maxes out at 150 pixels per inch (ppi). This is precisely half the resolution offered for black and white content, which is a crisp 300 ppi. This disparity has a noticeable impact on the visual experience.
The direct consequence of this lower color resolution is that colors on the Scribe Colorsoft appear somewhat muted and, in certain instances, exhibit a degree of pixelation. Unlike the vibrant, saturated hues you would expect from a modern LCD or OLED tablet screen, the colors on e-ink devices like the Scribe are softer, more subdued, and closer to pastel shades. Images and graphics with complex color gradients or fine details can sometimes look a little less sharp than their black-and-white counterparts.
However, it's important to give credit where it's due: the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft performs remarkably well within the existing constraints of this color e-ink technology. Amazon's design team has made a clever choice by leaning into the strengths of the current e-ink capabilities. Instead of trying to force bright, punchy colors that would likely appear grainy or unsatisfying at 150 ppi, they have opted for a palette that skews heavily towards the pastel range. These softer, more subtle colors tend to look much better and more harmonious on the display than bolder, more saturated shades would. This thoughtful approach minimizes the perception of the lower resolution and creates a more aesthetically pleasing visual experience.
This strategic use of color is best exemplified by the device's lock-screen advertisements. In previous Kindle iterations, I rarely found Amazon's lock-screen images particularly impressive. However, on the Scribe Colorsoft, these images, with their carefully chosen pastel palettes, often appear delightful and even gorgeous. They demonstrate how effective design can leverage technological limitations to create a surprisingly beautiful outcome. Nevertheless, for the future, a significant leap in color ppi for e-ink displays would be a game-changer, allowing for more vivid and detailed color content without sacrificing the eye-friendly, paper-like qualities of e-ink.
It's Still Too Expensive
Typically, I consider Kindles to be exceptionally well-priced e-readers, offering fantastic value for money given their capabilities and access to Amazon's vast ecosystem. However, both the original Scribe and now the Scribe Colorsoft models stand out as exceptions to this rule. Unfortunately, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft continues this trend, launching with a starting price of $629.99. This places it firmly in the premium category of e-ink tablets, a price point that demands serious consideration from potential buyers.
To put this into perspective, the Scribe Colorsoft's price is on par with, or even exceeds, that of other high-end e-ink tablets on the market, such as the Remarkable Paper Pro. While the Remarkable e-ink tablet offers excellent color resolution at 229 ppi for both black-and-white and color content (which is better than the Scribe's 150 ppi color), it generally has a slightly worse black-and-white resolution compared to the Scribe's 300 ppi. This comparison highlights that while the Scribe Colorsoft is competitively priced within its specific niche of premium e-ink writing tablets, that niche itself is characterized by high costs.
There's no sugarcoating it: the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a significant investment. If your primary use case is simply reading digital books, then this device is undoubtedly overpriced. You can get an excellent, dedicated Kindle e-reader for a fraction of the cost, which will provide a superior pure reading experience without the added expense of writing capabilities you won't use. For casual readers, the premium features of the Scribe Colorsoft simply don't justify its hefty price tag.
However, the value proposition shifts dramatically if you are looking for more than just an e-reader. If you need a device that seamlessly combines a top-tier e-reader with a highly functional and enjoyable e-ink tablet for note-taking, annotating documents, sketching, or journaling, then the Scribe Colorsoft's price becomes more justifiable. In this specific context, it is priced competitively with other devices that offer similar dual functionalities. While we still maintain that the overall market price for such specialized e-ink tablets is quite high, the Scribe Colorsoft delivers a compelling feature set for that price.
Ultimately, the decision to purchase the Scribe Colorsoft hinges on your individual needs and budget. It is a powerful tool for students, academics, artists, and professionals who can integrate its unique blend of reading and writing into their daily workflow. For these users, the investment might be well worth it. For everyone else, its excellent features might not outweigh its considerable cost.
Should You Buy the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft?
After thoroughly testing the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, I can confidently conclude that if you are willing and able to absorb its premium price tag, this is undoubtedly the first Kindle Scribe truly worth purchasing. Amazon has meticulously addressed nearly all the shortcomings of its predecessors, transforming what was once a promising but flawed device into a genuinely impressive one. The redesigned build has resulted in a more compact and elegant tablet, with a wider screen that feels more comfortable and natural to hold for extended periods. This ergonomic improvement significantly enhances the overall user experience, making it a joy to interact with.
The addition of the front light is a visually stunning upgrade, providing a truer white background that makes text pop and colors (albeit pastel ones) appear much clearer. This not only enhances readability in all lighting conditions but also gives the device a more modern and premium aesthetic. Furthermore, Amazon has made substantial improvements to the Kindle Scribe's internal processing power. This boost in speed results in a remarkably faster e-reader that responds quickly to taps and gestures, seamlessly navigates between books and notebooks, and largely eliminates the frustrating lag that plagued earlier models. Crucially, the issue of ghosting, a persistent problem in previous Scribes, has been significantly mitigated, making for a much cleaner and more enjoyable display experience.
The writing experience itself is also a standout feature. The included premium pen, combined with the refined screen surface and versatile pen styles, makes digital note-taking and doodling feel surprisingly natural and satisfying. For students, professionals, or anyone who frequently annotates documents or organizes their thoughts digitally, the Scribe Colorsoft offers an unparalleled integrated experience that blends the best of e-reading with the utility of an e-ink tablet.
However, for those who find the price prohibitive, my advice is to hold out for a bit longer. While the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a fantastic device, it's still very new to the market and has yet to see any significant sales or discounts. E-readers, even premium ones, often see price adjustments during major shopping events. If it goes on sale during an upcoming event like Prime Day or Black Friday, its value proposition would improve dramatically, making it a far more attractive purchase than it is at its current full retail price. For now, if you're a serious reader and note-taker with the budget for a top-tier e-ink device, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is finally ready to meet your demands. If not, patience could be your best strategy to snag this impressive piece of technology at a better value.
from Mashable
-via DynaSage
