Amazon Kindle Oasis 2017 Review: Delivers a truly new Kindle Experience

Design

Amazon Kindle Oasis 2 yet again looks unique and different from all the Kindle models. The device features a very slim lopsided design. The device tapers off to a thin 3.4-millimeter edge below the 7-inch 300 ppi display but has a thicker side or a bulge as well which makes it easy to grip with one hand. This is also where the battery and other internals reside.

Apart from that the device comes with an aluminum back which gives it a sturdy and premium feel. Up front the screen sits to one side, next to a pair of physical page-turning buttons.

We must say that the design could take some getting used to especially for more traditional Kindle model users. There are noticeable bezels around the display and it kind of makes it awkward to hold with two hands. But the device is completely comfortable and well balanced for one-handed reading.

There is also an adaptive front light an the Kindle Oasis automatically adjusts the brightness of the display based on the surroundings-whether you're in a dimly lit room or outside in the sun-the device can be fine-tuned even further based on personal preferences.

All in all, the design feels much cleaner and classier, but some issues remain like it is colder, and much harsher compared to the previous models. Kindle Oasis 2 also does not feature a headphone jack or speaker. Bluetooth headphone or speaker is a must. Pairing a Bluetooth device was straightforward.

Added Features

Interestingly, Amazon has added water-resistance to the Oasis' list of new features. Kindle Oasis (2017) comes with an IPX8 rating meaning it can easily survive being submerged in water for two hours.

Alongside the waterproofing feature, the new Oasis (2017) also includes support for Audible - the Amazon-owned audiobook store. With the Kindle previously purchased audiobooks will show up alongside the regular books. And if you own both a Kindle book and the Audible audiobook then they'll appear up as one. We could switch between the two with the tap of the button. Indeed the feature works as advertised. But we must say that buying both versions of the book will be costly.

New users to Audible can access the same thing via web browser. The service offers both straight-up purchases and monthly subscriptions. Well, Water-resistance and Audible integration have been two of the biggest features missing from previous Kindles, so their additions here instantly make the new Oasis an interesting proposition.

The good thing about this new device is that there are more options than ever before to personalize ideal reading settings with font sizes, additional boldness levels, left-aligned (ragged right) text, and new accessibility features. Talking abou accessibility, the device offers a feature easily export notes and highlights from a book to an e-mail in a printable PDF or a normal file format.

Reading Experience

The reading experience was quite good and seamless. The device Page Flip feature makes it easy to find pictures, charts, maps and even notes and highlights from different parts of a book. Generally if your have used a Kindle before you swipe to other pages or zoom out to see page thumbnails.

However Page Flip feature automatically saves the page you're reading, pinning it to the side of your screen so you'll never lose your place. This was quite useful whenever we wanted to get back to reading. The fonts have been hand-tuned at the pixel level for maximum readability.

Further the new Kindle is lighter than a paperback thus it is easy to hold in one hand. While Kindle is purpose-built for reading we felt that the device does create a sanctuary so a user can lose themself in a book. And one more thing we should add, unlike tablets and phones, Kindle doesn't distract users with social media, emails, and text messages.

Software Experience

In terms of the software there are hardly any new. As far as we can tell very little has changed compared to the previous iterations. Kindle Oasis 2 displays the same basic user interface. The good thing though unlike other Amazon products like the Fire TV you won't see many adverts on the device. Users are only recommended other reads which is okay. Besides it is only possible to download books from the Kindle store.

Battery

With the Kindle Oasis 2, Amazon has stated that the device offers 6 weeks of use but exactly pin pointing the battery life was kind of a difficult task. Using the device for about six days continuously for few hours the battery life went by down by 18 percent.

The drainage of battery while reading was fine but the battery life went down quicker in terms of audiobooks. This could be attributed to the use of Bluetooth headphones. But, again it still offered a long battery life compared to other devices such as smartphone in general.

The not so good part about the device is that it ships only with a cable, which does seem a little tight for a device costing upwards of £200. Amazon has also stuck with micro-USB, rather than switching to the now more common USB Type-C. This is hardly surprising, however: Amazon hasn't converted to USB-C yet with any of its products.

Nevertheless, for a product that's unlikely to see an update for a few years yet, it's disappointing.

Verdict

And finally, we must say that Amazon has made lots of little improvements with the Oasis. Kindle Oasis 2017 with new features is a more desirable product over its predecessors. With adaptive display, fonts customization ability, built for Audio Books via Audiable, IPXcertified, larger display, the device could be the ebook reader you've been waiting for.

However the only downside is that the device comes with a premium price tag. With a starting price of Rs. 21,999 attached to it, the Kindle Oasis might just not be able to receive applaud-able remarks in India, as the price-to-performance ratio stands quite clear and unbalanced for smart Indian consumers.

The new Kindle Oasis is priced at Rs. 21,999 for the 8GB model and Rs. 28,999 for the 32GB model (Wi-Fi + free 3G). The only positive side we see here is that the new Oasis sets itself apart from the Paperwhite quite marginally and this at least make it an easier sell than the previous models.