Amazon Kindle Oasis (2017) review

Verdict

This version of the Kindle Oasis was at one stage the best ereader on the market right now, but it came at a price. Now the price is a bit lower, it's easier to recommend but it's still an expensive choice.

Whether you need some of the top-end features offered here is down to personal preference, but if you’re planning to read on your Kindle for a long time most days it may be worth the investment.

With audiobooks, a waterproof design and a great battery life, on top of the already-strong standard Kindle features, it’s hard to fault the Kindle Oasis apart from that high price.

Who’s it for?

The Kindle Oasis is only for those who read lots of ebooks. If you’re set to be reading a lot on a daily commute, we’d recommend getting this as your next ereader.

It’s really useful to be able to listen to audiobooks while you’re walking, and then swap over to the ebook when you board your train or bus and pick up where you left off.

You don’t need the Oasis, though, if you’re just planning to read the odd book – we’d only recommend this for true ebookworms.

Should you buy it?

We love the Kindle Oasis, as it’s the best at what it sets out to do, but you always need to bear that price in mind, and it may not be the Kindle for you because of that.

Amazon also offers the Voyage, Paperwhite and basic Kindle at a range of price points, and one of those is likely to offer the exact features you’re looking for.

But if a waterproof design, audiobooks and an attractive design appeal to you, the Kindle Oasis is the best option for you right now, and it makes a lot of sense to invest in one over some of the cheaper products.

Perhaps the number one thing to bear in mind is that the Kindle Oasis offers the most comfortable reading experience, and if that’s what is important to you then you’ll proably feel it’s worth the extra money.

Competition

Don't think you'll want to buy the Kindle Oasis? Here are the other ereaders you should perhaps consider.

Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019)

If money is no object, you'll likely want to opt for the newer version of the Kindle Oasis that you'll find on sale now.

It was released in 2019 and it comes with a warm light within the screen. Apart from that, it's largely the same product with a few other tweaks that you may want to consider for yourself.

• Take a look at our full Amazon Kindle Oasis review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The biggest benefit of the Paperwhite is its lower price, but the design is nowhere near as premium as the Kindle Oasis. The display quality is similar, with a slightly less bright backlit 6-inch display that offers 300 pixels-per-inch, but there are thick bezels around the edges of the screen.

You also won’t be able to listen to audiobooks with this, and you’ll need to be careful if you’re reading in the bath or by the pool as it’s not waterproof, but if you’re looking to save some money the Kindle Paperwhite is our favorite budget ereader.

• Take a look at our full Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review

Kobo Aura One

This Kobo comes with a huge and beautiful high-res screen that’s similar to the Kindle Oasis and has a waterproof design too.

The Kobo Store has a limited more limited selection of books than the Kindle Store, but most bestselling books are available, so you shouldn’t find this a problem if you’re looking for big-name titles from the likes of George R R Martin or JK Rowling.

• Take a look at our full Kobo Aura One review

Amazon Kindle Voyage

If neither of the ereaders above suit your needs you may want to look at the Kindle Voyage. A big benefit here is the adaptive front light, which means the brightness will automatically change depending on where you’re reading.

You don’t get that on the Kindle Paperwhite, and while it is on the Kindle Oasis the Voyage is just that bit cheaper if you don't mind the slightly smaller 6-inch display.

• Take a look at our full Amazon Kindle Voyage review

First reviewed: November 2017

Image Credit: TechRadar