This Kindle model is the best for travelers

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer,” is one of my favorite quotes. I like to apply the same concept to reading — but an escapade into the pages of a book is a lot more affordable than a round-trip ticket to Bali. However, who says you can’t do both at once?

As a fully remote freelancer, I tend to live my life on the road. Between regular trips to Nashville, Raleigh, Charleston, New York, and even Europe every so often, I’ve learned to master the art of packing light and packing smart. There’s no more efficient reading tool for life on the go than my Kindle Paperwhite.

While nothing beats cracking open a hardcover on a rainy afternoon, my Kindle Paperwhite lets me carry thousands of books in under half a pound — which comes in handy when I’m finishing a chapter while standing in line at airport security. But there are five specific reasons why it’s my ultimate travel essential (especially over the base Kindle), from my driveway to my destination.

Storage

16GB

Brand

Amazon

Screen Size

7-inch E-ink (300ppi)

Connections

USB-C

An IP rating that can keep up

Because the best kind of trip is to the beach

Sitting seaside has a way of bringing out the bookworm in everyone. I’ve gone on beach trips with friends who swear they’ve never read a novel in their life — yet suddenly they’re on page 397 of The Winds of Winter in the Tommy Bahama chair next to me. I could easily tear through five novels in a long weekend, all while dipping my feet in the surf.

But the beach comes with hazards: kids kicking up sand, tides creeping too close, rogue footballs, and Florida’s signature summer storms. When you read too many books to pack, you need an e-reader that can handle not just digital challenges, but physical ones too.

The Paperwhite has an IPX8 rating, which means it can withstand being immersed in two meters of fresh water for an hour. Because saltwater is more corrosive, I wouldn’t take it on a scuba diving excursion, but it’s enough protection for me if I’m sitting peacefully by the ocean. The basic Kindle (2024) and physical books, on the other hand, share the same IP rating: none. So, the Paperwhite forever earns its spot in my beach bag.

Up to 12 weeks of battery life

Yeah, you read that right

Besides my electric toothbrush, I don’t own another device with a more impressive battery life than my Kindle Paperwhite. Amazon promises up to 12 weeks of reading from a single charge, based on 30 minutes per day. That’s what makes me forget it’s even an “e” reader; between the E Ink display and its single-use purpose, it feels like a real book the whole time.

Sure, a physical book never dies, but its single story does end. The Paperwhite, however, always has another queued up. And while the basic Kindle lasts an impressive six weeks on a charge, the Paperwhite doubles that.

Who needs an e-reader to last more than six weeks? Someone who travels light for long periods of time — like me. My Paperwhite was one of the few items I brought on a four-week backpacking trip across Europe, much of it spent on planes, trains, and buses. I didn’t charge it once. It finally died in Dulles Airport when I landed back in the US — and honestly, I was ready for a recharge myself.

A 7-inch display really does make a difference

Bigger is better

What’s the best way to pack for a trip? Light. My only exception: the Paperwhite is worth the extra ounces and inch of display.

The Kindle Paperwhite weighs 7.4 ounces compared to the base Kindle’s 5.56, but that extra inch of screen space is worth it. A bigger screen means less constant page turning, especially if you like your font a little bigger. It’s easier on the eyes and far less annoying than constantly tapping to move the story along. While a subtle thing, you’ll definitely notice if you switch between the Paperwhite and the base model. And as opposed to a physical book? You’ll save space in your bag with an e-reader instead, guaranteed.

While all Kindle e-readers have matte E Ink displays that dramatically reduce eyestrain, the Paperwhite has yet another advantage over the base model: warm lighting. Traveling can easily destroy your sleep schedule — even without jetlag — and the warm filter on the Paperwhite makes winding down in a hotel room even more relaxing than the stark black and white only available on the base e-reader.

Lightning fast refresh rates

I want the hare Kindle, not the tortoise Kindle

You get an e-reader to do one thing: read. E-readers aren’t meant to replace your laptop or tablet, and they sure aren’t designed to be productivity machines. But if a device is going to be single-use, you want it to be fast and true at that one skill.

The base model Kindle isn’t slow by any means — but when you compare it side-by-side with the Kindle Paperwhite, the difference in response time is almost astounding. Amazon doesn’t process and tell, so there aren’t any official, exact specs when it comes to comparing refresh rates. As a Paperwhite owner, I could never downgrade to a base model’s response time. Maybe it would be good for my patience, but I’m a fast reader — I need a device that will keep up with my eyes.

I’m a speed reader

Which means I need more finish lines

The best part of traveling is that you don’t always know where you’re going, or where the nearest bookstore is. Then again, nothing sounds more tragic than buying a book on your journey and not having the space in your bag to bring it back home with you. Again, Kindle to the rescue.

Amazon’s walled garden may grind some gears, but you must admit — its garden is big enough to roam without ever finding the edges. Between free reads through Prime, the ever-changing Kindle Unlimited selection, and the general number of e-books available through Amazon’s store, it’s rare to find a story missing from its digital shelves.

There have been too many times when I’ve finished a book only an hour into a long train ride, left gaping at a cliffhanger no one sitting beside me knows, shocked to my core. Convenience is the essence of Amazon’s success, and with just a couple of taps, I can dive into the next book in the series for just a few dollars, if not for free.

Reading looks serene on the outside. But real readers know: you might be in the middle of an intergalactic battle, a Regency romance, or a moral crisis in another universe. When you’re traveling, I want the freedom to switch genres whenever I want — sci-fi on the train to Paris, a reflective essay in the café once I arrive.

Any Kindle is a great reading tool, but the Kindle Paperwhite is an unbeatable travel companion.