The kindle basic has no sound capability. No text to speech or mp3. I don't know if you care or not.
The back of the basic feels more slippery. The k3 is bigger and heavier, but thinner, more tapered at the edge.
From my own experience, the basic and k3 screen look the same. The touch has a darker background, quite noticeably to me. Ymmv.
For me, the basic is a downgrade. But it is quite a bit cheaper. The touch is also a downgrade because of the darker screen, but most people will dispute that.
I really hope I don't break my k3
