Interesting thread. I charged up my 3 remaining kindles and took some comparison shots.
K2i, K3, PW (side by side for reference - not text comparison yet):
I'll try to stack them side by side in images for you to compare:
I like my PW screen lighted very little. Natural light is still my preference. But here are some comparison shots w/ it low (4or5 usually) vs full bright:
Anyway - i really like them all. The PW seems great so far. bit of the light inconsistencies at bottom, but a small price to pay for built in light (IMO).
Old K2i definitely has the worst contrast. K3 is definitely darker. Possibly even darker than the PW. But i like the fonts (especially Helvetica) on the PW a lot.
Definitely notice the better resolution on cover art as well.
I like it and am happy w/ the new PW. I've tried most - owned: K1, K2, K2i, K3, Fire (returned), and now PW.
magnetic closure and battery life are just icing on the cake.
I still read a lot on my Android phone, iPhone (work), and iPad 3. Like the white text on black for low light back lit reading.
my .02 - hope the pics help someone else trying to decide.
rob