PW 4 versus Voyage?

Richwood · 03-23-2020, 06:03 AM

Any advantages of the PW 4 other than amount of memory versus the Kindle Voyage? I have the Voyage and prefer the page turn sensors compared to the touch screen paging only on my PW 3. I have seen comments that the Voyage has a sharper screen.

Quoth · 03-23-2020, 02:10 PM

PW4 in decent ambient light is slightly greyer than a PW3, with front light to off/minimum.
Other than that they look identical quality.
The Kobo Libra is same white/grey contrast in same lighting as the PW3 but is 7" rather than 6".
The Kobo H2O original is roughly the number of dots as PW3, but stretched to 6.8", so indeed it's slightly less sharp than the PW4, PW3 and Libra. However it's got the best contrast/brightest screen of any eink I've ever seen with the same ambient light and no front light (perhaps because IR touch). I find it better than the PW3 despite not quite as sharp. The Libra is same sharpness as PW3 and PW4, same brightness/contrast as the PW3, but 7", which is very nice for most novels.

I don't have a voyage, so can't say. It seems expensive for what it is and on specs seems to have little advantage over the PW3.

I bought a new PW3, last of production maybe, just after the PW4 came out because my wife had the PW3 and I thought it "better" than a PW4. I don't need waterproof. Though the H2O original and Kobo Libra sort of are, using different methods.

If you HAVE a kindle, and Download via PC, then you can read books from Amazon for THAT kindle, on a Kobo using Calibre and a plugin.

Certainly if you had a Basic Kindle Touch or a PW2, the PW4 would be a worth while upgrade. It doesn't seem worth it if you have a PW3 or PW4.

bookyboy · 03-23-2020, 04:12 PM

Voyage is sharper and clearer.

Had a new PW right next to a Voyage last month....returned the PW4 and got another Voyage as backup.

Nothing has reached the Voyage level sharpness that I’ve seen, not even the Oasis line (had those also).

Tarana · 03-23-2020, 04:44 PM

My sister got the PW4. I compared the two and found the Voyage a bit better in contrast. This is not an issue for most people. However, I have eye damage that makes this a bigger issue than for most.

tomsem · 03-23-2020, 05:56 PM

I think the consensus among those who have had both devices is that the display is 'clearer' on the Voyage (certainly my opinion). It is also nice that the front light auto-adjusts to ambient light, and that it has haptic page turn buttons.

However, Paperwhite 4 has waterproofing, more storage (8GB or 32GB), and Bluetooth (for playing audiobooks or for VoiceView screen reader). It also has Invert White and Black.

Of course the only one you can purchase new is the Paperwhite. A used or refurbished Voyage may not may not last as long.

barryem · 03-23-2020, 07:53 PM

I gave away my Voyage recently because I didn't use it much. I have the Paperwhite 4 as well as all the earlier Paperwhites. I can't really see much difference in the screen of the Voyage or the later Paperwhites. I did try comparing them and maybe they were a bit different but I couldn't be sure. It's not a difference I'd ever notice if it's there at all.

The problem I had with the Voyage is that I was always accidentally touching the screen and going to a different page. It happened every little while. Not enough to be a serious problem but enough to be a mild irritation. So I just read with my Paperwhites.

I don't have that problem with my PW4 even though it also has the flat screen.

I realize I'm in the minority here but visually I couldn't tell a difference while reading.

Barry

Sirtel · 03-24-2020, 07:16 AM

I don't have any Paperwhites, but the Voyage has the best screen of any ereaders I've ever seen, and that includes my Nook and my Kobo. Still, I don't really use mine anymore, because I want to read on a 7'' screen.

If the screen quality is important to you, get the Voyage instead of a PW. If you prefer to have a new device instead of an used one, get the PW.

patrickt · 03-24-2020, 11:36 AM

I gave my Voyage to a college student shortly after I got it. I like my PW4...both of them. I think there is no definitive answer and it's strictly a matter of personal preference.

Here's a YouTube comparison:

https://youtu.be/7aqK7ndkR1w

93terp · 03-24-2020, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookyboy

Voyage is sharper and clearer.

Had a new PW right next to a Voyage last month....returned the PW4 and got another Voyage as backup.

Nothing has reached the Voyage level sharpness that I’ve seen, not even the Oasis line (had those also).

Totally concur.

Richwood · 03-25-2020, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookyboy

Voyage is sharper and clearer.

Had a new PW right next to a Voyage last month....returned the PW4 and got another Voyage as backup.

Nothing has reached the Voyage level sharpness that I’ve seen, not even the Oasis line (had those also).

A bit of a reader collector nut so I have 2 Voyages as well as both the G9 and G10 Oasis readers and two V3 Paperwhite readers including a Japanese PW3 Manga that was offered by Woot some time ago. Also almost all pre PW Kindle models, most with wifi and 3G/4G if available. I also have multiple Sony, Kobo and B&N readers.

solitarywolf · 03-29-2020, 07:50 AM

If I remember correctly reading specs a couple years ago, the Voyage has more LED lights inside than the PW4.

JSWolf · 03-29-2020, 09:38 AM

The PW3 has a sharper cleaner screen then the PW4 because in order to have a flush screen, the layers are father away from the screen on the PW4. On the PW3 the screen is not flush and the layers are closer to the screen and because of this, the PW3 is sharper and clearer.

Sirtel · 03-29-2020, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The PW3 has a sharper cleaner screen then the PW4 because in order to have a flush screen, the layers are father away from the screen on the PW4. On the PW3 the screen is not flush and the layers are closer to the screen and because of this, the PW3 is sharper and clearer.

But the Voyage had a flush screen as well, and so does the Oasis. Both of them are sharper than the PW4. The Oasis is as sharp as the Libra, which has a recessed screen. So it's not the screen position causing this phenomenon.

Quoth · 03-29-2020, 12:02 PM

Likely the light pipe for the front lighting, or the capacitive touch layers, or a combination. Is it real (actually measured) or a general impression? The only difference I saw of PW3 vs PW4 was that in ambient light the PW4 was a tiny bit greyer. I saw no difference in sharpness. The Kobo H2O original was whiter but not quite as sharp as PW3 (and indeed physically it is lower resolution).
I've compared the Kobo Libra and PW3 and they seem identical in white/grey / contrast and sharpness. Just the Libra has a larger screen area.

DrD123 · 03-29-2020, 01:39 PM

The Kindles that share the 6" 300 ppi screen are all pretty much the same at the screen level - but what's in front of the screen does matter - glass vs. plastic when comparing the Voyage to the paperwhite 4 - they had to take steps to get the cost down when moving to the flush screen for the PW, and I am sure that's part of it (also probably improves durability/crack resistance) - most of the reviews comparing side by side say the Voyage is sharper, which makes sense - I would bet without having them side by side it's hard to notice much difference, though. For me, one of the big selling points for the Voyage are the pagepress buttons in the margins and the adaptive backlight. I also like the feel of the Voyage.

If I were buying new, I might lean towards the PW4 vs. a new old stock Voyage for the battery alone. (I am not a fan of the physical buttons on the Oasis)

There are things the PW4 does have a clear advantage on - that's the storage space and water resistance. So if those are important, then that might be a deciding factor. (if you read mostly books, I don't know that the storage space is even relevant, though - I have something north of 600 books on mine and it's well under half full)

03-23-2020, 06:03 AM	#1
Richwood Astronomy Nut Posts: 519 Karma: 3700000 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Reno, NV Device: Kindle (All), Kobo (Multiple), Sony (most) and Nook Glowlight Plus	PW 4 versus Voyage? Any advantages of the PW 4 other than amount of memory versus the Kindle Voyage? I have the Voyage and prefer the page turn sensors compared to the touch screen paging only on my PW 3. I have seen comments that the Voyage has a sharper screen.

03-24-2020, 11:36 AM	#8
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I gave my Voyage to a college student shortly after I got it. I like my PW4...both of them. I think there is no definitive answer and it's strictly a matter of personal preference. Here's a YouTube comparison: https://youtu.be/7aqK7ndkR1w Last edited by patrickt; 03-24-2020 at 11:39 AM.

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03-23-2020, 02:10 PM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,022 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	PW4 in decent ambient light is slightly greyer than a PW3, with front light to off/minimum. Other than that they look identical quality. The Kobo Libra is same white/grey contrast in same lighting as the PW3 but is 7" rather than 6". The Kobo H2O original is roughly the number of dots as PW3, but stretched to 6.8", so indeed it's slightly less sharp than the PW4, PW3 and Libra. However it's got the best contrast/brightest screen of any eink I've ever seen with the same ambient light and no front light (perhaps because IR touch). I find it better than the PW3 despite not quite as sharp. The Libra is same sharpness as PW3 and PW4, same brightness/contrast as the PW3, but 7", which is very nice for most novels. I don't have a voyage, so can't say. It seems expensive for what it is and on specs seems to have little advantage over the PW3. I bought a new PW3, last of production maybe, just after the PW4 came out because my wife had the PW3 and I thought it "better" than a PW4. I don't need waterproof. Though the H2O original and Kobo Libra sort of are, using different methods. If you HAVE a kindle, and Download via PC, then you can read books from Amazon for THAT kindle, on a Kobo using Calibre and a plugin. Certainly if you had a Basic Kindle Touch or a PW2, the PW4 would be a worth while upgrade. It doesn't seem worth it if you have a PW3 or PW4.

03-23-2020, 04:12 PM	#3
bookyboy Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 426284 Join Date: Oct 2019 Device: none	Voyage is sharper and clearer. Had a new PW right next to a Voyage last month....returned the PW4 and got another Voyage as backup. Nothing has reached the Voyage level sharpness that I’ve seen, not even the Oasis line (had those also).

03-23-2020, 04:44 PM	#4
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	My sister got the PW4. I compared the two and found the Voyage a bit better in contrast. This is not an issue for most people. However, I have eye damage that makes this a bigger issue than for most.

03-23-2020, 05:56 PM	#5
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,939 Karma: 27060151 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I think the consensus among those who have had both devices is that the display is 'clearer' on the Voyage (certainly my opinion). It is also nice that the front light auto-adjusts to ambient light, and that it has haptic page turn buttons. However, Paperwhite 4 has waterproofing, more storage (8GB or 32GB), and Bluetooth (for playing audiobooks or for VoiceView screen reader). It also has Invert White and Black. Of course the only one you can purchase new is the Paperwhite. A used or refurbished Voyage may not may not last as long.

03-23-2020, 07:53 PM	#6
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I gave away my Voyage recently because I didn't use it much. I have the Paperwhite 4 as well as all the earlier Paperwhites. I can't really see much difference in the screen of the Voyage or the later Paperwhites. I did try comparing them and maybe they were a bit different but I couldn't be sure. It's not a difference I'd ever notice if it's there at all. The problem I had with the Voyage is that I was always accidentally touching the screen and going to a different page. It happened every little while. Not enough to be a serious problem but enough to be a mild irritation. So I just read with my Paperwhites. I don't have that problem with my PW4 even though it also has the flat screen. I realize I'm in the minority here but visually I couldn't tell a difference while reading. Barry

03-24-2020, 07:16 AM	#7
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,470 Karma: 239219543 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I don't have any Paperwhites, but the Voyage has the best screen of any ereaders I've ever seen, and that includes my Nook and my Kobo. Still, I don't really use mine anymore, because I want to read on a 7'' screen. If the screen quality is important to you, get the Voyage instead of a PW. If you prefer to have a new device instead of an used one, get the PW.

03-29-2020, 07:50 AM	#11
solitarywolf Ink Drinker Posts: 224 Karma: 347666 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle 2021, Ipad Pro, iPhone Pro	If I remember correctly reading specs a couple years ago, the Voyage has more LED lights inside than the PW4.

03-29-2020, 09:38 AM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,745 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The PW3 has a sharper cleaner screen then the PW4 because in order to have a flush screen, the layers are father away from the screen on the PW4. On the PW3 the screen is not flush and the layers are closer to the screen and because of this, the PW3 is sharper and clearer.

03-29-2020, 12:02 PM	#14
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,022 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Likely the light pipe for the front lighting, or the capacitive touch layers, or a combination. Is it real (actually measured) or a general impression? The only difference I saw of PW3 vs PW4 was that in ambient light the PW4 was a tiny bit greyer. I saw no difference in sharpness. The Kobo H2O original was whiter but not quite as sharp as PW3 (and indeed physically it is lower resolution). I've compared the Kobo Libra and PW3 and they seem identical in white/grey / contrast and sharpness. Just the Libra has a larger screen area.

03-29-2020, 01:39 PM	#15
DrD123 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 233080 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: New Mexico Device: Kindle Voyage	The Kindles that share the 6" 300 ppi screen are all pretty much the same at the screen level - but what's in front of the screen does matter - glass vs. plastic when comparing the Voyage to the paperwhite 4 - they had to take steps to get the cost down when moving to the flush screen for the PW, and I am sure that's part of it (also probably improves durability/crack resistance) - most of the reviews comparing side by side say the Voyage is sharper, which makes sense - I would bet without having them side by side it's hard to notice much difference, though. For me, one of the big selling points for the Voyage are the pagepress buttons in the margins and the adaptive backlight. I also like the feel of the Voyage. If I were buying new, I might lean towards the PW4 vs. a new old stock Voyage for the battery alone. (I am not a fan of the physical buttons on the Oasis) There are things the PW4 does have a clear advantage on - that's the storage space and water resistance. So if those are important, then that might be a deciding factor. (if you read mostly books, I don't know that the storage space is even relevant, though - I have something north of 600 books on mine and it's well under half full)

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