Got my new Oasis today, first impressions

[Carmelreader]

An update. I read for hours last night. I was very pleased with the Oasis 2. I didn't notice the refresh at all. Must have been some inner initial processing going on that caused the first refresh to be so slow.

I have got to say the screen is wonderful and I love the size. After reading on it for awhile and then picking up the voyage, I am so surprised at how mottled the voyage seems. No comparison.

[Derek87]

Finally got mine after much waffling and reading all the input on this thread.

Buying tips/experiences:
- bought mine through Amazon Prime Now. based on what i found on Reddit, i became aware that they often have several models available there immediately.
(also, when i was at the Amazon Book store in San Jose last weekend, the staff told me they had all models in stock with a range of 2-8 in quantity, but i wasn't ready to pull the trigger at that point. but if you have a pop up store near you, that might be a faster way to get a new Oasis too)
- as suggested somewhere else, i also initiating a chat session asking if they could transfer my "special offers removed" from my Paperwhite. the rep said they would make a one time exception for me being a loyal customer, and removed the special offers on my Oasis while keeping them off of my PW as well!

First impressions:

Good:
- no splotches or cones on this screen nor pinholes, etc. i had to go through 3 PWs to get the one i currently have, and in comparison the Oasis is still significantly better than my PW3 in this regard. the PW3 was acceptable, but now in comparison, i can see the obvious improvement. the screen is beautiful.
- new font options without using RAMP kludge (of course this is on the PW3 too but i like this enhancement ... i haven't found the use of the bold options yet, but i may explore them with other fonts beyond Bookerly at some point)
- the screen size increase is probably the most surprising benefit. i didn't think going up 1" would be that big a deal. this is the tied for the biggest benefit with the clean background relative to my PW3.
- construction with aluminum: i don't have an issues with the edges being too sharp although i would agree they could have rounded things more (see apple devices). but the device feels very solid and well built. and thankfully, the "cold touch" doesn't bother this guy with generally very warm hands.

Bad/Ugly:
- slight gradient in light intensity diminishing from thick side to thin side and a very very slight yellowing tint emerges in certain scenarios on the furthest edge on the thin side. honestly, for me, i'm on the borderline OCD here...i probably wouldn't have noticed it if i hadn't been looking for it (and read about it on the web :\) . and because it's all subjective and variable from unit to unit, i think its hard to measure by photograph and comparing with others on the web. the only way to come up with a somewhat objective comparison is to look at several units side by side in person with other folks on the forum (which is not possible). i think the acceptability of this will be in the eye of the beholder. interestingly, i do see that this gradient white to yellow is more evident in dim lighting than during daytime nor in complete darkness (the latter is how i typically read). it may have to do with the way our home's family room lighting is that causes the issue to be more prevalent.
- "Waking up" ... this is really annoying and a surprising change coming from my PW3 which for all intents and purposes comes up instantly when i open my cover or hit the "power button" (i usually keep my PW3 out of case at home and i don't have a case for the Oasis yet). did they implement a more aggressive power saving mode for the Oasis? i will ultimately come to live with this, but i am hoping that maybe that this long delay can be fixed/improved in a future firmware update.
- the jury is still out on comfort holding it in bed. and this is a big concern for me. i posted a couple weeks ago asking about how people hold it. i read on my back in bed and then hold the kindle over my head. not completely over my head, but sort of at an angle maybe over my neck/upper chest. last night, i couldn't really find a very comfortable way to hold the device, especially to make use of the page turning buttons. time will tell, but right now, this is perhaps my biggest sticking point.

this comfort issue is sticking point that may lead me to return the Oasis is if i can't find a comfortable way to hold it. i think i'll just have to try using it and see if i can come up with a good grip that works for lying in bed. (reading in chair at a table isn't an issue). i had long been interested in the original Oasis for its ridiculously light weight, but all the issues with very uneven lighting and cone effects both written about here and in other forums and a couple i saw on display kept me from dropping $290 on one. i did see Amazon occasionally has refurbished ones for sale for $199 from time to time. it might be worth trying one of those out to see if i get lucky for the lighting issue.

(aside: i typically hold my PW3 with one hand forming an L with my thumb and pointer finger and then rest the other three fingers behind...it works, but i often have to switch my hands due to fatigue. i was hoping to avoid this fatigue or discomfort with the Oasis and it's asymmetric balance)

on the flip side, the Oasis 2 is a winner for me just by virtue of the bigger screen. i was surprised to be wowed by that difference, but it's huge. of course, maybe that is coming at the cost of finding a comfortable grip/balance in my hand.

time will tell... i am willing to give this a shot for a few more days, if not a couple of weeks, but i need to figure out how to hold it comfortably. if so, then i think i can live with the small color/brightness gradient. even with that gradient, i would say the screen is superior to my PW3 (without even considering the bigger screen size). but of course at the price difference, it better be a nicer screen...

[Barty]

Can someone with both new oasis and voyage comment on contrast? I saw a reddit thread where a few people reported their voyage has better contrast, specifically, the text is darker on the voyage using same font and size. They compensate by using the bold option. That's disappointing, considering the price.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Barty

Can someone with both new oasis and voyage comment on contrast? I saw a reddit thread where a few people reported their voyage has better contrast, specifically, the text is darker on the voyage using same font and size. They compensate by using the bold option. That's disappointing, considering the price.

I have both. They’re equally good, to my eyes.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Barty

Can someone with both new oasis and voyage comment on contrast? I saw a reddit thread where a few people reported their voyage has better contrast, specifically, the text is darker on the voyage using same font and size. They compensate by using the bold option. That's disappointing, considering the price.

Yes, the contrast on the Voyage is a little better than on both the Oases. The new Oasis has the same contrast as the old Oasis. The Voyage has the best contrast of all Kindles.

[Kolja]

Originally Posted by Barty

Can someone with both new oasis and voyage comment on contrast? I saw a reddit thread where a few people reported their voyage has better contrast, specifically, the text is darker on the voyage using same font and size. They compensate by using the bold option. That's disappointing, considering the price.

I returned my Oasis2 because the contrast on my Voyage is better. The background is lighter and the font is darker. I initially thought I could compensate by using 1+ bold, but to my eyes that made the font less sharp. I also love the Origami case and I couldn't get the Kindle leather case for the Oasis to stand without a downward slant. I'm disappointed because I did love the bigger screen and page turning buttons, but for me the screen contrast and clarity is the most important feature on an e-reader. Fortunately I have 2 Voyages with excellent screens and hardly noticeable color unevenness as it looks like the Voyage will be my preferred device for quite awhile.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Barty

Can someone with both new oasis and voyage comment on contrast? I saw a reddit thread where a few people reported their voyage has better contrast, specifically, the text is darker on the voyage using same font and size. They compensate by using the bold option. That's disappointing, considering the price.

Judge for yourself. Overhead fluorescent lighting, auto brightness on, then front light off.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by Derek87

... the jury is still out on comfort holding it in bed. and this is a big concern for me. i posted a couple weeks ago asking about how people hold it. i read on my back in bed and then hold the kindle over my head. not completely over my head, but sort of at an angle maybe over my neck/upper chest. last night, i couldn't really find a very comfortable way to hold the device, especially to make use of the page turning buttons. time will tell, but right now, this is perhaps my biggest sticking point ...

(aside: i typically hold my PW3 with one hand forming an L with my thumb and pointer finger and then rest the other three fingers behind...it works, but i often have to switch my hands due to fatigue. i was hoping to avoid this fatigue or discomfort with the Oasis and it's asymmetric balance)...

Thanks for your thorough report. I am particularly interested in your comments about reading while lying in bed as I do the same.

How does the Oasis feel weight-wise compared to the PW3? I was hoping the ergonomic/assymetric balance would make it feel lighter, but reading your post, it seems this is not the case? Does the Oasis actually feel heavier than your PW3? Thanks!

[Atunah]

My Voyage and the Oasis2 look pretty much the same as far as contrast and such goes. If I lay them next to each other, there is a slight difference in back round tone, but not that one is better than the other. My Voyage has always had a great screen. So does my replacement Oasis2.

[aceflor]

I ended up cancelling my pre-order because for this amount of money, I want to be sure I'll like it and am hoping to see one in situ soon.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by odamizu

How does the Oasis feel weight-wise compared to the PW3? I was hoping the ergonomic/assymetric balance would make it feel lighter, but reading your post, it seems this is not the case? Does the Oasis actually feel heavier than your PW3? Thanks!

The PW3 is the heaviest of the current Kindle line-up:

Voyage: 180g
Oasis 2: 194g
PW3: 205g

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The PW3 is the heaviest of the current Kindle line-up:

Voyage: 180g
Oasis 2: 194g
PW3: 205g

Don't forget the lightest Kindle at 161g. If weight is more important than light.

[Scott Nielsen]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I had created a separate thread but this is how my new Oasis behaves as well. About 200 pages over 4 days and then it requires a recharge. Second charge was also about 200 pages over 4 days.

For the third charge I have disabled wifi, I have read about 230 pages and I am on day 3 with 21% battery. Screen has been between 9-12 the whole time. So wifi off makes a difference but I don't think I am anywhere near the advertised battery life.

For comparison my reading habits were the same during my Voyage years and I had to charge the battery about once a every 3-4 weeks not days.

This mirrors my experience so far. Very disappointing. I'll probably only use it at home and continue using my Voyage when I travel.

PS. I have no indexing going on so that's not the problem.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Scott Nielsen

This mirrors my experience so far. Very disappointing. I'll probably only use it at home and continue using my Voyage when I travel.

PS. I have no indexing going on so that's not the problem.

I have used two Voyages an Oasis and a Paperwhite over the last year. Battery life varies from device to device for example my two Voyages had vastly different battery life. I just charge them when they need doing, i don't worry about it.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Judge for yourself. Overhead fluorescent lighting, auto brightness on, then front light off.

Thanks, Voyage looks better in those pics.

Also thanks to Sirtel and Kolja and HarryT for the report.