Upgrading from the PW3 - is it worth it?

mathil · 08-08-2022, 12:59 PM

Hi all,

I own a PW3 that I bought back in 2016, to use exclusively with my Japanese Amazon account. The reader has seen very little use since then as I switched to reading in Japanese on my tablet/PC, which was way more convenient considering the number of dictionary lookups I was doing.

I've recently started using it again as I would like to go back to reading in Japanese using an ereader; it still works fine and holds a decent charge considering its age (I kept charging it periodically), but it's not the quickest. As I still do a fair amont of dictionary lookups and highlights, I was wondering if the improvement in processing power in recent Kindles makes replacing it actually worth it? Keep in mind that I wouldn't want to spend a fortune on it as it is not my main ereader (I'm also looking at used devices). Also, I've read complaints in the past from Kindle users regarding the screen quality of the recent Paperwhites: this is very important to me as I read at small font sizes, and the text needs to be quite crisp (it's even more important for Japanese due to furigana), so this has made me worried about eventually buying a newer edition Paperwhite.

What do you guys think? Any help is appreciated

DNSB · 08-08-2022, 02:49 PM

The PW4 has some issue with the screen sharpness but the PW5 has a larger 6.8" screen and is quite sharp. At times, I tend to wonder about Amazon since unless you want the buttons, the PW5's 6.8" screen is too close to the Oasis's 7" screen to make the Oasis a worthwhile choice.

mathil · 08-10-2022, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

The PW4 has some issue with the screen sharpness but the PW5 has a larger 6.8" screen and is quite sharp. At times, I tend to wonder about Amazon since unless you want the buttons, the PW5's 6.8" screen is too close to the Oasis's 7" screen to make the Oasis a worthwhile choice.

Thank you! If that's the case then I'll definitely skip the PW4 and see if I can find a good offer on the PW5. I do prefer bigger screens, to be honest (I've permanently switched over to 6.8" screens with my main reader as well). I'm still a bit worried about the flushed screen though, would you say it has an impact on screen sharpness?

JSWolf · 08-10-2022, 05:01 PM

delete post

dreambeat · 08-12-2022, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathil

Thank you! If that's the case then I'll definitely skip the PW4 and see if I can find a good offer on the PW5. I do prefer bigger screens, to be honest (I've permanently switched over to 6.8" screens with my main reader as well). I'm still a bit worried about the flushed screen though, would you say it has an impact on screen sharpness?

Having had the chance to try the PW5 in person, I didn't notice any issues with screen sharpness - though I didn't have my PW3 with me to compare side-by-side. The flush screen did seem much more prone to glare/unpleasant reflections under bright light, though, which is something else you may want to consider.

Tarana · 08-13-2022, 10:16 AM

I think the PW3 is still worth keeping until it fails. Consider a factory reset to speed things up. Very sharp contrast even with the light. I bought a Signature which arrived about a week ago. The only real advantage it has over the PW3 was the increased size of the screen (I use larger font sizes so this is helpful). However, for ease of use, the PW3 still beats it. The type contrast is comparable (both are 300 dpi).

Ned · 08-13-2022, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But, I have a Kobo Libra 2 that is a 7" flush screen that has a very good screen. It's clear and sharp.

My Libra 2 does not have a flush screen

mathil · 08-22-2022, 07:30 AM

Thank you all for your advice, I ended up buying a used, ad-free PW5 on Amazon for a decent discount. So far I'm pretty happy with it, though I'll keep my PW3 around for a while before selling it, just to be sure I won't change my mind

In case anyone is interested in a comparison, I'll say that the display looks fine - if there is a difference in sharpness with the PW3, it's pretty slight, and the lightning is even. The flushed screen does seem to attract dirt and dust more easily than the recessed one but I don't have much of an issue with fingerprints so far, even though I do a great amount of dictionary lookups (as I mentioned I use the Kindle exclusively for language learning). What I do like best though is how much quicker it is, again for the purpose of looking up words, switching between multiple dictionaries and highlighting. It was worth upgrading just for that, at least for me.

08-08-2022, 12:59 PM	#1
mathil Evangelist Posts: 439 Karma: 287725 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Europe Device: Kobo Aura H2O/Glo HD/Libra 2, Kindle PW3/PW5	Upgrading from the PW3 - is it worth it? Hi all, I own a PW3 that I bought back in 2016, to use exclusively with my Japanese Amazon account. The reader has seen very little use since then as I switched to reading in Japanese on my tablet/PC, which was way more convenient considering the number of dictionary lookups I was doing. I've recently started using it again as I would like to go back to reading in Japanese using an ereader; it still works fine and holds a decent charge considering its age (I kept charging it periodically), but it's not the quickest. As I still do a fair amont of dictionary lookups and highlights, I was wondering if the improvement in processing power in recent Kindles makes replacing it actually worth it? Keep in mind that I wouldn't want to spend a fortune on it as it is not my main ereader (I'm also looking at used devices). Also, I've read complaints in the past from Kindle users regarding the screen quality of the recent Paperwhites: this is very important to me as I read at small font sizes, and the text needs to be quite crisp (it's even more important for Japanese due to furigana), so this has made me worried about eventually buying a newer edition Paperwhite. What do you guys think? Any help is appreciated

08-10-2022, 05:01 PM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,957 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	delete post Last edited by JSWolf; 08-13-2022 at 11:21 AM.

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08-08-2022, 02:49 PM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,376 Karma: 145435140 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	The PW4 has some issue with the screen sharpness but the PW5 has a larger 6.8" screen and is quite sharp. At times, I tend to wonder about Amazon since unless you want the buttons, the PW5's 6.8" screen is too close to the Oasis's 7" screen to make the Oasis a worthwhile choice.

08-13-2022, 10:16 AM	#6
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,978 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I think the PW3 is still worth keeping until it fails. Consider a factory reset to speed things up. Very sharp contrast even with the light. I bought a Signature which arrived about a week ago. The only real advantage it has over the PW3 was the increased size of the screen (I use larger font sizes so this is helpful). However, for ease of use, the PW3 still beats it. The type contrast is comparable (both are 300 dpi).

08-22-2022, 07:30 AM	#8
mathil Evangelist Posts: 439 Karma: 287725 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Europe Device: Kobo Aura H2O/Glo HD/Libra 2, Kindle PW3/PW5	Thank you all for your advice, I ended up buying a used, ad-free PW5 on Amazon for a decent discount. So far I'm pretty happy with it, though I'll keep my PW3 around for a while before selling it, just to be sure I won't change my mind In case anyone is interested in a comparison, I'll say that the display looks fine - if there is a difference in sharpness with the PW3, it's pretty slight, and the lightning is even. The flushed screen does seem to attract dirt and dust more easily than the recessed one but I don't have much of an issue with fingerprints so far, even though I do a great amount of dictionary lookups (as I mentioned I use the Kindle exclusively for language learning). What I do like best though is how much quicker it is, again for the purpose of looking up words, switching between multiple dictionaries and highlighting. It was worth upgrading just for that, at least for me.