Amazon's Kindle just got a major upgrade: faster speeds, aluminum shell, and a long-awaited page turner

Amazon has given the Kindle line a major refresh, updating all three of the commerce giant's e-readers.

It's the basic Kindle and the Paperwhite that get the bulk of the changes this time around, but no matter which device you prefer out of the Kindle, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft, you'll be able to pick up a new aluminum version.

But that's not all, as Amazon has also released some exciting new accessories to complement your new e-reader, including the much awaited page turner.

The basic Kindle gets the biggest upgrades

The basic Kindle now has a less basic build

It's been a few years since we saw the basic Kindle get an update, and the state of the tech market has changed a lot since then. We've seen price rises across all tech, pushed up by an inflating AI bubble, as well as the rise of the tiny e-reader, like the Boox Picco and Xteink X4 Pro.

So how has Amazon risen to the challenge posed by this new world? By snazzing up the Kindle, of course.

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all now have variants with aluminum shells. This is the first time we've seen Amazon move away from the traditional plastic shell for its Kindles, and it's exciting to see the Kindles get a more premium-feeling build, even if that's partly because of the much higher price.

As mentioned, the basic Kindle is getting the most upgrades from this new range. It's getting an aluminum version, but it's seemingly also getting an upgraded processor, as Amazon mentions it opens books 30% faster than before. Given how sluggish the last Kindle was, this will be a big improvement.

It's also getting a new screen that sits flush with the chassis. Previous Kindles had a significant drop between the shell and the display, and that made it harder to touch the very edge of the display. The new screen means that will be less of a problem.

The Kindle and Kindle Aluminum both release today, October 1. The basic Kindle comes in two new colors, Ube purple and Graphite, and it costs $150 for the ad-supported model, or $170 for the ad-free version.

The Aluminum version costs $190, but doesn't come with any ads. It does come in either Alpine Sky Aluminum or Seaglass Green Aluminum, and it also comes with a magnetic cover attachment.

The Paperwhite and Colorsoft also get some upgrades

But expect to pay for them

The Paperwhite gets similar upgrades, including a flush display, as well as its customary waterproofing. The Signature returns as well, with an adaptive front light, and 32GB of storage. It's only the Signature that gets the aluminum shell, unfortunately.

The Colorsoft hasn't been left out either. Amazon's most expensive small e-reader is back again, though it doesn't get much outside of a potentially improved flush display. Like the Paperwhite, you'll need to stump up for the Signature if you want aluminum, but you do get an automatically adjusting front light to sweeten the deal, as well as a feature to double-tap to turn book pages.

The Paperwhite and Colorsoft are more expensive, as expected. The basic Paperwhite costs $200, or $220 for the ad-free version, while the aluminum Signature costs $250. The Colorsoft is the most expensive, starting at $290 for an ad-free experience. The Signature in aluminum takes that price up to a hefty $320.

The Paperwhite and Colorsoft Kindles are not available until October 28, which includes any of the Signature versions too.

New Kids versions for all three

Catching up to the pack, still great value

All three also come with a Kids version, with kid-friendly covers designed by real artists. Every purchase of a Kids Kindle comes with 12 months of Amazon Kids+ for free access to thousands of books and audiobooks. Prices for those fall between $180 and $300, depending on which model you pick.

There are also some new accessories to choose from when picking your new Kindle.

The most exciting of the bunch is the new page turner, the Kindle Click. It's pretty much as you'd expect — a long handle with a pair of buttons to turn pages back and forth. It's useful for anyone who doesn't hold their Kindle while reading. It can be used with any of the new Kindles, and any Kindle from 2024 onwards. It costs $35.

There's also a magnetic charging stand compatible with the Signature models of the Paperwhite and Colorsoft. It costs $60.

More exciting for those models, though, are the Page-Turn covers. These attach magnetically to the device's pogo pins, and come with physical page turn buttons, though come with the higher price of $80.

Finally, there are also a bunch of new standard cases, available in knit fabric, plant-based leather, and pebbled premium leather, as well as magnetic covers for aluminum Kindles. Those cost $40 each.