# Which light levels are you most using on your Paperwhite?



## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm curious what light levels people are finding the best for them in various light situations such as low light and bright light. I have noticed some people saying in a pitch black room they are using as low as level 2. Do most of you find the very low levels 1-5 too low for a very dark room? For me, 2 is coming across as too dark. I'm wondering if this is because there are differences between kindles or if it's simply personal preference and comfort level for each person. 

So I'm curious.. what number levels are you finding to be the best for you in different lighting situations?


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

in a dark room, i need it at 12,  the low light settings do not work for me at all.


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## CrystalStarr (Jan 17, 2011)

In a pitch black room when I first wake up in the morning before any other lights are turned on or at night after sitting in a dim room for a while and then turning out all of the lights I'm at a 2 or 3. At night next to my dimmed bedside lamp (it has 3 settings - so set to the lowest) I'm at about an 8. During the day under almost any other condition I'm at about 14. I haven't sat outside in direct sunlight yet as it's been very grey and cloudy here all week, downright pouring rain half the time. But so far I have had no reason to raise it above a 14.

12 in a dim room is glaring and harsh to my eyes. So is anything above a 4 or 5 in pitch darkness. Now if I walk from my very well lit from mid afternoon outdoor light, lots of windows kitchen into pitch darkness and immediately turn on my kindle then yes, at least for a few minutes 2 or 3 would be very very dark. I'd probably opt for an 8-10 until my eyes adjusted.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

The last two nights, I've used it at '4' in a dark room.

I haven't played with it during the day.


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## Cyanide5000 (Aug 30, 2010)

I use level 4 and a bedside light thats what ive found to be most comfortable for me


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## larryb52 (Nov 18, 2009)

13 in a dark/dim lighting, 10 in a bright setting...


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Somewhere around 15-16 in bed (dim room, small lamp next to bed).  I tried turning out the lamp, and 15 was a tad bright, around 10 seemed ok though.

Around 20-22 in a bright room.  Light has to be way up for the screen to look white in bright conditions.

I always hated the drab, gray screen on past Kindles, so I love the light and just set it at whatever level makes the screen look white and the text crisp based on ambient lighting conditions (light goes up as ambient light goes up).


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

I really like a nice white screen so I'm keeping it a little higher in a dim room (about 10) than is recommended. I haven't really read very long at night yet, so maybe I'll turn it down lower as my eyes adjust, but so far I find the very low settings too low for me. In the office today I'm using it at 15 and the screen looks perfect.


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

I've only used it at my kitchen counter & in my living room with a table lamp & have kept it at 14 for both rooms.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Mine is at 7 right now. It was down to 4 last night when I was reading in a dark room (started higher, but as my eyes adjusted, I moved it down) it'll probably go up to 12-14 when the lights are on and windows are open.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Inside 13-14 seems to be about just right. That means at my desk, at the dining table, at the sofa. The windows are not right next to me. In bed with a small side table lamp I like about at 8. 

I sat outside yesterday and it was sunny. I sat mostly in the shade, sun didn't hit the PW and I could not really tell a difference between off and 24 then. But I left it at 13 so I wouldn't have to keep changing back and forth. 

I am not really a fan of reading in total darkness, without at least some sort of other light source, even if its just a flameless candle, nightlight or my small dim side table lamp. I think I could go down to like 6 in a total dark room. 

When I read on the sofa while the TV is on, 13 is pretty good for that. 

I think the highest so far I have set it is 17. I go only has high to get the whiter page, once I see the that it is lit, I go back down again.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Has anyone use the light enough to comment on how much (little) it drains the battery. Amazon claims, what, 8 weeks? But that assumes 1/2 use per day - totally unreal; who reads for only 1/2 hour per day?      Anyway, what are you seeing as a battery drain versus time spent reading?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Well, I charged mine up when I got it on Tuesday, ran it down by yesterday (loaded about 70 books), charged it up again and I am already half way empty now. 

I kept wifi on the whole time. I also read about 6 hours since my last charge yesterday. Light is usually around 13-14. 

But I am still testing stuff out and it needs a few charge cycles. But they say 30 hours of reading time with wifi off. I could never leave my wifi on with my K3.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

My battery is going strong.  I loaded books when it was plugged in overnight the first night so it could index etc.

Have read on it maybe 1.5-2 hours since then with the light no lower than 15 and the battery indicator is just down a tiny sliver.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

I dont have one in hand at the moment but I was using it at the 3/4 high level, in an office with no windows and only a small desk lamp....so a dim room (made more so by my presence!)


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## Eilene (Oct 29, 2008)

So far in the day I'm comfortable with level 16. I'm not sure about night yet though.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Read outside on the balcony for the first time this evening.  Was in the shade, but still ended up with the light all the way on 24 (or whatever the max is) to get the screen as white as possible in those conditions.


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## tomatogirl (Aug 27, 2010)

I've been using it at 17 in a well-lit room by a window, and at night in a dark room at 6.

I love that they made the dimmer so granular!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

mooshie78 said:


> Read outside on the balcony for the first time this evening. Was in the shade, but still ended up with the light all the way on 24 (or whatever the max is) to get the screen as white as possible in those conditions.


I don't try to make my screen as white as possible. If anything, I adjust it to where I just barely notice the light. To me, my screen looks just like the eInk screen I've loved for years, just crisper and brighter. It's at 11 now.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

That's the difference for me. I always disliked the dab gray of eink, and prefer a nice white page like in a quality hardback. So I set the light to make a nice white page.


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## CrystalStarr (Jan 17, 2011)

Luvmy4brats said:


> I don't try to make my screen as white as possible. If anything, I adjust it to where I just barely notice the light. To me, my screen looks just like the eInk screen I've loved for years, just crisper and brighter. It's at 11 now.


This is what I do too. It is now even more gorgeous than my old eink devices. It is crisper, blacks blacker and whites whiter but not stark white. But I only set it until I barely notice the light.


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## tomato88 (Sep 10, 2012)

During the day, I use 14 and it looks perfect. At night, I play around with it between 8-10 depending on the lighting.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I read in bed last night for a couple of hours. Not totally dark as there's some light through the windows from whatever moon is outside, but dark. I couldn't use the settings down in the bracketed area they seem to be suggesting for reading in the dark. A setting that low made me feel as if I were squinting at the screen, trying too hard to see it. I settled on a setting just above the brackets, a 9 or 10 I think.

For reading in the house during the day I tried everything and settled on 14 - at least that's what I had yesterday. I'm still fiddling with it pretty constantly.


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## LittlePixels (Dec 16, 2010)

In a completely dark room, I leave the light at zero, and honestly I wish it went a little dimmer. I use an app on my Fire that lets me dim the screen even further, and I love it. I like it barely bright enough to see when the room is totally dark. During the day it varies, depending on the environment, but I don't think I've ever put it above 17 or 18. More than that and the brightness hurts my eyes.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

I have kept mine on 22, but haven't read in a really dark room yet. I like it best when it looks really white.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

Maybe its my eyes - but without my reading lamp,  I need the light up to around 18-19.  I can barely read at all at the low levels.  Now  - with my reading lamp,  its fine and any level.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

In a dim lit room at night around 12. I don't read in a room with no light, so always at least one lamp on. In well lit room rarely higher than 16. I haven't tried it outside during daylight yet, but I suspect that will require 20+ to maintain white screen if not in direct sunlight.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Just curious - has anyone noticed a difference in reading experience using an incandescent bulb versus the new LED lights? I know the LEDs have a bluish tint to them and was wondering if this affects the light level you use.


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## Jeansaint (May 29, 2009)

I just got my PW yesterday and tried to read in bed last night but am returning it due to several issues with it. I noticed the blotches I keep hearing about and when the screensaver came on it wasn't a picture sometimes but just screwy lines all over the screen. One of the issues I see is that I have to keep the brightness cranked up to at least 17 or more even in a dark room or it is almost impossible to even see the text. That issue led me to this thread and now I am wondering if it is related to the other issues I see and the overall unimpressiveness of the PW or at least this particular one in my eyes.

I called Amazon CS and the lady was very pleasant and had no problem with me wanting to exchange it (She didn't mention a return for my money but I asked her and she said it wouldn't be a problem if I decided on that course of action). She is shipping out a new one for me to arrive in a few days so I have no problem trying again with a new one. I think I have gotten so used to the Fire that I forgot how much different the regular Kindles look and to someone who has only had the Kindle e-readers the difference between the brightness of those versus the PW would be much more noticeable. I'm trying to be fair in my comparison as I realize the Fire is different technology and has a different purpose but I had enough of the older kindles through the years that I have a gut feeling that the one I received yesterday is not up to par and has some serious issues.

I love my Kindle Fire but am just looking to have a straight book reader with a light for traveling, etc. I swung by Best Buy while out and about today as I heard they have the PWs on display so I could compare what I saw with mine versus another one. I must say, the BB one had a sharper clearer display and I didn't see the blotchiness though in all fairness, my lighting at the house doesn't compare to BB. I am hoping I just got a dud and will be happy with the next PW. I am a Kindle fan and have had several over the years with no issues so I am not ready to throw in the towel on the PW yet. I don't have issues reading from the Fire for long periods of time as I have heard other people have when reading from tablets so that is not an issue but I like the portability and battery life of the PW and don't really need the tablet for daily use, plus I'm an IT geek and you can never have too many geek toys


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## CAR (Aug 1, 2010)

Jeansaint said:


> I just got my PW yesterday and tried to read in bed last night but am returning it due to several issues with it. I noticed the blotches I keep hearing about and when the screensaver came on it wasn't a picture sometimes but just screwy lines all over the screen. One of the issues I see is that I have to keep the brightness cranked up to at least 17 or more even in a dark room or it is almost impossible to even see the text. That issue led me to this thread and now I am wondering if it is related to the other issues I see and the overall unimpressiveness of the PW or at least this particular one in my eyes.
> 
> I called Amazon CS and the lady was very pleasant and had no problem with me wanting to exchange it (She didn't mention a return for my money but I asked her and she said it wouldn't be a problem if I decided on that course of action). She is shipping out a new one for me to arrive in a few days so I have no problem trying again with a new one. I think I have gotten so used to the Fire that I forgot how much different the regular Kindles look and to someone who has only had the Kindle e-readers the difference between the brightness of those versus the PW would be much more noticeable. I'm trying to be fair in my comparison as I realize the Fire is different technology and has a different purpose but I had enough of the older kindles through the years that I have a gut feeling that the one I received yesterday is not up to par and has some serious issues.
> 
> I love my Kindle Fire but am just looking to have a straight book reader with a light for traveling, etc. I swung by Best Buy while out and about today as I heard they have the PWs on display so I could compare what I saw with mine versus another one. I must say, the BB one had a sharper clearer display and I didn't see the blotchiness though in all fairness, my lighting at the house doesn't compare to BB. I am hoping I just got a dud and will be happy with the next PW. I am a Kindle fan and have had several over the years with no issues so I am not ready to throw in the towel on the PW yet. I don't have issues reading from the Fire for long periods of time as I have heard other people have when reading from tablets so that is not an issue but I like the portability and battery life of the PW and don't really need the tablet for daily use, plus I'm an IT geek and you can never have too many geek toys


I just got my PW yesterday and I found the "5" setting best for a dark room and 16-18 for a normal lit room. 24 is very bright


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## FearIndex (Oct 10, 2012)

At first I started using the PW on level 13. I felt that was the best compromise, both in darkness and in a somewhat lit room. A few days later I had it down to 8. Finally I had it down to 5, both in darkness and in somewhat lit room. (I rarely read in daylight.)

I found that I was basically trying to hide the fact that I am looking at a lit screen and looking for the lowest possible setting that would allow me to read comfortably - in ambient lighting I also found adding a little light was good for getting a whiter page to increase the rather low contrast Kindle PW has.

After a week or so of just taking it lower and lower, I understood the frontlight isn't really for me (and went to the $69 Kindle 5). But that's a different story. Overall, the best I found the frontlight when I could make it almost disappear - just enough to be able to read and maybe whiten the page a little in the prevailing lighting conditions.


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## Jeansaint (May 29, 2009)

After reading everyone's posts I have to suspect that my PW is defective. I can't drop the brightness below about 15 or it becomes unreadable it's so dark. Even at full brightness in daylight, it doesn't look as bright as the ones I see in photos or the one on display at BB. Before posting this I went back and revisited the issue just to make sure I wasn't crazy and it definitely is too dark to read and sort of blotchy besides. Must just be a lemon. I am not a picky person but I see no reason to keep the current one as I paid a lot of money for it. Hopefully the one I get this week will be an improvement.


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## VondaZ (Apr 21, 2009)

I don't have a set level that I use. I adjust it as befits the current lighting, which is constantly changing in my house.

I like to set it at a setting just below the setting where the screen first shows a glow. This makes the screen look white but not necessarily lit up or illuminated. It also helps minimalize the inconsistencies in the lighting and makes it look more like I am reading from an unlit white page. If the page is too gray, I move it up a notch.

The exception is reading in a completely dark room - the screen is always going to look lit in a pitch dark room. At first I usually have it adjusted higher (maybe around 10 or 11) as below that it seems to dim to read by. But as my eyes adjust, I gradually dim it back down - although I probably only rarely read with it as low as is recommended for a dark room. It just seems too dim and not enough contrast that low. I can get pretty close to it, but usually not to 5 or below.


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## MsBea (Dec 2, 2008)

I agree with Vonda - just enough to light the screen. I usually keep mine between 11 and 13 during the day in my house.  In a completely dark room, it's around 6 or 7.  Haven't read it in direct sunlight yet though.


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## CAR (Aug 1, 2010)

VondaZ said:


> I don't have a set level that I use. I adjust it as befits the current lighting, which is constantly changing in my house.
> 
> I like to set it at a setting just below the setting where the screen first shows a glow. This makes the screen look white but not necessarily lit up or illuminated. It also helps minimalize the inconsistencies in the lighting and makes it look more like I am reading from an unlit white page. If the page is too gray, I move it up a notch.
> 
> The exception is reading in a completely dark room - the screen is always going to look lit in a pitch dark room. At first I usually have it adjusted higher (maybe around 10 or 11) as below that it seems to dim to read by. But as my eyes adjust, I gradually dim it back down - although I probably only rarely read with it as low as is recommended for a dark room. It just seems too dim and not enough contrast that low. I can get pretty close to it, but usually not to 5 or below.


BTW: When I say "5" in dark room and reading in bed. That is the lowest setting I can read comfortably with, and have the minimum amount of "extra" light.


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## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

HappyGuy said:


> Has anyone use the light enough to comment on how much (little) it drains the battery. Amazon claims, what, 8 weeks? But that assumes 1/2 use per day - totally unreal; who reads for only 1/2 hour per day?  Anyway, what are you seeing as a battery drain versus time spent reading?


I was on the phone with Amazon about the battery. They said it is 8 weeks at half an hour a day at level 10.

My first charge lasted exactly one week. My second charge lasted six days. I am above both the 1/2 a day and level 10.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I almost neve rread in the dark. I tend to read in moderately lit rooms, and i use a 17 level most of the time.

Steve


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## MoyJoy (Aug 24, 2010)

i don't read in the dark.  so far i've not actually used the "light" except on the lowest setting except to say "ooooh it has a light".  That being said I still love my paperwhite!    I love the crisp screen and I LOVE having the additional light as an option.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

Between 8 and 13, generally.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Mine are pretty well set now, having had it for 3 weeks or so--pretty much what I was using in my initial post.

15 in bed with the lamp on (my primary reading condition), 20 in a brighter room (daytime, or living room with brighter lamps), 24 (max) on the balcony in the sun or under flourescent lighting.  I don't read in a dark room, so not sure what I'd use there. Probably in the 8-10 range I'd guess.

I like a nice white screen, and my eyes aren't really sensitive to light (not much issue reading on backlit screens like my iPad) so my settings are probably higher than some.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

HappyGuy said:


> Just curious - has anyone noticed a difference in reading experience using an incandescent bulb versus the new LED lights? I know the LEDs have a bluish tint to them and was wondering if this affects the light level you use.


I have a stockpile of 40-watt incandescents for our reading lamps. I can't stand the corkscrew fluorescents. I've not tried the LED lights yet, but I intend to soon. Hopefully as the technology matures and there's more consumer demand, they'll have more choices available and someone will perfect a warm-colored LED bulb.


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## Jeansaint (May 29, 2009)

Got my replacement PW awhile ago and I must say, the screen looks much better. I don't see the uneven screen like I did in the other one and it seems to be smoother and brighter overall. I still see some shadowing along the bottom where the lights are but I expect that and since it doesn't come up to where the words are, it doesn't bother me and I don't really notice it. I am happy with the new one and keeping it. 
I noticed when I tracked the package that the first one I got shipped from KY and this came from California so I assume it is from a different batch. Hopefully Amazon worked out the kinks and the ones they ship from now on will be better for others as well.


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## trixiedog (Feb 13, 2009)

I read in the dark a lot, and I keep it around  5-6


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## gaidinsgirl (Feb 1, 2011)

I've been keeping mine between 5 and 11. 11 in the living room with the light coming in the windows and the TV on. 5-7 in the dark.


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## MagentaSunset (Oct 1, 2010)

With a bedside lamp (the only location I have tried so far w/my PW), between 9-11.  So far, so good.


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## Book Cottage Blogger (Mar 25, 2012)

I started off at 14 in both light and dark rooms. Then moved to 10 - which seems to be good for me now.  I fully charged it on the 24th, and have read about 30 minutes each day - looks to still have a ful charge.  I'm keeping an eye on it to see if it goes the 8 weeks.  But so far I love it. The size is perfect and it's light enough that I can hold it comfortably in either hand - both which suffer from painful arthritis.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I've been reading mostly at a 7 for the past week.
Last night after I ran out of Halloween candy, I was sitting in the dark reading and I put it all the way down to 1.


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## Emmalita (Feb 24, 2009)

I keep mine at a 3 all the time.  I find I can read it perfectly in the dark room at night and in the day it looks like the older Kindles and doesn't even phase me.  I guess the fact that the page wasn't white before didn't bother me at all because I don't even find myself wanting to adjust it.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm still experimenting, since I've only had the PW for a week, but right now I'm going with 18.


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## gajitldy (Apr 25, 2009)

I can keep mine at 5 at all times.

Diane


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## defygravity213 (Jan 10, 2012)

I do the opposite of what they recommend. I can't read it at all in a low setting in a dark room. I have it all the way up to 24. In a bright room I turn the light off.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

defygravity213 said:


> I do the opposite of what they recommend. I can't read it at all in a low setting in a dark room. I have it all the way up to 24. In a bright room I turn the light off.


I'm the same way.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Speaking of light levels, they may not be the same on all new Kindle PWs.

I have 3 here side by side. 2 look exactly the same at the same light level....and one does not. It is not as bright. Perhaps for this reason, I dont think the font contrast is as sharp but I havent played with all the fonts & weights yet.

Yes, all have the same updates and firmware #.


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## metal134 (Sep 2, 2010)

Emmalita said:


> I keep mine at a 3 all the time. I find I can read it perfectly in the dark room at night and in the day it looks like the older Kindles and doesn't even phase me. I guess the fact that the page wasn't white before didn't bother me at all because I don't even find myself wanting to adjust it.


This.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

17

All the cool people are at 17 you know!!!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

i've been keeping mine between 18 and 20 because i like the "whiteness"  at that level, but my eyes have become very light sensitive the last couple of days, so i've greyed it down to 13.


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## Brooks (Nov 16, 2012)

17 here.  It seems like such an arbitrary number but I see that a couple people are also 17'ers.  I guess we like prime numbers 

I don't read in absolute dark very often but I seem to remember liking 10 in that setting.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

The longer I have my PW, the lower the light goes.  . I think I started at 14, but then I noticed that it was lit. I don't want to notice it. So at most I go to 10 now, but most times during day hours its at 7 or 8 now. At night it is at 4 in bed with a side lamp. Evening maybe 5 or 6. 

But I have left it at 4 or 5 and forgot to go higher during the day and it was just fine. I don't want to see the lit up screen. I just want nice contrast. And at night of course without a book light attached to my kindle. But 4 is plenty for me there. 

I am just enjoying the touch screen, having a little more contrast compared to my K3 in certain lights is an added bonus.


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm pretty much 10 most of the time... but if I happen to decide to read in the early morning hours that is blinding and I tone it back to about 4.


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