# Paperwhite or Voyage



## Ottie (Aug 31, 2009)

I'm debating on upgrading to a new kindle as I haven't done an upgrade since the kindle keyboard but I'm having trouble deciding on the Paperwhite or the Voyage.  The room  that I most feel comfortable reading doesn't have the best lighting. The lighting is so poor that I've resorted to reading  on my iPad. I've been looking at the Paperwhite for so long but then they recently released the voyage I'm just really unsure of what to do and I'd really love to hear your opinions.


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## beboyle (May 19, 2009)

The differences with the Voyage are the pressure-sensitive page turn buttons on the border and the smaller size (but same screen size). Otherwise the experience is the same as with the Paperwhite 2.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

LOL!  I have to keep catching myself from calling it the Voyager!


Betsy


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## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

beboyle said:


> The differences with the Voyage are the pressure-sensitive page turn buttons on the border and the smaller size (but same screen size). Otherwise the experience is the same as with the Paperwhite 2.


You're missing some important differences. The Voyage is also a higher resolution screen. Paperwhite is 212 ppi and the Voyage is 300 ppi. The Voyage also adjusts automatically to light conditions, the PW2 is a manual adjustment. OP: The size difference is obviously accompanied by a weight difference, so you might want to think about total weight (if you read with a case) if you are having any problems currently with arms/hands getting tired.


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## Ottie (Aug 31, 2009)

LaraAmber said:


> You're missing some important differences. The Voyage is also a higher resolution screen. Paperwhite is 212 ppi and the Voyage is 300 ppi. The Voyage also adjusts automatically to light conditions, the PW2 is a manual adjustment. OP: The size difference is obviously accompanied by a weight difference, so you might want to think about total weight (if you read with a case) if you are having any problems currently with arms/hands getting tired.


I actually prefer my kindle in its case because I normally hold the kindle with one hand.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Honestly, moving from the keyboard kindle, I think you'll be really pleased with either one.

Objectively, the screen and lighting is better on the Voyage. But YOU might not consider it $80 worth of better.

In technology, the general rule is 'buy the best you can afford', because it will last the longest.

Not sure if any of those observations are better, but there you have it.

Personally: I think the Voyage is enough better that *I* am happy that I got it. I had the keyboard kindle and thought the 2012 version of the PW was a huge improvement. I thought the 2013 PW was an improvement on the 2012 PW. And I think the Voyage is an improvement on the 2013 PW.


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Honestly, moving from the keyboard kindle, I think you'll be really pleased with either one.
> 
> Objectively, the screen and lighting is better on the Voyage. But YOU might not consider it $80 worth of better.


In my opinion, if you already own a paper-white, then Voyage won't impress enough to be worth the money, BUT if you have any version older than Paper-white, it's DEFINITELY is worth it.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Ottie said:


> I actually prefer my kindle in its case because I normally hold the kindle with one hand.


Well . . . . . if you consider cases. . . . . I feel like the cases available for the PW are nicer than the ones available so far for the Voyage. There are more options since the PW has been around longer, of course, and the Amazon case for the Voyage is a top flip rather than a side flip.


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## GBear (Apr 23, 2009)

I agree with Ann's points. I have a PW2 (2013) and, tempting as it is, probably won't spend the money to move to a Voyage because I don't see enough incremental value. (I have usually purchased "every other" Kindle - K1, K3, and PW2. It has helped that my wife has owned the models in between - the K2 and PW1.)

If I were still reading on my K3 (Keyboard Kindle), I would definitely jump to the Voyage because a) I read a lot, including in the dark; and b) the extra cost of the Voyage is something I can afford. If I the Voyage cost were a hardship, however, I would be (and am!) very happy with my Paperwhite compared to the K3.

As for cases, I _think_ I wouldn't mind the flip top and would be happy to use the stand when reading and eating, but I would want to check it out before buying. I do really like the Amazon case for the Paperwhite. I suppose that could be a factor in deciding which Kindle is preferable.


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## NightReader (Apr 25, 2010)

I returned my Voyage because I like my PW2 better.  

The size/weight/feel is nicer to me (easier to hold), the covers are better, there isn't an on/off button on the back (really Amazon?), and mine has a very good screen.  Plus, I've discovered that I like the raised bezel around the edge.  I never realized it before, but I run my finger down the left side when I get in a hurry and speed read.  

For $80 more, the KV had an uneven screen, a fussy right press button, and I didn't think the print was all that noticeably better.  Those press buttons were a huge disappointment to me.  Nor was it noticeably faster.  

If I was buying for the first time now, I would get the PW and think about spending the extra to get 3G and no ads.


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## KimberlyinMN (Dec 30, 2009)

Coming from the PW2, I prefer the Voyage, but I also use a cover that has the auto-wake feature. (Fintie SmartShell)

That being said, you will definitely notice an improvement going from the KK to the PW2. However, you may also miss not having page turn buttons. I REALLY missed them. Having to tap a screen to turn the page brought me out of the "book" experience enough that it bugged me. 

The good news for YOU is that you can order the PW2 to see if you like it. If you miss the buttons, you have 30 days to return it and order the Voyage.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I'm keeping my PW2. I don't want buttons and to me the small increase in ppi isn't worth the cost.


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## PixelKnight (Nov 8, 2014)

I think the Voyage is pretty awesome compared to the Paperwhite but it's pretty expensive and I think it's for serious readers. People who love it and read a lot of books. The battery lasts months and the text looks really nice with the 300ppi screen.


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## werdegast (Apr 22, 2011)

I upgraded from a PW1 to the Voyage and am ultra-mega-mega happy!!


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## alicepattinson (Jan 27, 2013)

Kindle Voyage, alot better than paperwhite. But if you're looking for budget friendly device go for paperwhite.


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## FearIndex (Oct 10, 2012)

Ottie said:


> I'm debating on upgrading to a new kindle as I haven't done an upgrade since the kindle keyboard but I'm having trouble deciding on the Paperwhite or the Voyage. The room that I most feel comfortable reading doesn't have the best lighting. The lighting is so poor that I've resorted to reading on my iPad. I've been looking at the Paperwhite for so long but then they recently released the voyage I'm just really unsure of what to do and I'd really love to hear your opinions.


One thing you may want to consider, if you are particular about such things, is the frontlight evenness - Kindle Paperwhite is now much more mature technology than Kindle Voyage is, so according to both experience and reports, it may be a safer bet in getting a more evenly lit screen. I just reviewed my Kindle Voyage, comparing it to the Paperwhite 2, if that helps.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

PixelKnight said:


> I think the Voyage is pretty awesome compared to the Paperwhite but it's pretty expensive and I think it's for serious readers. People who love it and read a lot of books. The battery lasts months and the text looks really nice with the 300ppi screen.


I agree with everything you've said except about the battery. It doesn't last 'months'. I've had the thing just under 3 weeks and have had to charge it a couple of times. That said, I AM a serious reader and probably have been using it at least 3-4 hours a day since I got it. I'm not into doing the math this early in the morning, but the Zon's time estimate assumes a half hour of reading a day. Regardless it's dead easy for me to have chargers around the house -- we do anyway for smartphones -- and if I put it down and it's below half, I just plug it in. 

MOSTLY -- I think the screen is brilliant and am quite satisfied, even considering the cost. Definitely an improvement over the 2013PW I'd been using, though not a giant leap.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

The battery life would be my only semi-complaint about the Voyage.  I have to recharge after every book or two (300-500 pages would be my usual book length).  I only have wifi on when I download something, nothing picture-heavy, and I haven't transferred a bunch of books for it to be doing a lot of indexing in the background; there are only 5 books on it now and I delete as soon as I finish reading.  No collections either.

It's not a big deal as I have chargers all over the place and I can read while it is charging, but I would characterize my Voyage as having the shortest battery life of any Kindle I have owned.


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## JetJammer (Jan 18, 2009)

Okay, that is interesting about the battery.  I've been wondering if my Voyage was defective because I'm going through the battery very quickly as well.  I had to charge my PW at least once, probably twice a week, so doing the same for the Voyage doesn't bother me a bit BUT it definitely doesn't have the "months" long battery they're claiming.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

JetJammer said:


> Okay, that is interesting about the battery. I've been wondering if my Voyage was defective because I'm going through the battery very quickly as well. I had to charge my PW at least once, probably twice a week, so doing the same for the Voyage doesn't bother me a bit BUT it definitely doesn't have the "months" long battery they're claiming.


I went back to the Voyage specifications page to see exactly what the language is under battery life. It says, "A single charge lasts up to six weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Battery life will vary based on light setting and wireless usage."

That should be approximately 21 hours of reading time, right? I'd say I'm getting less than half of that before I get the plug-in to charge message; even though wireless off and light setting at 10 is pretty much spot on for my usage. Ah well, everything else is 'perfect' as far as I am concerned, I don't think it's worth a call to CS or an exchange. Maybe I read twice as fast as the average user and the number of page turns I make eat up the battery life that much faster.


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## CAR (Aug 1, 2010)

My wife has to charge her Paperwhite 2 once a week.  But she reads much more then 1/2 hour a day and keeps the brightness about 18.  But does this really matter?  I think not.  The real plus is you can take a fully charged Kindle with you anywhere for a few days, and not worry about charging it.  A cellphone or tablet may be another story.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

crebel said:


> I went back to the Voyage specifications page to see exactly what the language is under battery life. It says, "A single charge lasts up to six weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Battery life will vary based on light setting and wireless usage."
> 
> That should be approximately 21 hours of reading time, right? I'd say I'm getting less than half of that before I get the plug-in to charge message; even though wireless off and light setting at 10 is pretty much spot on for my usage. Ah well, everything else is 'perfect' as far as I am concerned, I don't think it's worth a call to CS or an exchange. Maybe I read twice as fast as the average user and the number of page turns I make eat up the battery life that much faster.


I would suggest that the text settings will make a difference, too. They say that, all else being equal, the screen only uses the battery when you're turning pages. So the more text you have on the page (smaller print, narrower margins, closer line spacing) the less often you'll have to turn the page. Conversely, if you use wide margins, more spacing between lines, and/or a larger size print, you'll turn the pages more often.

I also think the battery will drain faster if you've set the page to refresh every time rather than every 6th time. And it seems like the more often you turn it on and off will have a slight effect as well. So if you turn it on, read 3 hours straight, I would think that would have less effect on the battery than if you keep picking it up, read a bit, put it down, pick up, read a bit, put down until you've hit 3 hours of reading time.

Still, if I consider the 21 hour 'actual usage' benchmark as average, I figure I probably get close to that and I have wireless always on and light at about 12. So I can't complain.

And, FWIW, I think the specs are the same for the PW, and, frankly, I haven't noticed any difference between the PW and the Voyage on that score.


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

crebel said:


> That should be approximately 21 hours of reading time, right? I'd say I'm getting less than half of that before I get the plug-in to charge message; even though wireless off and light setting at 10 is pretty much spot on for my usage. Ah well, everything else is 'perfect' as far as I am concerned, I don't think it's worth a call to CS or an exchange.


I'm in the same boat. In fact I wrote down my reading sessions to be sure how long a charge was lasting and got about 11 hours. My PW1 was the same although I never calculated it exactly. The only way I ever got the claimed battery life on any of my Kindles was to let them sit and not use them. I keep my wifi/3G off, but I do read with the light at 22 except when I'm in bed and bedtime reading didn't factor in when I did the calculations. After trying the limited page refresh setting, I kicked the page refresh to every page. I too considered calling Amazon about it for about a minute, but with all the unhappiness over screens - the screen on mine is fantastic to my eyes, an even pure white. I'm not risking that over having to plug the thing in every night.

Fortunately, I never go anywhere that I need a charge to last weeks. If I did, I'd have to start looking at solar chargers.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

my Paperwhite (1st generation) died, I'm using a new Fire HD 6" for reading, but, I need a backup in case it dies...

I see the new Kindle ($79) now has touchscreen, why would I to want fork out an extra $50 for another Paperwhite or an extra $120 for a Voyage

the advantages they have over the $79 model don't seem to justify forking out the extra money...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

MrKnucklehead said:


> my Paperwhite (1st generation) died, I'm using a new Fire HD 6" for reading, but, I need a backup in case it dies...
> 
> I see the new Kindle ($79) now has touchscreen, why would I to want fork out an extra $50 for another Paperwhite or an extra $120 for a Voyage
> 
> the advantages they have over the $79 model don't seem to justify forking out the extra money...


I do quite like the light -- if you're used to reading on the Fires, you might as well. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a dark room with no way to read. 

The Voyage is definitely a Premium Product with a Premium price. For me, the advantage over a PW is somewhat better screen clarity and contrast and more even screen lighting. An advantage over the Fire is that it's a dedicated reader -- no other distractions on the same device -- but the same would be true for the PW or basic model.

All that said . . . . if you truly expect it to be a back up device only, the basic model is a fine choice. 

I would suggest that you contact Kindle CS about your PW. You say 'it died' but don't say how/why. Regardless, Amazon is known for excellent customer service and, even though it's well out of warranty, if it's not working, it is very likely they'll offer you a discount on a new or refurbished device on the condition you send the dead one back to them. Might make it so a new PW is not much more than the basic.  I had a Kindle DX that a heavy object had rolled across and cracked the screen -- they offered me a $30 or $40 discount on a new device or a refurbished unit. They didn't offer the DX any more, so basically gave me my choice of devices.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

MrKnucklehead said:


> my Paperwhite (1st generation) died, I'm using a new Fire HD 6" for reading, but, I need a backup in case it dies...
> 
> I see the new Kindle ($79) now has touchscreen, why would I to want fork out an extra $50 for another Paperwhite or an extra $120 for a Voyage
> 
> the advantages they have over the $79 model don't seem to justify forking out the extra money...


If you don't care about the light, there's probably no reason to spend the extra money. Me, I'm totally spoiled by the light on my PW2, and I ain't givin' it up! BUT, having said that, I'd give Kindle Customer Service a call, even if your PW is out of warranty. They may well give you a discount on a replacement. Might as well maximize your options.


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## Capri142 (Sep 25, 2009)

My feeling on this. Or my two cents. Is that I already have a PW and it does a REALLY good job of doing what iot is supposed to do, The Voyage does it as well but just a little better (at least for me)  For the $199 price of the Voyage, I can buy a whole slew of books for my Paperwhite.


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## Daniel Cane (Oct 16, 2014)

I want the Voyage but have to wait a few more paychecks. Guess I better pay the bills first.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I am not upgrading from my PW2 for only one reason, the case. I like my side flip PW case and its auto on/off feature. I don't like  the Voyage top flip case, and none of the few available side flip ones have the magnetic on/off feature. If Amazon came out with a case just like the standard one for the PWs, I would most likely upgrade.

Steve


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

stevene9 said:


> I am not upgrading from my PW2 for only one reason, the case. I like my side flip PW case and its auto on/off feature. I don't like the Voyage top flip case, and none of the few available side flip ones have the magnetic on/off feature. If Amazon came out with a case just like the standard one for the PWs, I would most likely upgrade.
> 
> Steve


Actually, there are several third party side-open cases with auto wake/sleep.

Fintie makes one  as does OMOTON  as does ACcase 

I have the Fintie and it works great.


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## rlkubi (Dec 7, 2009)

I ordered the VSTN on 10/3 and still haven't received. It's taking forever!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NOLKT76/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Actually, there are several third party side-open cases with auto wake/sleep.
> 
> Fintie makes one  as does OMOTON  as does ACcase
> 
> I have the Fintie and it works great.


I have the OMOTON and it works great also. It adds very little weight to the device and for $7.99 it was a good deal.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I would like to thank Ann and Tatiana for there replies. These cases look pretty good. I see a Voyage Xmas present in my future. Thanks.

Steve


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## mayfire (Nov 11, 2010)

I also debated about which I should choose as an update from my KK. I bought the Voyage and love it. Yes, that big jump from $119 to $199 was a mind struggle. Here's how I rationalized my decision to go with the V: my KK was $179 when I bought it in 2010; I really wanted the built-in light and better screen res to make all my reading easier on my eyes; no Fire because of the backlit screen and we already have an iPad; I decided to go low with a less expensive sleeve or case instead of the Oberon I have for KK (however, I may recant on that); I'm getting almost all of my ebooks from the library for a while to atone for spending so much on the reader. Maybe those "excuses" aren't quite enough to validate the extra cash, but I'm happy.

I bought the Bearmotion felt sleeve/envelope in that pretty bright green. It's just fine and I think that the V wearing a thin case with still fit. I'm holding out for a better case until some more versions come out.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Don't forget Amazon has free books.  Just sort price low to high.


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## MagicalWingLT (May 12, 2009)

Well I had the Voyage on preorder but Staples had that sale for the Paperwhite 2 so I bought that instead. I've had it for a month now and love it. I've had to charge it twice in one month. So I'm guessing that's normal then... I usually read two books per week, I have the Wi-Fi turned off unless I'm buying a book. And I read Manga on it a lot. The refresh I have turned off too.


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## rlkubi (Dec 7, 2009)

Ok the refurbished Paperwhite ship date was moved up and I'm receiving on Monday.  I have the Voyage but I'm going to compare to see if worth $120 to keep the Voyage.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

rlkubi said:


> Ok the refurbished Paperwhite ship date was moved up and I'm receiving on Monday. I have the Voyage but I'm going to compare to see if worth $120 to keep the Voyage.


Yep mine shipped today - I opted for the "no rush" shipping since I ordered it for a Christmas gift. But it's coming almost a month earlier than the initial estimate was.


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## bchaplin (Jul 30, 2010)

I had the opposite experience of some people. I owned a Paperwhite 1 which I was mostly satisfied with, but I wanted the improved screen and software update offered by the Voyage. I ordered the wi-fi only version (after having a 3G version of the PW1) because of the price.

When the Voyage arrived I loved the screen and lightness, but right away experienced all kinds of software errors. I have since learned that these might result from my household wi-fi being lost. At any rate, a call to customer service didn't permanently resolve the problems, and I decided that the most important thing to me in an ereader is that it just works for me without my having to tinker with it or wait for a fix to be released. I ordered the PW2 and compared the three devices, finally deciding that:

1) The PW2 has an improved enough screen (nicer color cast and slightly sharper text) over the PW1 that I consider it a nice upgrade.
2) With the PW2 I got a larger storage space (from 2GB to 4GB).
3) The software update on the PW2 allowed me to tame my collections for the first time since "cloud collections" were implemented, so this alone makes me happy. 
4) I like the Voyage's screen, and reluctantly decided to part with it, but I don't want the frustration of dealing with the software bugginess.

Perhaps it is not worth upgrading from the PW1 to the PW2, but I will give my old ereader to someone who will consider it an upgrade, too. And I have started carrying my Paperwhite every day and appreciate the improvement.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

FWIW, bchaplin, I don't think the software issues you experienced are systemic, though I totally get that if yours is buggy that's annoying to YOU. Most folks reporting in the first impressions thread, however, have said everything is working just great!

That said . . . I do, really, agree with you about the PW2 vs the Voyage. Really, it's fair to let it come down to price, especially now that they've fixed the collections thing on both devices. I admit my purchase of the Voyage was very definitely in the realm of 'splurge'.  And I'm happy with it. But I think anyone moving from the PW1 or an earlier device would also be very happy with the current PW2 -- and would have an extra $80 or so to buy books with.  

I note that the PW1(2012) is NOT getting the update that fixes the cloud collection implementation.


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## bchaplin (Jul 30, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> FWIW, bchaplin, I don't think the software issues you experienced are systemic, though I totally get that if yours is buggy that's annoying to YOU. Most folks reporting in the first impressions thread, however, have said everything is working just great!


Totally agreed. I could have ordered a replacement but decided not to bother since I realized I was satisfied with the PW2. And yes, the fact that the PW2 got the update where the PW1 did not was a big factor.


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## Tia K (Sep 28, 2013)

Capri142 said:


> My feeling on this. Or my two cents.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes i'm in the same boat too. PW is really a great device and i don't see much improvements in voyage that worth the double price, but for sure it's better if you're getting it as a gift


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## BZee (Jun 27, 2014)

I decided to skip getting a Voyage for now, but may get a later generation one (or the current one if the price drops significantly). I have two PW1s that I really enjoy (both have excellent screens with even lighting).


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## jkingrph (Jun 10, 2012)

cinisajoy said:


> Don't forget Amazon has free books. Just sort price low to high.


Actually I am finding that that is not as easy to use as in the past. They mix quite a few non free books in so you have to be careful. In the past I could pick a genre and find top paid and free lists, It no longer seems to be there or I am having a hard time finding it.


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## CAR (Aug 1, 2010)

Going from a PW2 to a Voyage was worth it  for  me.  I am reading faster with the Voyage.  My wife is just the opposite, she wants to stick with her PW2.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


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## GhiiZhar (May 23, 2010)

I just returned my Voyage that I just received Saturday. It had the uneven, tinted screen that many others have mentioned. It was too much for me to tolerate, and I'm really not that picky.

I did not want to play "Voyage Roulette", and receive one even worse as I have heard happened to several other folks. I'll just patiently wait for the Voyage 2


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## dowisetrepla (Oct 21, 2014)

The Voyage is amazing. Seeing the Paperwhite 2 & Voyage side by side, I don't know how I ever used the Paperwhite. It looks awful to me now. No contest- The Voyage wins.


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## northofdivision (Sep 7, 2010)

dowisetrepla said:


> The Voyage is amazing. Seeing the Paperwhite 2 & Voyage side by side, I don't know how I ever used the Paperwhite. It looks awful to me now. No contest- The Voyage wins.


The form factor of the Voyage is REALLY really impressive to me. Much better than the Paperwhite 1/2. It's light and agile, the screen is crisp, the glass bezel is well done, the back button is a nice touch, and the responsiveness seems really good. It definitely feels premium. The downside to me is that the Voyage screen is uneven at the top 1/3 of the screen to the point where I returned two of them. The Paperwhite 2 lighting is pretty great (not as bright as the Voyage. Note, brighter doesn't always mean better). I also like the back of the Paperwhite to the Voyage (use them naked) but if you have a case, it wouldn't matter. Think you can be very happy with both.


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## javadoo (Dec 2, 2014)

I have the PW2 and absolutely loved it. 
But I *had* to have the Voyage when it came out as reading is my obsession and my therapy. 

While I loved my PW2, I really love the Voyage. To me, the differences are quite noticeable and well worth the upgrade. 
I still have my PW2 as a backup, but my Voyage is now my true love.


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