# Kindle Voyage - Blue vs. Yellow Light



## astroboy (Jun 23, 2016)

My Voyage is nearly two years old and, as the battery isn't holding a charge like it used to, I ordered a new Voyage on Prime Day. I've been reading on it for days but something didn't feel right. I compared it to my original Voyage and saw that the new one had yellowish light while that on the original is blueish. I vastly prefer the blue as the text pops, while the yellow lighting dulls the text. 

I'm wondering if all new Voyages have the yellow light or whether I should call customer service and see if they can send a replacement which, hopefully, will be blue. If the Voyage just has the ghastly yellow cast on all devices now, I'd just return it and live with the original. It's just too expensive to not be satisfied. From what I'm reading, the Oasis has the yellowish lighting. Ugh.

Thoughts?


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## KimberlyinMN (Dec 30, 2009)

I would have them replace it. Just don't do a "return" and then re-order because you'd lose the Prime Day price. 

I don't know if the new Voyage screen's are yellow, but I agree that the text is dull on them.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

There's a lot more difference in individual screens than you would expect.  A number of my neighbors have ordered Paperwhites and I've helped them get started with them and I nearly always have them beside mine while they're being set up.  Each is different even when they're the same model.

Actually that's been true of Kindles since I got my first one, a Kindle Keyboard.  So did a number of my neighbors and the screens all look different.  I've had every model since then except the Oasis and I've had a chance to compare them in most cases and they're all diferent within the same model type.  My Voyage is the only one I've seen so I can't compare it but posts in this and other forums lead me think they're all different as well.

If you really dislike it they'll exchange it but there's no assurance the next one will be better.  Actually I have all three Paperwhites and a Voyage and they're all very different and I rotate among them and I never notice the differences except when they're side by side.  The one I'm reading with always seems just right.

Barry


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## quadtronix (Nov 7, 2013)

My voyage has a blue tint compared to my Paperwhite but I got the voyage about a year and a half ago so idk if that helps any.... But I think the brighter you set the screen the bluer it gets? Maybe I'm wrong but it feels that way to me. I keep my voyage at around 19 most of the time lately and the screen is definitely bright with the bluest tint of all my Kindles...


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## astroboy (Jun 23, 2016)

Thanks everyone. After a number of calls to Amazon it was determined that the yellow tint is now standard on all Voyages after the blue tint was abandoned due to "health concerns." Bottom line is that they wouldn't let me exchange it for another one, just to see. I have to decide whether to keep it or return it for credit.


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## larryb52 (Nov 18, 2009)

banned ? really than why has not amazon recalled the blueish ones? I'd like to know because I have a couple...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

larryb52 said:


> banned ? really than why has not amazon recalled the blueish ones? I'd like to know because I have a couple...


I suspect 'banned' was simply a poor word choice and it's just that they've decided to change the lights.

It _is_ the case -- research has been done -- that blue light right before bed is, generally, not good for most people in helping get a good night's sleep. It's exactly the sort of light that works to help the body wake up! So, for example, using 'broad spectrum' lights right before bed because it's winter and it's dark and you're feeling low is EXACTLY THE WRONG thing to do. You should use the light first thing in the morning! And it's why most tablets nowadays have a 'night' mode or 'sepia' setting for reading in the evening.

Anyway, Amazon knows, of course, that LOTS of people do read right before bed. So I suspect the decision was made to switch all LEDs to the softer more yellowish light tone for that reading as, for most people, it's going to be better for their health. And most people won't even notice as long as they can see clearly. I only notice that the Oasis is slightly different if I compare it directly to my Voyage.


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## larryb52 (Nov 18, 2009)

this was known for tablets but because kindle were 'front' lit this wasn't to be an issue so in reality this is not the case? and it doesn't matter if you read off a tablet or e ink sorta makes me sorry I ever got involved with the lighted kindles always thought they had darker text...I have macular degeneration so I'm concerned for my eye health...


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I think it's pretty much accepted now that blue light before bed isn't condusive to a good night's sleep. As far as Kindles are concerned, what's also true is that individual devices' screens differ one from another, even among the same model, and also individual people's _perceptions_ of the screens also vary considerably.

I bought a Voyage when they were first released and have just had to buy another recently because of a pinhole problem. If Amazon have changed the lighting in the meantime, I can't see a diifference - and in fact neither device seems to be overly blue or overly yellow to me.

So for me it's a non problem - but everyone needs to make an independent decision based purely on the device in front of them. Exchanging it is no guarantee the next one will suit either and if that turns out to be the case, it may come down to balancing how much you want it against how much the perceived problem bothers you.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I think the light is much LESS of an issue for an eInk/frontlit kindle as compared to ANY backlit shines-in-your-eyes device. Keeping in mind that the yellow vs blue question is NOT an issue of eye health: it's an issue of circadian rhythms. 

I think it's been objectively demonstrated that the kindles where the light is reflected from the screen is not as harsh for your eyes as backlit devices and, by extension, not as potentially tiring/damaging/fatiguing for your eyes. So THAT's an issue of eye health. Though, as Linda points out, everyone is different.

However, unrelated to eye health, to the extent any ambient light late at night is less blue is probably going to be better for your sleep quality. I have both a Voyage and an Oasis. I don't consciously notice the slight difference in light color unless I compare them side by side. But given that the Oasis is less blue, it's become my 'night table' reader and the Voyage is still the one I carry around with me everywhere. I'm not sure I would really notice a difference, and have no idea how to do any sort of objective study, but I'm comfortable using them this way.


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