Kindle Paperwhite Battery Life

This article is based on my own reading experiences as an avid Kindle Paperwhite user. Most people are interested in knowing how long the batteries on their 2018, 10th Generation Kindle Paperwhites are going to last. Note that the information that’s given here also applies to earlier versions of the Kindle e-ink reader. So, what’s the battery life like on the Kindle Paperwhite?

Forget what you hear from Amazon: It’s just marketing

Amazon claims that the battery on the Kindle Paperwhite e-ink reader will last 6 weeks. That’s based on a daily reading duration of 30 minutes. Now, clearly this is a lot of hogwash. It’s a marketing gimmick! Why do I say so?

Why 30 minutes per day?

Amazon assumes that people are going to read their books for only 30 minutes every day before putting them aside. In reality, nobody really does that. What happens, at least in my case, is that I get hooked by a book and I want to read it to the end. Now, the thing that I am interested in is whether or not the battery on the Kindle Paperwhite will last me to the end. I don’t read for only 30 minutes on a daily basis.

The Kindle Paperwhite battery lasts about 3 days of continuous reading

In Amazon’s defense, it’s probably a difficult parameter to gauge. Books come in various sizes, people prefer different display settings and reading habits vary from one person to the other. However, based on my experience, I can safely say the Kindle Paperwhite’s battery lasts  an average of 5 days of continuous reading before needing to be recharged. 

How I arrived at this figure

Admittedly, my reading habits are rather abnormal. I have days when I read one novel after another on my Kindle device. Based on that experience, I can safely attest to the above estimated time for battery life on a Kindle Paperwhite. A much more normal pace would probably result in the battery lasting a week and a half or two. If you are a student and you are using the Kindle Paperwhite to read schoolbooks, then you have to go with my figure. You will need to recharge your device every 5 or so days.

Battery Life on a Kindle Paperwhite is still amazing

Truth of the matter is, the battery life on a Kindle Paperwhite is still amazing. It all has to do with the e-ink display. So, don’t let Amazon’s clumsy marketing gimmick put you off. You are way, way, way better off reading books on a Kindle Paperwhite than on any other display. In fact, the experience can be liberating!

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