Amazon unveiled a new 6-inch Kindle on Wednesday, describing it in a press release as its "lightest and most compact" e-reader to date. (See, Apple? Not everyone is ditching the "mini" form factor.) But that tagline might sell it short.

While the device marks the latest addition to Amazon's regular Kindle lineup, its specs make it more akin to a $139.99 Paperwhite model. It pulls several features from that premium lineup, including a 300ppi high-resolution display for "laser-quality text and graphics" (up from 167ppi), a dark mode, and USB-C charging.

Further upgrades include a battery life of up to six weeks per charge and 16GB of storage, which is double the capacity of its 2019 predecessor. Plus, the adjustable front light has made its return.

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Perhaps most impressive, this new Kindle manages to squeak in at $99.99 — a mere $10 bump from the previous generation, and a tempting price point for anyone looking to upgrade from an older model that lost the ability to browse, borrow, or buy books directly from the Kindle Store last month.

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Preorders for the device and its $119.99 Kindle Kids counterpart for ages seven to 13 are live ahead of their official release on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The standard version comes in plain Black or a new Denim style, and includes a free four-month Kindle Unlimited membership for a limited time (normally $9.99/month), while the Kids Edition ships with a year of Amazon Kids+ (normally $4.99/month for Prime members), a two-year worry-free guarantee, and a durable kid-friendly cover in your choice of three new designs: Space Whale, Unicorn Valley, or Ocean Explorer.

Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonAmazon KindleOpens in a new windowCredit: AmazonAmazon Kindle Kids

TopicsAmazon