Kindle Oasis review: Where does the Amazon e-reader rank?

Kindle Oasis inquirer, here's a question for you: what's black and white and 'red' all over?

If you said, "a newspaper", you'd be wrong. People don't read those anymore.

That's an exaggeration of course, but there has been a gradual decline in newspaper sales since the 1950s. Books, by contrast, are still going strong. In 2022, 669 million physical books were sold in the UK, the highest overall level ever recorded.

And yet, hand in hand with this is another rise – that of digital books. Much news journalism now takes place online or through speakers and screens, but people's long-form reading habits appear to be successfully straddling both the print and digital landscapes.

While digital won't be overtaking physical book sales anytime soon, what success there has been to date is in no small part due to Amazon's range of e-readers.

Although other options are out there (products from Rakuten, or the Onyx Boox Note Air 3 C, for instance) it's the Kindle brand which has become most synonymous with the electronic book concept following its entry into the market in 2007.

The Kindle Oasis is one of seven main types (the others being the Kindle, Kindle Kids, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Kindle Paperwhite Kids and Kindle Scribe).

Often featured among the best Kindles to buy and the best e-readers generally, David Ker looks at the device which promises an ergonomic design, the latest E Ink technology and millions of books at your fingertips.

A new leaf

If you're considering buying a Kindle Oasis, the odds are:

1. You already have a Kindle (the Paperwhite, for example) and want to upgrade.

2. This is your first foray into the e-reader market.

3. You're buying it as a gift for someone – how nice of you!

If you're in the second group you'll likely be wondering what advantages a Kindle of any kind has over a physical book, so let's start there.

The Kindle Oasis shares several benefits common with all e-readers.

For starters, and most obviously, it allows you to collate a library of books in one object. Granted, you're only going to be reading one book at a time, but it's a real boon if space is at a premium or when reading on the move. This is particularly the case if you like to take a lot of books on holiday with you. An e-reader will reduce the weight in your backpack and not eat into your luggage allowance.

In addition, the physical side of the reading experience is often easier than with a book (certainly if doing so over long periods) as you only need to use one hand. Alright, it's not going to be hugely significant for a short and sweet paperback, but if you're dipping into a weightier tome, it'll save you the strain and words won't disappear into the fold. Torn and worn pages aren't a risk for e-books, but most e-readers are also guarded when it comes to spills. In the Oasis's case it has an IPX8 rating. This means that it's protected against immersion in up to two metres of fresh water for up to 60 minutes and 0.25 metres of sea water for three minutes.

Finally, nearly all e-readers have a lit screen so that your ability to get into a book isn't dependent on the external environment.

The best of both?

The Kindle Oasis not only ticks all these boxes but goes some way to taking the basic concepts and improving on them.

The version I tested has 8GB of storage. This is at the lower end of what Kindles in general offer. There is a 32GB version of the Oasis available and other Kindles have 16GB as a minimum. However, 8GB is still enough for thousands of books. You can download these by accessing the Kindle store on the device or via another browser. These will then appear in your library alongside any audiobooks you've collected if you're also a subscriber to Audible. With this, your listening is synced to the Kindle and you can pick up from where you left off by pairing the Oasis to Bluetooth speakers or headphones.

The Oasis is light, weighing approximately 188g, and ergonomically designed. Its thin aluminium-backed body (an upgrade on a plastic-encased Paperwhite) is accompanied by page turning buttons, a feature which further differentiates it from fellow Kindle creations. These are a simple but positive addition, which allowed easy progress through my books of choice in a way which I found to be more obviously tactile than swiping a screen (though that's still an option). The additional space necessitated by the buttons doubles as a convenient and comfortable place to hold the Kindle as you read.

New reading opportunities

Lighting is another area where the Oasis goes a step further. Its 7-inch display has an adjustable warm light meaning that the reader can choose to view a page which is a shade of amber rather than white. Any change in this respect can also be scheduled to align with your habits or set to adapt automatically according to surrounding lighting conditions.

As someone at home with physical books, this was one of the best aspects of the Kindle Oasis for me. Instead of trying to find the perfect bedside lamp position, and then being stuck in spot, the light moved with me. Not only that, but it was not the stark, harsh light that one might associate with a digital screen. With the prevalence of smartphones, computers and televisions, I've always considered a book to be a break from the digital world. The highest compliment I can give the Oasis is that despite being another piece of tech it manages to replicate the feel of the non-tech reading experience, with the added benefits that a modern piece of gadgetry brings.

A resolution of 300ppi (pixels per inch) and E Ink technology combine with the greater control over light to create a screen which can do justice to the written word.

Any downsides?

The move to e-reading brings with it some limitations, and perhaps more so with a Kindle than other devices. Yes, you have access to a vast library of titles, but not as many as you'd find in print, and you're essentially being tied in to making all your purchases with Amazon. If this is already what you tend to do with physical books then it's no great leap, but if you're more inclined to shop around (and sell on or give away books after you're done reading) then this will be an adjustment. That said, there is an option to send files to your Kindle library from other sources. Furthermore, the gap from deciding on your next read and having it in your hands to peruse is virtually instantaneous.

Likewise, while Kindle batteries are quick to charge, this obviously isn't something that you'll have had to consider at all with a traditional book. The speed of battery depletion will vary according to how you use the Oasis, but you'll get more out of it by switching on airplane mode. You'll also need to bear in mind that (like all tech) the Kindle comes with a lifespan, but this shouldn't be a concern for a decade or more after purchase for the average user.

The Oasis, consistent with other Kindles, also functions as a web browser but operates at a glacial pace. Other than offering a nostalgia hit for those familiar with dial-up internet, this isn't impressive. However, it makes no claim that this is its main purpose, and it's a function which is there to be used sparingly. It's first and foremost a means to read books, and in that it succeeds.

Price and competition

At the time of writing, the Kindle Oasis is no longer being sold new by Amazon but you can pick up a used version for around £230. A couple of Kindles undercut this (the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite) with the primary difference being the absence of page turning buttons. At the other end, you can pick up a new Kindle Scribe for £329.99. That model's USP is the inclusion of a digital notebook and pen.

Beyond Amazon, Rakuten is the other company with a big share of the e-reader market. It currently has six Kobo devices available, including two options with colour screens: the Kobo Libra Colour and the Kobo Clara Colour.

It's highly likely that this will be the next step taken by Amazon and may account for its decision to stop new sales of the Oasis. E-reader fans will be waiting to see if a Kindle in colour takes its place.

Boox also offer an alternative if you're willing to part with more cash. Coming in at just under £500, the Onyx Boox Note Air 3 C has a highly responsive 10.3-inch display. You can find out more about it here. If the RRP is unappealing, you'll likely be able to find one at a knockdown price on eBay.

Who is the Kindle Oasis for?

The Oasis is a great option for anyone seeking a reliable e-reader with a couple of added extras. In this, it may also serve as an easier entry point than the Paperwhite if you're making the move from physical books. As mentioned, the inclusion of page turning buttons gives an added sense of interaction with your reading material, and greater control over the shade of the page is a definite asset.

Beyond this, there are several features not specific to the Oasis which are nonetheless welcome. You can highlight sections of text and add notes, as well as look up the meanings of words using the inbuilt dictionary. The size and type of font can also be altered, as well as the layout of the page. A function called 'X-Ray' gives you greater insight into the book you're reading and the topics it covers.

If you're looking to join a virtual book club, of sorts, then the Amazon-owned Goodreads is also available to you. Here you can keep track of your book wish list as well as review titles you've finished. Another crossover comes courtesy of the Libby app which allows you to patronise your local library digitally. Add your library card info and get borrowing (but be prepared to wait if you're after something in high demand).

Finally, a nice touch is the option to switch the screensaver to the cover of the book you're reading rather than one of a series of generic images.

Would we recommend it?

While the Kindle Oasis is increasingly difficult to get hold of new, it's still a great device whether box fresh or second-hand.

Sitting between the premium Scribe and the cheaper Paperwhite it offers buyers all the e-reader basics with a little bit extra. But it is only a little bit. Improvements to the Paperwhite in recent years mean this difference has narrowed. For the different price points, I'd have hoped to have discovered more things which set the Oasis apart from a sister product which is around £50 cheaper. Furthermore, Amazon's focus is clearly not currently on the Oasis, which leaves a doubt about how far it will be supported by ongoing updates and developments. However, the Oasis's screen remains slightly larger, it has auto-adjusting light sensors (present in the Paperwhite Signature but not the Paperwhite) and if you value those page turning buttons then it's the only Amazon option out there with them.

The question is, do you value them enough to spend the extra money? "It's a real page turner" might be high praise when it comes to a book, but it doesn't sound quite so impressive when talking about the two buttons which are the Oasis's distinguishing feature.

More items to consider

Who tested the Kindle Oasis?

The Kindle Oasis was tested by David Ker, Deputy Editor at What's The Best.

He tested it over a couple of weeks, judging it against manufacturer claims, as well as how it compared against rival e-readers. Particular attention was paid to how the Oasis differed from other available Kindles.

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David Ker is a journalist with a decade's experience in print and digital publishing. He appreciates technology made with its environmental impact in mind and which presents him a further means to pursue his love of music, reading, games, TV and film. Above all, with so many options out there, he's interested in products that display something out of the ordinary and offer value for money. Hard to please, he assures What's The Best readers that he'll be a discerning critic on their behalf.

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