Kindle DX Reading Device – Is It Worth Paying More For A Bigger Kindle?

Article by Paul Ford

The Kindle DX is Amazons bumper version of the electronic reading devices. It comes with a much bigger screen and a higher price tag.

For those who are in the market for a suitable e-reader, what does the Kindle DX offer that would make it worth paying a higher price for?

Many of the great features which come with the smaller Kindles, such as Whispersync, big 3,500 book storage, E-Ink Technology, etc, are also standard equipment with this larger e-reader, but compared side-by-side, here are the key features setting the DX apart from the smaller models:

1:- Physical Size Is Larger

The physical dimensions of the DX e-reader come in at 10.4 inches high, 7.2 inches wide and 0.38 inches thick which, for most people, would make this a two-handed unit.

With the smaller models being designed to fit snugly into one hand like an average paper-back, the DX, sacrifices this feature for the advantages gained with a bigger screen.

2:- Larger Screen

This is the main reason a consumer would opt for the Kindle DX.

Compared to the smaller Kindles, the DX has a screen which is over 50 percent bigger. The exact size is 9.7 inches (measured diagonally). And, for the consumer, this translates into much more text being able to be viewed on the screen.

Some users have commented that this makes reading poetry, for example, much easier because with the smaller models, the lines are often severed in the wrong places making it challenging for the reader to get the sense of what the poet is saying.

Another benefit gained with a bigger screen is enabling the customer to better display a much wider selection of publications such as web sites, magazine, newspapers, and maps as well as books.

Furthermore, the Kindle DX will let the consumer switch between portrait or landscape making is much easier to view those bigger documents such as maps, and graphs and so on.

3:- More Weight

As you would anticipate, a bigger physical size will also raise the weight of the device. The DX weighs exactly 18.9 ounces.

Putting this in perspective, the Kindle DX weighs 10 ounces more than the smaller 3G and wireless models … over twice their weight.

This means, for most users, the DX is too bulky and heavy to be comfortably held and operated in one hand.

4:- Battery Life Comparison

Obviously, being a much bigger e-reader with a bigger screen, it will pull more current, which means it will need to be charged more frequently.

The DX will run for 2 to 3 weeks with the wireless switched off. With wireless switch on, it will run for up to 7 days before recharging is needed. To put this in perspective with the smaller models, with wireless switched off, these will run for up to 4 weeks and with wireless turned on, about 21 days for the Kindle Wireless and 10 days for the Kindle 3G.

4:- Price

The current price for the Kindle DX is 9, compared to the Kindle 3G’s 9 and the Kindle Wirelesses? 9.

Summary

In wrapping up, if the bigger physical size, the added weight and more regular battery charging are worth the benefits gained by having a much bigger screen, then the Kindle DX could be worth considering.

About the Author

For the facts, features and consumer feedback on the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device and other e-readers, have a look at www.EReaderConsumerReport.Com