Only bested by the Kobo Libra 2 in our best ereader guide, the 2021 (or latest) edition of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite currently has an extremely limited time discount of AU$79 at The Good Guys, using code AUTUMN. The deal expires at 11.59pm tonight, Thursday 4 May, after which it should revert to its regular discounted price of AU$189.
Elsewhere, including Amazon and JB Hi-Fi, you can pick up the same Kindle Paperwhite for AU$189.
While this isn’t the lowest price this ereader has dropped to, it might be worth considering if you love reading and are keen on going digital, or you need to update your now-ageing e-paper tablet.
More importantly, though, it makes a great gift. Given that Mother’s Day is less than two weeks away, it’s unlikely we’ll see a further discount on it before May 14. So if you’re looking for the perfect gift for mum, now’s the time to pick up one of these 6.8-inch Amazon ereaders – we even have it listed on our Mother’s Day gift guide.
Additionally, Free Comic Book Day is just around the corner, taking place this Saturday, May 6, and Amazon has a huge list of titles that you can download to your new Kindle Paperwhite for free. There’s 88 titles in total, plus some options from previous years’ FCBD. With DC big hitters like Batman and Dark Crisis to whimsical tales such as Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, there’s something for everyone, even mum, to help kick off a comic ebook collection.
And the good news is, you won’t need an Amazon Prime membership to pick up this discount on the Kindle Paperwhite or claim some free comic books – just a standard free Amazon account will do. Though you can save on shipping and get same-day delivery (in eligible areas) if you do subscribe for the AU$6.99 per month service or take advantage of Amazon Prime’s 30-day free trial.
And this Kindle ships to New Zealand too. For AU$205.43 (down from AU$270.65) – prices correct at time of publishing – with free shipping (or paid express).
Sticking true to the previous Kindle Paperwhite’s design, the 2021 model does make some worthy upgrades over its predecessor. Not only did the later model increase the screen size from 6-inches to 6.8-inches, but it also sports a USB-C port allowing for faster charging and sideloading.
With a plastic shell, the Kindle Paperwhite is also light enough to read over long periods of time. That makes it the perfect travel companion too – no longer will you have to pack a stack of books into your luggage and risk going over the weight limit for some holiday reading, the Kindle Paperwhite can store hundreds (if not thousands) of ebooks to keep you busy while on your trip. It’s also waterproof, so feel free to lounge on a pool inflatable while you read.
If you happen to be a Prime member, you get free access to Prime Reading. That means there’s thousands of books available for you to ‘borrow’ for free and read any time, anywhere. That said, Amazon also has a paid ebook subscription service called Kindle Unlimited. For AU$13.99 a month you’ll have access to over a million titles – far more than what you’d get with Prime Reading – although you can only borrow 10 at once, which is still plenty to keep you occupied. Like all Amazon services, Kindle Unlimited also offers a free 30-day trial, so you can sign up for it to test it out before committing to monthly payments.
Prefer to listen to audiobooks? Well, the Kindle Paperwhite can help you there too, as it also has audiobook support, which you can take advantage of by pairing a set of wireless Bluetooth headphones or a portable speaker. Both Kindle Unlimited and Audible (AU$16.45p/m) offer a stack of audiobooks, with thousands of titles on offer.
- Want to know what Amazon Prime has to offer? We’ve got a complete rundown on what you’ll get out of an Amazon Prime membership
