Is Buying an E-reader Worth It?
An honest review from someone who loves physical books
After contemplating the purchase for about a month, I finally decided to take the leap and order a Kindle. I’ve been using my e-reader for three weeks now and it’s easy to say that this was a worthwhile investment. It’s probably the best purchase I’ve made off Amazon thus far!
Initially, I put off the thought of buying a Kindle, because I didn’t have the urge to purchase another piece of consumer technology that was simply ‘nice to have’. However, after spending time researching and reading up on reviews, I decided it was time.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love physical books for several reasons. Physical books allow us to:
- Lend, share, or exchange books with others
- Concentrate on reading a book inside out
- Highlight or write notes in the margins
However, I noticed a few recurring pain points that led to the ultimate decision of buying a Kindle. Although these factors are specific to my experience and preferences, you’ll see how there were benefits to the
- I was reading a lot of PDFs and reports on my laptop, which was extremely straining on my eyes
- I enjoy reading and working in the dark — you can’t read a physical book in the dark without light
- Books are not cheap, but you can buy e-books at a fraction of the cost
- I could never decide on what book to buy because there are so many great books out there
What I like about the Kindle
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using my Kindle so far. Its convenience has encouraged me to read frequently. Here are some of my favorite features:
- Adjust the brightness of the screen — depending on the time of day, you’re able to adjust the brightness to suit your preference
- The screen does not emit blue light, which is much more comforting on your eyes — it gives a paper-like look
- Upload PDFs by dragging them from your desktop to the Kindle storage drive. You can often find the PDF version of a book online for free, which is a huge cost saver.
- The device is extremely lightweight and easy to hold
- Two orientations are available depending on if you prefer to read the book on a vertical or horizontal screen
- Highlight text to save for reference or to activate the dictionary
Some things to consider
Although these are not major drawbacks, if you use either function frequently, it’s good to keep them in mind.
- Kindle offers you one month of Kindle Unlimited, access to millions of books on demand. After your free trial, access to Kindle Unlimited is based on a $10 subscription fee.
- You aren’t able to adjust the font size on PDFs. Since PDFs are essentially a compilation of electronic images, you aren’t able to adjust anything once you upload it to your Kindle.
In all, a Kindle is still a consumer technology product that’s nice to have. But if you love reading books, it’s an option to consider. Of course, the most economic way to read is to borrow books from the library.
