Amazon launched the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft in the United States in October 2025, then launched it in select European markets earlier this year. We’re still waiting for it here in Australia and there’s no word on when – or even if – it will be available locally. I think it’s a question of “when” rather than “if”, as the entry-level Kindle Colorsoft was only released in Australia in July last year after first launching in the US in October 2024.
Either way, if you’re really interested in a new digital laptop, I wouldn’t recommend going the color route just yet and would say that the current model of the Kindle Scribe offers better value for money, especially since it’s back to what was its lowest price – AU$449 for the entry-level 16GB model and AU$479 for the 32GB option.
The main reason I recommend the 32GB Kindle Scribe is that you get double the storage for just AU$30 more and, for most people, the extra AU$40 for the 64GB option is excessive. 32 GB is the ideal solution, giving you enough storage space for thousands of books, notes and audiobooks.
As a reviewer of e-readers and digital laptops, I’ve used more than a dozen 10-inch models and nothing is as pleasant to write on as the Kindle Scribe – I use it every day. The combination of a soft ballpoint pen-like stylus tip and a smooth screen with just the right touch of friction is wonderful.
The ambient light sensor during playback keeps the screen at the right brightness level whether you’re indoors or outdoors, switching from shade to sunlight, without the need for manual adjustments. Text is crisp and clear, and battery life can be long even with the ambient light sensor working full time.
Additionally, many of the new features that come with the Colorsoft version will likely roll out to the monochrome Kindle Scribe. Amazon has already done this, as evidenced by the original 2022 Kindle Scribe benefiting from the AI-based features that came with the 2024 version after the latter’s release.
New Kindle Scribe Colorsoft features include sharing notes with Alexa, better notebook search and AI summary, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive integration, and Smart Shapes. And while you may have to wait for these to arrive on the monochrome Scribe, you’ll be waiting for the Colorsoft anyway.
Then there’s the price difference. Color digital laptops are much more expensive than their monochrome counterparts, which can cost you more than AU$800. I also don’t think the average user necessarily needs color to sort their notes. Experienced users might do this, but they are rare. For the average person who wants a device for reading and taking notes, the Kindle Scribe offers more than enough, even without the potential new features.
Additionally, the E Ink Kaleido 3 screen technology, currently used in almost all digital laptops (except the reMarkable Paper Pro), still has its limitations. It can be optimized to display colors well, but I think the E Ink Gallery 3 technology would be worth the wait as it promises better saturation. Unless you exclusively consume comics and graphic novels, I think a color e-reader just isn’t a good value.
Hell, even Amazon admitted that its black and white Kindles provide a better reading experience!
I admit to having waited for the Colorsoft Kindle Scribe myself, just so I could compare it to Boox’s competition, but for most people the current Kindle Scribe dropping to its lowest price represents better value for money, even if you opt for the more expensive 64GB edition.
