Amazon released the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft in the US 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, indeed, if — it will be available locally. I think it’s a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ as the entry-level Kindle Colorsoft didn’t release in Australia until July last year after first launching in the US in October 2024.
Either way, if you’re really keen on a new digital notebook, I wouldn’t recommend going down the colour route just yet and would argue that the current model of the Kindle Scribe offers better value, especially since it’s dropped back to what has been its lowest price — AU$449 for the 16GB entry-level model and AU$479 for the 32GB option.
The main reason I’m recommending the 32GB Kindle Scribe is because you get double the storage for just AU$30 more and, for most people, the additional AU$40 for the 64GB option is overkill. 32GB is the sweet spot, giving you plenty of storage for thousands of books, notes and audiobooks.
As someone who reviews ereaders and digital notebooks, I’ve used more than a dozen 10-inch models and nothing feels as nice to write on as the Kindle Scribe — I use it every day. The combination of a soft, ballpoint pen-like stylus nib and a smooth screen with just the right touch of friction feels wonderful.
The ambient light sensor while reading keeps the screen at just the right brightness level whether you’re indoors or out, going from shade to sunny, without you needing to make any manual adjustments. Text is sharp and clear, and the battery life can go a long way even with the ambient light sensor working full time.
More, many of the new features that will come with the Colorsoft version will likely be rolled out to the monochrome Kindle Scribe. Amazon has previously done this, evidenced by the original 2022 Kindle Scribe getting the AI-powered features that came with the 2024 version after the latter’s release.
The new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft features include notes sharing with Alexa, better notebook search and AI summarisation, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive integration, and Smart Shapes. And while you might have to wait for these to arrive on the monochrome Scribe, you’re going to be waiting for the Colorsoft anyway.
Then there’s the price difference. Colour digital notebooks are a lot more expensive than their monochrome counterparts, potentially setting you back upwards of AU$800. I also don’t think the average user necessarily needs colour to sort their notes. Power users might, but they’re few and far between. For the average person who wants a device for reading and jotting notes on, the Kindle Scribe offers more than enough even without the potential new features.
Moreover, the E Ink Kaleido 3 screen technology that’s currently in use in nearly every digital notebook (except the reMarkable Paper Pro) still has its limitations. It can be optimised to display colours well, but I think the E Ink Gallery 3 tech would be worth waiting for as it promises better saturation. Unless you exclusively consume comics and graphic novels, I think a colour ereader just isn’t good value.
Heck, even Amazon admitted that its black-and-white Kindles offered a better reading experience!
I’ll admit to waiting for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft myself, just so I can compare it to the competition from Boox, but for most people, the current Kindle Scribe dropping back to its lowest price is better value for money, even if you opt for the most expensive 64GB edition.
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sharmishta.sarkar@futurenet.com (Sharmishta Sarkar)
