Amazon just shipped its most ambitious e-reader yet, and it's betting someone will pay iPad prices for it. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft landed in customers' hands on Jan. 28, bringing a writeable 11-inch color e-ink display, AI-powered note organization, and a $629.99 starting price that positions it squarely against premium tablets. The company's hoping students, researchers, and heavy annotators will justify the cost - but that's a tough sell when the standard Kindle starts at $110.
Amazon is making a bold play for the premium e-ink market. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which started shipping last month, represents the company's most expensive reader yet - and a clear signal that it's done competing solely on price. At $629.99 for 32GB (or $679.99 for 64GB), this device costs nearly six times more than the entry-level Kindle. The question isn't whether it's impressive. It's whether anyone outside a very specific audience will actually buy one.
The Colorsoft represents Amazon's answer to devices like reMarkable's Paper Pro, which has quietly built a following among students and researchers who want digital note-taking without the distraction of a full tablet. According to Amazon's announcement in December, the company spent years developing the color e-ink technology that makes this device possible. The result is a tablet that can display your library in color, let you annotate in 10 different pen colors, and use five highlight shades - all on a glare-free screen that lasts up to 8 weeks between charges.
The hardware itself is legitimately impressive. At 5.4mm thick and 400g, the Scribe Colorsoft is lighter than an iPad despite its 11-inch screen. Amazon claims the 2025 model is 40% faster when turning pages or writing compared to the original Scribe, and in testing, that speed bump is noticeable. Page turns feel snappy, and the Premium Pen glides across the textured display with minimal lag. Unlike Pencil, the Kindle pen doesn't need charging - though you will need to replace the tips occasionally as they wear down. A 10-pack runs about $17.
