E-Ink 101: Compare Kindle's Screen to Traditional LCDs
How Electronic Ink Works
Electronic ink screens work using ink, just like books and newspapers, but display the ink particles electronically. People who see the display for the first time do a double take because the screen looks like real paper.
Reads Like Real Paper, Not a Computer Screen
Kindle's electronic ink display is ideal for reading because it does not create the same eyestrain as reading on traditional backlit LCD tablets or laptops.
Clearer Text and the Sharpest Display
Electronic ink uses actual ink to create crisp, print-like text similar to what you see in a physical book. Kindle's proprietary, hand-built fonts take advantage of the special characteristics of the ink to make letters clear and sharp.
No Glare, Even in Bright Sunlight
Kindle's screen reflects light like ordinary paper, eliminating the glare created by backlit LCD displays on tablets or smart phones. Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room.
Fonts on Kindle's ink-based display looks smoother and more natural than an LCD display.
| Kindle is readable in bright sunlight - with no glare. | Backlit LCDs are difficult to read in sunlight. |
Longer Battery Life
Electronic ink screens require no power to maintain a page of text, allowing you to read for up to a month on a single charge versus hours on a tablet or smart phone. This low power consumption also means that Kindle, unlike a laptop, never gets warm so you can comfortably read as long as you like.
Read Before Bed Without Affecting Sleep
According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, sleep experts say that reading on closely-held backlit screens before bed inhibits melatonin production, which is critical for a good night's sleep. "The take-home lesson is that insomnia and electronic gadgets emitting light should not [be] mixed before bedtime...Kindle is better for your sleep."
Kindle lets you read for up to one month on a single charge versus hours on a tablet or smart phone.
What Customers Say About Kindle's Electronic Ink Display
"My first impression of Kindle's screen was: 'That's a screen?! It doesn't look like a screen.'... It looks like a book page, only perfect. No grain or pulp."—Jeremy
"I love how the screen really looks like a page, because I do work at a computer all day, and the last thing I want to look at is another screen."—Amy P
"I found the contrast to be soothing and I was able to read in direct sunlight with no glare."—M. H.