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Kindle Oasis review

Ultra-slim and beautifully designed, but you’ll pay for the privilege.

Kindle Oasis
Amazon Kindle Oasis
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Sleek aluminium body
  • pro
    Waterproof
  • con
    No audiobook or epub compatibility
Georgia Dixon
Mar 23, 2021
Icon Time To Read4 min read
Our verdict

As Amazon’s top-of-the-line ereader, the Kindle Oasis is packed with impressive features and comes in a beautifully designed, ultra-slim aluminium body. It’s certainly not the cheapest ereader out there, and we would’ve loved to see a bigger screen, but overall, the Oasis will more than satisfy most bookworms.

pro
What we like
pro Sleek aluminium body
pro Waterproof
pro Automatic brightness
pro Adjustable warm light
con
What we don't like
con Screen could be bigger
con No audiobook or epub compatibility

Ereaders are pretty unique in that you get essentially the same thing no matter how much money you spend. Whereas forking out an extra few hundred bucks on a smartphone will get you a better camera, faster processor, 5G access and a higher-definition screen, doing the same on an ereader will only get you minor upgrades. So, with this in mind, I was very interested to see what Amazon’s top-of-the-range Kindle Oasis actually had to offer and if it’s really worth more than double the price of its lower-spec siblings.

At first glance, the Kindle Oasis certainly had a premium look to it, with its flush bezels and aluminium backing. But just how does it compare to the competition?

Kindle Oasis price

Prices range from 😬  to 🤯  .
Kindle Oasis
Kindle Oasis
Amazon Kindle Oasis
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Automatic brightness
  • pro
    Adjustable warm light
  • con
    Screen could be bigger

If you’re eyeing the Kindle Oasis, the least amount of cash you’ll need to cough up is $399. It’s not cheap by any means, but given its Kobo counterpart (the Kobo Forma) comes in at $429.95, it’s to be expected.

However, notice I said the least amount you’ll need is $399 - maybe a little less if you can nab a deal. If you want more storage or access to ‘free’ 4G connectivity (‘free’ because you don’t need to pay a monthly SIM fee, but the upfront cost is a killer), you’ll have to dig a little deeper. For the 32GB model (which is more than anyone needs in an ereader, if we’re being completely honest), it’ll set you back $449. For 4G connectivity, that price goes up to $559. Ouch.

Kindle Oasis design

She’s a beauty.

You have to give it to Amazon for this one - the Oasis is pretty expensive, but at least it has the looks to match. Measuring in at 159mm in length and 141mm in width, it’s still about as portable as its smaller, cheaper siblings, but it’s by far the slimmest at just 3.4mm deep (8.3mm at its widest point). Despite its ultra-thin form factor, however, the Oasis feels anything but fragile.

This is mostly thanks to its aluminium body, which feels solid and truly matches the expectations that come with its premium price tag. While it’s not necessarily as comfortable to hold as the traditional rubberised plastic backing found on other Kindles, there’s no denying it looks damn good.

Around the front, you’ll find a single, flush glass screen and two page turn buttons with tiny bezels, but one wide enough to hold the device one hand without covering up whatever it is you’re reading.

Thankfully, it seems Amazon has learned from its mistakes with the Kindle Paperwhite and relocated the power button somewhere it’s far less likely to get pressed accidentally. Praise be.

Kindle Oasis display

Does size matter?

I have literally zero complaints about the quality and features of the Kindle Oasis’ display. It’s crisp, clear, bright, is the only Kindle that offers adjustable warm light (to reduce eye strain) and the only ereader currently on the market with automatic brightness. Like other larger readers, you can also change the orientation of the display, from portrait to landscape mode, depending on how you're holding your Oasis. It’s all good, and it makes for a delightful reading experience.

That said, while the 7-inch e-ink display was plenty big enough for me, it may be a sticking point for some. The Oasis’ main Kobo competitor, the Forma, boasts a generous 8-inch screen - the largest on the market. Sure, it’s an extra $30.95, but for some the extra reading space may just be worth it.

Kindle Oasis content

Audible, Audible, wherefore art thou, Audible?

Like its cheaper sibling, the Kindle Paperwhite, the Oasis does not include support for audiobook playback despite this being a key feature in overseas models. If no Kindles whatsoever could support Audible playback, I wouldn’t have a gripe with this. However, the fact that it’s available on US and UK models makes it a really unfortunate omission and could alienate Aussie Audible subscribers.

There’s also a compromise or two to be had for those who prefer to consume words visually rather than aurally. As we’ve mentioned previously, the Kindle Store is incredibly well-stocked and generally quite reasonably priced. However, it also happens to be Kindle users’ only real option for buying books, as Kindles favour .mobi files and Amazon’s proprietary .azw file type over the more popular .epub. They also don’t support Adobe DRM-protected content, meaning you can’t read borrowed ebooks from your local library on your Kindle.

On the plus side, the Kindle Oasis (and all Kindles, for that matter) does have one major benefit that Kobo simply doesn’t offer - a subscription ebook service. For $13.99 per month, Kindle Unlimited grants you access to over a million titles, including classics and bestsellers. You’ll struggle to find new releases, but it’s still a pretty compelling deal.

Kindle Oasis features

Lots to love.

The Kindle Oasis is not only the most feature-rich Kindle ereader, but perhaps the most feature-rich of all the ereaders currently available. It boasts a beautiful, bright screen with 25 LEDs, page-turn buttons for easy single-handed reading, a waterproof aluminium body, adjustable warm light and automatic brightness. Here’s how it compares to the other Kindle models.

Kindle vs Kindle Paperwhite vs Kindle Oasis
ModelKindleKindle PaperwhiteKindle Oasis
Price
Screen size6-inch6-inch7-inch
Screen resolution167ppi300ppi300ppi
Storage8GB8GB or 32GB8GB or 32GB
BacklightYes, 4 LEDsYes, 5 LEDsYes, 25 LEDs
WaterproofNoYesYes
Page turn buttonsNoNoYes
Adjustable warm lightNoNoYes
Auto brightnessNoNoYes

And here’s what the Kobo lineup looks like.

ModelKobo NiaKobo Clara HDKobo Libra H2OKobo Forma
Price
Screen size6-inch6-inch7-inch8-inch
Screen resolution212ppi300ppi300ppi300dpi
Storage8GB8GB8GB8GB
BacklightYesYesYesYes
WaterproofNoNoYesYes
Page turn buttonsNoNoYesYes
Adjustable warm lightNoYesYesYes
Auto brightnessNoNoNoNo

Between the Kindle Oasis, Kobo Libra H2O and Kobo Forma, there’s not a whole lot to separate them apart from screen size and auto-brightness. It’s all about deciding which features are most important to you and simply choosing the one that best meets your needs.

Is it worth it?

Yes, if you’re an Amazon devotee.

If you’re entering the ereader market as an Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscriber and only want the best of the best, the Kindle Oasis is for you. It looks beautiful, feels utterly premium and is by far the most feature-packed Kindle. However, if you’re open to other avenues and want to save a bit of cash, we’d recommend the far cheaper but still incredible Kobo Libra H2O over the Oasis.

Georgia Dixon
Written by
Georgia Dixon has 10 years of experience writing about all things tech, entertainment and lifestyle. She spends most of her time as Managing Editor of SafeWise Australia and also has bylines on 7NEWS, Stuff.co.nz, in TechLife magazine and more. In 2023 she won Best News Writer at the Consensus IT Awards, and in 2024 she was a finalist for Best News Journalist at the Samsung IT Journalism Awards (The Lizzies). In her spare time, you'll find her playing games and daydreaming about good food, wine, and dogs.

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