Amazon Kindle DX V Kindle 2 Comparison

The latest in Amazon’s Kindle ebook reader family - the DX was announced in early May, just a few weeks after the launch of the Kindle 2 in February. Ever since then Kindle owners and prospective owners have been speculating about just how big the changes and enhancements in the DX in comparison with the Kindle 2 actually were. If you’re an existing Kindle owner or if you’re an avid reader wondering which of the two devices would be the best for your needs, then check out the comparison below:

Display

The Kindle DX has a 9.7" screen (measured across the display's diagonal) - which is 2.5 times larger than the Kindle 2's 6" screen. Apart from the immediately obvious size advantage, the DX display has an auto-rotate feature which allows you to switch from the normal portrait mode to landscape mode simply by rotating the device. This makes the DX a better option for reading newspapers, magazines and any other text which contains graphics.

Overall Device SizeThe DX has overall dimensions of 10.4″ X 7.2″ X 0.38" and weighs 18.9 ounces. The Kindle 2 has overall dimensions of 8" X 5.3″ X 0.36″ and a weight of 10.2 ounces. So the Kindle DX certainly isn't too large or heavy to carry around - but the Kindle 2 is the more portable of the two devices.

 

On Board Memory Storage Capacity

The DX has 4 GB of internal memory - which equates to storage for approximately 3,500 books. The Kindle 2 has 2GB of storage, sufficient for around 1,500 books - not too bad, and enough to keep most people supplied with reading matter for a long while, but still some way short of the DX.

PDF Support

The Kindle 2 can read pdf files - but only after you e-mailed them to Amazon for conversion. There is a charge - small admittedly - for the translation. All in all, a bit of a hassle. The DX on the other hand has pdf support built in so you can just load up your pdf files and read them with no conversion, no fee and no fuss.

Price

The Kindle 2 is currently available for $359. When the DX ships on June 10^th it will cost you $489. It's no great surprise that the price is higher than the Kindle 2, the larger display is one of the most expensive items in the device - so a higher price is perfectly logical. If you compare the DX's $489 ticket price with the $859 of the iRex Illiad - a similar 10" ebook reader - the DX doesn't look quite so expensive anymore.

Final Analysis

Although the Kindle 2 is relatively new, and was itself a big step forward in comparison with the original Kindle, the DX offers significant further enhancements. The larger display and the ability to handle pdf files is more than enough to justify you spending a little extra - especially when you consider the price of other similarly sized ebook readers on the market. Unless Amazon make a significant price cut to the Kindle 2 following the launch of the DX, go for the DX option.