Kindle vs. physical book: advantages and disadvantages of each after many years of reading

Readers have probably wondered at some point which is better: Kindle or physical book? This is my answer after trying both worlds.

Those who love reading probably have the famous Amazon Kindle in their homes, regardless of its edition. This small device has arrived to work wonders for many thanks to its ease of use. and, above all, you can store countless books in one place.

In my case, I got the 2022 version which, taking advantage of a Black Friday, only cost me 80 euros and, once I found safe and legal sites to download both free and paid books, it has become almost an inseparable one—except when they take it away from me—.

However, I cannot deny that the step was somewhat strange. With the clear idea that I wanted to have one in my hands, It took more than two years until I decided and the problem was not the pricebut rather leave aside the physical book, the act of turning the pages or even, as a fan of books in which you always learn something, the mythical underlining and the use of post-its to later review in a moment.

That’s why if you asked me now which of the two formats I would choose, I wouldn’t really know what to say. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and although for many, as I mentioned at the beginning, the Kindle has become an extension of their arm, I still read the occasional physical book.

Kindle vs. physical book: a battle that for me has no winner

I can’t deny that one of the greatest appeals of physical books is the sensory experience they offer. The feel of the pages, the smell of the paper, and the satisfaction of turning the page provide an experience that many readers deeply value. Each book has its own character, from the hard covers of deluxe editions to the rough paper of vintage books.

As I mentioned before, For those who enjoy underlining sentences, writing notes in the margins, or simply posting post-its, physical books offer something unique.. While you can also do this with the Kindle, the experience is not nearly the same.

Although somewhat more absurd, I have to admit that I like having physical books for a purely decorative aspect. You know a person pretty well by the books they read and it’s something I always pay attention to when I go home. In the end it is nice to see all the books that you have been reading in your childhood, adolescence and even when you are already an adult, to see how the themes have evolved or to have your favorite book on a front, already destroyed by the number of times you have read it. read.

The truth is that these three aspects are lost with the Kindle, but of course, this device has something that attracts the masses—including myself—which is its portability and prices.

A physical book can sometimes cost around 30 euros, but the Kindle version is less than 10 euros. This is fascinating. Not only because you save a lot, but it also allows you to play a little more with the themes without so much fear of having lost that money because in the end it doesn’t quite fit.

Although buying one initially can be expensive, the truth is that you will amortize the investment in months. In my case, it only took one Book Fair in Madrid to see that I had spent almost what the Kindle itself cost in just one day, even though I only bought three books. Then you search the Internet and find them up to 75% cheaper.

With all this, what is my decision? Keep both versions. Nowadays I use the Kindle to try new books or best-sellers that may not be a good fit for me, but that everyone recommends to give them a try. On the other hand, if there is a book by my favorite author or a specific one that I want to put in my bookstore, I like to invest a little more and get the physical version.

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Tags: Kindle, Opinion

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily or exactly coincide with the position of Axel Springer or Computer Hoy.