Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsA lot to like but also some ergonomic issues
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2017
I bought this from Best Buy since they had it in stock and Amazon didn't. I'll cut right to the chase:
PROS
Sleek and solidly built. It looks very nice (but seems like it would be easily damaged if dropped).
Perfectly even screen illumination. Much better than my Paperwhite.
Larger screen, less page turns, larger pictures and graphics.
Faster page turns than any other Kindle I have seen.
Waterproof (nice, but not a huge selling point for me).
Fast screen rotation when changing hands.
Audible. I haven't tried this yet, but definitely a good feature, even if you can't listen and read at the same time.
CONS
It's expensive.
It's heavy. I'm surprised at this. They should have stuck with plastic to keep the weight down.
It's wide. Not suitable to carry in your pocket. I can cram my Paperwhite into my back pocket but not the Oasis.
It's slippery. This is my biggest complaint. The metal is smooth and hard to grip. It's also cold. It is not easy or comfortable to hold for a long time. I struggle to find a comfortable grip that also allows me to easily get to the page buttons. Reading in bed is even harder if you need to hold it up vertically because it is very difficult to find a good grip that also allows access to the page buttons. I was constantly hitting them by accident. I would not be comfortable walking with it because I would be worried about losing my grip and dropping it. Because of the glass screen, I think it would break more easily than the plastic Kindles, which can take a beating. So the combination of the weight and being hard to hold really lowered my rating. Adding a skin would probably help, but that's more investment in an already very expensive product and adds to the weight.
The auto brightness doesn't seem to work at all for me, I have never seen it adjust even going from a dark to light room.
Battery life has not been great.
So while there is a lot to like, I am debating returning it due to the difficulty in holding it for long periods of time. At this premium price, it should be more ergonomic. I am tempted to buy the previous Oasis model, which is much lighter and smaller, even though I like the larger screen. Ultimately I think most people will be just fine with a Paperwhite. The weight is similar and it is much easier to hold.
I will use it for a few more days and see how it goes and adjust my review accordingly if my opinion changes one way or another.
UPDATE - I have spent a couple months with both the gen 1 and the gen 2 Oasis. I ended up buying both thinking I would return one, but never did. As much as I like the gen 2’s larger screen, I find myself reaching for the gen 1 more often, especially if I am going somewhere. It’s just a much better size and form factor. It’s easier to hold and I can put it in a jacket pocket. The battery lasts longer. The gen 2 is just a tad too big and heavy and I only use it when I am reading at home in a sitting position. It’s too slippery to hold for long when reading in bed. The cold metal is more noticeable now that the weather is cold and it’s off putting. So while I appreciate the sleek design and do like the larger screen, the gen 1 wins out for me. It’s just more user friendly and convenient. I will probably keep both for now and sell the gen 2 at some point when I need some extra cash.
