Technology is personal. There are some users who always need to have the latest and greatest model the day it comes out, and others who still rock the home button on their iPhones.

Some tech is known for dying out over time — whether it’s a battery that croaks or a final software update warning. Phones and tablets don’t have the longest lifespan, unless we’re talking about e-readers.

E-readers, like Kindles, last a significantly long time. It’s likely due to their low-power display tech, processing demands, and complicated build that ends up being a more complicated device’s demise. I have a 2009 Kindle sitting proudly in my tech drawer, even if it can only hold a charge for a half hour or so. But I’m even prouder of the 11-year-old, 7th-gen Kindle Paperwhite that comes with me everywhere I go — even though I own the newest 2024 model.

Here’s why I refuse to retire my 2015 Kindle Paperwhite, and why it’s still my daily driver.

Storage

16GB

Brand

Amazon

Screen Size

7-inch E-ink (300ppi)

Connections

USB-C

It still works perfectly

And doesn’t deserve drawer banishment

It’s a shame to see devices that still work perfectly hit the bottom of the trash can simply because their owner decided to upgrade. It’s terrible practice for both the user and the environment, and usually you can find someone online who’s willing to shell out a little cash for it.

But even when I couldn’t find a willing buyer to take the 2015 Paperwhite off my hands, I understood why — Kindles aren’t particularly expensive to buy new, and most people would rather buy a fresher, less beat-up e-reader to call their own. But bumped and bruised as it is, it still works perfectly (albeit slower than my 2024 Paperwhite, of course).

I couldn’t condemn it to a drawer just to collect dust. Like most Kindle e-readers, the 2015 Paperwhite holds up beautifully — so would my second-gen 2009 Kindle, if it weren’t for the battery — and I can use it to read wherever (and whenever) I want. When I compared it with my new 2024 Kindle Paperwhite, I saw an opportunity to give it a new role in my lifestyle.

My new 2024 Paperwhite didn’t replace it

The 2015 Paperwhite stayed a daily driver

Because I had both perfectly functioning devices, I decided to separate their jobs; the 2015 Kindle Paperwhite became the e-reader I throw into purses and bags to bring out in the wild, and the new 2024 Paperwhite stayed home for more luxurious, binge-reading sessions.

No one can argue with the fact that the 2024 Paperwhite is better. The specs speak for themselves, and 11 years of innovation is enough to polish what seems like even the most perfect e-reading experience. But because of software updates and ongoing Amazon support, the only real difference I notice between the two models is the speed and the size of the screen. In fact, the old Paperwhite looks and feels exactly like the smaller 2024 entry-level Kindle with its 6-inch display. The slightly smaller size makes it easy to throw into even smaller purses and leave it there for later.

Plus, as my designated ‘rough and tumble’ every day e-reader, I don’t have to treat it like a glass heirloom. It has its fair share of bumps, bruises, scratches, and scuffs, which I don’t have to worry about as much as I would on my brand-new 2024 Paperwhite. That particular Kindle is safe and secure on my nightstand where it’s waiting for me to spend the next six hours with a Sarah J Maas book.

Again, I admit: the reading experience is better on the 2024 model. Faster page turns make all the difference when you’re settling down for a six-hour reading sesh. The 2015 Paperwhite’s speed isn’t so slow that it hinders my progress, but something about the slower pace changed something about my daily habits in a way I didn’t expect.

Slow and steady

Fixes the doomscroll

I’m a tech editor, so of course I’m chronically online. While I’m waiting for a page to load or an email to come through, my hands tend to twitch toward my phone. Muscle memory opens Instagram or TikTok, and suddenly I’ve lost 15 minutes to the doomscroll. Tools like Brick help tremendously, but sometimes you do want a quick break from whatever daunting task is at hand.

Once I started toting around my 2015 Paperwhite, I made a habit to reach for it instead of my iPhone. Don’t get me wrong, any E Ink device is already slower and better for your brain than a traditional LCD screen and ten TikToks behind it. But the 2015 Kindle Paperwhite is even slower than I’m used to with the 2024 model. Sounds like a bad thing, right?

Wrong. You automatically assume and accept that the 2015 Paperwhite will be slower than the 2024 model. Because of that, I’m patient. I know that turning a page or opening a new book will take longer, and I give the device much more grace than I would to my iPhone if it took half a second too long to load an Instagram Reel.

Upgrading devices is natural, especially after my 2015 Paperwhite’s impressive 11-year run. But it still has several more years left in it, so I mindfully tried to roll it into my lifestyle. Come to find out, the device still had some stories to tell — and not just from my Library.