Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsLess scratch prone than previous gen leather case
Reviewed in Australia on 28 October 2021
Update May 2022: I've been using the case / Kindle daily since release, and I'm happy to say the leather has softened up making it feel nicer. Also, it has protected my SE extremely well, including surviving a couple of accidental drops. For being very sturdy and a great fit, I'm increasing the stars from 4 to 5.
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I just received the 11th Gen black leather case early, ordered with the Signature edition Kindle that I'm still waiting for, and am sharing my early impressions as they may benefit others.
Compared to the old, the 10th generation Kindle leather cover is much harder - appearing and feeling almost plastic like. The 10th generation cover is by comparison completely soft to touch on the outside. Inside they're much the same, a smooth micro fibre surface - although a different colour.
Whilst I much prefer the feeling of the outside texture of the old, it is highly vulnerable to being scratched - so I can see the new lasting far longer "as new". After my daughter decided to draw on the 10th gen case with a ballpoint pen however I used real leather cleaner and honey leather conditioner to restore it, and it came out really nice - and even softer than when new. Those scratches could be described as character, and I feel I may miss it in the 11th gen case - but I'm certain a lot of people won't.
As the 11th gen felt quite hard to the touch, especially directly compared to the old, I applied a bit of conditioner to the new one. It may have helped a bit with the dryness, but it wasn't by much. Time will tell if it softens up with use.
Overall it feels less luxurious, but more practical - it would stand up to water splashes far better, and I'll absolutely enjoy not having to worry about scratching it as much.
(I've included size comparison shots of the old vs new case as I'm sure the difference will be of interest especially for those looking forward to a larger unit; I'm really looking forward to the slightly larger 11th gen. I'll update my impressions when it arrives.)
