You have to admire the Amazon Kindle for its survival skills. In the age where the smartphone and tablet are king – devices with far more functionality than the humble e-reader – it has seen them off.

The Kindle has carved out a little niche for itself – for holidaymakers, travellers, commuters and readers who want to embrace technology, but without the bells and whistles of an iPad or a Nexus.

Amazon’s Kindle line-up consists of two products - a new flagship device in the form of the Kindle Voyage, alongside a new entry-level Kindle, which is priced at less than £60. In the middle sits the Kindle Paperwhite, from 2013.

The hardware has been given a revamp, and so has the engine that runs everything – the software, with Amazon flagship features like X-Ray and Goodreads built in to both the Kindle and the Voyage.

While Amazon has done a great job so far of keeping the Kindle not only relevant, but desirable and popular, does its new devices continue that?

Amazon Kindle

Price: £59/£69 (without adverts)

Website: Amazon

The most notable thing about the new entry-level Kindle is that it is fully touch interactive. Press the Home button and you can swipe to unlock, just like a tablet. The screen itself is also clearer than it has ever been – 167 pixels per inch Amazon tell us.

For what is essentially a budget device it’s light and well-crafted to look at, but it does feel a little cheap when you cradle it.

The Home button being on the base of the device is a bit of an issue as it feels slightly awkward every time you go in search of it – though this is balanced out by being able to tap the screen to turn the page. This is a big deal for the entry-level Kindle.

E Ink as a screen is still not perfect though: there is still ghosting of pages in some places, and the response time still doesn’t match that of other types of touchscreens, but these are things to keep working on.

The battery life however is far from an issue, with the Kindle capable of lasting weeks on a single charge. A very nice change of pace to any smartphone.

The Kindle includes wi-fi, but there isn’t a 3G version available. If you want 3G you’ll need to opt for the Kindle Paperwhite for £169.

[Related story: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review]

Perhaps where the Kindle excels most, though, is under the hood – in a software sense.

As well as the general tweaks there is the introduction of features like X-Ray, Amazon’s character tracking and identifying feature, that is usually reserved for TV shows and movies, but has now expanded to books. Tap and hold on a character’s name and you’ll get a short bio on them, as well as other information like previous appearances and so on.

It’s also much easier to do things like highlight text, or get dictionary definitions. The presence of Kindle Free time – where you can set reading times and goals – the Kindle Store and Goodreads integration means that there is so much more to do with this Kindle than previous entry levels.

At £59 it's great value, and will undoubtedly appeal to those yet to enter the e-reader market. However, for just £10 more you can get Amazon's entry-level tablet, the Kindle Fire HD 6 instead, which is a better choice if you want a device for web browsing, music or movies. As a device for someone looking to keep things simple the Kindle would make a very good reading companion.

Amazon Kindle Voyage review

Price: £169 (wi-fi), £229 (wi-fi + 3G)

Website: Amazon

The name Voyage feels pretty apt for this e-reader from the moment you pick it up – it is such a departure from other Kindles, including the cheaper one above.

At 7.6mm it is the thinnest e-reader around, and it might just be the lightest too.

Amazon has also spent a huge amount of time and effort on the design of the Voyage, and it really shows. Gone is the embedding of the screen that sees it sit below the rest of the frame like on other devices. Instead it’s a constant surface now, and helps ensure the Voyage looks good and feels well built.

The Voyage is also slightly smaller than the Kindle, and this feels like attention being paid to one-handed reading, and making it as accessible as possible.

It’s an idea that’s supported by the presence of the new PagePress buttons – a dot and line on either side of the screen. Squeeze the dot and you go forward a page, and the line takes you back one. Both interactions come with a hint of haptic feedback so you know your gesture has taken.

Then there’s the screen, which is by far the best Amazon has ever produced for an e-reader. It’s 39% brighter for one, and with 300 pixels per inch you don’t feel a million miles away from looking at actual paper. There’s also a very smart brightness system that will automatically adjust to the light in the room around you.

Plus there’s a night mode that will gradually lower the light level at night when you’re reading in bed. It’s touches like this and the PagePress that suggest Amazon has been using the comment section on previous devices to put together improvements for this generation.

The Kindle Voyage then is the e-reader you’ve always wanted – it’s smart, powerful, light and well designed. Though it does come at a price, and some might argue that £169 is a lot to pay out for something that isn’t a tablet – or £229 if you want 3G.

The iPad Mini now starts at £199 – just £30 more – for lots more extra functionality and that might be sway some users.

However, such is the charm of the Kindle brand that many seem to find justification and usage time for the e-reader and tablet.

Amazon knows it, and while that lasts it looks like they are going to keep charming customers back.

The Kindle Voyage is a clear upgrade on an already near-perfect product. And that takes some doing.