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Devices such as the Amazon Fire 7 Tablet are proof that there is still a place for affordable tablets. However, you might be asking yourself why you need a tablet in a world where we already have too many devices.
Most people have phones big enough to satisfy them when watching videos or playing games. However, using your phone throughout the day, watching videos, playing games, and reading books on it takes away from the battery life. That’s where a tablet comes in handy.
A tablet is a secondary device that you can use to watch videos with a larger screen, that offers similar functionality to a touchscreen laptop but with greater portability. You can also pick up a gaming tablet which could give you a bit of respite when you need it from your kids, use the tablet for drawing, photo editing, or simply reading. Amazon fire tablets fit these use cases perfectly.
The entire range of Amazon Fire Tablets appeals to a wide audience. Here’s a look at some of the best, including the Fire 7 Tablet.
Our Top Picks: Fire 7 Tablet, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10
01
Editor’s Choice
The best all-round Amazon tablet and perfect if you’re into gaming
Amazon Fire HD 10
02
Best 8” Amazon tablet
Building upon the great features of the Fire 7 tablet, this is the best choice for most people.
Amazon Fire HD 8
03
Best budget Amazon tablet
Amazon’s ultra-popular Fire 7 Tablet is still great for those on a budget.
Amazon Fire 7
Best Amazon Fire Tablet: Things You Should Know
As we have already discussed, Amazon Fire Tablets are a great option as a secondary device. There are times when you want to watch Netflix on a bigger screen, but don’t want to use your laptop. Tablets such as the Fire 7 Tablet are great in these situations. However, there are a few things to be aware of.
Ad-supported vs non-ad-supported versions: What’s the difference?
One of the big selling points about the Amazon Fire tablets is the price. These tablets are extremely affordable, especially when put against their competitors. As the name suggests, Amazon Fire Tablets come in two versions: one with ads, and the other without them.
A tablet with ads doesn’t sound great but before you dismiss the concept, it’s not as bad as you might think. The ads only show up on the lock screen when you wake the device up. Once unlocked, there are no ads to be seen.
Amazon hopes that this quirk is something most people are willing to put up with. Now suppose you want to buy a Fire 7 tablet without ads on the lock screen. Well, you can do so by buying the ad-free version which costs $15 more.
For the ad-free version, expect to pay $15-$20 more. If you’re working on a real budget then it’s definitely something to be considered.
The one downside to every Fire tablet
You may already know that Amazon tablets don’t run on Android. Instead, Amazon uses a custom operating system known as Fire OS.
Technically, Fire OS is built on Android. However, it is modified to such a degree that you won’t recognize it. Fire OS is great for Kindle support, Audible, Netflix, Youtube, and even Microsoft 365.
Unfortunately, Google app support is a major downside if you buy the Fire 7 tablet or any Amazon tablet. This is because there is no Playstore, so you need to download apps from the Amazon app store.
If you want to run applications such as Google Docs, Google Keep, or Google Photos, you will only find the web instances of these services on the Store. These are nowhere close to the actual apps. If you’re knee-deep in the Google ecosystem, this is a big drawback.
Storage, budget, and performance
Storage for Fire Tablets starts at 16GB, and goes up to 64GB, depending on the model. As such, you can’t store a lot of photos or games on these tablets. Fortunately, they do have microSD support, but that is an added cost.
In terms of performance, you get what you pay for. The Amazon Fire HD 10 and 8 perform well when it comes to watching videos, writing emails, and playing some games. Something like the Fire 7 tablet will feel noticeably slower.
Price is hugely important here. Fire Tablets are affordable, but something like the Fire HD 10 Plus is relatively expensive. This is because, for a bit more money, you can buy the 9th gen iPad, Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, or even the Galaxy A8 tablet.
All of these are better options if you want better app support and want to increase productivity.
Best Amazon Fire tablets: for students, kids, and gaming
Amazon Fire HD 10
10.1-inch, 1920 x 1200 pixels
Pros
- Extremely portable
- Perfect size for reading
- Phenomenal battery life
Cons
- Resolution is a quite low
- Performance could be better
If you were to buy only one Amazon tablet. It would be the Amazon Fire HD Tablet. If you want a true secondary device for content consumption, then this is the one to get. It is miles ahead of something like the Fire 7 tablet in all aspects.
First off, the display is quite good for the price. The 1200p resolution is slightly higher than 1080p, meaning this tablet has 224 pixels per inch. Furthermore, the 16:10 aspect ratio is a nice touch. However, that makes this tablet taller than its rivals. It’s not one that you would use in portrait mode.
Performance-wise, things are surprisingly good. The 2.0GHz octa-core processor is quite efficient. It can handle everyday tasks such as gaming, watching videos, and even writing and editing documents.
Battery life is also quite impressive at nine hours or above, depending on the usage of course.
This also happens to be the best tablet for gaming, unlike the Fire 7 tablet. Mobile games work well, but if you are into emulation, then this is the perfect cheap tablet. With the help of Retroarch and a bit of tweaking, you can play classic retro games on this device.
Overall, this is the Amazon tablet that makes the most sense. We highly recommend it.
Amazon Fire HD 8
8-inch, 1280 x 800 pixels
Pros
- Thin and lightweight
- Extremely affordable
- Works great for smart home dashboard
Cons
- Lackluster performance
- Dreadful display
It is highly surprising how good an experience the Fire HD 8 provides. Surprisingly, it delivers 80-90% of the functionality of the Fire HD 10. There is a slight performance difference, and the screen size is smaller as well.
While it costs slightly more than the Fire 7 tablet, it is leagues ahead in almost every aspect. The 8-inch screen size is the perfect size when it comes to portability. The 16:10 aspect ratio works perfectly here, making the tablet great for reading. Furthermore, the bright screen is quite good for the price.
We wish the resolution was higher. When you’re surrounded by 1080p or higher displays, the 800p resolution does feel low. Still, it’s something to be expected at this price.
Fortunately, the battery life does make up for the low-resolution screen. This tablet can easily last up to 12 hours, and up to 9-10 hours with heavy usage. Performance is decent, but the Fire HD 10 is a tad better thanks to the extra gig of RAM.
All in all, this is a great experience. Especially when compared against the Fire Tablet 7.
Amazon Fire 7
7-inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
Pros
- Thin and lightweight
- Extremely affordable
- Works great for smart home dashboard
Cons
- Lacklustre performance
- Dreadful display
We’ve talked about the Fire 7 tablet a lot in this article and it is by far the most popular device out of the lineup. It was refreshed back in 2019, with a newer processor among other features.
If you must have a tablet for some reason and don’t want to spend too much money, then an Amazon Fire 7 tablet is the way to go. It’s so cheap that almost anyone can afford it. Apple’s MagSafe battery pack costs more than this tablet.
Of course, expectations have to be lowered accordingly. For example, the screen on this tablet is disappointing. The performance is also subpar, as it does take its time with almost every app.
However, it is dirt cheap, extremely thin and light, and works well with Amazon’s ecosystem. You could just buy it for Alexa support and use it as an Alexa Smart Home Dashboard. It’s also a great purchase if you just want to give your kids a device for Youtube.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids
8-inch, 1280 x 800 pixels
Pros
- Rugged design
- Same features as Fire HD 8
- Bright screen
Cons
- Pricey
- Subpar sound quality
The Kids versions of Amazon Fire Tablets are essentially the same as the regular tablets. The same is true for the Fire HD 8 Kids, which is essentially a Fire HD 8 wrapped in a rubberized case.
Keep in mind that the Kids version does cost a bit more. Parental controls are detailed and built-in with this device, to make sure your child does not go astray.
Apart from that, this is the same Amazon Fire HD tablet we know and love. The Fire 7 tablet might be a cheaper choice, but this one has a better screen and better performance.
When it comes to young children, this is the best tablet out there.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro
10.1-inch, 1920 x 1200 pixels
Pros
- Perfect for children aged 10-12
- Excellent performance
- Superb screen
Cons
- Pricey
- Unconventional size
Much like the HD 8 kids above, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is an alternate version of the Fire HD 10. You get excellent battery life, a vibrant screen, and solid performance. It includes everything great about the regular version but wraps it inside a rubberized case.
This is one for older children, so the case design is a bit more mature. Apart from the colorful kickstand case, you even get a two-year warranty that includes accidental damage.
Yet again, the Fire 7 tablet is a cheaper option, but if performance matters, this is the one to get.
Related tablet guides
Final word
Amazon Fire tablets are a great buy if you are on a tight budget. For the price, they will serve you well for casual gaming, reading books, watching videos, or even giving to kids.
While the iPads and Galaxy tabs of the world are generally better devices, nothing comes close to the Fire tablets in terms of price, as is evident with the Fire 7 tablet. Hopefully, we helped you out in making the right choice.
In short, if you’re looking for the best Amazon Fire tablet, then Amazon Fire HD 10 is the one to get. The performance, battery life, and screen are all excellent. The Fire HD 8 is a cheaper buy and represents the best value. Meanwhile, the Fire 7 tablet is the cheapest of the bunch. The Kids version of the Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 are great options for children as well.
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