In the world of tablets, Amazon’s Fire tablet lineup has carved out a niche in the budget-friendly space. While the iPad and other competitors duke it out in the more mid-range and premium world, it’s Amazon who has conquered the budget-friendly tablet purchase idea. In fact, it’s not uncommon to be able to pick up Amazon’s 7-inch Fire tablet on sale for under $40.
Even at Amazon’s highest price point with the Fire Max 11, you’re still at a lower starting point than the iPad. It’s this price-friendliness and focus on Amazon Prime that has helped the internet giant grow its tablet market share. According to Statista, Amazon currently holds a 6.5% global market share as of Q3 2023, behind Apple, Samsung, and Huawei.
Why all of this talk about Amazon’s Fire tablet and its success? Because it’s really good.
- Clear 10.1" 1080p Full HD display
- Battery lasts up to 12 hours
- Perfect for streaming
- Fast octa-core processor
Amazon Fire Tablet History
It’s hard to imagine but the first Fire tablet actually showed up on November 14, 2011. Called the Kindle Fire, the 7-inch tablet debuted for $199. It received an update in September 2012, with the second Kindle Fire, and saw a price reduction to $159.
Over the course of the next few years, Amazon saw a good number of changes to its Kindle Fire lineup including the beloved HDX models released in 2015. Amazon’s updates to the Fire lineup are not regular and it’s not uncommon to go two years without an update to a particular size. Between 2012 and today, the Fire lineup has expanded to 7, 8, 10, and 11-inch sizes.
The release of the Fire Max 11, Amazon’s biggest tablet to date, has allowed it to provide faster hardware. Not only is faster hardware available, but this tablet allows Amazon to compete directly against the iPad and Samsung models on-screen quality and speed.
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Why I Purchased a Fire Tablet
As an iPad owner since it first launched, owning a tablet is a tech staple in my life. There are a few constant pieces of hardware around my desk at any given time: a computer, tablet, and Kindle. The iPad Pro is my go-to for just about everything and serves as my portable laptop. However, I wanted something a little less expensive I could be a little more “rough” with. By this I mean I was looking for a tablet I could use as a treadmill tablet. Something that could hook into the tablet dock on a treadmill and not worry about damage.
Turns out the Kindle Fire HD 10 is the perfect solution for an inexpensive tablet that just works. There are a lot of reasons why the Kindle Fire HD 10 is a great tablet and we’ll get to those points in a minute. Before we do, there is one nuisance we should quickly touch on before anything else.
If there is one disappointing aspect about the Kindle Fire HD 10, it’s the lack of the Google Play Store. As much as Amazon tries to point out how many popular apps are in their app store, it’s not all that great. It’s not bad, it’s just not filled with all the apps you want or need. There is some good news that helps still tip me in favor of buying a Fire tablet. Installing the Play Store on the Fire tablet is ridiculously easy. It is so easy your elementary school child can probably figure it out.
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What Makes the Amazon Fire Tablet a Pleasant Surprise?
The Hardware
While Amazon’s Fire tablet lineup doesn’t offer the same svelte looks as the iPad, it’s still a good-looking tablet in its own right. Weighing only 15.29 ounces, the Fire HD 10 is almost 9 ounces lighter than the iPad Pro that is sitting on the other side of my desk opposite the Fire tablet. There is no question the difference in weight is noticeable, and it makes a difference when it’s in a bag.
Along with the lighter frame, you don’t feel as if the Fire HD 10, even with its budget-friendly price tag, is going to fall apart. In fact, the quality of the Fire HD 10 is surprisingly great. If there is any doubt the Fire HD 10 punches above its price point, a few moments of holding onto the device should shush the naysayers.
Where the hardware really becomes integral is when you are sitting down on a sofa ready to stream. The lighter frame against the iPad feels really comfortable. The Fire tablet is more comfortable than a heavier, more industrial-feeling iPad Pro. There’s a more homey feeling that I love with the Kindle Fire HD 10, and it’s hard to explain.
Battery Life
Look, I think the iPad Pro has outstanding battery life and can last long enough that I am fine leaving home for a day without a charger. The thing is, the Fire HD 10, which costs less than a quarter of my M2 iPad Pro, can do the same. Actually, the Fire tablet may last longer on both paper and in practical use than the iPad.
The good news is they both last long enough to fill my needs, but the Kindle lasts a surprisingly long time. Amazon promises up to 12 hours of reading or browsing the web and that’s pretty spot on. Where things get interesting is with streaming, which doesn’t do much to affect battery life. This was relatively surprising to me as I expected to see a large dip after a few Netflix binges. Nope, even after 3 hours of binging The Witcher, I still had 80% left.
What’s also a pleasant surprise is how quickly the Kindle Fire HD 10 recharges. Using USB-C 2.0, charging back up takes no time at all. I’ve never taken a timer to the full recharge time, but it’s as quick if not slightly quicker than my iPad Pro.
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Streaming
So here’s the thing with the Fire HD’s 10.1-inch display, it’s shockingly good. Running a Full HD display with over 2 million pixels, it’s really, really good. What made me happy when I first used it was the letterbox viewing experience across Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, and more. Personally, I don’t mind this and in some cases, I enjoy it, especially with Disney+ and its widescreen movie selection.
There is no question I enjoy streaming on the higher-resolution iPad Pro more. However, writing off the Fire HD 10 isn’t something anyone should do. If streaming is your top tablet use case, recommending the Fire HD 10 is a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, there is a downside and that is the two speakers on the top edge of the device (when held in landscape mode). Don’t get me wrong, they are not bad when looked at in a tablet silo, but compared to more expensive competition, they are not great. What I’ve done is taken to using the Fire HD 10 with headphones, especially when on a treadmill, and that solves the problem right away.
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What Would Make the Fire HD 10 Really Great?
Amazon App Store
If I wanted to give up my iPad Pro (I don’t and I won’t), the first thing Amazon would need to do is bring bigger names to their app store. Far too many big apps are missing and that’s before you even start to talk about the sub-par navigation experience. It’s impossible to find the apps you want because it’s not as easy as it could be. Rumors are indicating (as of November 2023) that Amazon will be redesigning its operating system, also known as Fire OS next year. Let’s hope reworking its app store is a big part of Amazon’s plans.
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Productivity Performance
Running a fast octa-processor and backed by 3GB of RAM still doesn’t do the Fire HD 10 any favors. Performance, as you jump between apps, can be stuttering more frequently than I would care to acknowledge. It doesn’t interfere with my use cases, but if this was your only tablet, I can see how it would get annoying quickly.
Apps do open quickly and overall navigating around the interface is snappy. Unfortunately, if you start opening multiple apps, you can expect the system to get bogged down quickly. To get back some speed, just start force-closing your most recently opened apps. This just isn’t something I should need to do regularly. Unfortunately, it’s often a daily occurrence to me but I can always hope for a faster processor in the next generation for better performance.
More importantly, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 10 is not a productivity powerhouse. It’s fine if you want to do some light browsing or check some email but anything beyond that is wishful thinking. I am really not sure why this model has an Amazon-made keyboard available. I have tried to do some light work, even some writing on this tablet, and I quickly gave up.
Fire OS
As is the case with many non-Google tablets, the interface on the Fire HD 10 is a heavily modified version of Android. Amazon has layered a thick skin over Android and added every app it has on the home screen. If Amazon can sell it to you, it’s on the device. You can absolutely expect Prime Video, Amazon, Kindle, and more.
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As I noted above, the lack of the Play Store really leaves a lot to be desired. This means you have to perform a hack to add YouTube, Gmail, or Google Calendar. Thankfully, Amazon still includes apps for your favorite streaming services, so that’s a plus. Even so, trying to watch Apple TV, currently my third favorite streaming service, has to be done through the Silk Browser. Now, part of this reasoning is Apple’s fault for not making an Android app, but trying to get everything set up through the Silk Browser is not something I recommend.
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Will I Give Up My iPad for the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 10?
So, here is the thing, as I am not planning to give up my iPad Pro for the Fire HD 10. Instead, I think I have a place for both of these tablets in my life. Given the low price tag of the Fire HD 10, it’s my go-to tablet for a number of use cases. This is really my treadmill tablet or the tablet I’ll sit and use if I’m sitting outside by the pool.
Separately, I’m definitely interested in the Fire Max 11 to see if there is a beefier performance that would make me trade my current Fire tablet in. As Amazon offers 20% coupons with trades plus a dollar amount trade-in value based on your tablet, it’s easy to get tempted to upgrade when the Fire Max 11 is next on sale.
If I pick up the Fire Max 11, I would immediately put the Google Play Store on it. After that, I can create my own little retro gaming tablet. Now that sounds like fun!
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Final Verdict: Is the Kindle Fire HD 10 Worth It?
For me, it’s a secondary tablet, but it’s a great secondary tablet. If you are someone who just wants to stream movies sitting comfortably on a sofa, it’s absolutely worth it. It’s a low-cost investment with a strong reward courtesy of dozens of available streaming apps. The screen looks really great across all of these streaming services, which further emphasizes my recommendation.
- Clear 10.1" 1080p Full HD display
- Battery lasts up to 12 hours
- Perfect for streaming
- Fast octa-core processor
