Amazon Fire tablet (Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire HD 10, and Fire Max 11) is the most affordable Android tablet on the planet. Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 will help you decide:
In this Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023, I will first explain the difference between the Fire tablet and the Android tablet, when you may consider buying a Fire tablet, and when you should not consider the Fire tablet at all. The current (2023) models of Amazon Fire tablets are compared to explain the differences among these available models in 2023. You can then decide whether to get the 7″ Fire 7 or 8″ and 10″ HD or 11″ Fire max tablet based on your budget usage, portability, and special needs.
Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 also explains what are the additional features or upgrades in the Plus version for Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10. Kids edition is also discussed in detail so that you may know whether you should consider it.
This Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 finally explains why you should not buy a Fire tablet of the old generation and why you should avoid the refurbished Fire tablet.
Amazon Fire tablet is not exactly an Android tablet, although it is often quoted as the most affordable Android tablet.
Amazon Fire tablet differs from a “normal” Android tablet in a few aspects, including:
Amazon actually purposely created the “incompatibility” with Android. They want you to use Amazon services ONLY, instead of Google's.
The Fire OS, which is based on Android, removes almost all Google-related services and replaces them with Amazon's. This is not an issue when you replace Chrome with the Silk browser.
But when coming to the app store. Amazon not only adds its Appstore but also disables Google Play. And to block Google Play, the whole Google Play Framework, including some security and privacy features, has to be removed or blocked.
And this is the source of all problems.
Android allows the co-existence of the vendor's App Store and Google Play Store. For example, on all Samsung phones and tablets, you can find both Samsung's Galaxy Store and Google Play.
Anyway, the Fire tablet is NOT designed as an Android tablet. Instead, it is designed as an Amazon device.
As an Amazon device, the Fire tablet is an important component of the Amazon ecosystem.
You may consider a Fire tablet, if
Although Amazon enjoys a cozy relationship with Microsoft and all Office apps are available for the Fire tablet, we seldom recommend the Fire tablet for business use for two reasons:
Of course, if you just need a tablet for Zoom (or Teams) meetings and/or editing/sharing office documents, yes, the Fire tablet is sufficient and can be considered.
Although you can sideload the Google Play Store and some Google apps to the Fire tablet (as explained in this guide), it is not recommended for business use. There are possibly some unknown compatible issues.
Please continue on this Fire tablet buyer's guide 2022 to see which Fire tablet is for you.
The Amazon Fire tablet is probably not for you, if:
Anyway, the Fire tablet is not for everyone. It depends on your needs and preferences.
In this section of Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023, we now compare the current models of Fire tablets in 2023. We do not recommend you buy older versions or refurbished Fire tablets (explained in the last two sections of the Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 below).
Amazon currently offers 4 base models of the Fire tablet:
The Kids Edition is available on the first 3 models with a 2-year hardware warranty, a kid-proof case, and a one-year Amazon Kids+ subscription. We will discuss it later in this guide.
Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 offer the “Plus” edition with some hardware upgrades. Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus are also offered as a Productivity bundle, which will be discussed in a separate section of this Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 (read on).
Currently, Amazon offers both the 11th Gen Fire HD 10 (2021) and 13th Gen Fire HD 10 (2023). But the 13th Gen of Fire HD 10 does not offer the Plus model. We strongly recommend you get the 13th Gen (Fire HD 10 2023) unless you want to get the Plus model.
The following table compares the current models and variations of the Fire Tablet in 2023.
| Features/model | Fire Max 11 (2023) | Fire 7 (2022) | Fire HD 8 Fire HD 8 Plus (2022) | Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Plus | Fire HD 10 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 |
| Release year | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 (latest) | 2021 (old) | 2023 (latest) |
| Fire OS version | Fire OS 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Screen size | 11 | 7″ | 8″ | 10″ | 10″ |
| Screen resolution | 2000 x1200 (212 ppi) | 1024 x 600 (171 ppi) | 1280 X 800 (189 ppi) | 1920 X 1080 (224 ppi) | 1920 X 1080 (224 ppi) |
| CPU | Octa-core 2.2 GHz (MT8188J) | Quad-core 2.0 GHz (MT8168V/B) | Hexa-core 2.0 GHz (MT8169A) | Octa-core 2.0 GHz (MT8183) | Octa-core 2.05 GHz (MT8186P) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | Mali-G52 3EE MC1 | Mali-G52 3EE MC2 | Mali-G72 MP3 | Mali-G52 MC22EE |
| RAM | 4GB | 2GB | 2GB 3GB (Plus) | 3GB 4GB (Plus) | 3GB |
| Storage | 64/128GB | 16/32GB | 32/64GB | 32/64GB | 32/64GB |
| SD card support | up to 1TB | up to 1TB | up to 1TB | up to 1TB | up to 1TB |
| USB Port | USB-C (2.0) | USB-C (2.0) | USB-C (2.0) | USB-C (2.0) | USB-C (2.0) |
| Battery life | 14 hours | 10 hours | 13 hours | 12 hours | 13 hours |
| Charging time with included charger | 4.2 hours (9W) | 4 hours (5W) | 5 hours (5W) 3 hours (9W, Plus version) | 4 hours (9W) | 4 hours (9W) |
| USB-C fast charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tes |
| Wireless charging | No | No | Plus version only | Plus version only | No |
| Microphone | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Speaker | Dual | Single | Dual | Dual | Dual |
| Headphone jack | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dual-band, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | 8MP | 2MP | Yes | 2MP | 5MP |
| Rear camera | 8MP | 2MP | 2MP/5MP (Plus) | 5MP | 5MP |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Dual band, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | Dual-band, WiFi 5 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band, WiFi 5 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band, WiFi 5 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band, WiFi 5 802.11 a/b/g/n/a |
| Bluetooth | 5.3LE | 5.0 LE | 5.0 LE | 5.0 LE | 5.3LE |
| Light sensor | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Proximity sensor | No | No | No | No | No |
| Location Services | WiFi (no GPS) | WiFi (no GPS) | WiFi (no GPS) | WiFi (no GPS) | WiFi (no GPS) |
| Dimensions | 259.1mm x 163.7mm x 7.5mm | 180.7 mm x 117.6mm x 9.7mm | 201.9mm x 137.3 mm x 9.6 mm | 247mm x 166mm x 9.2 mm | 246mm x 164.8mm x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 490g | 282 g | 337 g | 465 g | 434g |
| List price | from 229.99 | from $59.99 | from $99.99 | from $149.99 | from $139.99 |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Active stylus support | Yes, USI 2.0 | No | No | No | Yes, USI 2.0 |
| Feature/Model | Fire Max 11 (2023) | Fire 7 2022 | Fire HD 8 Fire HD 8 Plus (2022) | Fire HD 10 (2021) Fire HD 10 Plus | Fire HD 10 2023 |
We will update this table if any new Fire tablets are released.
Once you plan to buy a tablet, you need to consider a few factors. The Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 considers the following 4 factors:
The Fire tablet is the most affordable tablet on the planet up to now. Period.
A $329 budget for the cheapest iPad allows you to buy one Fire 7 + one Fire HD 8 + one Fire HD 10 at the full list price. You still have another $29 cash in your pocket.
Even Samsung's cheapest Tab A7 Lite (2GB/32GB/WiFi) is 77.7% higher than Fire HD 8, based on the list price.
As mentioned, the most “expensive” Fire tablet is the Fire Max 11, whose price tag is $229.99.
For all Amazon devices, you should not buy them at the list price unless you need them urgently. Every year, Amazon offers huge (usually 20-40%) discounts on the Fire tablet at least a few times a year. So, you just pay attention to the price change.
Of course, we recommend you purchase the “current” version. The reason is explained in the section (below) “About buying older generations of Fire tablets” of this Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023.
You need to buy a tablet because you want to use it for something.
The Fire tablet normally is good enough for the following usage:
The Fire tablet is usually a bit underpowered for the following usages:
Fire OS stripped almost all Google-related features. Although you may sideload the Google Play store and some Google apps to the Fire tablet, there may be some unknown issues. So, it is not recommended to use sideloaded Google services for your business. A cheap Samsung tablet should give fewer troubles with Google-related apps. Update: Fire OS 8 is compatible with the Google Play Store.
In addition to some unknown issues with Google services, some Google features will not work on the Fire tablet. For example,
Another perspective of usage is who is going to use it.
Amazon Fire tablet is very user-friendly, especially for the non-tech-savvy. It simply works without confusing settings and unnecessary tweaks. The parental control (Amazon Kids) on the device also makes it a good option for kids.
So, the Fire tablet is generally good for:
Amazon Kids (old name: Amazon FreeTime) does not require a subscription and is free. Amazon Kids+ adds a subscription to age-appropriate books, audiobooks, apps, and videos for kids.
The size and weight determine how you can carry the tablet around.
All of the Fire tablets weight less than 500g. So, it is usually not a big issue if you carry it in the backpack. There are no big differences in size and weight among current tablets in the market.
However, if you plan to carry it in a smaller bag, you need to consider the 7″, 8″, 10″, or 11″ form factors.
You need to know whether you have any special needs for the tablet.
For example, you may want to use your bank app on a tablet. Very likely, the app is not available in Amazon Appstore. If you check the app in the Google Play Store, you may find it is not available either if you check it from the Fire tablet.
Some apps, especially some banking apps, or streaming apps, maintain a list of compatible devices for the app in the Google Play store. You cannot easily sideload them, and they usually will not work if you sideload them.
Some users may need some special accessibility settings. Such settings are available in the stock Android may be stripped or altered in Fire OS.
Anyway, it is important to check whether you have any special needs for apps and accessibility features.
Fire 7 is the smallest and the cheapest Fire tablet.
Traditionally, the Fire 7 is in the category of the under-$50 tablet. But the current model (12th Gen) is priced at $59.99, which is $10 higher than previous generations.
The $10 price increase actually narrows the gap between Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 considerably. For the 32GB model, the price difference between Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 (11th Gen) is only $10.
You may consider Fire 7 when:
For the current generation of Fire 7, as mentioned earlier, the 32GB version is actually not as attractive as the 32GB version of Fire HD 8. With $10 more, you will get a better (and bigger) screen and better sound. of course, Fire HD 8 will be a bit heavier.
Please note, if you mainly use the tablet to read books and check social networks, the 7″ screen is good enough.
Fire HD 8 is a versatile tablet. It is generally small enough to put in most bags so that it is easy to carry it around with you. It is not so heavy (337g). The screen is big enough to enjoy HD movies.
Also, the Fire HD 8 screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio. This increases the usable screen area noticeably compared to an 8″ screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio (as in Fire 7 and Fire HD 10).
You may consider Fire HD 8 when
Fire HD 8 is the most practical tablet to enjoy Amazon content: books, music, videos, games, and audiobooks.
Fire HD 10 used to be the biggest tablet in the line. It is generally faster than Fire 7 and Fire HD 8. But it is slower than Fire Max 11.
The full HD resolution of a 10″ IPS screen is good enough for everything. You really do not need a higher resolution.
You may consider Fire HD 10 when
The Fire HD 10 is a general-purpose tablet. But it is slightly too bulky for reading Kindle books.
Since Fire HD 10 (2021), the split-screen multitasking feature is available on Fire tablets except Fire 7. The 10″ screen is OK for casual split-screen type multitasking.
Fire Max 11 is the biggest tablet in the line. It is also the fastest among Amazon Fire tablets.
You can consider Fire Max 11 as a “premium” version of Fire HD 10 with everything upgraded: better display, faster CPU, more storage, and better accessories, as explained in this guide.
Fire Max 11 is the only Fire tablet with a fingerprint sensor. It is also the only Fire tablet with USI 2.0 stylus support. The Fire Max 11 is also the only Fire tablet with a metal (not plastic) design with a decent keyboard case (with trackpad)
The main drawback of Fire Max 11 is the lack of 3.5mm audio jack and wireless charging (together with other missing features
).Of course, Fire Max 11 is the most expensive one among Amazon Fire tablets.
You may consider Fire Max 11 when
The Fire Max 11 is a general-purpose tablet. But it is slightly too bulky for reading Kindle books. And it may be too expensive if you mainly watch videos on it.
Amazon offers the Plus version of Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10.
The two features added to the Plus version are:
For Fire HD 8 Plus, another upgrade is the included 9W wall charger. 5W charger is a standard configuration for Fire HD 8. Please note, Fire HD 8 also supports 9W and higher (up to 15W) charging. The difference between Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8 Plus is only the included charger.
Both Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus come with a 9W wall charger in the box.
1GB more RAM is very useful if you need to switch between a few apps frequently. It also makes most games faster.
Wireless charging adds one more way to charge the tablet. But you cannot use wireless charging and USB cable charging concurrently. If you already have a wireless charger, or you may need to use the USB port for other accessories (e.g., a USB thumb drive), you will find wireless charging useful.
So, you need to check whether you actually need the two additional features for a price of $20 (for Fire HD 8 Plus) or $30 (for Fire HD 10 Plus).
Amazon offers the Kids edition (Kids and Kids Pro) of Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10, for an additional $50. This Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 will try to explain what you get for the $50 and whether you should consider it or not.
Do NOT confuse the Kids Pro with the Pro version of the tablet discussed earlier. They are totally unrelated.
The Kids version is for kids aged 3-7. In comparison, Kids Pro is for kids aged 6-12.
The tablet hardware is exactly identical. The differences between Kids and Kids Pro are:
The Kids version comes with a bumper-style protective case; while the Kids Pro version comes with a slim protective case. Of course, the bumper-style case offers more protection. But it looks very bulky. Bigger kids may prefer the slim case. Both covers are well-designed.
The last 3 differences are mainly in the default parental controls. You can overwrite them in the parental control settings. Or you can adjust the kid's age to change these settings automatically.
The Kids Edition tablet requires a parent Amazon account. Parents can use the tablet as a normal Fire tablet. Kids will only access content added to them and Amazon Kids+ content (subscription).
In the Kids edition, you essentially get the following 3 items for the $50:
Amazon claims you will save $70 if you buy separately. But it seems Amazon does not sell the 2-year worry-free warranty separately. The $7.99 2-year accidental Accident Protection Plan is totally a different story.
Anyway, if you are not a Prime member and subscribe monthly, yes, the claim is legit.
The protective case is decent and offers excellent protection for the tablet. The 2-year worry-free guarantee is, of course, a nice option for devices to be used by kids.
Please note, Amazon simplified Amazon Kids+ subscriptions in June/July 2022. All subscriptions include unlimited access for up to 4 kid profiles. The single-child plan and Family plan were no longer available.
The one-year Amazon Kids+ subscription cannot be stacked with the existing subscription. So,
So, if you plan to get a tablet and Amazon Kids+ for your kids, then yes, it saves you money to get the Kids edition.
Remember you do NOT need Amazon Kids+ subscription if you only need parental controls. Amazon Kids is free.
So, if you do not need Amazon Kids+, then the Kids Edtion is probably not a good choice. It saves you money to buy the normal Fire tablet and case separately.
You may check our Amazon Kids+ guide (coming soon) for more details on how to maximize the benefits of Amazon Kids+.
Amazon offers a “productivity bundle” for Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Plus, and Fire Max 11. The productivity bundle for Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus will cost you $70 more than buying the tablet only. The productivity bundle for Fire Max 11 costs more and depends on whether you want to include the stylus.
This Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 will check whether you should spend an additional $70 for it.
The productivity bundle includes:
So, if you need both the Bluetooth keyboard (see this guide on how to use it) and Microsoft 365, then you may consider buying them as the productivity bundle. It saves you about $40 compared to purchasing them separately. The Bluetooth keyboard is surprisingly good at that price point. You can also use some special keys and shortcuts tailored for Fire HD 10 tablet.
However, if you do not need the Microsoft 365 subscription, or you do not like the Bluetooth keyboard, then you should not consider the productivity bundle. It saves you money to buy the tablet and accessories separately.
The $125 productivity bundle for Fire Max 11 includes the following:
Please note, the official keyboard connects to the tablet magnetically, and you may not be able to use it on other devices. It is not a standard Bluetooth keyboard.
The stylus is the standard USI 2.0 one. So, you can use it on other devices (e.g., many Chromebooks) that support USI 2.0 stylus.
When a new generation of the Fire tablet is released, Amazon may want to clear the stock of the previous generation.
We do not recommend our readers to buy older generations of Fire tablets, although the price may be enticing.
For example, for Fire HD 10, the current version is Fire HD 10 Gen 11, released in 2021. The previous generation is Fire HD 10 9th Gen, released in 2019. Although the list price of these two models did not change, the specs improved a lot in the newer version, as explained in this guide. So do not be trapped in the high discount for the previous generation (Fire HD 10 2019 in this case).
You should always buy the current (latest) generation of the Fire tablet for better performance and longer security updates. Amazon promised a 4-year security update after they stopped selling the device on Amazon as a new one (not refurbished). So this means the current model usually has at least one or two years longer security updates because Amazon refreshes each model every 2 to 3 years.
Thanks to the generous returning policy, Amazon gets a lot of returning Fire tablets.
Of course, most of these Fire tablets will end up in other users' hands as a replacement or a “refurbished” device.
Amazon usually offers a high (sometimes more than 50%) discount for these Fire Tablets.
Although the pricing is enticing, you probably should stay away from these deals unless your budget is extremely limited.
There are a couple of reasons against buying a refurbished Fire tablet:
Of course, we believe Amazon maintains a high standard for refurbished products. And they usually honour the warranty without issues.
But a tablet has hundreds of electric components. Some issues can only be triggered after actual usage, not a lab test.
Anyway, you may consider the refurbished Fire tablet only if you are constrained by your budget. If the device works without issues, it could be a good deal.
Amazon released Fire OS 8 for the 12th and 13th Gen Fire tablets, including:
Fire OS 8 gives some new features and improved security and privacy. You can sideload Google Play store like on Fire OS 7 and 6,
If you have any questions about the Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2023 or need help buying a Fire tablet, please let us know in the comment box below. The community will try to help you.
Detailed information on how to use the Google Play Store on Fire tablets can be found here.
Need advice on choosing a Fire tablet? Check the Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide now.
You may check other Fire tablet how-to guides and tutorials on the Fire tablet how-to guides page.
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This post was last modified on March 20, 2024 12:03 pm
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