When someone’s looking to pick up a new tablet, Amazon is a pretty hard option to ignore — its Fire tablets are incredible value, well-made, and loaded with tons of features.
Admittedly, Fire tablets aren’t as premium on the whole as something like an iPad, they are much more affordable and offer a “good enough” experience. Plus, there are plenty of models to pick from, including some that are designed for kids. Once you start looking at Fire tablets, it’s pretty easy to find the perfect tablet for your needs. Here are the very best Fire tablets right now.
Best Fire tablet apps for kids: Video streaming, games, and educational apps
Fire-up your kids’ imagination with these apps designed for safety, independence, curiosity, and entertainment.
Best Amazon Fire tablets: Our top picks
Amazon Fire HD 8
1. Best Amazon Fire tablet overall
Fantastic hardware
This compact tablet is ideal for a range of uses. It’s the best all-around pick for the majority of users. The fact that it’s also great value, making it even easier to recommend.
- Storage
- 32/64GB
- CPU
- 2.0GHz hexa-core
- Memory
- 2GB
- Measurements
- 201.90 x 137.34 x 9.60mm, 337g
- Handy size
- Great value for price
- Simple to use
- A little small for some media
The Amazon Fire HD 8 is a great value, giving you more space and a better display than the Fire 7, but still at a really attractive price. It sits in an appealing position, offering portability, excellent battery life as well as great sound. This model was just updated in 2022, with 30% more power than the previous version.
Alternatively, there’s the Fire HD 8 Plus, which adds Qi wireless charging with an optional compatible dock, so you can use it as an Echo Show.
Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet
2. Best Amazon Fire tablet for quality
Premium quality for a wallet-friendly price
$180 $230 Save $50
With 14 hours of battery life and 64GB of storage, this sleek tablet is a versatile product that will let you work, stream and game on the go.
- Much better built than other Fire tablets
- Big screen is an improvement
- Easy access to Amazon services, plus Microsoft 365 and Zoom
- FireOS is limited
- Not the fastest or smoothest experience
- Display could be better in bright conditions
The Amazon Fire Max 11 is the newest addition to the Fire lineup in terms of size – it’s the biggest tablet Amazon has ever made, and the most powerful too, with a keen eye on productivity. With the option of a keyboard and trackpad support, this is the only Fire tablet that you might be able to fully work from, and it’s also great for media viewing, as you’d hope. A more premium design rounds things off, but this all comes at the highest price of any Amazon tablet.
Amazon Fire 7 Tablet
3. Best Amazon Fire tablet for portability
Small but powerful
If you want an even smaller tablet, then this could be your best choice. It’s so easy to fit into bags of any size, and is still a great upgrade on your phone for watching TV or movies.
- Storage
- 16/32GB
- CPU
- 2.0GHz quad-core
- Memory
- 2GB
- Measurements
- 180.68 x 117.59 x 9.67mm, 282g
- So portable
- Nice compact design
- Runs pretty smoothly
- Budget friendly
- Not too powerful
- Big bezels
The Amazon Fire 7 (2022) is one of the most affordable tablets you’ll find, and it’s perfect for those who might break it (like kids). The Fire 7 was updated in 2022 to give a power boost, but it’s still an entry-level device.
The Kids’ edition gets a case, two-year warranty and one-year subscription to Fire for Kids+. There are two versions: one for ages 3-7 and one for 6-12 with a slightly different type of case. The older model is called the Fire 7 Kids Pro, but this currently uses the 2019 version of the tablet, which you don’t want.
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023)
4. Best Amazon Fire tablet for media
Everyday excellence
Amazon’s 10-inch tablet is a joy to use and a great all-rounder with an impressive display.
- Storage
- 32GB, 64GB
- CPU
- 2.0GHz Octa-core
- Memory
- 3GB
- Superb value
- Great for watching movies and TV
- Solid power
The Fire HD 10 (2023) offers a slightly more compact design than the older 2021 version, a better battery, and a much better front camera. At 5MP, both the front and back cameras are now the same quality.
Its size is pretty perfect if you’re looking for something that compares to the standard iPad (although it’s still a little smaller than that), and it remains impressively competitive on the pricing front. There are also two versions for children: the Fire HD 10 Kids and the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus
5. Best Amazon Fire tablet for power
Boosted power
The boosted power of the HD 10 Plus makes it a great way to get a more powerful Fire tablet without going for the pricier Max 11.
- Storage
- 32/64GB
- CPU
- 2.0GHz octo-core
- Memory
- 4GB
- Measurements
- 247 x 166 x 9.2mm, 468g
- Boosted power
- Some productivity chops
- Nice accessories
Fire HD 10 Plus was the most powerful of the Fire tablets until the Max 11 arrived, and it added wireless charging to the mix. This could double up as a smart display if you opt for the dock too, since Amazon offers a productivity version with a Bluetooth keyboard.
The bottom line: Which is the best Amazon Fire tablet?
So, it’s fair to say that you can pretty much make a great case for each of Amazon’s Fire tablets. They all offer slightly different things and make for excellent additions. Still, we think the Fire HD 8 is the one that will suit most people. It’s super affordable and has great specs, which is a balance that few tech devices nail as well as it does, and it will be a great addition for travel or home use.
Amazon Fire HD 8
Editor’s Choice
How do we choose the best Fire tablets?
Amazon’s Fire tablets are a lot easier to compare than some others because they all run the exact same software, simply with different screen sizes and designs around them. So, ordering them is both straightforward and complex at once. On the one hand, extensive testing has left us with our favorites and those we keep coming back to, leading to the order you see above.
However, it’s also very much the case that those differences in display size can make it a bit hard to compare them in some ways — if you want a bigger tablet, a seven-inch display isn’t for you, so bear that in mind while you peruse our thoughts. If you’re shopping for a new tablet, and you’ve decided (wisely) that Amazon makes the best-value options out there, these questions might help you narrow things down even further to pick a winner.
FAQ
Q: What Amazon Fire tablet size is best for you?
One of the key differences between the various Fire tablet models I’ve evaluated above is their screen sizes, which go from compact to much bigger. Knowing roughly what size you think you want will help you a lot. Do you imagine holding the tablet in one hand, or are you thinking more of a comparison to the standard iPad, in which case a bigger option makes sense? Of course, figuring this out leads to my next question.
Q: What will you use your Fire tablet for?
This can really help you figure out the right size and model for you. What do you plan to do on your tablet? Is it primarily going to be a media machine for lounging on the sofa or in bed? Do you plan to use a bunch of apps and games, or even try to work on the tablet every so often? If so, a bigger display will be handy.
If, instead, you imagine the tablet staying in your bag for when you’re on the move, something smaller is probably a better idea, so that you can more easily bring it with you wherever you go. There’s no wrong answer here, but anything will narrow it down.
Q: Do you care about processing power?
While the processors and power brought to bear by each Fire tablet do vary, the fact is that none of the models we’ve listed should feel sluggish, since they’re all relatively recent launches. If you do want the most power possible, though, whether that’s to ensure that you make a more future-proof choice, or simply because you know you’re planning to play some demanding games, that could be an avenue to pursue as you compare models.
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