Related Articles
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Amazon’s Fire Tablet line has grown a lot since it originally launched in 2011, and become one of the few iPad competitors we recommend.
The tablets’ greatest strength is their direct connection to Amazon’s services. The first time you turn the device on your Kindle books will start downloading, and your Amazon Video library and Amazon Music playlists will be ready. Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant is also available on Fire Tablets, and you can use it to open apps, take you directly to video content you want to watch, and control smart-home accessories.
This seamless, streamlined experience is unique to Fire Tablets and makes them the absolute best choice if you use Amazon services.
But a Fire Tablet isn’t limited to all things Amazon. You can download apps like Netflix to watch videos, Comixology to read comics, and a library of well-known games, including Minecraft. There’s also a built-in web browser, so you can shop, view and update your social media pages, or catch up on the news.
Amazon’s tablets are great for consumption, but they’re not designed for productivity, like writing, creating presentations, building spreadsheets, or editing audio, photos, and videos. If you need a tablet to kick back with on the couch or take with you on a long plane ride, you won’t be disappointed.
Screen Size: The biggest difference between Fire Tablets is their screen size, which can vary between seven and 10 inches. Each Fire Tablet’s display also varies in resolution (the number of pixels on a screen); the higher the resolution, the sharper text, photos, and videos will look.
Storage: If you want to download a lot of apps, or media from streaming services like Netflix, you’ll want to get a tablet with a lot of storage. Fire Tablets come with either 16GB (gigabytes), 32GB, or 64GB of internal storage, but you can add way more by popping in a MicroSD memory card.
Operating System: All Fire Tablets run Fire OS, a custom version of Android that Amazon specifically developed for these tablets.
Battery Life: Amazon says you should expect to get between seven to 12 hours of use on a single charge depending on which model of Fire Tablet you get. Settings like screen brightness, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth can also have a big impact on how quickly your battery drains.
Special Offers: All of Amazon’s Fire Tablets are available with “special offers,” which means built-in advertisements. The ads will appear on your tablet’s screen when it’s not in use, they will not pop up when you’re actually using it.
