Amazon Launches New Fire HD 10 Tablet With USB-C, Faster CPU, Longer Battery Life
As Amazon puts it, the new Fire HD 10 is better in nearly every way thanks to specs bumps across the board and some new functionality. One new feature in particular is something that most of us have simply taken for granted in the smartphone world: the inclusion of a USB-C port for charging. Fire tablets up to this point have used the old and tired microUSB connector, but the new USB-C connectivity means that you'll have one less cable to lug around (along with faster charging speeds).
Amazon is also using a new, faster 2GHz octa-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The company says that this processor upgrade affords a 30 percent uplift in performance over its predecessor. On the storage front, you can opt for either 32GB or 64GB configurations, while the microSD slot has been upgraded to support up to 512GB cards (up from 200GB max).
As its name implies, the Fire HD 10 still comes with a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1200. Other features include "enhanced" Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) connectivity, so Wi-Fi 6 is out of the question here. Likewise, you'll still find a rear 2MP camera and a front-facing 720p camera. Neither will provide world class images, but they'll do in a pinch as most people reach for their smartphones to take pictures anyway. Finally, Amazon claims that this new Fire HD 10 can last up to 12 hours per charge, which is a 20 percent improvement over the previous generation model.
With regards to software, the Fire HD 10 is running an Android P flavor of FireOS along with some additional software tweaks. In addition to the familiar hands-free Alexa, Amazon has added support for picture-in-picture for select video apps when performing other tasks on your tablet. Some of the supported apps at this time include Prime Video, Netflix, STARZ and Twitch.
Amazon says that the new Fire HD 10 is available for pre-order today priced at the same $149.99 for the 32GB SKU (available in Black, Twilight Blue, Plum and White). The device will actually ship on October 30th. As an added bonus, those that preorder the device prior to the stated ship date will receive Minecraft as a free app download.
