Amazon Fire HD 10 Review: An Inexpensive Large Entertainment Tablet

Amazon’s current generation Fire HD 10 may be one of the most powerful tablets the company currently offers but it’s price, specifications, and benchmark scores show this is really a budget tablet with direct ties to Amazon’s ecosystem. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing it’s just important to know what you’re getting into with this device.

For a casual user who wants a large screen to enjoy Amazon’s many content offerings and take advantage of a Prime subscription, the Fire HD 10 is a decent option considering its low lost threshold. However, if you’re serious about gaming, have a critical eye for video quality, or demand a lot from a tablet, you’ll want to look for a tablet with a higher screen resolution and more horsepower (which will also come with a higher price tag).

In almost every benchmark, the Fire HD 10 found itself in the middle or lower half of our charts. Real world performance was generally good except for the occasional lag we experienced while downloading apps or running too many apps in the background.

We’re glad to see Amazon is incorporating a microSD expansion slot into its current generation of tablets. With a microSD card, you’ll be able to store plenty of videos and music to enjoy on this tablet. Amazon also offers free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content including photos that you take with the Fire tablet.

Fire OS 5 has a number of really cool features including Amazon Underground, Word Runner, On Deck, and more. Although Amazon’s app store is still limited in comparison to Google’s Play Store, Amazon Underground helps to compensate by offering apps, games, and in-app items for free. We also like the idea behind On Deck and the fact that it provides content that is ready to enjoy at any time without any effort required by the user.

Amazon’s Fire HD 10 makes it easy to take advantage of your Prime subscription if you're already on board. It also offers some unique and useful features you won’t get from a non-Amazon branded tablet. However, there are comparable tablets on the market that offer higher resolution screens for a similar price. Although the Fire HD 10 isn’t for everyone, its low-end to mid-range price tag and some of its unique features make it a compelling option for some. 

Quad-core processor microSD expansion slot Tight integration with Amazon ecosystem, for Prime content On Deck, Word Runner, Activity Center	1280x800 resolution display Plastic construction Strong ties to Amazon ecosystem can be limiting for services and apps options Sluggish at times