Tablets

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) Review: Form A to Z

The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) is more of an update than an upgrade because it matches the 2019 Fire tablet’s battery life, display, apps, and pricing while having additional RAM. It continues to have a frustratingly small selection of apps and is better suited for casual media consumption than serious productivity.

Two-minute review

The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021), like many other Amazon products, is less expensive yet providing many of the same capabilities as more expensive rivals. It is a lock to be included in our list of the best inexpensive tablets, if not the best Android tablets. However, like to its predecessor, the Fire HD 10 (2019), its low price comes with numerous trade-offs.

Comparing the 11th generation Fire tablet to the previous one reveals that it has the same 1920 x 1200 display resolution but a higher brightness; the same 12-hour battery life, which performed admirably in our tests; the same OS based on Android 9, which is now several years old; the same constrained app selection, which excludes Google Play Store apps; and even the same starting price: $150 / £150 (roughly AU$195).

At least until Amazon decides to incorporate cloud gaming with Luna, gamers should search elsewhere. Amazon’s Appstore does not have the selection or caliber of games that are offered on Google’s or Apple’s app stores, and mobile-quality games blown up on a huge HD tablet tend to look slightly pixelated. But, Amazon Game Mode makes your games run more smoothly.

This tablet is genuinely made for customers who have a strong interest in Amazon’s services, or it is made to pique their interest. Although it features the majority of the well-known streaming apps (not just Prime Video), Fire OS is dominated by Amazon Music, Amazon Photos, Amazon Silk (a web browser), Alexa, and Kindle. Other categories, like messaging, have a very small selection of apps.

The Fire HD 10 or Fire HD 10 Plus should be given considerable consideration by anyone looking for a low-cost, somewhat long-lasting ereader that can stream movies and television shows. Also, it may function as a portable Echo Show for controlling your smart home and providing weather information. But, you should go elsewhere if you want access to all of your non-Amazon apps or more demanding programs.

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) price and release date

  • Out now in the US and UK
  • Starts at $150 / £150 (about AU$195)

On May 26, 2021, the most recent Amazon Fire HD 10 was made available. It seems to be available in different countries; for example, we found it on Amazon US, UK, and Canada but not Australia.

Amazon simultaneously released the Fire HD 10 Plus, a slightly more expensive model with some key upgrades, and a productivity bundle with a Bluetooth keyboard and a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.

Starting at $150 / £150 (about AU$195), the Amazon Fire HD 10 costs more if you add more storage or eliminate the lockscreen advertisements. With comparable upsells, the Fire HD 10 Plus sells for $180 / £180 (about $AU230).

Design

  • Plastic build
  • Feels durable but there’s no water resistance

In comparison to the 2019 model, the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) underwent a small makeover, resulting in a somewhat lighter (465g vs. 504g) and more compact structure. Other than that, the majority of their differences are internal; these Fire tablets are still not particularly attractive.

The Fire HD 10 (2021), which has dimensions of 247 x 166 x 9.2mm with a 10.1-inch LCD display, features broad top and bottom bezels, resulting in a lower screen-to-body ratio than more current tablets with edge-to-edge screens.

The Fire tablet’s plastic back means it lacks some other devices’ flashy metal finishes, but at least you won’t have to worry as much about scratches or falls. But, you must be careful about spills because the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) is not said to be water resistant.

Four colors are available: black, denim (dark blue), lavender (pink), and olive (green). Only slate gray is available in the Plus variant, which has a softer feel that you might find more comfortable to handle.

Similar to the majority of tablets this size, we discovered that it was most comfortable to hold with two hands and the bottom resting against our stomachs, or to set on a level surface using the kickstand. It’s not especially pleasant to hold it in one hand unsupported while swiping with the other for an extended period of time.

On the top of the tablet, next to the power and volume buttons, two microphone holes, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, is a USB-C 2.0 port for charging the Fire HD 10 2021. (when held in portrait orientation). If you purchase the Plus edition, you can also use a wireless charger to charge it.

On the top right, there is a microSD card slot that can hold up to 1TB of extra storage. You may invest in a decent microSD card and add 32GB of storage for a considerably lower price – or further storage if 64GB isn’t enough – rather than paying an additional $40/£40 (about AU$75) for the 64GB edition.

The tablet’s dual inbuilt speakers are on one of its long ends, thus sound is highly directional (and fairly unimpressive) and muted if it faces your desk or bed. Make sure the audio side sticks upwards when inserting your Fire HD 10 2021 into a case with a kickstand.

Display

  • 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD screen
  • Quality and brightness are good for the price

The majority of people purchase inexpensive tablets so they can watch television comfortably in bed, hence the display’s quality is a crucial factor. Fortunately, this display performs largely above the modest cost of the tablet.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021) sports a 10.1-inch display, as implied by its name. Its 1920 x 1200 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio have the same 224 pixels per inch (PPI) as the 2019 model.

By instance, the majority of our top-rated tablets have a PPI of between 260 and 280. The Fire HD 10 2021’s display is crisp and useful, but it lacks the richness of a 2K-resolution, OLED Samsung tablet or the clarity of an Apple Retina display, both of which would be significantly more expensive.

According to Amazon, the Fire HD 10’s brightness (nits) increased by 10% compared to the 2019 model. Although we don’t know the new tablet’s exact nit value, we compared it to an iPad Pro 11 (2018), which reaches 600 nits, and found that at maximum brightness, the two were quite close. The display was then visible (though dim) in direct sunshine when we carried it outside.

The refresh rate of the Fire HD 10 2021 is also unknown to us, but based on our testing and the device’s cost, we can almost certainly assume that it is 60 Hz, like most inexpensive slates.

The bezels on this Fire tablet are very huge, as we have said. You’ll have considerably fewer unintentional taps with this display because of the unresponsive buffer, even though it isn’t as fashionable as a tablet with no bezels.

Your lock screen will display advertisements if you purchase the ad-supported Fire HD 10 (2021), but your wallpaper can be chosen from your Amazon Photos account or stock images. If you turn off ads, your wallpaper will also be your lock screen.

Conclude

You frequently use Microsoft or Amazon apps
The Fire HD 10 (2021) emphasizes Amazon software by placing your most recent Kindle or Audiobook purchases front and center on the home screen, making it simple to handle Alexa-compatible smart home technology on the Device Dashboard (with some Microsoft workspace apps sprinkled in).

You have a tight budget.
There is no tablet in this price range that can compete with this one; Amazon specializes in affordable, dependable technology. You can find devices with better displays, performance, and apps if you have a few hundred dollars extra, but the Fire HD 10 does its job well without charging too much.

Without being concerned about battery life, you enjoy bingeing.
Some tablets’ batteries are depleted far more quickly than their producers predict. But up until this point, Amazon’s new tablet has met expectations. It may play content continuously for 12 hours or intermittently for several days.

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