By: Nick Gambino
Amazon has just announced their next-gen lineup of Fire tablets. Instead of doing what Apple does and picking the next sequential number for its name, the new tablet will share the number of its predecessor—the Fire HD 10. But instead of releasing just one new HD 10, Amazon is releasing three, all with distinct purposes.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 rocks a thinner frame and a 10.1-inch 1080p display with a 10% surge in brightness from its predecessor. The Fire tablet, which was last updated in 2019, has failed to meet the aesthetic standards of newer tablets, that is until now. The HD 10 looks a lot more like modern tablets which should rope in users who were off-put by the earlier designs.
The new kid on the block also has 50 percent more RAM and a supposedly more powerful processor chip. With an improved design and souped-up innards, the Fire HD 10 fetches for a low price of $149.99.
Next up is the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus. This has an extra gig of RAM as well as wireless charging capabilities. Other than a soft-touch finish, this is pretty much all the “extra” the Plus has to offer. Seeing as it only costs an additional $30, I guess I shouldn’t expect much more from it. Though, it begs the question: Why even go through the effort of creating a Plus if you’re not going to really do it up? The Fire HD 10 Plus starts at $179.99.
There’s a kid’s edition (ages 3-7) of the Fire HD 10 that comes with a protective case and a year subscription to Amazon Kids+. This one’s available in Lavender, Sky Blue and Aquamarine. The Kid’s Fire HD 10 costs $199.99. There’s a 30 percent discount in it for you if you buy two.
Lastly, they’ve released a new kid-friendly tablet aimed at older kids (6-12) who might need it for more than just watching and playing. The Fire Kids Pro is made to look more like a grown-up’s Fire tablet and is available in three different sizes—a 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch. It also comes with a year of Kids+. They range from $99.99 for the 7-inch to $199.99 for the 10-inch.
While this might not be as exciting as a complete redesign or retool, released as the Fire HD 11, the 10 is a solid tablet and there’s nothing wrong with giving it a little boost. You can pre-order now and they ship May 26.
