Fire 7 tablet, 7" display, 32 GB, (2019 release), Black

The Bottom Line Up Front: After a decade of reviewing tech products from budget to premium, I can confidently say the Fire 7 (2019) is the best value proposition in the tablet market. It's not trying to compete with iPads or high-end Android tablets - and that's exactly why it succeeds. For casual media consumption, kids' content, e-reading, and light browsing, this delivers 80% of what most people need for about 15% of the cost. Just understand its limitations going in. What I Loved (PROS): Unbeatable Value Proposition - Let's address the elephant in the room: this tablet regularly sells for around $50-60. For that price, you're getting a fully functional tablet with a decent display, access to thousands of apps, and Amazon's ecosystem. The price-to-performance ratio is genuinely remarkable. Perfect Kids' First Tablet - This is the sweet spot for children ages 4-10. It's affordable enough that you won't panic when (not if) they drop it. Pair it with a kid-proof case and you have a worry-free entertainment solution. I've tested this with multiple families - parents love not stressing about an expensive device. Surprisingly Decent Screen for the Price - The 7" 1024x600 IPS display isn't winning any awards, but it's perfectly adequate for watching videos, reading books, and playing games. Colors are reasonably vibrant, viewing angles are acceptable, and the size is ideal for portability. Battery Life Exceeds Expectations - Amazon claims 7 hours of mixed use, and in real-world testing I consistently got 6-8 hours depending on usage. For a budget tablet, this is excellent. Road trips, flights, and long waiting rooms are no problem. Lightweight & Genuinely Portable - At just 10.2 oz, this is lighter than most hardcover books. It slips into purses, backpacks, and even large jacket pockets. It's become my go-to travel tablet because I don't worry about it getting damaged or stolen. Expandable Storage Saves the Day - The microSD slot (up to 512GB) is crucial because 16GB fills up fast. With a $15 microSD card, you can download tons of content for offline viewing. This feature alone makes the tablet far more practical. Alexa Hands-Free is Surprisingly Useful - "Alexa, play Bluey on Prime Video" works seamlessly. For kids who can't type well or adults cooking in the kitchen, voice control is more useful than I expected. It also functions as a smart display for checking weather, timers, etc. Access to Amazon's Full Ecosystem - Prime Video, Kindle books, Audible, Amazon Music, FreeTime Unlimited for kids - if you're already in Amazon's ecosystem, this integrates beautifully. The seamless content delivery is a major advantage. Twilight Blue Color is Attractive - The soft blue finish looks more premium than the price suggests. It's pleasant to look at and less prone to showing fingerprints than darker colors. What Could Be Better (CONS): Performance is Adequate, Not Amazing - The 1.3GHz quad-core processor handles basic tasks fine, but you'll notice lag with heavier apps, multitasking, or graphic-intensive games. Apps take 2-3 seconds longer to open than on premium tablets. If you're used to flagship devices, adjust expectations. 16GB Fills Up FAST - After the OS and pre-installed apps, you have maybe 10-11GB usable. Download a few shows and some apps, and you're full. The microSD card slot is mandatory, not optional. Budget an extra $10-20 for storage. Camera is Basically a Placeholder - The 2MP rear and VGA front cameras are 2010-level quality. They work for video calls in good lighting, but forget about taking photos you'd actually want to keep. This is for emergency use only. App Selection More Limited Than Android/iOS - While Amazon's App Store has grown significantly, you won't find every app available on Google Play or the Apple App Store. Major apps are there (Netflix, YouTube, Spotify) but some niche apps aren't available. Check for your must-have apps before buying. Not Ideal for Productivity - This is a consumption device, not a creation device. Typing documents, editing photos, or serious work tasks are frustrating on this hardware. It's for watching, reading, and light browsing - nothing more. Charging Port is Outdated Micro-USB - In 2019 (and certainly now), micro-USB feels ancient compared to USB-C. It charges slower and the port wears out faster. Keep the cable in good condition and consider buying a backup. Lock Screen Ads are Annoying - Amazon subsidizes the low price with "special offers" (ads) on the lock screen. You can pay $15 to remove them, but it's an irritating upsell on an already-budget device. The ads aren't terrible, just unnecessary friction. Build Quality Feels Budget - The plastic construction is solid enough but definitely feels like a $50 tablet. There's some flex to the body, and it doesn't inspire confidence without a protective case. Plan on buying a case immediately. My Professional Assessment: I've reviewed tablets ranging from $50 to $1,500, and the Fire 7 is a masterclass in knowing your lane and staying in it. Amazon isn't trying to build an iPad competitor - they're building a content delivery vehicle that happens to be a tablet. Once you understand that perspective, everything makes sense. This tablet excels at exactly what it's designed for: getting Amazon content into your hands cheaply and reliably. It's a Kindle that also plays videos and runs apps. That's not a criticism - it's brilliant product positioning. Real-World Use Cases Where This Excels: Kids' Entertainment Device - Pair with FreeTime Unlimited and a protective case. Perfect solution for car trips, restaurants, and keeping kids occupied. Low cost means low stress. Bedroom Streaming Device - Keep it on your nightstand for watching shows before bed. I prefer this over using my phone because it doesn't disturb my partner with notifications. Kitchen Recipe Display - Alexa integration + decent screen size makes this ideal for following recipes. Spill something on it? $50 replacement isn't heartbreaking. Travel Companion - Load up a microSD card with downloaded content. The small size and light weight make it perfect for flights, hotels, and beach trips. If it gets lost/stolen/damaged, you're not out $500+. E-Reading - While dedicated Kindles are better for extended reading, this works beautifully for magazines, comics, and shorter reading sessions where you want the color display. Elderly/Non-Tech-Savvy Users - The simplicity and Alexa voice control make this surprisingly good for seniors who want something straightforward for video calls with grandkids and watching shows. Testing Notes (6+ Months of Use): I've used this tablet extensively in various scenarios: Video streaming: Smooth playback on Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube. Occasional buffering on lower-quality WiFi. Gaming: Casual games (Candy Crush, puzzles) work fine. Anything 3D or action-heavy shows the hardware limitations. E-reading: Comfortable for 30-60 minute sessions. Longer than that, I'd prefer an e-ink Kindle. Web browsing: Works but pages with heavy graphics load slowly. Fine for checking email or reading articles. Durability: After 6 months with kids handling it (in a case), zero hardware failures. Scratches on the screen but fully functional. Who Should Buy This: Parents looking for a kids' tablet that won't break the bank Amazon Prime members who consume lots of Amazon content Budget-conscious buyers needing basic tablet functionality Travelers wanting a secondary device they won't stress about Elderly users or tech beginners wanting something simple Anyone needing a dedicated e-reader with some extra capabilities College students on tight budgets needing something for streaming/reading People buying their first tablet to "see if they'd use one" Who Should Skip This: Power users needing premium performance Mobile gamers wanting to play demanding games Professional users needing productivity capabilities Photography enthusiasts needing a decent camera Anyone expecting iPad-level performance and polish Users who need specific apps only available on iOS/Android People with no Amazon Prime membership (less value) Critical Setup Tips: Buy a MicroSD Card Immediately - 64GB cards are $10-15. Get one before you even start using the tablet. You'll thank me. Invest in a Good Case - The tablet itself is cheap; protect your investment with a $15-20 kid-proof case. The MENZO case (I reviewed separately) is excellent. Remove Lock Screen Ads - If ads bother you, pay the $15 to remove "special offers" right away. It improves the experience noticeably. Set Up Alexa Properly - Take 10 minutes to train Alexa to your voice and set up your preferences. It transforms usability. Download Content When on WiFi - Before trips, download shows/books. The offline capabilities make this tablet 10x more useful. Adjust Expectations - This is not a premium tablet. Accept the limitations and focus on what it does well. The 16GB vs 32GB Debate: The 32GB version costs about $20-30 more. My recommendation? Save the money and buy a microSD card instead. You'll get more storage for less money, and you can upgrade the card later if needed. Final Verdict: The Fire 7 (2019) isn't the best tablet on the market - but it might be the smartest tablet purchase you can make. It succeeds not by competing with premium devices but by delivering exceptional value at a price point that makes tablet ownership accessible to everyone. After six months of testing, I've found myself reaching for this tablet more than I expected. Not because it's the most powerful or feature-rich, but because it's adequate for most tasks and I don't stress about using it in situations where a $500 iPad would make me nervous. Is it perfect? No. Will it frustrate users coming from premium devices? Occasionally. But will it deliver hundreds of hours of entertainment, reading, and utility for the price of two movie tickets? Absolutely. Would I buy it again? Yes, and I'd probably buy two - one for travel and one for the kitchen. Recommendation: STRONG BUY for the right use cases ✅ But seriously, buy a case and microSD card with it.

I bought this product before it was officially released to replace a Generation 1 Fire Tablet that I purchased several years ago. The original is actually still in use; I keep it bedside to read books and play the occasional game when I can't sleep. This new version of the tablet is excellent. The value for the money is significant. The upgraded OS is compatible with so many different apps. The display is crisp and clean, and the speed at which it processes commands is fast. What I find most handy is that I can walk up to it, even when it's asleep, and issue an Alexa command and it will transmit it immediately. The new version is much lighter and better constructed, and I love the new case. If this one lasts as long as the original, I'll be quite happy! UPDATED 04/25/2020: My first review didn't mention battery life... the battery life on this unit is questionable. If you use it at all each day, you'll want to charge it every evening. Even if you don't use it, the battery drains at an alarming rate. I finally bit the bullet and paid the $15.00 plus tax to get rid of the ads, and I've found that actually helped to extend battery life somewhat. While Amazon has a wide variety of apps available for the Fire, unfortunately some of the apps and games I really wanted to use aren't available. I did a bit of research online, and quickly learned that I could turn off one security settings, download and install 4 files, and then have full access to the Google Play store and all of it's apps. The whole process took about 5 minutes, and the value it added to this device is phenomenal! This has become my go to device, replacing an aging iPad. I can't believe how easy the process was, and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs access to more than the Fire store has to offer. Be aware that this hack may invalidate or impact Amazon's warranty for the device, but for me, the ability to open the device to a realm of new functionality is well worth the risk.

Original review (June 9, 2019) and three updates placed at the end of the original review (June 10, 2019, June 14, 2019, and June 21, 2019, respectively). ORIGINAL REVIEW: June 9, 2019 (5/5 stars) UPDATED REVIEW: June 21, 2019 (4/5 stars) For background information, I am a professor and a tech geek. I have used Amazon devices for around eight years now. I currently own three Kindle e-readers (Kindle Touch, Kindle Paperwhite 3rd generation, and Kindle 10). I also own four Amazon Fire tablets (2015 Fire 7 -5th generation, 2019 Fire 7 – 9th generation, 2017 Fire HD 8 - 7th generation and 2018 Fire HD 8 –8th generation) and 3 Echo devices (1st generation Echo, 2nd generation Echo Dot, and 3rd generation Echo Dot). Please note that I have traded-in some of the dated versions of the above-listed products to get upgraded versions (more on this under the “Saving Money on Purchases” section). This device is Amazon’s most recently refreshed (2019 – 9th generation) Fire tablet 7 inch at an outstanding price. The Fire 7 (9th generation) is definitely slightly better than the previous generation. The combination of quality and value are really tough to beat and the tablet does well overall. This is a comprehensive review, but for those looking for the bottom line, scroll down to the bottom to see some feedback on how to save money on purchasing the Fire and my final recommendations. Below is my summary of the “Fire 7.” I have spent the past few days playing around with the Fire, using it, and reading other online reviews about this version to ensure the comprehensiveness and accuracy of information provided in this review. For reference purposes, this Fire model was last refreshed in 2017. This review has overlaps with my review of the Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet because both of these are essentially the same tablet but to a different audience. -THE BOX: The Fire 7 tablet, a quick-start guide, basic safety instructions, 5W wall adapter, and a USB cord (around 3 foot or 36 inches). The item arrived sealed and packaged well. - AVAILABILITY: Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, and Sage are the base colors variants. Additionally, covers can be purchased for $29.99 in the same color scheme as the Fire tablet from Amazon. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend these overpriced covers. There are several other high quality and aesthetically pleasing covers that can be found on Amazon that are affordable, well rated, and function better. - Key things that have not changed from the prior Fire 7 model: --- Display size remains the same --- PPI remains the same at 171 --- RAM remains the same at 1 GB of RAM. --- Speaker and microphone remains the same (mono speaker with built-in microphone) --- Size specifications remain the same --- Warranty remains the same (90-day limited warranty) - Summary of key aspects (listed in order of importance) that have changed in this version (Fire 7: 2019: 9th generation) from prior generation Fire 7 tablet (2017: 7th generation). For the below comparison, the new version will be listed as Fire 2019 and the previous model as Fire 2017. --- Fire 2019: Increased storage options (16 GB or 32 GB) as compared to prior version Fire 2017 (8 GB or 16 GB). --- Battery life has declined to 7 hours (1-hour reduction) from prior version. --- Charge time has decreased from 6 hours (Fire 2017) to 4 hours (Fire 2019). This is a major plus because it would take forever to charge these tablets). Again, please note that this claim (regarding charging time) holds true only if an Amazon wall outlet is used. The tablet usually notifies you when you are using a non-compatible wall outlet and cable. I have tested charging speeds on third-party wall ports and noticed a substantial increase in charging time as compared to using an Amazon wall outlet. So, ideally, consumers should use only the Amazon wall outlet for fast charging. --- The new processor based on specs provided by Amazon to developers Fire 7 2019 [Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 (1.3 GHz)] vs. Fire 7 2017 [Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A7 (1.3 GHz)] is a bit faster. Again, this is my initial assessment. This would require additional testing and I will put in these numbers at a later time when they become available. --- Camera quality has improved 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording as compared to the prior version. --- Slight decrease in weight (0.3 oz/9 grams) --- Light sensor added (mentioned in developer information page). --- Three new colors added (Twilight Blue, Plum, and Sage) in addition to Black. - Technical specs and other details: --- Size: 7.6” x 4.5” x 0.4” (192 x 115 x 9.6 mm). --- 171 pixel per inch (PPI) with IPS display technology and advanced polarizing filter. This basically means that there is a bright display with vivid colors and whiter whites for a great viewing experience from all angles. --- 7-inch screen, 1024 x 600 resolution with SD video playback --- Internal Storage: 16 or 32 GB --- External Storage: expandable storage using MicroSD card for up to 512 GB + unlimited cloud storage for Amazon digital content purchases. --- Weight: 10.1 oz/286 grams --- Amazon’s digital assistant: Hands-free Alexa enabled. This option basically converts the device into a stand-alone device that can do multiple functions. For instance, if you are cooking and want help, you can ask Alexa to pull up the instructions for “Mashed Potatoes” and it will do so. --- Warranty and Service: 90-day limited warranty and service included. U.S. customers can purchase an extended warranty for 1, 2 or 3 years (though I might not personally recommend this for such an affordable product like the Fire 7) --- Camera: 2MP VGA front-facing camera and rear-facing HD camera --- Sensors: Accelerometer and light sensor --- Battery life: Up to 7 hours of battery life --- Fully charges in 4 hours (if Amazon wall outlet is used) --- Single-antenna dual-band Wi-Fi. Uses 802.11a/b/g/n with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security using password authentication. No support offered to connect to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. --- Bluetooth 4.1 LE --- Ports: USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) to connect to the computer or for charging the device with the included power adapter; MicroSDXC slot for external storage, and 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated speaker. - Some limitations (to be expected because of this tablet being sold at a bargain price and also being the base model of the Fire series): --- No HD video viewing available --- Camera specs are sub-par as compared to other costlier tablets (again this might sound oxymoronic...but just pointing it out) --- Max volume is below average (because of the mono-speaker) --- Sound quality is average --- Amazon’s ecosystem is not as massive compared to the Google Play Store and Apple Play Store. --- Amazon’s Silk browser is not as intuitive and user-friendly as more prominent competitors (Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, etc.). --- Some reviewers have claimed that the external storage (MicroSDXC card) is not as responsive as the internal storage (this is not something I have experienced). --- Because of concerns dealing with volume and sound quality using this model for listening to music, or watching TV shows, movies, etc. might require headphones or a speaker. -Fire 7: 2019 Tablet Kids edition: Please note that Amazon has updated their Fire 7 Kids Edition too. Since, this is for a different audience, I will not deal with it in this review. - Comparison between Fire 7 (this version – 2019 release) and Fire HD 8 (2018 release – mid-tier model): --- Charge time: Fire HD 8 (6 hours) vs. Fire 7 (4 hours) --- Display Size: Fire HD 8 (8 inches) vs. Fire 7 (7 inches) --- Video playback: Fire HD 8 (HD video playback) vs. Fire 7 (SD video playback) --- Resolution: Fire HD 8 (1280 * 800; 189 PPI) vs. Fire 7 (1024 *600; 171 PPI) --- RAM: Fire HD 8 (1.5 GB RAM) vs. Fire 7 (1 GB RAM) --- Battery life: Fire HD 8 (10 hours) vs. Fire 7 (7 hours), --- Speaker: Fire HD 8 (Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers) vs. Fire 7 (Mono speaker) --- Weight: Fire HD 8 (12.8 oz, 363 g) vs. Fire 7 (10.1 oz, 286 g) --- Expandable Storage (internal storage remains same): Fire HD 8 (expandable by to 400 GB) vs. Fire 7 (expandable by up to 512 GB). --- Colors: Fire HD 8 (Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red, Canary Yellow) vs.. Fire 7 (Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, Sage) --- Cost: Fire HD 8 (16 GB - $79.99; 32 GB - $109.99) vs. Fire HD 7 (16 GB - $49.99; 32 GB - $69.99) --- Multi-touch: Fire HD 8 (10-point) vs. Fire 7 (5-point) --- Processors, software version, and cameras remain the same on both units. - Comparison between Fire 7 (this version – 2019 release) and Fire HD 10 (2017 release – mid-tier model): --- Charge time: Fire HD 10 (5 hours) vs. Fire 7 (4 hours) --- Display Size: Fire HD 10 (10.1 inches) vs. Fire 7 (7 inches) --- Video playback: Fire HD 10 (HD video playback; 1080p HD resolution) vs. Fire 7 (SD video playback) --- Resolution: Fire HD 10 (1920 * 1200; 224 PPI) vs. Fire 7 (1024 *600; 171 PPI) --- Processor: Fire HD 10 [2xARM Cortex-A72 (1.8 GHz), 2xARM Cortex-A53 (1.4 GHz)] vs. Fire 7 inch (ARM Cortex-A53 Quad-Core 1.3 GHz) (basically Fire HD 10 would be substantially faster than either the Fire 7 or Fire HD 8) --- RAM: Fire HD 10 (2 GB RAM) vs. Fire 7 (1 GB RAM) --- Battery life: Fire HD 10 (10 hours) vs. Fire 7 (7 hours), --- Speaker: Fire HD 10 (Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers) vs. Fire 7 (Mono speaker) --- Camera: Fire HD 10 (0.3 MP front-facing and 2 MP rear-facing camera) vs. Fire 7 (2 MP front-facing and rear-facing camera) --- Weight: Fire HD 10 (17.7 oz, 500 g) vs. Fire 7 (10.1 oz, 286 g) --- Internal Storage: Fire HD 10 [32 GB (25.4 GB available to user) or 64 GB (54.1 GB available to user)] vs. Fire 7 [(internal storage remains same - 16 GB (9.4 GB available to user) or 32 GB (23.6 GB available to user)] --- Expandable Storage: Fire HD 10 (expandable by to 256 GB) vs. Fire 7 (expandable by up to 512 GB). --- Colors: Fire HD 10 (Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red) vs.. Fire 7 (Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, Sage) --- Cost: Fire HD 10 (32 GB - $149.99; 32 GB - $189.99) vs. Fire 7 (16 GB - $49.99; 32 GB - $69.99) --- Multi-touch: Fire HD 10 (10-point) vs. Fire 7 (5-point) ** If you are considering buying the Fire HD 10, I would wait on it as there is a high probability that this model will be refreshed this year as the last update was in 2017 (Amazon seems to follow a 2-year refresh cycle though this is not always the case). - Some useful features on Fire Tablets (not a comprehensive list) --- Accessibility: “VoiceView and Screen Magnifier enable access to the vast majority of Fire tablet features. VoiceView features text-to-speech voice. Fire OS 5 also includes system wide closed caption settings, adjustable font sizes up to 50% larger, and a variety of book reading text adjustments such as adjustable colors and text spacing. Also includes adjustable font sizes/color, and built-in Oxford dictionary.” --- Surfing the web using Amazon’s web browser - Silk --- Watching movies, TV shows and listening to music. --- Ability to read Kindle books. --- Ability to read the news using Washington Times --- Other apps (games, educational tools, etc. available in Amazon’s app store) plus several prominent apps included like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. --- Ability to get set-up email apps, calendar, etc. --- Ability to play games that can be downloaded from the app store. - Testing: Wi-Fi: I was able to connect to the Wi-Fi network without any technical difficulties. The process was pretty straightforward. - Saving money on purchasing the Fire: --- For users who want more storage, I would strongly recommend getting the Fire 7 (16 GB) and then purchasing a microSD card as opposed to getting the costlier Fire 7 (32 GB tablet). For context, users can get a 64 GB microSD card for around $12 (users might be able to get a cheaper microSD card on Amazon prime day) on Amazon which is cheaper than paying an additional $20 for Fire 7 32 GB. Additionally, the user gets more storage by getting a microSD card. --- The initial purchase with a promo discount entitles the user to a ($10 app store credit value), so you are essentially paying $ 39.99 for the 16 GB Fire 7 tablet. --- The cost for the 16 GB Fire 7 will be $49.99 (with special offers) or 32 GB Fire 7 for $69.99 (with special offers). Customers can disable special offers later by paying $20 if they purchase the Fire with special offers. Personally, I would recommend going the route of getting the special offers and then disabling it. The special offers only appear when the Kindle is locked/asleep and are non-intrusive. I have 6 devices, all of which have special offers and have never had an issue. However, if the user does not like the special offers, you can purchase the Fire with special offers and then remove the special offers.. --- You can easily trade-in your prior Fire for Amazon credit (for $5-$15 depending on version and condition), which also entitles them to receive an additional 25% discount towards their new Fire. --- As previously mentioned, I would recommend avoiding purchasing extended warranty on this item. --- My recommendation would be to purchase this item during a sale event (for instance, Amazon Prime day is coming up in July). The customer can get this tablet for around $20 off during Prime day (based on prior sales analysis), and then stack the trade-in price and the 25% discount to get this item for a minimal cost (maybe you can snag it for $20 in total or lesser if everything is applied correctly). However, one thing to keep in mind is that Amazon might decide to remove the trade-in gift card and 25% discount at any point. -Quality comment: Some customers have critiqued the prior version (Fire 7: 2017) for lack of long-term quality. Again, please remember that this product is sold for $49.99 and goes on sale for around $ 29.99. How much more can one expect for a product this affordable? I have used my prior Fire 7 (2015) for 4 years without any issues (Honestly, I am surprised it lasted this long). Additionally, it definitely is more durable than my iPad. Additionally, with the immense technological breakthroughs occurring at lightening speed, any tablet will be obsolete in a few years. So, it might be logically better to get an affordable average end tablet than investing in a high end one (unless you need a high-end one for your specific use). - Conclusion: To sum up my review, this is the basic Amazon Fire 7 tablet. No bells and whistles, but it does the job. Limitations include sound quality, volume quality, and potential issues with MicroSDXC Card access, and basic app store. Updates worth noting in this version include the new color options, a slight decrease in weight, increase in storage (internal and external), slightly faster processor, slightly improved cameras, and slight decrease in battery life (though this might be a more accurate representation of the life of the battery). The bottom line is that if you are looking to get a super affordable tablet that is well-rated, small, lightweight, and can complete most of the basic and some intermediate tasks along with basic entertainment, then this Fire tablet is the way to go. So, I am giving it 5/5 stars in spite of its limitations because it is really hard (if not impossible) to find a better deal at this price point. - UPDATE # 1 (June 10, 2019): Fire HD 8 I would personally recommend the Fire HD 8 (mid-tier model) as opposed to this Fire 7 (the model reviewed) for a few more dollars. This can be purchased after following the cost-saving suggestions previously listed. My reasons are several and include: the 8 inch screen (as compared to 7 inches), higher resolution (189 PPI vs. 171 PPI), increased RAM (1.5 GB vs. 1 GB), battery life (10 hours vs. 7 hours), and the feature I appreciate the most - Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers (which can make a world of difference while watching or listening to something). I own both the 7 and the 8 inch, and there is a spectacular difference in sound quality and volume between the two. Besides, most phones now have an average screen size of around 5.5 inches (many companies are moving towards a 6 inches average). So, having a 7-inch tablet might not per se make a major difference for customers because it is similar in size to their phone (unless they want to use this device as a back-up device to prevent wear and tear on their phone). Additionally, since charging takes a substantial amount of time, I would rather have a tablet with longer battery life (Fire HD 8) than shorter (Fire 7). However, please note that the last argument cuts both ways as the new Fire 7 (4 hours) charges quicker as compared to the Fire HD 8 (6 hours). - UPDATE # 2 (June 15, 2019): Amazon FreeTime Unlimited - Amazon FreeTime Unlimited ($2.99/month after free subscription period) --- Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is a subscription that offers over “20,000 books, movies, TV shows, apps and games for kids 3-12. Age Filters ensure kids see age-appropriate content. Parents can add content to kids' profiles to give them more access to apps and games.” “In FreeTime, kids do not have access to social media or Alexa. In-app purchases require parent approval. Parents can exit FreeTime using a passcode.” Another unique feature is Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited in Spanish! --- Parents also have the option “to set educational goals and curfews (using FreeTime Unlimited), and manage content for up to 4 child profiles (option given during initial set-up of the tablet) with easy-to-use parental controls.” --- Generally speaking - FreeTime Unlimited offers unbeatable value – I mean where else on earth can you get kid-friendly and generally holistic content for $2.99/month (after trial subscription ends). *FreeTime unlimited has several nifty features that I cannot cover because of space limitations. Parents have a lot of flexibility in choosing and curating content for children, permitting downloads, and even setting the tablet to turn-off after a preset amount of use or at a set time and turn on at a set time. UPDATE # 3 (June 21, 2019): Battery Life and Software Some customers have complained about the low and unpredictable battery life for this new device. I have experienced occasional battery fluctuations (my prior Fire seemed to have better battery life). So, I am docking a star. Some other reviewers have also experienced overheating of this device. Other than the occasional overheating that occur in all devices (when complex programs/apps are used for an extended period of time), I haven’t experienced anything major until now. Additionally, some customers have also complained about the new Fire OS causing problems. I have experienced occasional staggering of the OS and app closures but nothing major as described by other reviewers. I will continue my testing to see if other issues surface but just wanted to give a heads-up to customers so they are prepared in case they experience any issues in the future and want to contact Amazon about it. Please also note several resources were used in the compilation of this review but most of this review was based on my personal testing of the product. Whenever I make any purchase, I try to do a thorough and accurate job with the review. My reviews are my honest and comprehensive assessment of the product. I always post future updates and corrections based on new information if deemed necessary. Additionally, I always include photos of products to verify both that I purchased this product and to back up appropriate claims in the review. If you have any feedback or questions or corrections, leave a note in the comments section. Thank you!

UPDATE: It's been about 6 months now. I use this tablet daily. Yes, every single day. First the good. I still love this little tablet. I do NOT use it for anything other than entertainment, email etc. I have an ipad and laptop for work, school etc. For the most part I don't leave the house too often without it. I've had a couple of issues that arent a big deal for me but may be for you. Battery life. It could definitely be better. I've used the tablet for several hours straight only a couple of times but I did need to charge it in the car while I was out. If your wifi is at all sketchy, expect lag. On a strong signal there hasn't been any problem. At least with my unit. Reading, I read a lot. No, seriously 2 or 3 books a week. Not those little 400 page ones either. I carry my old faithful kindle touch to read during the day. I began having trouble with eyestrain reading on the tablet. So while you can absolutely read on this tablet, which I do at night, just be aware. Games, Amazon needs to SERIOUSLY step up their game in this department. I've been mildly irritated a couple of times after porting games by the lack of support from dev's. for the Amazon platform. Did I cave and install google play. Yes I did. YouTube is your friend. However, there have been a couple of issues even with that and game crashes have been an issue. So, I stopped playing them. Too much hassle. In summary, for what I use it for, this tablet has been great and I will continue to use it as long as it lasts. The size and weight are fantastic. Keeping my review at 5 stars because the issues that have come up weren't a deal breaker for me. I'm definitely getting my money's worth. This little tablet was a great investment for me. I can carry this with my phone for short jaunts out around town and be able to do almost everything I need to do on a device. It has NOT of course replaced my laptop, nor has it replaced my larger iPad. Those are for work. This is for entertainment. I read a lot. I still have my 4gen touch kindle that I will use until it dies, and for long reading sessions at home that's what I use. For shorter reading or perusing magazines or comics I use this. In the event that I'm waiting for a notification and decide to read or check email, this is a handy thing to have in my bag. Let's talk about my bag, it is now LIGHTER. Ladies did you read that? With this I can carry something smaller than a diaper bag. (Gasp) or a briefcase, whichever. I've watched a few shows on the tablet. I personally didn't have any issues. They looked good and I used headphones so I didn't worry about sound. Alexa of course is handy and the fire tablet synced right up with our echo dots. No problems there. I can go on and on. I really like it. I also bought one for my 17 year old boy and HE even loves his. Finally got that kid to start reading more. Yes, with a fire tablet.

My sons' family moved near me recently and I was dismayed to find the kids were 1 - 2 grade levels behind in school. The oldest two, a 4th and 3rd grader, were both at a beginning 2nd grade reading level (thanks West Palm Beach schools!). The younger twins, starting kindergarten a couple of weeks ago, didn't know their alphabet or numbers (their working parents had paid a government subsidized Pre-K school to not do that over the summer). Their parents said they knew their ABC's but all they could do was sing the ABC song; if you pointed at a letter and asked which one it was they had no clue what I was asking. "What's a letter?" They didn't know one from the other, much less how to write them. (Yes, parents, you are responsible for your kids education, not the schools. Enough said.) As a former college professor, who taught how to integrate technology in a teacher training program, with 90 graduate units in education under my belt, I had to intercede. I started reading sessions after school with the older two kids where I used my older Kindle and my two Samsung Galaxy Tablets, a 7" and a 10", to share reading the same book as they took turns reading out loud while I followed along to give support as needed. I was delighted to stumble over the Kindle Reader "Wordwise" feature that let's the kids touch a pre-selected difficult word and both see the definition and hear the pronunciation. (I hope eventually they can touch any word and have the same feature.) After an hour of reading I let them play with a couple of word games and they competed with each other to get higher scores. Little did I know that the games came with the option of "buying" hints to accelerate their scores -- until two $35 charges showed up on my credit card statement. While I was thrilled to see how engaged the kids were with the learning games I realized I needed more control over the tablets. After some research I discovered the Kindles have both parental controls, and another layer of protection through the Kindle app, "FreeTime" (not available on the Samsung Tabs). AND Kindle has a "family package" subscription where I can share apps with 4 tablets plus two parent units. I bought four Fire 7s, along with screen protector film, cute foam protector cases with built in stand flaps, and over the ear head phones. Yes, it took hours to set them all up. But it was easy and intuitive as I tweaked so many options: the time of day they could use the Kindle, how much time they have to use each media type from the "education" domain before they can play entertainment media, the amount of time they can use it altogether, both weekdays and weekends. FreeTime categorizes all available media as either educational or entertainment. You can set a time limit on each of the media types, e.g., apps/games, books, audible audio, and video, so that all of the educationally categorized media have to be viewed for your set time before the entertainment apps can be seen. I set up 1 hour of each media type with unlimited screen time so if they actually do get in 4 hours of learning in a given day they can play, especially on the weekend. I have yet to view the educationally classified videos or audio content, so I may change my mind, but at the moment I would like to see the option to not allow videos or Audible as I anticipate it will eventually require maintenance time to liberate memory. There is a Storage management option that will archive unused apps and even let you use a SD card (not included) but I anticipate memory will periodically need to be manually cleared as well. I would also like to be able to only display on their home page the apps that I select for them. The number of available media on their home page, even if educational, are a constant distraction for them that requires me to supervise their use and redirect them back to the apps I selected that focus on the skills I want them to practice. As I observed one of the twins use a Kindle (I hadn't tweaked yet) for the first time I was almost amused to find she could spend a seemingly unlimited amount of time with (to me) a mind numbingly boring "construction" app that simply pushed a donkey up a pile of bricks, made him jump down, and build another pile of bricks, jump down, etc. I would love to see what brain waves and endorphins were exercised in that app as she was almost addicted by the process. Needless to say, I had to pull her away from that app and threaten to take the Kindle away if she didn't go back to one of the letters or numbers apps I had selected for her. Fortunately she would rather do the educational games than watch TV or anything else. WOW! Additional options let me select content by age appropriateness. The 4th grader wanted to play a kindergarten game her sister was playing so I had to expand the age setting in her profile to encompass the lower grade apps. Perhaps that's a better idea as the older kids can strengthen or even learn skills they didn't pick up in the earlier grades. Right below that option is my favorite selection, "Enable In-App Purchasing". Off. Bottom line - what an amazing resource for parents. If I had my way every kid in every school would have one.

I’ve owned this tablet for almost two months now (I didn’t buy it directly from amazon, but through Best Buy because of the great back to school sale price lol as if the price point wasn’t good enough!) and it has been amazing! I have used this tablet daily for just about everything: surfing the web, listening to music, watching videos, gaming... It is so useful and has become a staple in my day to day activities. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this tablet, I was expecting it to be pretty cheap at only about $50 but since I mainly wanted it for simple daily tasks I didn’t want to spend a fortune on it. And this fit what I needed perfectly! Better than I was expecting. The screen is great everything looks clear and bright, although the glass is very reflective and leaves finger prints but it was easily fixed with a matte anti glare/anti fingerprint screen protector. The audio is also very good and clear. It runs surprisingly fast, I was expecting it to be a bit slow and laggy when surfing the net or especially when gaming such as Minecraft etc. but I haven’t had a problem with speed. It’s very responsive, honestly it’s as fast as my iPhone. The colors are a big bonus. I love the unique selection, I got the sage green and it’s beautiful! Exactly as pictured. It was actually one of the main selling points that made me decide to try this tablet was because of the visual appeal, it’s nice to have a nice classy pop of color rather than a stereotypical gray or black device. I would love to see a blush pink color option added in the future but that’s just wishful thinking. It’s a good size too, easy to carry in my bag on the go, but still big enough to game and watch videos comfortably. It’s about the size of your average paperback book just slightly narrower. I also like that you can have multiple sign on accounts and kid accounts. The restrictions and curfew settings are pretty great and would make a great family device, or for those like me who like to keep themselves accountable. I also like that you can increase the existing internal storage with a micro SD card. Now as for cons, I don’t have any big ones, at least they are not deal breakers. My only complaints are these 4 things: 1. the battery does charge slowly, (the only reason I gave 4 stars for the battery) it usually takes a couple hours to charge, but it’s not too much of a hinderance. The battery life is pretty good, it lasts a while and I always get a few solid hours use before the battery starts getting low. 2. The tablet starts to get hot after extended use. Since it has a plastic backing it gets a wee bit hot to the touch especially if it’s in a case, but again it’s not that big of a deal and it does cool down fast once I turn it off. 3. More of a wish than a con but I wish it was procreate/photoshop compatible and that procreate or photoshop were available in the AppStore not just knockoffs. As an artist myself I would love to be able to do digital art on this, or if Amazon came out with a tablet and pencil specifically for art I would totally be down. I would prefer not to spend $1000+ on the iPad Pro just for my art. 4. Again another wish rather than an actual con but I wish the newly released Call of Duty Mobile app was available in the Amazon AppStore. Actually I really wish they had more of a selection of apps, there’s precious little, if any, of the actual big name games and apps available, most of them are just knock offs. Over all I love my Fire 7 it’s a great tablet, can’t beat the quality for price point.

For starters, I love Amazon. Who doesn't? And my old Ipad is starting to finally kick the proverbial dust after years of abuse. The battery is finally starting to take forever to charge, and there's lagging issues due to it being so old, and the updates are just killing it more. But it is still beloved to my four year old, who somehow commandeered it. All that being said, I was so excited when it finally came in! It looked awesome, was a little different with the controls all at the top, including the volume, power, charging port, and headphone jack, with the speaker not at the bottom of the device but on the left side, which was an odd placement I thought after I put a case on it, and I typically hold it where the speaker is located. The opposite side close to the top is the slot for an SD card. There are no front buttons as it's fully touchscreen also. I already knew before going in that you could not use Goggle Play, although I'm sure there's a way to get around it. I basically wanted to use it for videos for both myself and my daughter, games, and the occasional book and web browsing. Now, keep in mind we have super fast Internet. When I first started the Fire tablet, there was the required set up process, which didn't take long, just the basics such as adding wifi, signing in, etc. I did purchase the tablet with "special offers" as it did not bother me to see the ads on the lock screen. Once on, it was a pretty nice setup, especially for those that are already "in" with Amazon as it shows a Home screen with my recent book/audiobook purchases up top, then all my apps below it, the next page shows Books, and includes some books from my library as well as recommendations below it, Videos is next, followed by Games, Shop (which was so odd as it shows things I've looked at), Apps, Music, and Newsstand. So basically, if you do a lot of Amazon shopping, listen to Audible as well as Amazon Music, watch Amazon videos, and read Kindle books, then this might be for you. If you don't use Amazon that frequently, then I'd recommend looking elsewhere for a regular tablet, one that is not hardwired for their Amazon customers. Now in my personal use, because I do use a lot of their services, I do like it. But it's also dang annoying. I suppose it's coming from having owned Apple devices, and Samsung devices that I find this tablet to lag tremendously. Actual startup from the time you press the power button takes about 40 seconds to pop on. Not too shabby, but there is a lag from opening the lock screen to opening apps that isn't apparent in a good quality Apple or Samsung product. And let's not forget the horrible lag from going from one profile to the next. It takes forever, and at this point, I finally erased the profile I set up for my daughter. I loved that I would be able to limit her usage as we already do that, but in this way she couldn't even get on without my code. You can download what apps they can use, and manage their profile fully, which is great! But on the flip side, I can't seem to figure out how to get back to my profile without shutting the whole thing down or restarting it as it opens right to her page versus the lock screen when opened back up. And as I previously stated, you can use the Amazon apps, but there aren't as many apps as can be found in Apple. There are some I love to use, and they do not have them available at all, which sucks. Amazon's browsing is called Silk, and works fine, although I still find it slow with fast Internet. The quality of the screen and the battery are two other issues that are definitely cheap and sub par. The screen quality on browsing has the slightly blurred look of a cheap android tablet. Words are ok, such as in an article, but pictures are blurred, and even video is not that clear or crisp. The battery is also very weak I've found. I've had my phone on since six this morning, and turned the tablet on around 10 this morning. My phone, which I've used all morning to make calls, text, watch a few video's, look at FB, browse, etc., is down to 76% battery. The tablet, which I've used to download four apps and had maybe about 20 minutes of use and has been on standby is down to 75%. The battery does not last long at all. If you watch even a few videos on the tablet, you can easily watch the percentage slowly bottom out. The camera is what you would normally find on a cheap tablet, and I wasn't expecting much nor did I get much in return. The kindle portion is fantastic, and I can read easily on it, but I also own a Kindle, and I prefer that to this as the glare is greatly reduced even though you can change the page color and brightness of the screen. I do like seeing the book covers in color though, and maps or things throughout the book that would normally be colored, but otherwise it is still nice to be able to read on it well. Alexa works totally well, and it's easy to use, and I like the fact that you can use Alexa to play some games. My daughter is fascinated with her. In all, this is an okay basic entry tablet that's good for watching videos, and is more tuned towards Prime members who have a lot of Amazon features already. I'm going to keep it as I wanted something cheap for my youngest daughter to watch videos and keep her occupied, and for my occasional browsing. But if you want a crystal clear screen, no lag, and better selection of apps, then I would definitely recommend going with an Apple or different Android device.

First and foremost, FOR THIS PRICE is a great product!! Unbeatable, I must say; it's a lot more that you can expect!! I am surprised this thing is such a high quality product for just few bucks (I bought mine on eBay for $39,99, but later I found it's the same price here at Amazon). AMAZON x100: It is true its operation is 100% based on a Amazon environment, and that its Android OS is a special version (with some limitations); however I use Amazon store and services a lot, so that does not bother me at all. The inconveniences that are annoying for me I have overcome them satisfactorily... TRILLIONS OF ICONS: For example there are tons of Amazon App icons in the main screen that I don't use, and the app they belong to cannot be uninstalled (or at least I haven't found the way to do it). Well you can stop their services so they don't use tablet's resources, and occupy less memory and space that way; but the icons are still there. Also, they are not allowed to be stored in a folder (by long pressing each icon) so you have to deal with that bunch of icons in the main screen, which is very annoying (to my liking). But today I finally discovered a TRICK ;) to store them in a folder (Yeah!), so goodbye to those disturbing icons that I don't use (I just see 1 folder). My screen is already clean now, and only with the Apps that "I" use. AMAZON'S ANDROID: As for the OS limitations, the only one I could not overcome is that I have an annual subscription to Norton antivirus, and I have it installed on my Desktop, Laptop and Smartphone; unfortunately it cannot be installed on Fire 7 (9th gen). Today I contacted Norton technical support and they confirmed it; they say it cannot be installed due to the version of Android that Amazon uses on their tablets, which is limited and also different, with a very specific configuration that meets their tablets. Well instead I installed a free anitvirus that is going well for now (hope it protects me enough). STORAGE: As in every smartphone or tablet, internal memory is a concern of all of us (it quickly gets full); and this Fire 7 is not the exception. However it has 10.63GB for user's available internal storage (of 16GB it comes with) and I still have 8GB and something FREE, but this is because I use a 32GB MicroSD (it accepts up to 512GB) and configured all apps to store things over there. This is a good advice for all smartphone/tablet users. Oh yes, also Amazon gives you 5GB for Free in their cloud for you to store your stuff (pics, docs, music, or whatever you want). That's space you won't use in your Fire's storage so that's a nice gift. BATTERY: The battery life is awesome; what I've tested so far it gave me about 8 hours while Spotify downloaded my entire playlists for offline use. After that I gave it the second charge and have it playing music for about 5 continue hrs and the battery still has 70% remaining. SPAM: There's something that bothers me a bit which is the advertising of Amazon stuff when I unlock the screen. I haven't found how to stop it so after various attempts to get rid of it I ended up accepting to live with it. I just swipe my finger from the bottom of the screen and advertising is quickly gone. KEYBOARD: It can be set in several languages (well that's standard; I just downloaded the Spanish dictionary so it checks my spelling), but something that I liked is that it includes the Swipe method of "writing" (you enter words by sliding a finger from the first letter to the last; you lift only between words). I love that method and have used it in my smartphones for years now so I'm glad I found it here too. MORE TO COME: I'm so excited with my new Fire that I want to explore more functions, for example Alexa, and more other stuff that comes with the tablet. I will find the time for that later, but for now, I am very happy with what I've got. MY CONCLUSION: I am 200% satisfied with this product, I think it works sensational, at a very satisfactory speed. It plays my Spotify and MP3s playlists without problem, pairing it with my JBL Flip 4 speaker was fast and easy (and it sounds spectacular), the WiFi works perfectly, the email configuration was super fast and without problems, etc etc etc. What a good product!! And for this price, even better!!