Editors' note (September 25, 2013): The product reviewed here has been discontinued and replaced with a redesigned Kindle Fire HD.
Amazon Kindle Fire (2012)
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
There's never been a better time to be in the market for a sub-$200 tablet. Right now your choices include the $199 Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7, the $179 Nook Tablet, and the $159 Kindle Fire 2012 edition. In November we'll see the debut of the Nook HD and I have a feeling it won't be the last budget-priced tablet that's worth your time.
So what exactly is the 2012 Kindle Fire? Essentially, it's the 2012 version of the 2011 Kindle Fire with some hardware and software upgrades. It's not the best or most cutting edge tablet on the block, but for only $159 it's worth a look for media consumption-oholics and Amazon Prime members.
Design
The Amazon Kindle Fire ($159 for 8GB) is, from a design perspective, virtually the same Kindle Fire that was released in 2011. It's still boxy; it still sports a rubbery back; and it's still a bit too heavy and a bit too thick, especially when put up against newer tablets like the Nexus 7. I also noticed that its outer protective shell is a bit more angular and less rounded than the original Fire's.
| Amazon Prime video streaming battery life (in hours) | |
|---|---|
| Amazon Kindle Fire | 6.8 |
| Amazon Kindle Fire (2012) | 5.9 |
| Amazon Kindle Fire HD | 6.6 |
Conclusion
If you're looking for a tablet in general, you'll want to first check out the iPad, the Transformer Infinity, or Nexus 7. These are full-fledged tablets with complete, uncurated app stores and allow for much more customization, especially in the case of the two Android tablets. The iPad and Infinity start at $499, but Google's 7-inch device sits at just $199.
The Kindle Fire HD is your next stop if you're a heavy media consumer or an Amazon Prime member, or looking for a small, cheap device. Also, keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-released Nook HD. Each of those start at $200 and provide very curated and focused experiences.
The new 2012 Kindle Fire does not do HD video, does not have an HDMI port, or expandable memory, a camera, or even volume buttons. What it does have is one of the best value ratios out there. At $159, it's the cheapest mainstream 7-inch tablet. If your eyes can stomach SD video, you don't mind some its form-factor limitations, and you are an Amazon Prime member, the Kindle Fire is a great tablet value. It's definitely not the best tablet out there, but is certainly worth a look.