Kindle Fire HDX
Verdict
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The Amazon Kindle Fire is the easiest to use, high-quality tablet on the market. It's a terrific choice for anyone intimidated by today's complex technologies, as long as you're willing to make Amazon's stores your first stop in any of your app or media endeavors.There's a new iPad mini coming out soon, but for now your low-cost, small tablet choice is really down to the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7.”
“In the specs department, it’s stuffed with some impressive gear to justify its higher price point, but it’s still lacking the well-roundedness of the 2013 Edition of the Google Nexus 7. For starters, it lacks a rear camera, which is a convenient thing to have on board in those worst case scenario situations. Secondly, the updated “Mojito” Fire OS 3.0 experience still doesn’t have the same level of functionality or diverse apps ecosystem to match what stock Android has to offer. And finally, its design is just too blah for our taste.”
“The Fire HDX is an accomplished tablet with excellent performance and a great screen, but one that suffers from a couple of problematic flaws. The blue light leakage will annoy some people who like to read a lot, while the lack of apps will trip up anyone expecting the choice you get on an iPad or Nexus 7. It’s a great choice for undemanding users who will benefit from the closed, safe, easy-to-use ecosystem and the free tech support via the Mayday button.”
“The Kindle Fire HDX’s improvements are all welcome. It has much more powerful internals that result in smooth performance, and an updated OS that makes it feel more like a tablet and less like a cluttered storefront for Amazon’s services. And the Mayday tech support feature could be a game-changer if Amazon can keep the free service properly staffed.The HDX is still, at its core, a showplace for Amazon’s content and services, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, your music is synced with the company’s Cloud Music service, and if you combine that with Amazon’s unsurpassed ebook selection, the ecosystem is rich with content. App selection is the only area where the HDX falls t.”
Watch before you decide
What people say
Only a few ratings so far, not enough to show a trend yet.
5 ratings so far
Although not a factory brand name battery, it works just as well. Charge lasts longer than origional due to following instructions of vendor. Was a lot cheaper than buying a new phone or limiting myself to extending my contract with current provider. Vendor provided quick service without paying e...
What can I say, it was the product I asked for, showed up promptly, and works well. I'm definitely satisfied with my purchase.
The battery was bought because my wife's battery died before we had a chance to copy her numbers to the sim card. Upon its arrival my wife switched batteries and it came right up. I completed the transfer and we were able to put the sim into her new phone. She was very happy to have all of her nu...
In Depth
The Kindle Fire HDX offers many of the same features as the HDX 8.9” in a smaller package. While the larger HDX 8.9” does have a slightly higher resolution, most reviewers agree that this HDX still offers excellent resolution with the 1920×1200 display and also offers 100% color accuracy. Aside from the quality, Amazon also touts that the screen offers reduced glare. Engadget notes, however, that the display is actually quite glossy and can lead to issues with readability in bright light.
Thanks to a 2.2 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, processing was smooth according to most. Gizmodo goes so far as to say that running anything on the HDX “is as pleasant as it is buttery smooth.”
High praises are also given by reviewers for the overall design and feel. With the first generation Kindle Fire, many found the button placement awkward. This new model seems to solve those problems by repositioning the buttons. Gigaom mentions that the power and volume buttons are easy to use even with one hand. In addition, this tablet is also much lighter than its predecessors, weighing in at 303 grams (10.7 ounces) for the WiFi only version.
For the most part, there are very few complaints. Despite improvements with some design issues, Gizmodo notes that there still are a few quirks with the button layout and an oddly angled microUSB port. One of the main drawbacks, however, is that it runs on its own OS Fire 3.0 Mojito. The new OS does offer more features; however Techland and others noticed a lack of customization in the UI; most notably the fact that it does not support desktop widgets. In addition, the Kindle does not offer access to the Google Play store.
Despite a few drawbacks, most reviewers agree that the Kindle Fire HDX is a very solid tablet. Techcrunch notes that as “general-purpose media device, it’s great.”
What people actually want to know
When was the Kindle Fire HDX released?
The Kindle Fire HDX was released on October 18, 2013.
Does the Kindle Fire HDX support wireless charging?
No, the Kindle Fire HDX does not support wireless charging.
Does the Kindle Fire HDX have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Kindle Fire HDX has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Kindle Fire HDX have NFC?
No, the Kindle Fire HDX does not have NFC. Contactless payments and tap-to-pair will not be available.
Questions & answers
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