When you think of tablets you probably think of the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab however the likes of Lenovo, Acer, Huawei, Realme and Amazon all provide alternatives. That is budget friendly and in some cases better than what Apple & Samsung provide.
In this review, we are turning our attention to the latest release by Amazon the Fire 7 which was also released as the Amazon Fire 7 Kids. The Amazon Fire 7 comes in at £59.99 this really will make the other tablet manufacturers look over their shoulders as Amazon has really redefined what your money will get you at this price point.
First Impressions
The 2022 version of the Amazon Fire 7 looks identical to the previous models that go by the same name. The display is also still 7inchs with a resolution of 1024 x 600. I guess Amazon has used the age-old saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. This might be true on the outside but it’s on the inside the real update has occurred.
First, the RAM has doubled to 2GB, There is a new MediaTek Quad-Core 2.0 processor that allows speeds of up to 2GHz. The Amazon Fire 7 runs FireOS8 which allows the user to enjoy personalized content and app recommendations as well as Android dark for apps like Microsoft Outlook or Kindle any time of the day or night. The Fire 7 also allows you hands-free Alexa compatibility which was interesting to test with an Alexa in most rooms of my house.
The other key features that come with the Fire 7 include:
- 10 hours of battery life
- USB-C charging
- 2MP front & rear facing camera
- 720p HD video recording
- Three colours available – Black, Denim or Rose
As mentioned very budget-friendly but Amazon gives you choice the model we have is the 16GB model with adverts on the lock screen but you can spend a little extra and get the 32GB version without adverts comes in at £80 which is the model we are reviewing.
Design
As you already know about the design not much has changed from previous models aesthetically it still keeps a winning formula. The build still uses a plastic construction with the same screen bordering bezels that we have seen before. The build even thou plastic is used the fire 7 could still handle the odd drop.
You can buy the Fire 7 in 3 different colour options but just consider certain colours are only available in certain RAM sizes so it’s just worth doing your research before you splash the cash.
Continuing with the design you will notice down the sides you have the power, volume controls, 3.5mm headphone jack, speaker and microSD card slot (up to 1TB in capacity) & USB-C port.
The Fire 7 also comes with a selfie camera and rear camera both offering 2MP so this device won’t take over from your mobile when taking stunning photos but using it to make a video call will provide you with an experience that won’t disappoint.
The main update from previous models is the fact you can use the Fire 7 in landscape mode which is fantastic when taking time out to watch a film or even read a book.
Display
The display on the Fire 7 is still the 7inch IPS display that we have seen in previous models its a shame Amazon did not feel that an update in this area was required. The resolution is 1024 x 600 with a pixel density of 117ppi and the display is disappointing and looks sub-par compared to other tablets in and around this price point.
The colour reproduction also comes off a little short however it’s not all bad viewing angles are not terrible and when you consider the brightness of the tablet it will be fine indoors or on the train but if you were to use this outdoors in direct sunlight it will struggle.
Set-Up
Set up on the Amazon Fire 7 is a walk in the park I would even go to say my late 80-year-old nan could pull this off. So to start with the power button is positioned on the top left corner if positioned in portrait or top right if in landscape mode.
Once powered up it will ask to set things up like select the language, connect to your home Wifi and log into your Amazon account. Once that is done you can set up options and enable Alexa (Just make sure you are not near any other Alexa-enabled devices at the time).
Once done it’s now time to customise the tablet by selecting popular apps, games, videos and even books as this acts as a kindle as well. The customization will look something like what I have done below.
Performance
The Amazon Fire 7 provides you with a much better spec than on previous models the quad-core 2GHz MediaTek MT8168 chip will provide you with 30% more speed than its previous model. It also comes with 2GB of RAM, another increase from the previous year. However, when testing this out you will notice the app usage is a little slower but if you had the 2019 model you will see an improvement.
In terms of battery life Amazon state 10 hours of playtime and in testing I would have to say it’s fairly accurate you might even be able to get a little more out depending on the usage. This is a 40% increase on previous models and the major pain point was the battery life so it’s a nice improvement. When it’s time to recharge you are provided with a 5W USB-C charger that will fully charge in 4 hours. Which is an area that could be improved as it’s a tad on the long side. A simple solution is just to charge it at night.
Features
The key features you will find on the Fire 7 are the FireOS8 and the chance to have a built-in Alexa. Let’s start with the FireOS8 as you might expect the operating system is Andriod 11 and what Amazon has done is added their own FireOS on top which is a little bit of a mixed bag.
The positives are navigation is very easy when on the home screen a swipe to the right brings up your library allowing easy access to kindle and prime video plus your downloaded apps.
Returning to the home screen and swiping left gives you recommendations for things to watch, read and listen to.
The Amazon Fire 7 as mentioned runs on Andriod 11 and is compatible with dark mode which allows you to use the tablet as a kindle or read emails with a white-on-black layout to rest your eyes at night.
The negatives are the Amazon app store is very limited especially when it comes to downloading google apps. Forget using Google chrome or those who use Google drive for work and you will find an app in the store for this tablet. So if you rely on Google apps you will hate this device.
In terms of Alexa if you have the 2019 version this was the first time the tablet had Alexa compatibility and it continues with the 2022 model we are reviewing and commands are just like you would use an Amazon Echo.
Verdict
The Amazon Fire 7 blows the competition out of the water when it comes to the cost with the prices of the Amazon Fire 7 starting as low as £59.99 they really have the pricepoint locked down.
The device performs much better than you might expect. The Fire 7 offers a budget-friendly and simple device that allows you to watch the latest on Amazon video, read the latest novel or just use it to shop it does the job. The display could do with some improvement and the FireOS8 needs a little improvement. However, if you wanted a budget-friendly tablet the Amazon Fire 7 should be at the top of the pile when considering what to buy.
Product Rating:
Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Display: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
Setup: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Features: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value For Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars – 4.4 Stars
Looking for a tablet for the senior market? Check out the review of the Emporia Tablet.
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