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Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet has slimmer bezels and better specs

Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet has slimmer bezels and better specs

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There’s also a new Fire Kids Pro lineup

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The new Fire HD 10.
The new Fire HD 10.

Amazon is overhauling its tablet lineup today with new Fire HD 10 models alongside refreshed options for kids.

The $149.99 Fire HD 10 now looks much more in line with what you’d expect from a modern tablet, with a thinner design and slimmed-down bezels on all four sides. The RAM has been boosted by 50 percent to 3GB, and Amazon says the 1080p screen is brighter than before. It runs on what Amazon describes as a “powerful octa-core processor,” though it’s unclear what — if any — improvement this represents over the 2Ghz octa-core chip that failed to impress us in the last model.

Speaking of performance, Amazon is also introducing its “most powerful 10-inch tablet ever,” the Fire HD 10 Plus. This model has 4GB of RAM, a soft touch finish, and wireless charging, though again Amazon isn’t giving details on the processor. Like the Fire HD 8 Plus, there’s an optional made-for-Amazon wireless charging dock, this time made by Anker. The HD 10 Plus costs $30 more than the non-Plus model, at $179.99.

The Fire HD 10 Plus with keyboard case.
The Fire HD 10 Plus with keyboard case.

Amazon’s tablets aren’t normally associated with productivity, but the company is making a go of it with the new Fire HD 10 range. The tablets will be available in “Productivity Bundles” including Fintie-designed keyboard cases and a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365; the bundles start at $219.99 and the keyboards will cost $49.99 as standalone purchases. Amazon has also added a new split-screen multitasking feature to Fire OS. 

As for the kids lineup, Amazon is introducing a whole new range of tablets called Fire Kids Pro. (Clearly, only the most professional kids need apply.) Available in 7-inch ($99.99), 8-inch ($139.99), and 10-inch ($199.99) versions, the Fire Kids Pro tablets have slim protective cases with built-in kickstands. 

The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro.
The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro.

Amazon says the Kids Pro’s home screen “looks and feels more like a ‘grown-up’ tablet,” and the browser has an option to provide “open but filtered” web access, with parents able to block or allow specific sites. There’s also an app store where kids are able to request app downloads that parents can approve later, and the tablets come with a year of Amazon’s Kids+ service for educational and entertainment content.

Amazon is also releasing a Kids Edition of the new Fire HD 10, which includes a “kid-proof” case, a two-year replacement warranty, and a year of Amazon Kids+. This model will sell for $199.99, and at launch Amazon is offering a 30-percent discount if you buy two of them.

All of Amazon’s new tablets will start shipping on May 26th.