Amazon’s Fire tablets have long been known for being extremely inexpensive, but a recent addition to the lineup alters that significantly. The new Amazon Fire Max 11 is the most costly tablet to date, costing $229.99/£249.99.
For the first time, its price puts it up against affordable Android slates, even if the iPad remains out of reach.
The hardware appears to be promising as well. It’s an 11in tablet, as the name implies, with a nice 20001200 resolution display. Amazon did not specifically state this, but it is probable that it will feature an LCD display like the previous Fire tablets.
Power comes from an unknown 2.2GHz octa-core CPU, but with 4GB of RAM, performance should be “almost 50% faster than Amazon’s next fastest tablet,” the Fire HD 10 Plus. You may also select between 64GB and 128GB of on-device storage.
While the Fire Max 11 is unlikely to be capable of running many demanding apps, Amazon emphasizes its fit for the company’s Luna gaming streaming service. Other features include an 8MP camera on both sides of the smartphone, a fingerprint sensor embedded into the power button, and a battery life of up to 14 hours.
This is also the first time we’ve seen productivity-focused Fire tablet accessories. The removable cover (£89.99) contains a trackpad, full-size keyboard, and a built-in stand, and a new stylus pen (£34.99) has been made exclusively for the tablet. Packages for all three begin at $329.99/£374.99.
The major constraint on all Fire tablets is, of course, software. They run Fire OS, which uses the Amazon Appstore rather than the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store, so you can’t install Google apps like Docs or Gmail. According to Statista, the Amazon Appstore will have roughly 480,000 applications in late 2022, compared to several million for its competitors.
However, there are several advantages to using Fire OS. The home screen has a dedicated controller for Alexa-enabled smart home technology, and Show Mode transforms it into one of Amazon’s smart displays.
If you don’t mind the more limited software experience, the Fire Max 11 appears to be a good tablet. Pre-orders are already available, with the gadget and its accessories set to be launched on June 14th.
For new customers, all purchases include a free three-month membership to Microsoft 365 Personal, after which it will cost $6.99/£5.99 per month or $69.99/£59.99 per year.
