Let’s face it: Apple’s slates seem to get all the attention when talking tablets (and understandably so). However, you don’t necessarily need to spend $1,000 on an iPad Pro or even $350 on an entry-level model if all you need is a cheap entertainment device for watching The Boys, reading, or burning through your latest audiobook. Amazon’s latest Fire HD 10 tablet will get the job done for a lot less — especially since it’s currently on sale for Amazon Prime subscribers for an all-time low of $74.99 ($65 off) in its ad-supported base configuration.
The 2023 Fire HD 10 isn’t going to blow you away with an OLED display or a laundry list of premium features, though it is a step up from some of Amazon’s low-end models. The inexpensive tablet features a modest octa-core processor, support for up to 1TB of microSD card storage, and 3GB of RAM, the latter of which should allow for plenty of tabs and some light multitasking should you need it. On the outside, you’ll find 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 display that’s surprisingly sharp for the price (so long as you’re not in direct sunlight), as well as a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio. The Alexa-enabled device is also compatible with Amazon’s detachable keyboard case ($49.99) and stylus ($34.99), though I’d argue neither of which is going to turn the budget tablet into a productivity machine.
Like all Fire tablets, the biggest drawback of the Fire HD 10 is that it requires you to spend an additional $15 to remove the lock screen ads and chains you to Amazon’s own Appstore — which is seriously lacking when compared to the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. But, again, if all you want is to stream Prime Video content or read, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more capable tablet for the price.
