Amazon absolutely dominates the cheap tablet market and the latest updates to the Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids make it easy to see why as each of these portable tablets packs a lot of features in for their $59 and $109 starting prices.
The new Fire 7 gets a 30% faster processor, double the RAM and up to 40% more battery life in the same durable diminutive form factor that makes it a perfect tablet to take on vacation, on the go, or just around the house.
The Fire 7 Kids offers everything found in the Fire 7, but packages it in a durable case with an adjustable kickstand that also acts as a handle to help little hands avoid dropping the tablet. It's also designed to withstand the typical tumbles that toddlers' devices encounter. Should anything happen to it, the included 2-year worry-free guarantee will have them up and running with a new tablet in no time.
Here's a closer look at what's new with the Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids along with how to pre-order each one today.
Amazon Fire 7 (2022)
Amazon's Fire tablets are among the best cheap tablets on the market and the latest update to the Fire 7 shows you why. For $59 (a $10 increase from the previous model) you get USB-C charging, 40% more battery life, 30% faster performance, and double the RAM (2GB up from 1GB).
Amazon claims the increased battery life will take you over 10 hours on a charge, which is a solid mark for a content consumption tablet like the Fire 7. However, we'll need to see how that holds up in our testing.
While the performance increases still aren't going to have you doing any competitive mobile gaming on the Fire 7, it should ensure that you can switch between tasks more easily and simple games, social media apps, web browsing, and streaming video apps will run smoothly.
The Fire 7 is available for pre-order now for $59 in Black, Denim, or Rose. The base model includes 16GB of storage, upgrading to 32GB bumps the price up to $79. The Fire tablets also have lockscreen ads by default, getting the ad-free model is an extra $15.
It's not going to challenge the iPad for productivity or overall functionality. However. it isn't meant to, the Fire 7 is an outstanding value for what it does and the new updates should make it an easy buy for those looking for a cheap portable tablet.
Amazon Fire 7 Kids (2022)
The Amazon Fire 7 Kids is really just the Fire 7 in a case that hopefully serves as kid-proof armor. Starting at $109, you might wonder why you would pay the extra $50 versus the standard Fire 7, but Amazon definitely makes it an enticing offer.
The case is the most notable addition, available in Blue, Purple, or Red, it adds considerable protection to the already durable Fire 7 with grooves for kids to hold on to more easily and a handle that doubles as a stand. All of this should guarantee that the inevitable drops don't break the tablet. However, if your child does manage to still break the tablet, the included 2-year worry-free guarantee is there to save you with a replacement on the way.
On top of that, you get a year of Amazon Kids+, which gives your child access to thousands of apps, games, books, videos, and more from Disney, PBS Kids, and HOMER. After the year it renews at $2.99 a month, so that's a $36 value by itself.
You also have a convenient Parent Dashboard that lets you filter the content on your child's tablet, set time limits, and even set educational goals. The Fire 7 Kids also does not feature any ads, so you're really comparing it to the $74 and $94 versions of the Fire 7.
The Fire 7 Kids is available for pre-order today starting at $109, the only upgrade available is the 32GB storage bump for $129. All three colors and both storage sizes will ship starting June 29.
