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Analysis: The Kindle Fire HD, what it’s got and what it hasn’t got
June 22, 2025
Before looking at features it is important to look at the pricing. Not everyone is a millionaire and most of us have a budget. Pricing is a crucial factor when choosing a tablet and Amazon have aimed the 7 inch Kindle Fire HD directly at the Google Nexus 7. Both tablets start at $199 and have a model with more storage for $249. However the key bonus for the Kindle Fire HD 7 is that it comes with 16GB of internal storage for $199 and not 8GB like the Nexus 7. The bigger model has double that of the bigger Nexus 7 with the Kindle sporting 32GB while the biggest Nexus only holds 16GB. Another competitor is the newly announcedKobo Arcwhich is due to hit stores in November. Its pricing is similar to the Nexus 7 with 8GB costing $199.99 and the 16GB model setting you back $249.99.
Moving up to the bigger form factor, the Kindle HD 8.9 starts at $299 for 16GB while the 32GB model costs $369. It isn’t fair to compare this to the Nexus 7 but you can compare it to the iPad which starts at $399 for an iPad 2 or $499 for a ‘new iPad’. Both come with 16GB of flash storage.
Finally, the revamped Kindle Fire (non-HD) is priced at a jaw dropping $159 (£129 in the UK). That means you get a dual-core, 7 inch, 1024×600 Android tablet with IPS (in-plane switching which means better viewing angles) and 8GB of storage for $20 more than a Kindle Keyboard 3G… Impressive.
So clearly in terms of raw price, Amazon has done an incredible job and is the clear winner.
So the new Kindle Fire range is brilliantly priced, but what do you get for your money? The unique features of the Kindle Fire HD are:
So clearly the dual-core, 1280×800 Kindle Fire HD has a lot to offer, but what is missing:
The situation is basically this: if you need Google Play, GPS and NFC then don’t buy a Kindle Fire HD. Otherwise, considering the price and the 16GB/32GB of storage, the Kindle Fire looks like an excellent choice. Watch out for more in-depth reviews when the devices become available.
Which way will you go? Does the Kindle Fire HD look attractive to you?
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