jawa asks... Are Amazon Fire tablets decent enough?

[jawa_]

Okay.

I've used an Apple iPad Mini for around eight years and it's been great... but now it's increasingly playing up - the power cuts out when the battery gets down to about 50%.

I've not got the dough to get a new iPad and so I might, in a few months, get an Amazon Fire tablet.

I use the tablet for web browsing (95%) and Discord (5%). I want a small-ish tablet and not a phone, a laptop or a PC.

So, now I'm gonna see what advice GRcadians can offer! Please select the voting options that best suit your thinking and then - if you want to! - tap out some advice.

Thank you :-).
jawa

[Moggy]

I bought a cheap Fire tablet for my son and it was dreadful. It struggled to run anything and frequently crashed.

That was a ridiculously cheap tablet though. Their higher priced ones might be ok.

[jawa_]

I bought a cheap Fire tablet for my son and it was dreadful. It struggled to run anything and frequently crashed.

That was a ridiculously cheap tablet though. Their higher priced ones might be ok.

Dang, that doesn't sound good, Moggy. I wonder if the slightly dearer ones could be a little better.

[Moggy]

I bought a cheap Fire tablet for my son and it was dreadful. It struggled to run anything and frequently crashed.

That was a ridiculously cheap tablet though. Their higher priced ones might be ok.

Dang, that doesn't sound good, Moggy. I wonder if the slightly dearer ones could be a little better.

This is the one I bought:

Fire 7 Tablet | 7" display, 32... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JQRYRJF? ... b_ap_share

I bought it in a sale and it was cheap enough that I wasn't too angry over its shitness.

But even if you find it going cheap, avoid like the plague!

[jawa_]

I just dunno!

I'd prefer an iPad but that isn't an option and the Fire tablet reviews seem to be all over the place.

Oh well. I'lll probably stick it out with my current tablet until it completely stops working and then see what options there are at the time.

[Hypes]

I've had a Samsung A tablet for years that runs perfectly well

[rinks]

If a Fire Tablet was all you’d ever used, it’s probably fine. If you’re used to an iPad, you will loathe it.

[Dowbocop]

My son has a kids Fire tablet and it works fine for him, but it's not a particularly intuitive experience - Fire tablets run a weird version of Android that ties it into the Amazon ecosystem (the shitty Bezos one not the important Brazilian one). You can get the Google Play store but it's a faff.

Have you thought about doing the repair yourself?

https://store.ifixit.co.uk/collections/apple-ipad-parts

[Lime]

If your ipad mini is that old, it's way out of warranty so you could just get a 3rd party to change the battery if you don't want to do it yourself. It'll be way cheaper and they normally guarantee for 12 months.

My 1st gen iphone SE had battery problems and a mobile service came to my house, picked up my phone, changed the battery in their van, returned it in about 30 mins, all cleaned up, I think it was £40. I know an ipad would be a little more, but £120 sounds like an official apple price.

If that's the 3rd party price then.... as you were!

[jawa_]

I've had a Samsung A tablet for years that runs perfectly well

I just had a quick look and the Samsung A series looks to be decent, Hypes.

If a Fire Tablet was all you’d ever used, it’s probably fine. If you’re used to an iPad, you will loathe it.

That is my fear, rinks. I've used the iPad for around eight years so other options may seem like quite a step down.

My son has a kids Fire tablet and it works fine for him, but it's not a particularly intuitive experience - Fire tablets run a weird version of Android that ties it into the Amazon ecosystem (the shitty Bezos one not the important Brazilian one). You can get the Google Play store but it's a faff...

Yeah, the Fire does sound like a bit of a "cut down" system, Dowb.

...Have you thought about doing the repair yourself?

https://store.ifixit.co.uk/collections/apple-ipad-parts

Thanks for the idea, man. I took a look and I don't think it'd be an easy job. It's a cool though but I'm a bit unsure... more so as my current iPad Mini is pretty old and Apple will probs turn off support soon, anyway.

- - - - - - - - - -

I kinda suspected that there wouldn't be an easy answer to this! I either settle for a cheaper but maybe a bit ropey option, or do without for quite a while and Dave for a new iPad. I'm not too sure on either right now.

[Lime]

.

See above your post - I think my reply came in while you were writing yours, Jawa! Worth a look?

[Dowbocop]

If you don't take the tablet out of the house, have you thought about taping a power bank to the back of the case?

[GrinWithoutaKat]

I bought a cheap Fire tablet for my son and it was dreadful. It struggled to run anything and frequently crashed.

That was a ridiculously cheap tablet though. Their higher priced ones might be ok.

Pretty much this. Think we spent £60 on the Kids version of the Fire 7, and it's fine enough to sticking videos on for them in the car, but just spending a couple of days doing the set up was frustrating with how slow it was.

[BID0]

Get the battery replaced but not by apple to save you £££

It will feel like a new device with a new battery in, you’ll probably find your current battery is throttling the cpu if the battery isn’t reliable and swapping it out will see an improvement

[Outrunner]

My mum has a fire tablet, bought it when it was on sale. She only really uses it as an ereader, the few times she needs to browse the internet she'll always use my dads ipad or chromebook tablets.

My friend has a cheap Samsung tablet and seems fairly happy with that.

[kerr9000]

I had a Samsung Tab it was great my daughter got a fire tab and it was so lame I ended up letting her have my Samsung.

[jawa_]

If your ipad mini is that old, it's way out of warranty so you could just get a 3rd party to change the battery if you don't want to do it yourself. It'll be way cheaper and they normally guarantee for 12 months.

My 1st gen iphone SE had battery problems and a mobile service came to my house, picked up my phone, changed the battery in their van, returned it in about 30 mins, all cleaned up, I think it was £40. I know an ipad would be a little more, but £120 sounds like an official apple price.

If that's the 3rd party price then.... as you were!

That sounds to be a nice option, Lime; I wonder if there are similar services in my neck of the woods? Thanks, dude, I'll investigate!

Get the battery replaced but not by apple to save you £££

It will feel like a new device with a new battery in, you’ll probably find your current battery is throttling the cpu if the battery isn’t reliable and swapping it out will see an improvement

BID0, yes, I'll explore Lime's suggestion and see if there are any local companies offering battery replacement. It sounds like that'd be a good way forward here.

If you don't take the tablet out of the house, have you thought about taping a power bank to the back of the case?

I hadn't thought of that, Dowb! It's an idea although I'm not overly keen on adding a chunk to the tablet. Maybe if the above option doesn't work out, though!

Think we spent £60 on the Kids version of the Fire 7, and it's fine enough to sticking videos on for them in the car, but just spending a couple of days doing the set up was frustrating with how slow it was.

My mum has a fire tablet, bought it when it was on sale. She only really uses it as an ereader, the few times she needs to browse the internet she'll always use my dads ipad or chromebook tablets...

I had a Samsung Tab it was great my daughter got a fire tab and it was so lame I ended up letting her have my Samsung.

Guys, yeah, it sounds like the Fire tablets are okay for some basic uses but perhaps show their limitations when compared to a more premium tablet.

- - - - - - - - - -

Thank you, everyone, for your advice and suggestions!

[Wedgie]

Avoid Fire tablets like plague.

If you want a cheap tablet, go for either Samsung or Apple as you don't have to replace the fire tablet every year (or months like my kids wanted but I just end up getting them second hand ipad minis.)

[Jenuall]

Anyone used to an iPad will find a Fire tablet to be clunky AF.

They are pretty decent tablets but they are not anywhere near as slick or responsive as an iPad and the display is significantly weaker as well - the kind of stuff that probably doesn't matter if you've never used anything else but will be a constant annoyance if you're used to better.

[jawa_]

Yeah, I've used my iPad Mini for years now and I've really liked it. I think that switching to a Fire could feel like quite some step down.

I have gone off Apple quite a bit because of the crazy pricing they apply nowdays - it has always been expensive gear but recently it has, for me, tipped over into "tacking the piss" territory - but I think my way forward is:

> Carry on using my existing iPad until it conks out...

> ...whilst simultaneously looking into the cost of having a third-party battery replacement

> If/when it conks out, go back to using my Wii U Gamepad for web-browsing . Finally get over that 3,000 hour mark .

> Look to get a new iPad when I'm back in work

Seems like a pretty deece plan, really.