Amazon Fire HD 10 (2015) Tablet Review
For the original German review, see here.
AAmazon has revamped its Fire tablets and introduces several new models: A 7-inch model, the equally sized and recently tested Fire Kids Edition, and Fire HD 8 with an 8-inch screen that have also gone through our test lab. In the course of this report, we will check how the Fire HD 10 with a 10.1-inch screen fares. The two larger Fire editions are of particular interest since they feature stereo speakers, dual-band Wi-Fi and a slightly higher clocked quad-core processor as well as a higher resolution (1280x800 pixels vs. 1024x600 pixels in the Fire and Fire Kids Edition). MediaTek's MT8135 is used in all cases. Although it is already a few years old, it still runs fast on Android. MediaTek's MT8127 is installed in the Fire Kids Edition.
Anyone considering buying the Fire HD 10 will have to accept the Fire OS operating system custom-made for the Amazon universe. Although it is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop, it has some limitations compared with the original. However, Amazon's low prices are attractive. The starting price for Fire is as low as 60 Euros (~$55) while the Fire HD 8 costs approximately 160 Euros (~$197). Roughly 200 Euros (~$183) have to be invested for the premium Fire HD 10 model. It is available with 16 GB of storage and comes in either a black or white casing. However, these prices only apply to the "with sponsored lockscreen" configuration, i.e. Amazon ads are displayed on the lock screen. The Fire tablets are ad-free in the "without sponsored lockscreen" configuration, but they are also slightly more expensive. The Fire HD 10 then costs 215 Euros (~$235).
Our report reveals whether buying the premium model is worthwhile by comparing the Fire HD 10 with similarly configured tablets. We use Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, Lenovo's TAB 2 A10-70, LG's G Pad II 10.1 and Medion's Lifetab S8311 for this. Naturally, a comparison with the Fire HD 8 is a must.
Case
Amazon's Fire HD 10 is the slimmest model among the 10-inch comparison tablets with a height of 7.7 millimeters (~0.3 in) and a weight of 430 grams (~15 oz). The glossy back cover with a large Amazon logo looks very stylish, but its everyday suitability is limited. Not only the back cover attracts fingerprints, it also scratches easily. Despite careful handling during the tests, we could not prevent some minor yet visible scratches. This makes a sleeve (not included) almost necessary when the tablet is frequently used.
The IPS screen's glass surface attracts considerably less marks than the back. In fact, fingerprints are not as visible as on other tablets. Amazon has coated the screen with a fingerprint resistant finish that was certainly effective during the tests. A polarizing filter is also integrated into the glossy surface that reduces light reflections to some extent.
Amazon offers its largest tablet to-date in a white or black casing. The Fire HD 8 is more versatile and colorful in black, blue, orange or magenta color options. Like the smaller model, the Fire HD 10's good feel is compelling, even though the casing's back could have a slightly better grip. The 10-inch tablet yields slightly under high pressure, and responds to this mechanical force with minor wave formation on the screen. The tablet’s stability is sufficient for normal use.
Connectivity
A MediaTek MT8135 quad-core SoC clocking at 1.5 GHz, introduced in 2013, powers Amazon's Fire HD 10. Together with the integrated PowerVR G6200 graphics unit, it provides an up-to-date application and gaming performance. The MediaTek SoC can fall back on a 1 GB of working memory in the Fire HD 10. The camera modules' specifications are just as solid, but not as impressive: A webcam with a resolution of 0.9 megapixels and a 5 megapixel primary camera without LED flash are installed in the Fire HD 10.
Amazon offers its Fire HD 10 with a storage capacity of either 16 or 32 GB. 11.6 GB was available in our 16 GB model. The tablet's storage capacity can be expanded by up to 128 GB via the micro-SD slot. Beyond that, Amazon's cloud storage provides unlimited capacity.
Software
A highly modified version of Android 5.1 Lollipop, Fire OS 5 Bellini, runs the Fire HD 10. Fire OS 5 makes a very neat impression and is easy to use. However, it cannot compete with the more intuitive handling of an up-to-date Android or iOS operating system.
The operating system furnished with a proprietary user interface is completely focused on Amazon's world on the app side, and is primarily a front-end shopping platform. Prime customers should feel comfortable right away: Amazon integrates shop categories like books, videos, games, music and audio books on the user interface. They can be opened directly by swiping to the corresponding page. Fair enough, the presented offers are not just limited to Amazon products, but also include the contents from the single media library. For example, all titles that have been uploaded on the tablet via a USB connection are found in under Music as well as Amazon purchases.
Other sectors come a bit too short due to the focus on Amazon's universe. For example, only Amazon's app shop rather than Google's Play Store is available. The former has a smaller selection of apps. Amazon's Underground is a nice extra where all items are free, including applications that can only be purchased in the normal app shop. Fire OS also has its own browser: Silk browser instead of Chrome is preloaded for browsing. As the benchmarks will prove that it is considerably slower than Google's leading browser.
Fortunately, Fire OS is not completely secluded from the rest of the world. Amazon "foreign" apps can be installed using a few tricks. We described how this works in the review of the Fire HD 8. The most important steps are briefly mentioned here: First, connect the tablet to the PC, then download Google's Play and unpack it on the tablet. After that, Google's Play Store can be installed using these files, which can finally be opened after rebooting the tablet. Although Amazon states that all Android apps are more or less compatible with Fire OS, there is no guarantee that all Android apps will start.
Communication & GPS
The Fire HD 10 features a Wi-Fi module that supports both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency band with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. The signal strength was always strong indoors, and ranged within the expected speeds, even though the radio signal had to pass through several walls. We did not experience any interruptions or other kinds of interference. Data can also be transferred via Bluetooth 4.0. The Fire HD 10 does not have a GPS module.
Cameras & Multimedia
Amazon's tablet is equipped with two cameras. The webcam is situated on one of the display bezel's narrow sides where the volume rocker, the power button and the USB port are found. Photographic masterpieces should not be expected from a maximum resolution of 0.9 megapixels and image size of up to 1280x720 pixels. That is the primary camera's job anyway. The webcam is sufficient for video chats, and it can record videos in the preset 720p resolution.
Neither the image quality nor the setting options for the rear-facing 5 megapixel primary camera are breathtaking. The camera menu lists only a few items which at least include a panorama and HDR feature, as well as recording videos up to 1080p. It is not easy to find out the camera's current resolution. Megapixel information is not displayed. Instead, the resolution can only be set via the aspect ratio to either 16:9 (2560x1440) or 4:3 (2560x1920) pixels. The camera does not have LED flash.
Regardless of the image settings, the primary camera always produces slightly blurred and somewhat bluish pictures with a good deal of image noise in low-light conditions.
Color Accuracy & Sharpness
We test the camera in Amazon's Fire HD 10 under controlled light conditions where we take a picture of the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport with the tablet. Afterwards, we directly compare the picture without editing or modifying the white balance with the original colors. Overall, Amazon's tablet reproduces the colors a bit too bright and slightly too strong. The camera does a relatively good job with the white balance, but is clearly out in particularly bright or dark areas.
The camera is not very impressive in our test chart that is taken under defined artificial light, like the X-Rite ColorChecker. In particular, the original-sized section in the image's center shows that the camera module lacks sharpness in detail through fringed edges and pixel-like gradation at the edges of objects.
Accessories & Warranty
The Fire HD 10 comes with a USB 2.0 cable, a modular power supply and a quick start guide. Amazon offers diverse accessories for its 10-inch tablet on its website, for example a 32 GB memory card, a leather sleeve and a screen protector. The 12 month warranty can also be extended to 2 or 3 years for an additional charge. However, 50 Euros (~$55) and 73 Euros (~$80) respectively are quite expensive. That has no effect on the retailer's 24-month warranty.
Input Devices & Handling
The capacitive touchscreen in the Fire HD 10 responds instantaneously to inputs, and hardly resists finger touch. Despite its quad-core SoC, the tablet sometimes needs a moment for opening an app or switching between opened applications. This, for example, happens when tapping the search box on home page. Apart from these minor delays, using the Fire HD 10 is pleasantly smooth.
The virtual QWERTY keyboard is almost beyond reproach. It only needs approximately one third of the screen's surface in both portrait and landscape mode, and thus does not block the view on the contents. However, the keyboard lettering is rather small, and an additional number row would save switching between the keyboard layouts. The only two present physical keys are overall good. The pressure point of both the volume rocker and the power button is impressive.
Display
The IPS panel in the Fire HD 10 displays 1280x800 pixels and as with the Fire HD 8, only manages the "small" HD resolution. All rivals prove that better is possible and throw in 1920x1080 pixels without exception. However, Amazon's tablet and its 8-inch sibling place themselves at the top in terms of brightness. With an average of 433.6 cd/m², the Fire HD 10's screen shines exceptionally bright, and is also homogeneously illuminated with 86%. Only the Fire HD 8 develops a higher brightness among the comparison devices, which stands unmatched at the top with 523.3 cd/m².
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 458 cd/m²
Contrast: 1065:1 (Black: 0.43 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.18 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 4.54 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.15
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 Mali-T760 MP2, MT8165, 16 GB eMMC Flash | LG G Pad II 10.1 Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Medion Lifetab S8311 Mali-450 MP4, MT6592, 16 GB iNAND Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -24% | -19% | 12% | -10% | -14% | |
| Brightness middle | 458 | 343 -25% | 550 20% | 352.9 -23% | 355 -22% | 323 -29% |
| Brightness | 434 | 328 -24% | 523 21% | 335 -23% | 367 -15% | 328 -24% |
| Brightness Distribution | 86 | 88 2% | 88 2% | 88 2% | 89 3% | 92 7% |
| Black Level * | 0.43 | 0.38 12% | 0.53 -23% | 0.191 56% | 0.53 -23% | 0.53 -23% |
| Contrast | 1065 | 903 -15% | 1038 -3% | 1848 74% | 670 -37% | 609 -43% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.18 | 6.86 -64% | 7.77 -86% | 4.31 -3% | 3.2 23% | 4.93 -18% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.54 | 6.95 -53% | 7.48 -65% | 4.36 4% | 4.36 4% | 3.1 32% |
| Gamma | 2.15 102% | 2.32 95% | 1.8 122% | 2.33 94% | 2.2 100% | 2.69 82% |
| CCT | 7083 92% | 7249 90% | 6633 98% | 7045 92% | 7240 90% | 6654 98% |
* ... smaller is better
With a black level of 0.43 cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 1065:1, the Fire HD 10 displays stronger colors and richer black than almost all rivals. Only Lenovo's TAB 2 A10-70 is better here. Its record-breaking, low black level and virtually twice as high contrast ratio makes looking at pictures and watching videos highly enjoyable.
A closer look using the X-spectrophotometer X-Rite i1Pro 2 and CalMAN software show that the shifts from the ideal are within very tight limits, which is everything but a matter of course for a tablet from the 200-Euro (~$218) price range. Only the color temperature of 7083 Kelvin is slightly too high, which results in a rather "cool" reproduction. Seen subjectively, this will not be noticed.
Thanks to the combination of high brightness and viewing angle stable IPS panel, the Fire HD 10 has been suitably equipped for outdoor use. The brightness only decreases marginally in extreme lateral views, but the colors are never distorted. The screen's glossy surface could block the view in direct sunlight, but apart from that nothing stands in the way of using Amazon's tablet outdoors.
Performance
Amazon has furnished its Fire HD 10 with the quad-core MediaTek MT8135 SoC. Its processing cores clock at 1.5 GHz. The integrated PowerVR G6200 serves as the graphics unit. The SoC can fall back on 1 GB of working memory, and achieves an overall solid performance in the benchmarks that is virtually identical with that of the Fire HD 8 based on the same hardware. Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, Lenovo's TAB 2 A10-70 and LG's G Pad II 10.1 operate slightly faster, while Medion's Lifetab S8311 falls behind Amazon's tablets.
| 3DMark | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
The Silk browser (version 46) preloaded on the Fire HD 10 does a good job in the browser benchmarks, but it is not faster than Chrome. Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 is the first tablet to pass the finishing line, immediately followed by both the Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 8. Lenovo's TAB 2 A10-70 and LG's G Pad II 10.1 are right on their heels. Medion's Lifetab S8311 again takes the last place.
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| Medion Lifetab S8311 | |
| Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
| WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 | |
| Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 | |
| LG G Pad II 10.1 | |
* ... smaller is better
The Fire HD 10 has its problems with write and read tasks. With 126 MB/s in sequential read, the tablet reaches a good rate, but has to take a place at the very bottom. The same is seen in sequential read and in random read of 4 KB data blocks. Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, LG's G Pad II 10.1 and even Medion's Lifetab S8311 are sometimes many times faster than Amazon's tablets in these two tests. The Fire HD 10 retrieves its honor in 4 KB random reads where both Lenovo's TAB 2 A10-70 and Medion's Lifetab S8311 are even weaker.
The Fire HD 10 supports micro-SD cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB, which include fast micro-SDXC cards. However, the test with the 32 GB Toshiba Exceria SD-CX32UHS1 (read: max. 95 MB/s; write: max. 60 MB/s) shows that the transfer rates are at most only average here. Instead of the expected top rates, it is just enough for 46.3 MB/s in sequential read and 15.1 MB/s in sequential write.
Games
The PowerVR G6200 graphics unit integrated in the MediaTek SoC is certainly no longer the fastest of its kind, but still has enough power for up-to-date Android games. Starting with the rather graphically undemanding "Angry Birds 2" up to the sophisticated "Asphalt 8", all installed games used for testing ran smoothly and lag-free. However, it is not enough for maximum graphics settings in top games, such as "Asphalt 8" - it only runs absolutely lag-free in reduced details.
Emissions
Temperature
Regardless of whether in use, maximum load or even turned off - the temperature of the Fire HD 10 barely changes if at all. We measured only 28.1 degrees Celsius (~83 degrees Fahrenheit) in idle mode, and the tablet just reaches arctic-like 29 degrees Celsius (~84 degrees Fahrenheit) after one hour of full load - we would rather avoid the term "heats up". The warmest spot is found on the tablet's underside, but also stays impressively cool at 30.2 degrees Celsius (~86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Matching that, the Fire HD 10 also keeps its cool in GFXBench's battery benchmark, which is quite demanding on the hardware. As expected, temperature-related throttling was not observed.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 30.4 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.1 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Speakers
The stereo speakers are situated directly on one of the long sides of the Fire HD 10 tablet. Thus, they also produce a good sound when the tablet is placed flat on a table. In contrast, the speakers in some other devices are covered, which result in a muffled sound. Overall, the sound quality is very balanced, although mids and bass are scanty as our measurements confirm. The Fire HD 10 only produces very low dB rates, especially in the deep bass range (frequency range in the chart's left), making them inaudible. They are covered by high tones that sound much more prominent. Headphones or external speakers can be connected via the 3.5 mm jack.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The Fire HD 10 is quite frugal with available energy. The idle power consumption ranges from 1.2 and 4 watts, and climbs up to 6 watts during full load. On the other hand, the comparatively high power consumption in standby (0.3 watts) and when shut down (0.1 watts) is not impressive.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.3 Watt |
| Idle |  1.24 / 3.81 / 3.92 Watt |
| Load |
5.94 / 5.94 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Gossen Metrahit Energy | |
Battery Runtime
Overall, the Fire HD 10 achieves decent battery runtimes. However, with the exception of the Fire HD 8, it does not really impress the rivals. While the Amazon sister model is the first tablet that needs a socket outlet, some other devices last considerably longer. LG's G Pad II 10.1 is a particularly strong opponent that runs over 13 hours in the real world Wi-Fi test using a screen brightness of 150 cd/m². The Fire HD 10 only manages 7:30 hours here. It takes quite some time with just over 5 hours in the test until the battery status reaches 100% again when the battery is completely depleted.
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 Mali-T760 MP2, MT8165, 16 GB eMMC Flash | LG G Pad II 10.1 Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Medion Lifetab S8311 Mali-450 MP4, MT6592, 16 GB iNAND Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 4% | -17% | 73% | 70% | 62% | |
| H.264 | 624 | 532 -15% | 541 -13% | 1020 63% | ||
| WiFi v1.3 | 450 | 485 8% | 388 -14% | 515 14% | 782 74% | |
| Load | 188 | 221 18% | 144 -23% | 436 132% | 325 73% | 305 62% |
| WiFi | 535 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Amazon's Fire HD 10 is a little different from conventional tablets. It does not use a standard Android operating system, but rather the modified Fire OS version that is completely focused on Amazon services. Users who regularly shop at Amazon will find the perfect shopping companion in the Fire HD 10.
Amazon's affordable Fire HD 10 has more than enough power for multimedia use. However, not everyone will like the Amazon leash.
Those who do not really care for Amazon might take a liking to the Fire HD 10 anyway. The buyer gets a fairly well-configured tablet with a bright IPS panel, fast dual-band Wi-Fi, astoundingly good sounding stereo speakers and decent battery life for a reasonable price of 200 Euros (~$218). The MediaTek MT8135 in the Fire HD 10 is not the fastest SoC, but it has more than enough power for games and routine tasks. Therefore, the Fire HD 10 can definitely be recommended as an affordable tablet for browsing, emails and multimedia applications. It is even possible to loosen the Amazon leash on the Fire HD 10. With a few tricks, Fire OS can be persuaded to install Google services including Google's Play Store that offers considerably more apps than Amazon's app shop.
The unimpressive resolution of 1280x800 pixels for a 10-inch tablet and the at best mediocre camera modules that do not make taking pictures a really fun experience speak against the Fire HD 10. Furthermore, the Fire HD 10 does not support NFC, GSM/UMTS or LTE, does not have GPS and needs to be handled with kid gloves - the very sensitive back cover unfortunately scratches much too easily.
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
- 01/14/2016 v4.1 (old)
Manuel Masiero
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