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MagyarAmazon Fire HD 10 (2019) Tablet Review: A 10-inch tablet at a bargain price
Amazon has reissued its in-house Fire HD 10 tablet, which it promises is 30% faster than its predecessor. The American company has equipped its latest 10.1-inch tablet with the MediaTek MT8183 to achieve this, although the new model still comes with 2 GB of RAM.
The second major innovation of the 2019 edition is the deeper integration of Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant. Alexa now becomes active once it hears its wake word, allowing the tablet to respond to commands even on standby. We should point out that Amazon incorporated Alexa functionality in the last Fire HD 10, but not as deeply as it has for this year's model. Amazon complements Alexa with the so-called Show Mode, effectively turning the tablet into Echo Show.
The new Fire HD 10 remains cheap and is slightly more affordable than its predecessor. The tablet starts at US$149.99 for the 32 GB model and US$189.99 for the 64 GB. However, Amazon charges an additional US$15 for versions that do not display adverts on their lock screens. The company calls this "special offers", for reference.
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78.9 % | 12/2019 | Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 MT8183, Mali-G72 MP3 | 504 g | 9.8 mm | 10.10" | 1920x1200 | |
| 74.7 % | 10/2018 | Alcatel 1T 10 MT8321, Mali-400 MP | 415 g | 9.4 mm | 10.10" | 1280x800 | |
| 78.1 % | 11/2017 | Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 MT8173, PowerVR GX6250 | 497 g | 9.8 mm | 10.10" | 1920x1200 | |
| 80.8 % | 09/2018 | Huawei MediaPad M5 lite Kirin 659, Mali-T830 MP2 | 475 g | 7.7 mm | 10.10" | 1920x1200 | |
| 76.8 % | 01/2019 | Lenovo Tab M10 SD 450, Adreno 506 | 480 g | 8.1 mm | 10.10" | 1920x1200 | |
| 80.7 % | 05/2019 | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2 | 460 g | 7.5 mm | 10.10" | 1920x1200 |
Case - A cheap plastic design and thick bezels
The Fire HD (2019) has, in short, a retro design. The tablet has a thick chassis, wide bezels, plastic surfaces and visible transitions, which are all reminiscent of a bygone era. Our review unit feels cheap and is noticeably heavier than its competitors, weighing in at a whopping 504 g.
It is no surprise that the Fire HD 10 costs US$149.99, as there are no metal, specially treated surfaces or other design highlights to justify a higher asking price. The Fire HD 10 (2019) cannot compete with premium tablets in this regard, nor is Amazon attempting to do so. However, it is well built and light enough to be used as a device on which to watch videos and browse the web.
The plastic frame is interspersed with ports, with two speakers adorning the left-hand side of the tablet. We shall cover the other ports that the Fire HD (2019) offers in the section below. Amazon also includes a 2 MP front-facing camera and one of the same resolution on the back of the device. The tablet is available in Black, Plum, Twilight Blue and White at the time of writing.
Connectivity - An octa-core SoC and USB C connectivity
Amazon has equipped the new Fire HD (2019) with a more powerful SoC than it used in its predecessor, as we mentioned earlier in this review. The MediaTek MT8183 is an octa-core SoC, whose CPU cores can reach up to 2.0 GHz when required. The SoC also integrates an ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU and is complemented by 2 GB of RAM. If the 32 GB or 64 GB of storage with which the Fire HD 10 (2019) is available get full, then you can add up to a 512 GB microSD card for additional storage. The tablet can store files and app data on expandable storage, which is not always the case with an Android device. Our review unit arrived with 27 GB of its 32 GB internal storage free to use.
Another change for this year's Fire HD 10 that may go unnoticed is the type of USB port with which it has been equipped. We lamented the Fire HD 10 (2017) for having a micro USB port, but Amazon has made amends for its successor and equipped the 2019 unit with a USB Type-C port instead. The Type-C port operates on the USB 2.0 standard and sits on the same side of the tablet as the power button, microphone, headphone jack and volume buttons do.
Internally, the Fire HD 10 (2019) offers Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. Amazon decided against adding an NFC chip or a fingerprint sensor, though. The Fire HD 10 (2019) also supports DRM Widevine L1, which allows it to stream DRM protected content in HD from the likes of Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, among others.
Software - Fire OS 7.3 is based on Android 9
The Fire HD (2019) ships with Android 9.0 Pie, atop of which Amazon adds Fire OS 7.3. The OS focuses entirely on Amazon content, rather than Google's, to a fault. It is unclear what security patches our review unit is running, for instance. We would speculate that Amazon updates these regularly, but we cannot give a definitive here.
The UI comes to life once you have signed in with an Amazon account, with Amazon placing shortcuts to its audiobooks, books, games, music and videos on the default home screen. The company separates these into tabs, which also show the contents of your media library. You can bring up the tabs either by typing their name or swiping through them on the home screen.
Amazon also adds other software, all of which are limited to the company's ecosystem. The home screen on our review unit is full of apps including Alexa, Amazon Photos, Books, Music, Audible and Prime Video, among others. Speaking of Alexa, the digital assistant can now be brought up even when the tablet is on standby. The new Fire HD 10 also supports Show Mode, which automatically puts the display into landscape mode and gives the tablet the same functionality as an Echo Show.
Web browsing is done with the Silk Browser, while Amazon pre-installs its in-house app store instead of the Google one. Sideloading the Google Play Store and other Google apps is relatively easy, but Amazon claims that doing so voids the tablet's warranty.
Communication & GPS - Wi-Fi 5 connectivity, but no GPS
The Fire HD 10 (2019) does not have a GPS module, so Wi-Fi must suffice for providing location services. The device supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which means that it can connect to 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz networks.
Our review unit set a fast pace in our iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests with our Linksys EA8500 reference router. The device averaged 299 MBit/s when transmitting data and 321 MBit/s when receiving data, putting it beyond all our comparison devices. Its transfer speeds hardly fluctuate too, which is impressive.
Overall, the Fire HD 10 (2019) even outperforms the pricier Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) and averaged over 30% faster transfer speeds than the Fire HD 10 (2017) could manage.
Cameras - Not even snapshot quality
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has two cameras, both 2 MP sensors. Both cameras can record videos in up to 720p, while the default camera app does not offer any special recording modes like slow-motion. The camera app can adjust the resolution in which you are shooting, but we would struggle to see why anyone would like to record in less than 2 MP or 720p.
The performance of the camera modules is about as meagre as their specifications. In short, the strengths of the Fire HD 10 (2019) lie elsewhere, as these cameras deliver blurry looking results even in perfect lighting. Our test shots are also washed out and lack dynamic range. Likewise, these cameras capture hardly any details in low-light, as demonstrated by scene 23. Overall, we are being kind to the Fire HD 10 (2019) when we say that its cameras are just about good enough with which to take occasional snapshots.
We also subjected our review unit to further camera tests that we conducted under controlled lighting conditions. Unsurprisingly, our test chart looks relatively blurry and washed out, while the sensors tend to over brighten colours. Grey tones are relatively well reproduced though, and it hardly deviates from ColorChecker reference colours with its reproduction of bright white.
Accessories & Warranty - 12 months manufacturer's warranty and a few accessories
Amazon includes a modular 9 W charger (5.2 V/1.8 A), a USB Type-A to Type-C cable and a quick-start guide in the box. Amazon sells plenty of accessories for the tablet on its website too, including third-party ones. Two such first-party accessories are a protective case with an integrated stand and a child-friendly case. Both come in five colours to choose from and cost US$39.99 and US$34.99 respectively. Amazon also sells the "Kid-Proof" case as a bundle with the Fire HD 10 (2019) for the same price as buying the tablet on its own.
Amazon includes 12-months manufacturer's warranty with the Fire HD 10 (2019). Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices & Operation - Solid and focused on the essentials
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has a capacitive touchscreen, which handles inputs quickly and precisely. The one in our review unit remains accurate into the corners of the screen too. The tablet feels relatively fast overall, about which we will talk more in the Performance section of this review. Amazon has tailored Fire OS entirely to its website, so good browser performance is to be expected.
However, the 2 GB of RAM that Amazon has included is not enough to run more than a few apps simultaneously. Switching between apps can cause the UI to stutter too, although we did not find this that annoying during our tests.
Incidentally, our review unit runs apps like Netflix, Spotify and YouTube perfectly well, which we download using the Google Play Store. You can also replace the stock keyboard app with another, although you would lose out on some Alexa integration.
Display - A bright and 1080p IPS panel
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has a 10.1-inch IPS display that resolves at 1,920 x 1,200, just like its predecessor. The screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio too but gets about 6% brighter than its predecessor does. X-Rite i1Pro 2 recorded our review unit reaching an average maximum luminosity of 425.4 cd/m², a solid value for a budget tablet. Its black value is a touch too high though at 0.6 cd/m², which results in a weak 748:1 contrast ratio. Correspondingly, content looks paler than it would on the older Fire HD 10 (2017).
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 449 cd/m²
Contrast: 748:1 (Black: 0.6 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.1 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 3.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
98.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.09
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10 | Alcatel 1T 10 IPS, 1280x800, 10.10 | Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10 | Huawei MediaPad M5 lite IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10 | Lenovo Tab M10 IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10 | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 TFT-LCD, 1920x1200, 10.10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -40% | -3% | -34% | -38% | 1% | |
| Brightness middle | 449 | 277 -38% | 426 -5% | 514 14% | 339 -24% | 401 -11% |
| Brightness | 425 | 263 -38% | 399 -6% | 492 16% | 327 -23% | 396 -7% |
| Brightness Distribution | 89 | 87 -2% | 91 2% | 80 -10% | 86 -3% | 86 -3% |
| Black Level * | 0.6 | 0.49 18% | 0.38 37% | 0.96 -60% | 0.42 30% | 0.5 17% |
| Contrast | 748 | 565 -24% | 1121 50% | 535 -28% | 807 8% | 802 7% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.1 | 5.8 -87% | 4.5 -45% | 5.42 -75% | 5.8 -87% | 2.9 6% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.4 | 13.1 -105% | 7.9 -23% | 9.84 -54% | 11.6 -81% | 5.8 9% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.8 | 5.4 -42% | 5.2 -37% | 6.5 -71% | 8.6 -126% | 4.1 -8% |
| Gamma | 2.09 105% | 2.13 103% | 2.23 99% | 2.216 99% | 2.16 102% | 2.36 93% |
| CCT | 7202 90% | 7260 90% | 6875 95% | 6780 96% | 8718 75% | 7263 89% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18889 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The tablet offers a blue light filter for minimising the effect that the screen has on your circadian rhythm, but it has no other options for adjusting colour reproduction. Our review unit proved surprisingly colour accurate though, with it only just falling short of the ideal Delta E deviation of 3. Conversely, its colour temperature is a bit off at 7,202 K, but this is no worse than the average of our comparison devices. Ultimately, the slight blue tint from which the display suffers and its low contrast ratio make content look lifeless. This is a shame for what is principally a media consumption device.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 8.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 49.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 26 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 23.6 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.2 ms). | ||
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has stable viewing angles thanks to the IPS technology used for its display. While the tablet remains readable outdoors, we would recommend avoiding direct sunlight where possible. As our photo below demonstrates, the screen has a highly reflective finish that catches the light even on overcast days.
Performance - A comparatively powerful budget tablet
The octa-core MediaTek MT8183 makes the Fire HD 10 (2019) powerful among its peers. Synthetic benchmark results underline this, with the Fire HD 10 (2019) extending a lead over all our comparison devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) and Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite.
| Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (842 - 6597, n=11, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (1397 - 1464, n=2) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (3870 - 14930, n=11, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (5308 - 5445, n=2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| Compute RenderScript Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (3048 - 9930, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| PCMark for Android | |
| Work performance score | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (6284 - 8599, n=2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Work 2.0 performance score | |
| Average of class Tablet (4895 - 11351, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (5056 - 6735, n=6) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Average of class Tablet (20 - 120, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (26 - 37, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Average of class Tablet (15 - 873, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (37 - 38, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Average of class Tablet (12 - 120, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (12 - 21, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Average of class Tablet (7.3 - 494, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (20 - 21, n=4) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Average of class Tablet (6.3 - 118.3, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (6.3 - 12, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Average of class Tablet (5 - 340, n=47, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (12 - 13, n=4) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | |
| Basemark GPU 1.1 | |
| 1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Vulkan Medium Native | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| 1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | |
| VRMark - Amber Room | |
| Average of class Tablet (676 - 8816, n=6, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 | |
The pre-installed Silk Browser performed well during our tests too. We conducted our browser benchmarks with version 78.4.6, for reference. The browser not only felt fast subjectively but also kept the Fire HD 10 (2019) on par with our fastest comparison device, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019).
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (17 - 236, n=46, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (25.5 - 34.5, n=3) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samung Browser 9.2) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (28.1 - 436, n=28, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (45.4 - 53, n=4) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samsung Browser 9.2) | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67) | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 (Chrome 71.0.3578.99) | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 (Chrome 69) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - --- | |
| Average of class Tablet (33 - 342, n=43, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samsung Browser 9.2) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (46 - 60, n=4) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67) | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 (Chrome 71.0.3578.99) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Tablet (13.9 - 376, n=43, last 2 years) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (24.8 - 28, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samsung Browser 9.2) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (5004 - 74614, n=50, last 2 years) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (8665 - 10030, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samsung Browser 9.2) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2) | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67) | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 (Chrome 71.0.3578.99) | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 (Chrome 69) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Alcatel 1T 10 (Chrome 69) | |
| Lenovo Tab M10 (Chrome 71.0.3578.99) | |
| Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 (Silk Browser 75.3.60) | |
| Average Mediatek MT8183 (3957 - 4979, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 (Samsung Browser 9.2) | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2) | |
| Average of class Tablet (451 - 12972, n=47, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
The 32 GB of eMMC flash storage provided good transfer speeds during our AndroBench benchmarks. The Fire HD 10 (2019) outscored all but the Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite of our comparison devices here, and has much faster 4 KB transfer speeds than its predecessor.
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has a reasonably fast microSD card reader too. While it cannot hit the heights of 270 MB/s read speeds and 150 MB/s write speeds that our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 can reach, it held its own against our comparison devices. The Fire HD 10 (2019) lost out to three devices here though and only managed to outscore the Alcatel 1T 10, along with its predecessor.
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 | Alcatel 1T 10 | Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 | Huawei MediaPad M5 lite | Lenovo Tab M10 | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 | Average 32 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Tablet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -55% | -36% | 40% | -20% | -12% | -18% | 147% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 266.2 | 137.2 -48% | 262.2 -2% | 308.1 16% | 279.9 5% | 300 13% | 242 ? -9% | 761 ? 186% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 180.1 | 83.7 -54% | 147.7 -18% | 82.6 -54% | 52.6 -71% | 90.7 -50% | 100 ? -44% | 452 ? 151% |
| Random Read 4KB | 75 | 12.72 -83% | 27.72 -63% | 73.5 -2% | 52.5 -30% | 62.6 -17% | 42.9 ? -43% | 140.3 ? 87% |
| Random Write 4KB | 23.28 | 10.1 -57% | 9.37 -60% | 77.3 232% | 11.32 -51% | 11.37 -51% | 21.8 ? -6% | 136.2 ? 485% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 77.2 ? | 39.81 ? -48% | 55.5 ? -28% | 83.7 ? 8% | 83.5 ? 8% | 81.2 ? 5% | 71.8 ? -7% | 72 ? -7% |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 52 ? | 31.99 ? -38% | 30.14 ? -42% | 72.8 ? 40% | 61.2 ? 18% | 65.6 ? 26% | 52.9 ? 2% | 40.4 ? -22% |
Games - Solid gaming experience with compromises
The ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU is powerful enough for some light gaming, while its stereo speakers and accelerometer should provide a good gaming experience. The tablet runs Android 9.0 Pie too, so it should be well placed to run modern games like Asphalt 9: Legends or PUBG Mobile.
Unsurprisingly, our review unit could play simpler titles like Shadow Fight 3 at maximum graphics with ease. However, we had to reduce the graphics settings on Asphalt 9: Legends and PUBG Mobile to achieve somewhat playable framerates. Even then, PUBG Mobile could only average 25.1 FPS. Setting Asphalt 9: Legends to high graphics resulted in a jerky 16.3 FPS.
Emissions - Low surface temperatures and stereo sound
Temperature
The Fire HD 10 (2019) manages its surface temperatures well. Our review unit never exceeded 30 °C (86 °F) during our tests, so the tablet should never feel more than lukewarm during prolonged gaming sessions.
Things are just as relaxed internally too. Our review unit did not thermal throttle even after thirty run-throughs of GFXBench Manhattan, a benchmark that trips up most smartphones and tablets. Overall, the SoC should never throttle to prevent itself from overheating.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 30 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 34.1 °C / 93 F, ranging from 21.2 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 29 °C / 84 F, compared to the average of 33.5 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
Speakers
The stereo speakers in our review unit impressed us with their balanced reproduction of mid-range and high-pitched tones. They also get relatively loud, with the pair reaching 86.3 dB(A) during our tests. The speakers lack bass, but this is true of almost all modern mobile devices. Nonetheless, audio reproduced by the speakers in the Fire HD 10 (2019) sounds a little thin to our ears.
You could always connect external audio equipment via the 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth, though. We had no issues with either during our tests.
Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.2% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 67% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 19%, worst was 50%
Compared to all devices tested
» 69% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 28% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 19%, worst was 50%
Compared to all devices tested
» 21% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Power Management - Comparatively low power consumption and excellent battery life
Power Consumption
Our review unit consumes up to 7.68 W under load and 3.71 W when idling, which are fairly unremarkable values. However, the Fire HD 10 (2019) is considerably more frugal than all but the Alcatel 1T 10 of our comparison devices, as the table below demonstrates. By contrast, the Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) and Fire HD 10 (2017) are all about 26% less efficient than our review unit.
The 9 W charger included in the box took about 3:45 hours to recharge our review unit fully during our tests.
| Off / Standby |   0.02 / 0.28 Watt |
| Idle |  1.14 / 3.71 / 3.74 Watt |
| Load |
5.26 / 7.68 Watt |
    
| |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 6300 mAh | Alcatel 1T 10 4000 mAh | Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 6300 mAh | Huawei MediaPad M5 lite 7500 mAh | Lenovo Tab M10 4850 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 6150 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 2% | -25% | -26% | -6% | -28% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.14 | 1.01 11% | 1.55 -36% | 2.8 -146% | 0.98 14% | 1.66 -46% |
| Idle Average * | 3.71 | 3.69 1% | 4.17 -12% | 3.3 11% | 4.45 -20% | 4.28 -15% |
| Idle Maximum * | 3.74 | 3.81 -2% | 4.25 -14% | 3.9 -4% | 4.51 -21% | 4.44 -19% |
| Load Average * | 5.26 | 6.17 -17% | 7.13 -36% | 5.2 1% | 5.78 -10% | 7.53 -43% |
| Load Maximum * | 7.68 | 6.19 19% | 9.63 -25% | 7.2 6% | 7.18 7% | 9.09 -18% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Manufacturers typically overestimate battery claims, but Amazon has done the opposite with the Fire HD 10 (2019). While the company claims that the device should last up to 12 hours between charges, we achieved considerably better results during our tests.
The Fire HD 10 (2019) lasted 24:40 hours during our looped H.264 video test, during which we set the display to 150 cd/m². The tablet also managed a runtime of 15:50 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. In short, the Fire HD 10 (2019) has incredibly good battery life.
| Amazon Fire HD 10 2019 6300 mAh | Alcatel 1T 10 4000 mAh | Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 6300 mAh | Huawei MediaPad M5 lite 7500 mAh | Lenovo Tab M10 4850 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019 6150 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -43% | -32% | 3% | -30% | -7% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1691 | 960 -43% | 2162 28% | 1290 -24% | 1500 -11% | |
| H.264 | 1480 | 585 -60% | 934 -37% | 596 -60% | 838 -43% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 950 | 545 -43% | 542 -43% | 852 -10% | 580 -39% | 723 -24% |
| Load | 228 | 274 20% | 299 31% | 240 5% | 347 52% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - An enticing entry-level tablet
The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019) is one of the cheapest 10-inch plus tablets on the market. The US$150 tablet offers good value for money, although its lock screen advertising may have some people reaching into their pockets for an additional US$15 to remove Amazon's "special offers".
At the start of this review we asked for whom the Fire HD 10 (2019) is suited. Having put the tablet through its paces, we would say that those who are after a device with a large screen on which to browse the web and watch videos would be the best candidates for the Fire HD 10 (2019). While its octa-core SoC is powerful, it cannot play all modern games smoothly. Hence, the Fire HD 10 (2019) would probably irritate avid mobile gamers. The lack of Google functionality out of the box will likely irritate those wishing to download the latest games too. While one can still sideload the Google Play Store, Amazon states that doing so will void your device's warranty.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019) is a decent budget tablet that offers comparatively good performance and battery life. Beware of its Amazon ecosystem though, as you may invalidate your warranty by installing the Google Play Store.
The Fire HD 10 (2019) has excellent battery life too. However, the tablet has woeful cameras, a cheap build and no GPS, all of which one should consider before purchasing it. The Fire OS UI will also take some getting used to as it does not resemble stock Android or most Android skins. Overall, the Fire HD 10 (2019) is ideal for those who are already wedded to Amazon's ecosystem. Deeper Alexa integration and Show Mode are nice touches that help distinguish the Fire HD 10 (2019) from its peers too.
Amazon Fire HD 10 2019
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12/02/2019 v7
Manuel Masiero
Pricecompare
