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Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition Tablet Review

Limited. Amazon's newest iteration of the HD 6 tablet was designed with kids 3 years and up in mind. It is shipped with both a thick foam bumper and accidental damage protection. Our review will clarify how this child-friendly tablet is targeting its demographic.

For the original German review, see here.

Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is actually the previously tested Kindle Fire HD 6 model with the difference that Amazon includes a thick bumper, one year of FreeTime Unlimited, and an extended warranty. The bundle with 8 GB storage is available starting at 149 Euros (~$165). Buyers who want 16 GB have to invest an extra 20 Euros (~$22).

This report particularly concentrates on the features of the Kids Edition. Detailed information concerning technical specifications can be found in the review of the Fire HD 6 phablet.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition (Kindle Fire Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT8135 4 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A7/-A15
Graphics adapter
Memory
1024 MB 
Display
6.00 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
8 GB eMMC Flash, 8 GB 
, 4.5 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: combo headphone and microphone jack (3.5 mm), Sensors: accelerometer and position sensor, Slim Port support
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 26.4 x 192 x 126 ( = 1.04 x 7.56 x 4.96 in)
Battery
13 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 3400 mAh, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 8 h
Operating System
Android 4.4 KitKat
Camera
Webcam: 0.3 MP, primary camera: 2.0 MP
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker with Dolby Digital Plus, Keyboard: virtual, modular power supply, USB cable, bumper, Amazon Free Time, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
360 g ( = 12.7 oz / 0.79 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
149 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The bumper of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition significantly increases the size of the otherwise compact casing. It can even get bigger than many 7-inch tablets, and it also weighs 70 grams (~2.5 oz) more than the conventional Fire HD 6.

The foam bumper is, however, comfortable to hold and feels like a pool noodle. Available in blue and pink, the bumper protects against bumps and short drops at the cost of size. The screen is Corning Glass protected and accordingly scratch resistant.

212.8 mm / 8.38 inch 125.6 mm / 4.94 inch 6.6 mm / 0.2598 inch 301 g0.664 lbs192 mm / 7.56 inch 126 mm / 4.96 inch 26.4 mm / 1.039 inch 360 g0.794 lbs200 mm / 7.87 inch 134.7 mm / 5.3 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 331 g0.73 lbs193.8 mm / 7.63 inch 121.3 mm / 4.78 inch 9.5 mm / 0.374 inch 335 g0.739 lbs183.5 mm / 7.22 inch 103.9 mm / 4.09 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 239 g0.527 lbs169 mm / 6.65 inch 103 mm / 4.06 inch 10.7 mm / 0.4213 inch 290 g0.639 lbs162.8 mm / 6.41 inch 85.4 mm / 3.36 inch 8.7 mm / 0.3425 inch 210 g0.463 lbs157 mm / 6.18 inch 81 mm / 3.19 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

The connectivity is also the same as in the Kindle Fire HD 6. The Kids Edition only supports single-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Neither NFC nor GPS are installed. The USB port is compatible with SlimPort for external displays. The advantage here is that even games can be rendered without lags.

The well-known MediaTek-SoC MT8135 processor is used. Its clock rate has been reduced to 1.5 GHz. One gigabyte of working memory and the integrated PowerVR G6200 graphics unit accompany that. Both ensure decent performance in all common applications and games. Compared with the competition, the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition delivers strong performance for the demanded price. Significantly, it always seems to be a bit faster than identically equipped products. The storage is also enjoyably swift considering the price range.

No changes have been made in terms of cameras, either. The front’s 0.3 megapixels are meager and the 2.0 MP on the rear is still low. Neither one will excite anyone. However, they will certainly suffice for the first pictures shot by preschoolers.

AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
29177 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
26820 Points -8%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
21823 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
36109 Points +24%
Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
123.8 MFLOPS
Huawei MediaPad X1
62.8 MFLOPS -49%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
40.12 MFLOPS -68%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
384.6 MFLOPS +211%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
209 MFLOPS
Huawei MediaPad X1
202 MFLOPS -3%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
129.9 MFLOPS -38%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
770 MFLOPS +268%
Smartbench 2012
Gaming Index (sort by value)
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
4037 points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
3047 points
Huawei MediaPad X1
2311 points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
3423 points
Productivity Index (sort by value)
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
5399 points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
4601 points
Huawei MediaPad X1
5981 points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
7261 points
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
681 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
563 Points -17%
Huawei MediaPad X1
437 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
885 Points +30%
System (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
1401 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
1221 Points -13%
Huawei MediaPad X1
993 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
1534 Points +9%
Memory (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
349 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
472 Points +35%
Huawei MediaPad X1
267 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
464 Points +33%
Graphics (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
562 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
285 Points -49%
Huawei MediaPad X1
394 Points -30%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
1036 Points +84%
Web (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
785 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
609 Points -22%
Huawei MediaPad X1
349 Points -56%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
833 Points +6%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
14 fps
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
9 fps -36%
Huawei MediaPad X1
8.9 fps -36%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
3.8 fps -73%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
22.8 fps +63%
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
21 fps
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
14 fps -33%
Huawei MediaPad X1
8.9 fps -58%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
8.6 fps -59%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
14.1 fps -33%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
754 ms *
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
1713 ms * -127%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
1646 ms * -118%
Huawei MediaPad X1
1277 ms * -69%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
1609 ms * -113%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
1067 ms * -42%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
2510 Points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
2263 Points
Huawei MediaPad X1
1603 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
4376 Points
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
5563 ms *
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
24610 ms * -342%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
15486 ms * -178%
Huawei MediaPad X1
22419 ms * -303%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
26477 ms * -376%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
7895 ms * -42%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
143 MB/s
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
138 MB/s -3%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
115 MB/s -20%
Huawei MediaPad X1
37.58 MB/s -74%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
30.09 MB/s -79%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
89.1 MB/s -38%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
20.13 MB/s
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
45.38 MB/s +125%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
22.35 MB/s +11%
Huawei MediaPad X1
11.26 MB/s -44%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
5.34 MB/s -73%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
18.02 MB/s -10%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
19.25 MB/s
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
15.54 MB/s -19%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
20.25 MB/s +5%
Huawei MediaPad X1
7.62 MB/s -60%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
7.13 MB/s -63%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
11.68 MB/s -39%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
3.44 MB/s
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
2.96 MB/s -14%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
3.39 MB/s -1%
Huawei MediaPad X1
0.78 MB/s -77%
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
0.28 MB/s -92%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
1.46 MB/s -58%
3DMark
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
6656 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
3216 Points -52%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
3350 Points -50%
Huawei MediaPad X1
4169 Points -37%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
8893 Points +34%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
6304 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
2734 Points -57%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
2874 Points -54%
Huawei MediaPad X1
3574 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
8289 Points +31%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
8275 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
8398 Points +1%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
7982 Points -4%
Huawei MediaPad X1
10001 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
11938 Points +44%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
10242 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
4942 Points -52%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
4660 Points -55%
Huawei MediaPad X1
5949 Points -42%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
13897 Points +36%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
10880 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
4340 Points -60%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
4123 Points -62%
Huawei MediaPad X1
5227 Points -52%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
13781 Points +27%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
8497 Points
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F
9598 Points +13%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003)
8562 Points +1%
Huawei MediaPad X1
11513 Points +35%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
14318 Points +69%

Legend

 
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition Mediatek MT8135, PowerVR G6200, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Tab 2 A8-50F MediaTek MT8161, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A20 (NT.L5DEE.003) Mediatek MT8127, ARM Mali-450 MP4, 16 GB SSD
 
Huawei MediaPad X1 HiSilicon Kirin 910, ARM Mali-450 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue HiSilicon k3v2 Hi3620, Vivante GC4000, 8 GB SSD
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Samsung Exynos 5420 Octa, ARM Mali-T628 MP6, 16 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3

Software

Like in all Amazon tablets and smartphones, the proprietary Fire OS is installed on the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. At test time, the versions 4.5.4 and 4.5.5 were preloaded. The user interfaces does not look different from other Amazon tablets, such as on the Fire HDX 8.9. The familiar app carousel is also on board again. The usual restrictions of only being able to install apps from the Amazon Store, just like the possibility of installing Google apps manually, has been maintained despite its Android 4.4 basis. We will deal more closely with the features specially designed for children in the course of this report. We would like to point out here that there is no adware-free version of this tablet available. Commercials will thus always be displayed on the lock screen.

Lock screen
App carousel
App shop

Profile for Kids

Like in all Amazon devices, it is possible to create a profile for every child living in the household and to manage them in the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. Existing profiles will be transferred to the new device when a product from the US company is already owned. Unfortunately, that does not apply to the settings of every single user. Installing various apps is suggested after initial start, but possibly saved data of educational apps or games are not maintained. On the other hand, the progress in a book is adopted.

When a new user is created, it is possible to select between an adult and child profile. Amazon divides the latter into two age groups. However, we did not see any changes apart from a marginally different looking design.

A general parental control can be enabled in the settings that blocks in-app purchases or posts in social networks. Furthermore, usage times for every child can be set individually. Thus, it is possible to lock applications and impose runtime limitations. That means that each child must have finished an educational goal or have done some reading before watching videos or playing games. On its own a good idea, but the devil is in the details. Educational apps have to be marked by the app developers. For example, the app "Connie Fun Learning Math Grade 1" Lite version is identified as such. However, it no longer functions when the full version is purchased because the developers, according to Amazon support, forgot to check a box. Therefore, it would be convenient if parents could define which apps are educational. Besides that, the usage time can only be set for every device and not for every child. The offspring can play for one hour on the device every day when half an hour has been set in two kid's profiles.

It is incomprehensible that children do not have access to audio books and music or audio dramas. We would also wish that parents could determine what contents are open for their children here. Amazon would also actually benefit from that since the company offers that in digital form.

FreeTime Unlimited

A special feature of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is that it includes one-year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for free. It normally costs between 36 and 120 Euros (~$40 and $133) for this period depending on whether or not the subscriber is a Prime member and how many children are to use this offer. A maximum of four children is possible.

FreeTime Unlimited involves the full access on eBooks, apps, and videos from Amazon's product line that are suitable for children from three to six. Adults thus do not really benefit from that. On the other hand, the children have the freedom of choice and can consume whatever they like. However, parents will usually want to have more influence especially with videos, and it is possible to block content for each child no matter whether it is an app, a book or a video.

The biggest drawback of this exuberant entertainment offer is that it almost always requires an online connection. It is always needed for video streaming; movies and series cannot be cached offline. This does not apply to apps or books. However, account settings for the children are linked to an online connection. This will hardly be noticed at home, but that looks different when on vacation. For example, simple onscreen time cannot be extended. That can be a small pitfall especially when traveling and the children's entertainment center suddenly says good-bye.

Amazon's entertainment bundle focuses on children's entertainment. Educational offers are scarce, and parental control support makes it easier for parents to manage usage. It, however, does not absolve them from the responsibility of showing their children a healthy interaction with the medium.

Accessories

In addition to a modular power supply and USB data cable, Amazon includes a big foam bumper for the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. Although it increases its size noticeably, it also protects the device against smaller drops.

Warranty

Another feature is the warranty service of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. Besides the usual 24-month warranty, the US company includes a worry-free warranty for the same period. It promises that Amazon will repair or replace the device in case of damage providing the bumper has been used. For example, if the tablet falls awkwardly from a table and the screen tears, it will be replaced - a useful service that especially makes sense with smaller children.

Display

The 6-inch IPS screen in Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is also identical with the one in the previously tested Fire HD 6. A detailed evaluation can be found in the corresponding review.

397
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
393
cd/m²
411
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
395
cd/m²
402
cd/m²
360
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 411 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 382.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 411 cd/m²
Contrast: 979:1 (Black: 0.42 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.32 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.96 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 1.94
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei MediaPad X1
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
GC4000, k3v2 Hi3620, 8 GB SSD
Apple iPad Mini 3
PowerVR G6430, A7, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 Lite
Vivante GC1000+ Dual-Core, PXA986, 8 GB SSD
Asus MeMO Pad 7 (ME572CL)
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia One 7 B1-730
SGX544MP2, Z2560, 8 GB SSD
Screen
10%
-15%
-2%
-49%
15%
-8%
Brightness middle
411
513
25%
357
-13%
357
-13%
301
-27%
562
37%
368
-10%
Brightness
383
484
26%
357
-7%
344
-10%
269
-30%
541
41%
353
-8%
Brightness Distribution
88
90
2%
92
5%
86
-2%
80
-9%
91
3%
89
1%
Black Level *
0.42
0.57
-36%
0.45
-7%
0.61
-45%
0.62
-48%
0.55
-31%
0.42
-0%
Contrast
979
900
-8%
793
-19%
585
-40%
485
-50%
1022
4%
876
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.32
3.12
41%
6.88
-29%
3.35
37%
9.08
-71%
3.37
37%
5.79
-9%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.96
3.83
23%
6.71
-35%
2.09
58%
10.45
-111%
4.35
12%
6.07
-22%
Gamma
1.94 113%
2.24 98%
2.67 82%
2.4 92%
2.57 86%
2.46 89%
2.53 87%
CCT
6376 102%
6965 93%
7537 86%
6851 95%
12416 52%
6992 93%
7776 84%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
55

* ... smaller is better


ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
Colorspace (target color space: sRGB)
Colorspace (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
Remains well-legible even outdoors
Remains well-legible even outdoors
Viewing angle stability: Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
Viewing angle stability: Fire HD 6 Kids Edition

Emissions

Temperature

The surface temperatures of our review sample are palpably lower than those ascertained in the test of the Fire HD 6 (max. 49.6 °C/121.3 °F). The manufacturer's fine-tuning in the software might be responsible for that. The Kids tablet reaches a maximum of 45.2 °C (113.4 °F) on the tablet's surface. Even with the bumper it is only 38.7 °C (101.7 °F).

The Kids Edition also convinced in the stress test using the Battery Test of GFXBench 3.1. Even after running the T-Rex test thirty times in succession, throttling was never observed, and the temperatures on the SoC were never excessively high.

Max. Load
 41.3 °C
106 F
38.6 °C
101 F
36.2 °C
97 F
 
 41.6 °C
107 F
39.4 °C
103 F
36.9 °C
98 F
 
 41.7 °C
107 F
36.4 °C
98 F
35.2 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 41.7 °C = 107 F
Average: 38.6 °C = 101 F
38.1 °C
101 F
44.1 °C
111 F
45.2 °C
113 F
38.3 °C
101 F
43.7 °C
111 F
44.6 °C
112 F
38.3 °C
101 F
38.7 °C
102 F
43.9 °C
111 F
Maximum: 45.2 °C = 113 F
Average: 41.7 °C = 107 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.5 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.7 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.3 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

For a device of this size and in view of the relatively weak SoC, the power consumption of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is quite high. A slightly increased energy requirement is evident in standby, and under load the little tablet guzzles quite heavily from the suitably strong 3400 mAh battery.

The power supply has a nominal output of 10 watts, which is sufficient.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.2 / 2.3 / 2.6 Watt
Load midlight 6.4 / 7.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 870
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The runtimes of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition are only middling. The review sample only achieves last place in the load test, and delivers a weak result. When considering that this device will mainly be used for gaming, the given battery life is not particularly long.

The best comparison would be achieved using the Wi-Fi test with a screen brightness set to 150 cd/m². However, the other comparison devices were tested with the old script, which was considerably less demanding on the products. It can be said that the runtime will roughly be on par with the contenders.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
5h 27min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 42min
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
GC4000, k3v2 Hi3620, 8 GB SSD
Asus MeMO Pad 7 (ME572CL)
PowerVR G6430, Z3560, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia One 7 B1-730
SGX544MP2, Z2560, 8 GB SSD
Apple iPad Mini 3
PowerVR G6430, A7, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 Lite
Vivante GC1000+ Dual-Core, PXA986, 8 GB SSD
Battery Runtime
1%
67%
23%
30%
42%
WiFi v1.3
327
Load
162
163
1%
270
67%
200
23%
210
30%
230
42%
WiFi
408
432
410
533
330
H.264
612

Pros

+ Good screen
+ 1-year FreeTime Unlimited included
+ 2-year worry-free warranty
+ Bumper included

Cons

- Limited operating system
- Tight internal storage (8 GB model)
- Storage non-expandable
- Very online dependent
- No adware-free version

Verdict

In review: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. Review sample courtesy of Amazon Germany
In review: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition. Review sample courtesy of Amazon Germany

Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is almost 50 percent more expensive than the Fire HD 6, but it includes one year of FreeTime Unlimited, an extended warranty, and a foam bumper. The extra cost is quite justified if the tablet is purchased with a smaller child in mind, and even older children will have fun with it. Only the operating system's extreme dependency on Amazon might be annoying, and the entertainment offer could be very limited when no online connection is available. Besides that, it is very regrettable that Amazon does not give children access to audio contents in their profiles.

The Kids Edition offers free-time fun for both older and younger children.

A better configuration will be hard to find for the price if the device is mainly used for media consumption and the mentioned restrictions can be accepted. The superb extras would actually be worth an upgrade, if it were not for the weak operating system.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition - 08/03/2015 v4(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
68%
Keyboard
71 / 80 → 89%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
36 / 65 → 55%
Weight
85 / 40-88 → 94%
Battery
88%
Display
83%
Games Performance
58 / 68 → 85%
Application Performance
31 / 76 → 41%
Temperature
84%
Noise
100%
Audio
38 / 91 → 42%
Camera
29 / 85 → 34%
Average
66%
81%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Daniel Schmidt, 2015-08-17 (Update: 2018-05-15)