Our daughters don’t need their own computers or high-end tablets, but they are old enough to want their own devices. We see children younger than them playing with iPads, smartphones, and even high-end convertible (2-in1) PCs. Do children need a Surface Pro or the best Samsung Galaxy model? No, they don’t.
We did consider Chromebooks for the girls. I’m not entirely opposed to the concept, which reminds me of the 1990s efforts to sell network terminals as something new and wonderful. Chromebooks are, after all, little more than dumb terminals that rely on Google’s web-based tools for productivity.
Consider my shock to learn a mid-range Chromebook would cost $300 to $500. I’d rather buy the girls each iPads for that price along with Bluetooth keyboards. Only 8 gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of storage for $500? It felt like a rip-off to me. A well-reviewed $200 Chromebook featured a 12-inch screen, 4 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage.
After reading dozens of reviews and considering how much control we would have over what the girls did, Susan and I agreed that the new Amazon Fire HD 10 (Kids’ Pro edition) met our requirements.
I haven’t been a fan of the Amazon Fire line of tablets. Previous models were underpowered, poorly constructed, and featured the worst screens I’ve seen. The screens reflected everything, especially overhead lights, making them difficult to use without tilting them for a good-enough viewing angle.
Although Amazon Fire tablets use the popular Android operating system, their lack of sufficient memory and processing power prevented earlier models from running popular apps, including Microsoft Office. The older models also struggled to play videos without stuttering. Friends with Fire tablets have said they prefer their Kindle e-readers, which suggests Amazon cares more about the Kindle product line.
To my surprise, the Fire HD 10 can run Microsoft Office applications well enough. With a Bluetooth keyboard, its quite possible to do some basic schoolwork on the Fire HD 10. With new 8-core processors, decent 244 pixel-per-inch screens, extra memory, and expandable storage, the Fire HD 10 almost (but not quite) matches the cheapest tablets from Samsung and Lenovo. Even the two cameras are surprisingly good.
For $129 each, we purchased two Fire HD 10 Kids’ Pro tablets. Adding 128 GB memory cards for $30 each, the Fire tablets easily play movies, support games, and run Microsoft Office.
The Fire HD 10 Kids’ edition, includes a year of the Amazon Kids+ subscription service. Amazon Kids+ includes thousands of books, videos, apps, and more. The girls have already located many of their favorite books in the Amazon library. The service is $3 per month after the first year, which will cost us $72 annually.
We will cancel the Amazon Kids+ as each girl reaches 13 years old. There isn’t much content for teens.
Amazon knows children can be rough on tablets. The rugged cases we let the girls choose include integrated stands. The real clincher for us was the two-year full-replacement warranty. If anything happens to a tablet, Amazon will send you a replacement.
The girls also share a Mac mini, a Windows PC, and a Raspberry Pi we assembled for gaming. The Fire HD 10 tablets are their “personal” devices, while the computers are mostly for schoolwork.
We’re pleased with the Kindles and I believe the girls are, too.