Big tablet segment is quite big and has been dominated by iPad Air2 and its predecessors. It’s mainly because none of another manufacturer really tried to penetrate this market. This is due to ultimate features of iPad. Recently Amazon’s Fire HD was launched to provide an alternative in this segment. Although there are some similarities in some ways, there is a major difference of operating system. Amazon’s Fire HD 10 runs on Android while Apple iPad air 2 uses its default iOS.
If you are looking for a tablet, is Amazon Fire HD 10 is a smart purchase or its features fall short compared to the iPad Air 2?
The cost of Fire HD 10 is starting $229 for 16 GB variant and some special offers are also there. It is available in black and white color with the plastic finish or a silver colored metal finish. Fire HD 10 also offers 32GB and 64GB of storage variants. There is an option to get the money-saving lock screen ads for an additional amount of $15.
The iPad Air 2 starts at $399 for the basic variant of 32GB with Wi-Fi configuration. It comes only in metal finish with silver, gold, and gray color options. While Apple offers higher base storage, it also has a 128GB model available at $499.
When we take storage into consideration, Fire HD 10 has an edge against iPad Air 2. Since Apple doesn’t offer microSD card slot option and sealed off storage space what you purchase. On the other hand, Fire HD 10 offers microSD card slot for expandable storage. Thus, you have the option to purchase a low-cost tablet and buy a lost cost memory card and get quite high storage.
However, when we compare the all-round specs Apple’s iPad Air 2 has an edge over Fire HD 10 with its high-end feature even being more expensive than Fire HD 10.
Be it display (2048 x 1536 9.6” retina display), processor, RAM or camera iPad Air 2 has an upper hand on Fire HD 10. But there are some more factors need to be considered while purchasing and not only hardware.
When we talk about software, Fire HD 10 runs on Android but not the same you get on other devices. It does not have Google there but Amazon with customized Fire OS. With time Amazon improved its OS considerably and it’s easy to navigate at the same time. On the other hand, iPad Air 2 is loaded with iOS and its AI feature.
The Amazon Prime Video and Kindle experience on the Fire HD 10 is still best, even if you can get it on the iPad. What’s also better on the Fire HD 10 is the specialized mode for your kids. With Freetime, for a small fee, you can create a locked, curated area of the Fire HD 10 for your child.
For new users, $170 excess money for getting iPad Air 2 is too much just a little bit less than double of Fire HD 10. The iPad Air 2 is surely high on specification and will be better for playing high-end games but spending $170 for that is not worth.
