# Any android tablets that can compete with Kindle Fire's price? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432 "2016-04-17T01:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/1 "2016-04-17T01:47:14Z")
So Kindle Fire’s are $50 when they are not on sale. My wife is a very small-time user of apps and portable devices. She currently has an Ipod 4th generation that we got used about 18 months ago. She also has a cheapo Samsung phone(it was $50 on sale) she uses as a phone and a few Android apps. She mainly wants to stably run the following apps and is willing to use the Kindle ereader app to read books. Meaning, she does not need a specific ereader. Her top apps are: Facebook Hasbro Upwords - we play this every single day Google Chrome(internet usage) Email checking and writing Note: We saw that Kindle requires using the Amazon app store instead of Google Play. It doesn’t have Hasbro Upwords and I’ve heard it doesn’t have other apps as well. This is what started us shopping around. Anyone have a reasonable competitor, even if it is Huawei or some off brand. If it is $75 or less, we don’t mind replacing it if it breaks in a year or so. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/2 "2016-04-17T04:26:23Z")
I’ve been tempted by the Fire and other cheap sub 100 dollar tablets but stepped back because of the crappy resolution. I’m nearsighted and do not use glasses when viewing a tablet and near details are very clear to me. All cheap tablets with 1024x768 type resolutions are like looking through a screen door re visual quality because I can see the difference close up. [I paid more for the Samsung Tab S 8.4](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KHA2DQM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687682&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00HWMPRKM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=14NS2WSSV44GZAXNMAKG) and it’s 2560x1600 high resolution makes all the difference in the world re readability. My eyes are worth an extra 200 or 300 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/3 "2016-04-17T04:55:14Z")
Just my two cents (my daughter has a Fire), if that’s really all you want to use, it’s certainly worth saving the money. But, IMHO, I _hate_ the UI. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the only tablet my 10 year old (8 when she got it) as have used, but I struggle to do just about anything with that OS. It seems very clunky. IIRC, the Fire’s OS just sits on top of an Android OS, it just seems a bit too customized. I’m not sure what their endgame is but, to be honest, it’s just that stupid carousel that pisses me off. Well, a few other things, but the carousel, really bugs me. It makes it a real PITA to find stuff. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/4 "2016-04-17T06:49:34Z")
Yeah, I’m not a fan of our Fire, but it’s for the kids. It’s android, but it has Amazon lock-in, so a lot of android apps can’t run unless you root or sideload them. Just today I discovered there’s apparently no program available to play the digital copy of the Peanuts Movie that we got with our DVD. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/5 "2016-04-17T09:25:24Z")
I had a Samsung Galaxy 2, I think, which I inherited from my husband when he upgraded his tablet. It’s cracked in two places but still works. I haven’t picked it up in months. I’m like the OP’s wife in that I’m not a big data user either on my smartphone. I just don’t see the reason for having any kind of tablet when my phone does the same exact job, albeit on a smaller screen :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/6 "2016-04-17T12:23:16Z")
Is rooting the current gen of the Fire easy and relatively painless? Sent from my SM-S765C using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/7 "2016-04-17T13:55:10Z")
A year ago I paid $50 at Best Buy, shelf price, for a Digiland DL701Q. I love it,it is very serviceable, works well, durable. But I have nothing to compare it with, it is the only tablet Ive ever owned. Amazon has it listed today at $44.90. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/8 "2016-04-17T14:21:37Z")
[Walmart](http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-7-Tablet-16GB-Quad-Core/45804400)has a cheap tablet by RCA. I seriously considered it, but ended up getting a kindle fire when it was on sale for $40. Reviews are fairly good at 4 stars total, about half the reviews are 5 stars and only 10% are 1 star. However there were enough bad reviews to dissuade me. ---
**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/9 "2016-04-17T15:14:30Z")
You can generally “sideload” apps into the Kindle Fire (download them on another computer, then load them via usb cable onto the Kindle). This is a little annoying, but if that one app is all that is keeping you from getting a Kindle then you only have to do it once. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/10 "2016-04-17T16:15:00Z")
Please note: the famous $50 Android tablet from Amazon is NOT a “Kindle” Fire. It’s just a Fire. Amazon used to make something called a “Kindle Fire” but you do _not_ want to order one of those now. (Unless you like out of date tech and get a good bargain on an almost new one.) From here on, Amazon apparently will be using the label “Kindle” solely for their e-readers. I have one. I rooted it for various reasons. Not hard to do. Amazon keeps plugging rooting holes in their OS updates so I can’t promise you that you will be able to root it. Check on the status of things at the xda-evelopers forum for the [Fire](http://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire). Do not buy anything labeled “RCA” or some such. The RCA brand was sold off with different companies owning the rights for different products. The RCA tablet rights is no doubt owned by a company that makes really cheap knock offs. Do not buy any no name tablets. Complete waste of money. Since Amazon subsidizes their tablets cost and hopes to make it back when you buy media/apps from them, no other company can compete at this level. Amazon also has _far_ better customer service than the other cheap tablet makers. You get a real one year warranty and easy return policy. Plus phone and online support. The Fire is “good enough” for basic purposes. If you have any notable needs such as full HD resolution (which would usually only be noticeable on a larger screen), fast processor, etc., then it won’t do. It really is just for the basics. You can install the Google Play Store software when rooted and possibly even if not. But I like mine even for viewing Prime video. Good enough for me. For you? I don’t know what you want it for. (It’s also on sale for \<$50 quite often. If you’re in no rush and are really cheap, wait.) Carousel?? It’s not even a year old, let alone 30. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/11 "2016-04-17T18:16:46Z")
Is rooting relatively safe aside from breaking the waranty? [How does one root this model of Kindle Fire?](http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Display-Wi-Fi-GB-Special/dp/B00TSUGXKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460916698&sr=8-1&keywords=kindle+fire) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/12 "2016-04-17T19:27:08Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Please note: the famous $50 Android tablet from Amazon is NOT a “Kindle” Fire. It’s just a Fire. > > Amazon used to make something called a “Kindle Fire” but you do _not_ want to order one of those now. (Unless you like out of date tech and get a good bargain on an almost new one.) > > From here on, Amazon apparently will be using the label “Kindle” solely for their e-readers. > > I have one. I rooted it for various reasons. Not hard to do. Amazon keeps plugging rooting holes in their OS updates so I can’t promise you that you will be able to root it. Check on the status of things at the xda-evelopers forum for the [Fire](http://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire). > > Do not buy anything labeled “RCA” or some such. The RCA brand was sold off with different companies owning the rights for different products. The RCA tablet rights is no doubt owned by a company that makes really cheap knock offs. > > Do not buy any no name tablets. Complete waste of money. > > Since Amazon subsidizes their tablets cost and hopes to make it back when you buy media/apps from them, no other company can compete at this level. > > Amazon also has _far_ better customer service than the other cheap tablet makers. You get a real one year warranty and easy return policy. Plus phone and online support. > > The Fire is “good enough” for basic purposes. If you have any notable needs such as full HD resolution (which would usually only be noticeable on a larger screen), fast processor, etc., then it won’t do. It really is just for the basics. > > You can install the Google Play Store software when rooted and possibly even if not. > > But I like mine even for viewing Prime video. Good enough for me. For you? I don’t know what you want it for. > > (It’s also on sale for \<$50 quite often. If you’re in no rush and are really cheap, wait.) > > Carousel?? It’s not even a year old, let alone 30. What is the price cutoff for a halfway decent tablet that isn’t an amazon fire? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/13 "2016-04-17T19:52:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What is the price cutoff for a halfway decent tablet that isn’t an amazon fire? Not sure if you are asking me, but $75 or less was the idea. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/14 "2016-04-17T20:41:50Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > [Walmart](http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-7-Tablet-16GB-Quad-Core/45804400)has a cheap tablet by RCA. I seriously considered it, but ended up getting a kindle fire when it was on sale for $40. > > Reviews are fairly good at 4 stars total, about half the reviews are 5 stars and only 10% are 1 star. However there were enough bad reviews to dissuade me. I bought an RCA tablet for the grandkids, not very dependable. Got a few kindle fires, they seem to work a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/15 "2016-04-17T21:24:03Z")
I might do this, which allows you to install Google Play on a Fire. It does NOT require rooting, apparently. I hope it works. Has anyone else done this? > **[Remove Ads and Install Google Play on Kindle Fire Without Root](https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/install-google-play-remove-lockscreen-ads-amazon-fire-tablet-without-root/)** > > Get more from your Amazon Fire tablet! Here's how to install Google Play on a Kindle Fire and remove Amazon Fire ads without root for free. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/16 "2016-04-19T06:51:37Z")
Cut out the middleman and buy factory direct from [Lenovo.com](http://Lenovo.com), starting at $69. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/17 "2016-04-19T09:15:24Z")
My buddy just got one of these. Kind of pricey, I think, but he and the other tech-heads in the clan think it’s a pretty good value, and he’s happy. If I’m reading it right, it’s cheaper than at the Lenovo website. > **[Amazon.com : Lenovo TAB2 A10 - 10.1" Tablet (ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core, FHD IPS,...](https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-TAB2-A10-Quad-Core-ZA000001US/dp/B00TR05L9Y)** > > Amazon.com : Lenovo TAB2 A10 - 10.1" Tablet (ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core, FHD IPS, 2GB SDRAM, 16GB SSD, Android 4.4 KitKat) ZA000001US : Electronics I have a Kindle Fire HD7. I was in the hospital at the time, and figured my sister couldn’t go far wrong buying a Kindle. I wish I had an android, but I’ve got a lot of use out of it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/18 "2016-04-19T15:44:56Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > My buddy just got one of these. Kind of pricey, I think, but he and the other tech-heads in the clan think it’s a pretty good value, and he’s happy. If I’m reading it right, it’s cheaper than at the Lenovo website. > > [http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y](http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y) > > I have a Kindle Fire HD7. I was in the hospital at the time, and figured my sister couldn’t go far wrong buying a Kindle. I wish I had an android, but I’ve got a lot of use out of it anyway. I just bought one of those as a gift and had about a month with it while configuring it to make it Android/tablet newbie friendly. It has 1080p, GPS (but no compass) and other very good specs for the price point. Nice build quality and performance - feels like a device that cost twice as much! But as for the OP, now that I’m at a PC and can better search and link, I’d be all over [this deal on the 7" for $79.](http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-59445601-7-Inch-Tablet-Black/dp/B015XI3F96/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&srs=13997023011&ie=UTF8&qid=1461080220&sr=1-4&refinements=p_n_operating_system_browse-bin%3A3077590011) (Looks like quantities might be limited, although they say “more on the way.”) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/19 "2016-04-19T15:58:34Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > My buddy just got one of these. Kind of pricey, I think, but he and the other tech-heads in the clan think it’s a pretty good value, and he’s happy. If I’m reading it right, it’s cheaper than at the Lenovo website. > > [http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y](http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y) I own one of those. It’s a very nice price for a decent 10" tablet that isn’t some no-name model from Big Lots. Says KitKat on the description but it has an upgrade to Lollipop once you get it running. It’s not as overall “nice” as a $300+ 10" tablet but I’ve been very happy with it as a sub-$200 tablet. My tablet uses are pretty much exclusively in my home or perhaps at a hotel so I like having the larger screen. I also own its smaller brother the Lenovo Tab 2 A8, an 8" tablet which prices around $120 and can be had for around $100 on sale. I bought that and a rubber bumper after my little one’s Nabi (kid designed tablet) got flaky and have been very pleased with it. An extra 32gb memory card for all of $8 means he can hold tons of apps including the obnoxiously large “Endless…” series of educational apps that run over a gig each if you buy all the packages. He’s had it for a year now and it has held up to the usual bumps and spills, though he doesn’t throw it at the driveway or swing it at the wall or anything. From personal experience, I can recommend the Lenovo Tab 2 A8 or A10 as nice, relatively low cost tablets with very minimal bloatware and decent hardware for the price. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432/20 "2016-04-19T16:32:50Z")
I’ve got a Fire HD7 which I use the crap out of. I also have the $50 fire tablet. I haven’t used it for movies yet. I use it primarily for Prime radio at work. Prime radio saves my sanity when I don’t want to hear any more directives from helicopter mom in the next cube. No commercials, and the only fee is the Prime membership. I get a lot of usage out of that membership. I didn’t really need this Fire. In addition to the HD 7, I have an original Fire tablet from 2011. I was just curious about a $50 tablet. I use all three pretty regularly for different purposes, though i can change them back and forth if one needs to recharge. I am NOT a technically savvy person so you have to take my endorsement with that particular grain of salt. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-android-tablets-that-can-compete-with-kindle-fires-price/752432.md?page=2)