Amazon offers Black Friday pricing on most Fire tablets
It won't cost much to get a no-frills tablet.
Don't fret if you wanted a basic tablet but missed out on holiday sales. Amazon is running a limited-time sale that has dropped prices on most of its current Fire tablets to Black Friday levels. The Fire HD 8 has dropped from its usual $80 down to $50, while the flagship Fire HD 10 has dipped from $150 to an easier-to-handle $100. You can also get the Fire 7 Kids Edition for $60 (normally $100), its Fire HD 8 equivalent for $80 (usually $130) and the kid-ready Fire HD 10 for $150 (typically $200). The regular Fire 7 slate isn't discounted as steeply, although it's still on sale at $35.
Amazon hasn't said when the promo ends, so you might want to act quickly if you're seriously considering one of the tablets.
As usual, these tablets are mostly appealing for their sheer value. You can get a tablet that handles the basics, plus Amazon-specific features like hands-free Alexa, for considerably less than alternatives from rivals like Apple or Samsung. However, the same caveats apply as well. Amazon's custom take on Android doesn't offer access to the Play Store or Google-made apps, and you shouldn't expect brisk performance or any hardware bells and whistles. We're particularly wary of the current Fire 7 due to its sluggish processor, short battery life and mediocre display. It's just as well that the Fire 7's current discount is modest, then -- you're better off with the Fire HD 8 unless you simply can't spend the extra $15.
