Amazon's ad-supported Fire HD 10 has dropped to $72.99, a new low, as the company winds down the Fire HD line in favor of much pricier Alexa Tablets.
The 2023 model, in its 32GB with-ads configuration, normally lists at $139.99. At the sale price it costs slightly less than the smaller Fire HD 8, which makes the comparison easy. The HD 10 has a 10.1-inch 1080p screen, better front-facing cameras for video calls, and up to 13 hours of battery life. A microSD slot accepts cards up to 1TB, and there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which newer iPads lack. The tablet will keep receiving security updates.
It also supports Alexa Plus, the upgraded AI assistant that Prime members can use for free. The reviewers who tested it found it useful for managing a smart home but got mixed results on other tasks.
The main catch is software. The Fire HD 10 runs Fire OS rather than Android, so Google's app store is missing. Sideloading Android apps is possible with relative ease, but the low-end hardware may struggle with demanding apps and games. The new Alexa Tablets, by contrast, ship with the Google Play Store.
That contrast is the real story behind the discount. Amazon's Fire tablets were long the cheap, good-enough option, and the replacement trades that low price for the app access Fire OS never had. For anyone who mostly streams, reads, and browses, $72.99 buys most of what matters. The open question is how many buyers will pay the Alexa Tablet premium once the cheaper Fire is gone.