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Amazon Fire 7 (2017)
Amazon Fire 7 (2017)
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7.1/10
Informr score
The Amazon Fire 7 (2017) currently has an Informr score of 7.1 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 14 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Price
  • Sturdy design
  • Great integration with Amazon services

What's bad

  • Low resolution display
  • Bad cameras
  • No Google Apps support
  • Tinny speaker
  • Dim display in bright lighting

Amazon upturned the budget tablet market with the release of the 2015 Fire 7, but a lot has changed since then. Except for the specs on the latest Fire 7. But then the price hasn’t changed either. So while you're not getting much more, you're not paying any more either.

Does the latest budget-friendly tablet from Amazon still have what it takes to keep buyer’s happy? Reviewers are releasing their take and we’ve read through them all to bring you this summary!

Unlike past releases that required you to pick up a case to add flair to your tablet, the 2017 Fire 7 comes in a choice of 4 different colors. Reviewers found that the plastic chassis felt sturdy while the rounded edges make it comfortable to hold for extended periods.

The biggest complaint related to the speaker placement. Tucked into the corner on the back of the device, reviewers often mentioned that their hands muffled the sound while watching movies or gaming.

Heading around front, reviews are mixed. The tablet features a 7-inch LCD screen running at 1024-by-600. This is lower than many budget smartphones with smaller displays. While color and contrast received decent marks. Most reviews weren’t excited about the clarity or brightness on offer.

TechRadar noted, “If you had any aspirations of taking your new Fire 7 out into the sunshine this summer, you’ll be sorely disappointed.”

Yet, the low resolution display makes it easier for the 1.3Ghz quad-core MediaTek processor to keep up. Even paired with only 1GB of RAM, most reviewers found decent performance. Yes, there are delays opening apps and multitasking isn’t the tablet’s strongest feature. But once things load, reviews noted that they move along at a decent clip.

The Kindle Fire 7 (2017) comes with 8 to 16GB of internal storage. Most reviewers recommended upgrading to the 16GB model. Though you’ll also find a microSD slot for further expansion if needed.

If you’ve used another tablet, the FireOS 5 interface is likely very different. Reviewers all agree that it’s great for digging around in the Amazon ecosystem. If you've used a FireOS device in the past and didn't like the carousel, the new homepage provides a more traditional approach to accessing apps.

But you still won’t find access to Google’s Play Store or Google Apps without doing manual tweaking yourself. So unless you’re looking to dig into settings and search forums, you’ll need to be sure that everything you need is on the Amazon App store.

While battery life was respectable (5 to 8 hours on a single charge), many reviewers found their tablet took just as long to charge thanks to the 1A charger included.

The tablet’s camera saw no love from reviewers. In fact, some recommended just removing them. The rear camera is only 2MP and the front-facing lens is 0.3MP. This is low even by budget standards and the results are predictably noisy and lack detail.

TechRadar noted, “The pictures this 2MP camera takes are universally terrible. On a sunny day, normal landscape shots were both blown out and incredibly grainy.”

Overall, the price is the saving grace of this tablet for most reviews. Especially if you’re already a part of Amazon’s Prime service or frequently purchase from their site. The Guardian summed up reviews well, saying, “The Fire 7 isn’t amazing, but it gets the job of consuming media done at an absolutely rock-bottom price, and is much more capable with other tasks than you might expect.”


Fire OS
Operating system
Operating system
Fire OS
1.3 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.3 GHz
7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
7"
2+ MP
Camera
Camera
2+ MP
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Laptop Mag
Laptop Mag

While you can find other tablets that cost under $50, most are from no-name companies or are way out of date. When you consider the Fire 7's strong build quality, easy access to Amazon services and dead-simple interface, this tablet is almost in a class by itself. However, to reach this price, Amazo...

- Ben Moore, Laptop Mag
Tech.Co
Tech.Co

The Fire 7 is the entry-level Amazon tablet, and the first thing that anyone notices about is that price tag. So what do you get for the money? We’ll admit that the specs are basic, but if you’re mainly a web surfer or social media addict, you won’t find better for the price. It’ll run most apps wit...

- Jack Turner, Tech.Co
Wired
Wired

Like a pair of tight slacks after a heavy holiday meal, the Amazon Fire 7 left me wishing for a little extra wiggle room.

- Jeffrey Van Camp, Wired
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

The latest Amazon Fire 7 tablet will once again only suffice for the most modest users.

- Marcus Herbrich, Notebookcheck
Pocket-lint
Pocket-lint

The Fire 7 has won itself a lot of fans based on its happy-go-lucky positioning at the bottom of the tablet pile. It's one of those devices that you'd probably dismiss based on the spec sheet, if it wasn't for its ridiculously affordable price point. Instead, this tablet is one of the best tech barg...

- Chris Hall, Pocket-lint


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Quick view

Screen Size
7"

The Amazon Fire 7 (2017)'s screen size is 7 inches with 600 x 1024 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.3 GHz

There is a MediaTek MT8127D Quad core 1.3 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on the Fire OS 5 operating system (OS).

Camera
2+ MP
You can take photos with the phone's onboard 2+ MP camera. There is also a secondary front facing camera with VGA (640 x 480) resolution.
Storage
8/16 GB

Internal memory is 8/16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
Amazon's performance ratings are 8 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

Fire 7 (2017) Specs

Overview
Release Date June 7, 2017
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Fire OS 5

Compare Fire OS Smartphones

Processor MediaTek MT8127D Quad core 1.3 GHz
Internal Storage 8/16 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support Unknown
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB)
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
No
Additional Main Camera Info
Effects, Self-timer
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, MKV
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
VGA (640 x 480)+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 600 x 1024 pixels
Pixel density 171 pixels
Size 7 inches
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Capacity Unknown
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 6 hours
Video Playback Time Up to 8 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 8 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black, Canary Yellow, Marine Blue, Punch Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 19.3 x 11.4 x 1 cm (7.6 x 4.5 x 0.4 in)
Weight 295 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech Yes
Screen Reader Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Amazon Fire 7 (7th Gen)
Related Links Amazon Fire 7 (2017) Reviews
Where to buy Amazon Fire 7 (2017)
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