As is custom with the gadget reviews posted on this site; this article will not be looking for “winners” or “losers. Small screen sizes for example can be a “loss” for users that want to watch movies on their device. While on the other hand small screen sizes might be a benefit for people who want to travel or put their devices in their pockets. We’re not going to tell you what *you* need. This review is just going to compare the iPad and the Kindle Fire HD so that you’re able to decide which one fits your needs and your budget.
Display
Photo from Moyeamedia
The Kindle Fire HD‘s screen size is 8.9″ while the iPad‘s is 9.7″. Although both of these devices have a similar height, the Kindle Fire is significantly less wide. The Kindle‘s resolution is 1920 x 1200 with a PPI of 254. The iPad on the other hand has a resolution of 2048 x 1536 with a PPI of 264. PPI stands for pixels per inch, which indicates the density of pixels in the display. A higher value indicates a better resolution.
RAM and Processor
The Kindle Fire is powered by a TI OMAP 4470 dual core processor running at 1.5GHz. The iPad on the other hand is powered by Apple’s A6X dual core 1.5GHz processor. Both of these tablets have the capacity to run high-end 3D games with ease.
The Kindle Fire and iPad both feature 1GB of random-access memory (RAM).
Size and Weight
The Kindle Fire HD is actually 6% thinner than the iPad. But this can probably be attributed to the fact that it’s slightly less wide. The dimensions and weight of these devices are as follows:
- Kindle Fire HD: 8.8mm x 240mm x 164mm
- iPad 9.4mm x 241.3mm x 185.7mm
- Kindle Fire HD: 567 g
- iPad: 653 g
Wireless and Web
Both the iPad and the Kindle Fire HD come with Wi-Fi or Wi-FI + LTE models.
Also, both the iPad and Kindle‘s batteries last around 10 hours while browsing the web.
Storage
The Kindle Fire HD can either be purchased in the 16GB model or the 32GB model. The iPad also has these sizes, but offers 64GB models as well.
Cameras
The Kindle Fire HD falls short when it comes to cameras. It only has one 1MP front-facing camera for voice chatting. The iPad has a 1.2MP front camera and 5MP rear camera.
App Quality and Variety
The Kindle Fire HD has some interesting software perks because of Amazon’s focus on eBooks and movies. For example: the Kindle Fire HD has something called “X-Ray for movies” which displays important information about actors in a scene when the screen is tapped. The Kindle Fire HD also features a profile editor which is very useful for parents who want to limit their children access to the device.
The Kindle Fire also has an eBook feature called Prime, which lets Kindle owners borrow over 180,000 books for free. Any content purchased on the Kindle Fire is also easier to enjoy on any other device, web browser or operating system. Whereas a lot of the content purchased on Apple can only be used with their products.
So if you’re looking to use your device for basic apps, movies, eBooks and web browsing, then the Kindle Fire HD is a great choice. It offers a lot of features for movies and eBooks and performs as good as the iPad. However if you’re looking to get a rich app experience, then the iPad would be the right choice for you. The App Store’s quality and variety of apps really outdoes the Kindle Fire HD. However it all comes down to price…
Kindle Fire HD vs iPad’s Price
The Kindle Fire starts at $269 and the iPad starts at $499. If you’re planning on getting one of these devices for travelling or for your family, then you might want to go with the Kindle Fire HD. The Kindle Fire has a slight size advantage for travelling, and is also cheaper to repair if lost or damaged. If you need a device that can handle anything you throw at it for the next couple of years (on top of movies and eBooks) then you might want to go with the iPad.
While the Kindle focuses on the necessities such as movies, eBooks, basic apps and web surfing, the iPad is a full-fledged entertainment device. Let us know which device you think is better for your needs (or which device you own and why) in the comments below.
Article written by Octavian Ristea.
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