Amazon has monopolised the eReader market, with the Kindle Store being home to the largest collection of digitised books and the Amazon Kindle delivering the best on-screen reading experience. But where does the Amazon Fire come in?
Before we dive into the differences between the Amazon Kindle and Amazon Fire, we should first note that the duo are tipped to be discounted this coming Amazon Prime Day, with some incentives thrown in, so it’s definitely worth checking the retailer out for a bargain if you're thinking of picking either up.
Amazon Fire vs Amazon Kindle: The Similarities
While both the Amazon Fire and Amazon Kindle, regardless of their model, take form as a traditional tablet, that’s about where their similarities end; the two bundle completely different hardware (both inside and out) and software.
That’s not to mean they don’t share a feature or two, though – the Amazon Kindle is home to the exact same Kindle Store as the Amazon Fire has on board, which is a one-stop shop for reading material, be it either books or textbooks.
Select Kindle models, like the Amazon Kindle Oasis, also come with Audible to boot for listening to audiobooks on the go. That’s a feature that’s found on all devices in Amazon’s Fire line-up, including the all-new Amazon Fire 7 with Alexa.
Amazon Fire vs Amazon Kindle: The Differences
Regardless of the model you opt for, there’s one feature you can expect to find on the Amazon Kindle that won’t crop up on the Amazon Fire: a backlit anti-reflective screen, which is nothing short of fantastic in direct sunlight.
The Amazon Fire has a distinctive feature of its own that sets it aside from the Amazon Kindle, with the main being Fire OS – Amazon’s modified build of Android, which acts as an entertainment hub for multimedia and retail alike.
But that’s to be expected. The Amazon Kindle is first and foremost an eReader, so it’s equipped with a features and hardware that help it excel in its field, whereas the Amazon Fire is an all-round tablet with reading smarts baked in.
Because the Amazon Kindle doesn’t run an intense OS that can be used to browse the internet, download aftermarket applications, stream video and play games, it sips power like it’s sour – lasting for up to two weeks on a single charge.
The same can’t be said for the Amazon Fire, however. Fire OS, which does all of the above, is downs juice like it’s going out of fashion. We’ve been using the latest Fire 7 and haven’t been able to squeeze more than twelve hours out of it.
Amazon Fire vs Amazon Kindle: Which Do I Need?
If you’re looking for something basic to read the latest John Grisham novel on the tube or on a sun lounger in the Costa Del Sol, then the Amazon Kindle is the one for you, with its anti-reflective screen ensuring it’s visible at all times.
But if you’re looking to throw some entertainment into the mix, in the form of tuning into the latest episode of Daredevil on Netflix, responding to some emails through Gmail (some find it therapeutic), or surfing the web, you need a Fire.
