The new Amazon Fire Max 11 sounds like a proper iPad killer

Amazon has just released a brand new tablet called the Amazon Fire Max 11 – and I think it could be the best tablet release in a while. That's a bold claim, so let me justify it.

As you might have guessed from the name, the Fire Max 11 packs an 11-inch display, with a 2000 x 1200 resolution. That's powered by an octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, with 128GB on offer for storage. Also included are fingerprint recognition and WiFi 6, for blistering fast connection.

Amazon also say it's good for up to 14 hours of battery life. That's really good, and should make it useful for a full day of work, play or streaming without scrambling for a charger. Plus, audio will sound great thanks to a Dolby Atmos certified surround sound system built-in.

"Okay," I hear you say, "that's good but hardly iPad killer territory."

I think it is, for a couple of reasons. First, there's the family integration. The Fire Max 11 supports multiple profiles – up to two adults and four children. That's a brilliant feature, which makes the tablet great for sharing among multiple users. We saw something similar recently on the Google Pixel Tablet.

Then there's the price. Starting at just £249.99 in the UK, the Fire Max 11 occupies a space below the older iPad (9th Gen). That device was really popular with parents and it's not hard to see why. A relatively affordable, fully-featured iPad was always going to be a shoe-in in the race to be crowned best tablet for kids.

Now though, I think there's a new king in town. The Fire Max 11 boasts a spec sheet which can go toe-to-toe with the iPad, and beats it in a couple of crucial areas to boot. Pair it with the optional keyboard and stylus – with bundles from £375 – and you've got a workhorse machine that will be at home with everything from homework to home cinema.

The Fire Max 11 will start shipping from next month.