This Amazon Fire Max Tablet Is Now $140
The Amazon Fire Max 11 looks like a grown-up version of the Fire tablets that used to be quite good. It’s bigger, cleaner, and doesn’t stutter when you’re trying to do more than just skim a book or stream a show. Right now, you can get a certified refurbished device with 128GB of storage and no ads on the lock screen for $139.99 (down from $239.99). And it’s not old technology—it came out last summer and won PCMag’s Best Budget Tablet of 2024 award.
Its 11-inch screen is a bright, crisp LCD panel with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 and a decent sharpness of 213 pixels per inch. It’s not quite iPad-level quality, but it’s close, especially for reading, streaming, or even general drawing with the optional $36.99 stylus . The aluminum body adds a premium feel, and the stereo speakers are surprisingly durable for the price. There’s no headphone jack (which seems like a drawback), but Bluetooth 5.3 works reliably with wireless headsets . Internally, it is powered by 4GB of RAM and a processor that ensures fast performance. You can browse, download and play light games without the usual lag found on budget tablets. You can expand storage beyond the already generous 128GB with a microSD card (sold separately) up to 1TB.
However, it still runs FireOS 8, which is Amazon’s own version of Android. If you’re already hooked on Kindle, Prime Video, and Audible, this makes sense. But if you rely on Google apps or want to access the Play Store out of the box, it’s not the most open system—you’ll have to download apps manually, PCMag’s review noted. As for the camera, there’s nothing special here: it has two 8MP cameras that are good for Zoom calls or scanning documents, but not much else. Battery life also doesn’t quite live up to the claimed 14 hours; you’re more likely to get eight to 10 hours, depending on what you’re doing. The tablet charges via USB-C and technically supports 15W charging, but Amazon ships it with a slower 9W adapter. However, for under $150, it’s hard to find a tablet with such a good screen and so much storage.
Amazon also sells some reliable accessories for it. There’s a slim magnetic cover for $49.99 that’s easier to carry without scratching your screen, and a matte anti-glare screen protector for $17.99 if you read outdoors or just hate smudges. And if you want to turn the Fire Max 11 into a basic productivity package, the $84.99 keyboard case snaps on magnetically and is great for emails or notes.