Amazon Fire tablets seem to be very similar to Samsung tablets. However, on close consideration, you will notice significant differences between the 2 brands.
This article will consider the usability, operating system, processing power, battery life, and connectivity to help you easily understand and choose the best one for your workflow.
It’s good to note that both have great features but at the same time have notable key differences that make them better suited for different needs.
Amazon Fire vs Samsung Tablet Comparison
Amazon Fire
- They are best used for streaming videos, reading books, and general content consumption.
- They are generally slow when compared to premium-level Samsung tablets.
- Compared to Fire Tablets are faster and more powerful than budget Samsung models.
Samsung tablets
- These ones are best used for more complex tasks like basic gaming, drawing, and similar tasks.
- You have a variety of price options to choose from to match your budget and requirements.
- Feature more powerful specs like longer battery life and free accessories like the S-Pen and Dex Mode on some options.
Fire tablets are great for basic tasks such as web browsing, streaming music and videos, and reading e-books, while Samsung tablets are better for more demanding tasks such as gaming and video editing.
They are also significantly cheaper and come equipped with Alexa and Amazon’s virtual assistant. However, Amazon Fire tablets are less powerful and have limited application options due to a lack of Google Play compatibility.
Operating System and Apps
Amazon Fire
- Uses Amazon’s Fire OS
- Comes with a built-in Alexa Assistant.
- Compatible with Kindle Reader Applications
Samsung tablets
- Uses Android OS
- Features in built-in Google Assistant
- Compatible with Android and Google Play applications.
The most noticeable difference between the two is that Amazon tablets run on Fire OS, a modified version of the Android operating system, while Samsung tablets typically run on the Android operating system.
Amazon owns and develops Fire tablets, which usually run on a customized version of the Android operating system. They are relatively cheap and are best suited for basic tasks such as web browsing, streaming music and videos, and reading e-books. They are also equipped with Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant.
On the other hand, Samsung tablets are powered by Android operating systems. They are more powerful and capable of running more demanding tasks compared to their counterparts.
Hardware and Accessories
Amazon Fire
- Many connectivity options
- Easily portable, slim and lightweight design
- Better display than budget Samsung tablets. They feature a high resolution and brightly lit screen
Samsung Tablet
- Multiple display options
- Better cameras and audio recording allow easy web conferencing.
- Long recording hours thanks to long battery life and expandable storage.
Although both tablets are slim and lightweight, you will notice Fire OS tablets to be lighter and slimmer compared to Samsung. They also offer better displays, while Samsung Tabs offer a wide array of screen size options to choose from.
Generally, Fire tablets are brighter and provide a clearer view compared to budget-range Samsung tablets. For connectivity, Fire OS tablets offer similar connectivity options to many Samsung. It provides USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity just like its Samsung counterparts.
One main connectivity difference between the two is the fact that some Samsung tablets like the Galaxy Tab S6 feature a 5G connection that is absent in Fire OS.
If you need a video conferencing tablet, then we recommend you go for Samsung tablets instead of Fire OS. They offer better front and rear cameras for video conferencing and recording photos and videos.
Power and Performance
In terms of performance, Samsung tablets have an edge over Amazon Fire. They are faster thanks to better processors and larger RAM for multitasking. This results in faster loading times and seamless performance even when playing basic games.
Fire tablets do not work with Google Play Apps. This limits the overall applications you can use on them. Samsung works seamlessly with the Play Store, which allows you to access many free and paid applications on Google.
Battery Life
Amazon Fire tablets have a good battery life. A good example is the Fire HD 8, which offers up to 12 hours of battery life from a single charge. Most Samsung devices will last for 8 to 10 hours.
This is sufficient to get you through an entire day of web browsing, watching videos, and playing games. Additionally, Fire tablets come with a specialized power management system that extends battery life even further.
Looking at Samsung tablets, they also offer great battery life. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 has a battery that can last up to 10 hours. This will last you a whole day comfortably without having to worry about charging.
Furthermore, Samsung tablets come with a fast charging feature that can get you up to 100% battery life in just a few hours. In conclusion, both tablets offer a long battery life, with Amazon tablets boasting of up to 12 hours of battery life while some Samsung tablets have up to 10 hours on a full single charge.
Pricing
Amazon tablets are relatively cheaper compared to Samsung. For example, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is priced at $140 on Amazon, while the very similar Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 comes at $144 on the same platform.
Differences between Samsung tablets and Amazon Fire
Amazon Fire
- Works with Amazon Fire OS
- Compatible with many Amazon features like ALEXA but not Google Play
- Compatible with Kindle Reader Apps
- A brighter screen with a display
- Slim size and lighter
- Easy Parental Controls for YouTube and other Applications.
- Similar connectivity to Android including Bluetooth, WiFi, and USB
- Best for reading and streaming music and movies
- Longer battery life, up to 12 hours
- Fire OS tablets offer a cheaper Price range than Samsung
Samsung Tablet
- Works with Android OS
- Compatible with Google Play Apps and Google Assistant
- Not optimized for Kindle Reader Apps
- More screen size options
- Better camera and voice quality
- Bluetooth, WiFi, USB plus 5G on Galaxy S6 or later
- Multipurpose, including drawing and note-taking
- Shorter 10-hour average battery life
- More Expensive than Fire OS tablets
Kindle Fire vs Samsung tablet
Just like Fire Tablets, Kindle Readers are Amazon-based devices. However, unlike Amazon Fire tablets or Samsung tablets, which can be used for streaming, gaming, or watching movies, Kindle Readers are e-readers who are used to reading books. They are less flexible compared to Fire or Amazon tablets.
Kindle Fire vs Amazon Fire tablets
Examples of Amazon Fire tablets include the Fire 7 tablet, Fire HD 8, Fire HD 8 +, Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Plus, and Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet, and the Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Scribe, and Amazon Kindle.
One of the main differences between the two is that the Amazon Kindle line is made for the sole purpose of reading books, while the Fire Tablet is made for general streaming and media consumption.
As a book reader, I know that Kindle devices feature e-link displays that are usually black and white contrasting screens. Fire tablets, on the other hand, feature colorful LCD screens that are both clear and high resolution.
E-readers are not able to run applications, while you can run the Amazon Appstore and install applications on Fire tablets. If you have the Forked Fire OS version, you can use Google Play to install and run any application of your choice.
They are also limited when browsing and can not be used to stream videos and movies. Fire Tablets are made for easy streaming and easy surfing capabilities.
Kindle devices do not have different media accessories like cameras, while Fire Tablets have both front and rear cameras for webcam and taking photos. Kindle Fire tablets feature longer battery life compared to their counterparts, partly due to their limited functionality.
The Amazon Fire HD 10
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9
Frequently Asked Questions
Amazon Fire tablet vs. Samsung tablet?
Amazon Fire tablets are great for basic tasks such as web browsing, streaming music and videos, and reading e-books, while Samsung tablets are better for more demanding tasks such as gaming and video editing.
Fire tablets are cheaper than tablets from Samsung and equipped with Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant. However, Fire tablets are less powerful than Samsung tablets, and their app options are more limited.What are the disadvantages of an Amazon Fire tablet?
Fire Tablets are only compatible with the Fire OS operating system and Amazon Store. It will have compatibility problems with Google Play applications. It features a long battery life but a slow charging system.
Is Amazon Fire OS the same as Android?
Amazon Fire OS can be said to be a fork of Android OS. This means that applications that are compatible with Android OS will most likely work with Fire OS.
Do Fire tablets use Google Play?
Amazon Fire does not primarily use Google Play. Instead, you will have to use the Amazon App Store. However, you can use the forked Fire tablet version that works with Google Play and install applications.