Amazon’s largest and most premium slate disappoints due to Fire OS and missing key apps
Amazon’s inaugural premium tablet, the Fire Max 11, aims to emulate the look and feel of an iPad at a fraction of the cost. However, despite its improved aesthetics, the tablet falls significantly short of expectations once it is turned on.
Priced at £249.99, the Fire Max 11 significantly undercuts Apple’s entry-level iPad by over £100 and is just half the price of the 10.9-inch model. While previous Fire tablets were constructed from plastic, the Max 11 boasts an aluminum body, providing a thin and well-crafted design that feels relatively lightweight considering its size. The 11-inch LCD screen delivers enhanced clarity and superior quality compared to the Fire HD 10, with impressive viewing angles. The tablet offers an immersive viewing experience for films and videos, complemented by a pair of loud and clear stereo speakers situated at the top. However, the screen’s brightness is somewhat lacking, performing adequately indoors but struggling to deliver optimal visibility outdoors, especially in direct light.
The screen of the Fire Max 11 has a wide and short aspect ratio, making it ideal for viewing films and TV shows. However, it is not as well adapted for app usage and browsing compared to the squarer ratio found on iPads and other devices. This poses a challenge for Amazon, as the Max 11 is marketed as a productivity-focused machine, with the option of keyboard and stylus accessories to transform it into a laptop substitute. This is where the situation takes a turn for the worse. The accessories, considering their price, are generally satisfactory. The £90 ($90) keyboard is sturdy, although the trackpad tends to be sticky, causing your finger to skip when attempting to scroll or point. Additionally, it lacks the functionality to click and drag, a feature commonly found on desktops, which can be frustrating. While typing on your lap, the kickstand struggles to maintain stability but performs adequately on a desk.
Similarly, the £35 ($35) stylus is reliable, offering responsive on-screen performance and conveniently magnetically attaching to the side of the tablet when not in use.
The major setback lies in the software. The Max 11 operates on the same Fire OS 8, based on Android 11, as other recent Fire tablets. While basic split-screen multitasking is possible using the recent apps menu, the tablet lacks the capability for free-floating windows and is devoid of essential features like an app dock, taskbar, or other productivity-oriented elements commonly found on competing devices. The home screen lacks support for widgets or gesture navigation, relying instead on outdated touchscreen buttons for navigation.
However, it is the Amazon app store that proves to be a major disappointment for the Max 11. Like all Fire tablets, it lacks official access to the Google Play Store and Google’s suite of apps. While Amazon’s store offers a decent selection of video streaming services, with the exception of Paramount+, the same cannot be said for productivity apps. While Fire OS enjoys robust support from Microsoft, offering Office, Teams, Outlook, and a few other Microsoft apps, things become challenging if you don’t primarily work within Microsoft’s ecosystem. The included mail app is extremely basic and does not support business Gmail accounts. There is no dedicated Amazon note-taking or drawing app tailored for the stylus, and the available options in the store are limited. Most of the apps I rely on for work and personal productivity, including Evernote and similar tools, are unavailable. Chat apps are scarce, with no Slack or WhatsApp available. Additionally, there is a lack of banking apps, two-factor authentication apps, and password managers, which makes the process of logging in to various services quite inconvenient.
The game selection in the app store is also quite underwhelming. While there are a few notable and high-quality titles available, such as Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Asphalt 9, they are accompanied by a plethora of low-quality clones and games filled with intrusive advertisements and in-app purchases.
Specifications:
- Display: 11-inch LCD with a resolution of 2,000 x 1,200 pixels and a pixel density of 213ppi
- Processor: Mediatek MT8188J
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64GB or 128GB, expandable via microSD card
- Operating System: Fire OS 8 based on Android 11
- Cameras: 8MP rear and front cameras
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C
- Dimensions: 259.1 x 163.7 x 7.5mm
- Weight: 490g
Amazon commits to providing software and security updates for the Fire Max 11 for a minimum of four years from its last availability as a new product on their platform. The battery is designed to withstand at least 500 full charge cycles. However, if the device requires repair beyond the warranty period, customers cannot rely on Amazon’s repair services. Instead, Amazon offers a 15% discount on replacement units for returned devices, which are then either repaired, refurbished, reused, or recycled based on their condition. Notably, the Fire Max 11 incorporates 55% recycled aluminum and 34% recycled plastic materials, contributing to its environmental sustainability.
Price: The Fire Max 11 is priced at £249.99 ($229.99) for the 64GB storage variant, which includes ads on the lockscreen. Removing the ads incurs an additional cost of £10 ($15).
For comparison, the Fire HD 10 starts at £149.99, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is priced at £199, the ninth-generation Apple iPad costs £369, and the tenth-generation iPad starts at £499.
The Fire Max 11 aims to rival the iPad but falls significantly short. For those seeking an Amazon tablet primarily for media consumption, it is more cost-effective to save £100 and opt for the Fire HD 10 instead.
Pros: Impressive screen quality, excellent speakers, commendable battery life, microSD card slot, USB-C charging, sleek aluminum body, fingerprint scanner.
Cons: Inadequate software for multitasking, lack of essential productivity apps without Google Play access, notably slow charging, other Amazon tablets offer superior value.
