If we are looking for tablets in which the entire user experience is well directed, we will have to choose devices with iOS or Fire OS. Apple and Amazon have decided to generate a very concrete experience with their closed operating system. In this way, it represents an alternative to Android, which starts from a completely different premise.
Both companies have recently presented their compact format devices or tablets of reduced size, which are also the ones with the best starting price and may be more attractive from the point of view of someone who wants an access tablet. If you are in that situation we want to help you decide with this comparison between iPad mini Retina and Kindle Fire HDX 7.
Design, size and weight
Both models start from a previous generation. While those in Seattle have decided to significantly change the design, while their rivals have kept it. The new approach is a bit retro and looks for the straight lines of a futurism vintage but in black plastic.
The finish of the Cupertino device is more luxurious, with an aluminum casing with two-color chrome plating.
Regarding size, the different aspect ratio of the equipment alters the perception of differences, but we can say that there are two small appliances with reduced thickness, although the mini is slightly ahead in this regard. When it comes to weight, we are more or less equal, with Seattle ahead.
Screen
The screens of these two devices are excellent . In terms of resolution, it is higher than that of Apple, but cutting this data with the size of the screen, we get an almost identical pixel density.
Performance
Both devices have a real beast inside.
Apple's A7 is the first x64 chip that we find in mobile devices. This change allows you to read larger arguments in the same time as the usual 32-bit ones. Of course, third-party applications are not yet adapted to this change.
At its rival we have Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800, a bad beast that achieves the highest results in mobile device chip becnhmarks.
Both operating systems are closed, therefore everything is under control to run smoothly.
In short, we cannot complain about slowdowns or lack of processing capacity on these two computers.
Storage
In the iPad mini we can choose a superior storage option up to 128 GB that has no rival. However, choosing a version of the device with more internal memory is considerably cheaper on the Kindle Fire HDX. Look at the price table below and you will see it.
When it comes to external storage, Amazon and Apple are companies that make money selling content and cloud storage, which is why expecting to see a micro SD slot would be illusory.
Connectivity
The connection by mobile networks is not an option in the tablet of the boys of Jeff Bezos and a competitive disadvantage compared to his opponent. However, being a tablet focused on content, it would be crazy to pay for that data with our plan.
However, this team surpasses its rival for using USB, much more universal than the Lightning connector and for having micro HDMI output, which the other lacks.
Cameras and sound
The iPad mini Retina is very well endowed when it comes to cameras, while its opponent only has a front for video calls.
The sound of both teams is very good, although Amazon stands out in this section from its first tablet.
Battery
The autonomy of both teams is similar, but the tablet with Fire OS stands out slightly with an hour more.
Prices and conclusions
In Cupertino they have decided to raise the price of their 7,9-inch tablet slightly this year. It is true that it equips many better specifications this year, but it distances it negatively in price from its rivals. The reality is that we could buy the more expensive Kindle Fire HDX 7 and still save on the cheaper iPad mini Retina.
This is a negative starting point, since in this format and size, the consumer is looking for a competitive price. However, the quality of this equipment is very high, if we think about it now, it is an authentic iPad but smaller, that is, the slogan announced by the first generation is fulfilled.
In short, we believe that Apple's is a better tablet if we don't look too much at the price. Conversely, Amazon's is a great tablet at a crazy price.
| Tablet | iPad Mini | Kindle Fire HDX 7 |
| Size | 200 x 134,7 x 7,5 mm | 186 x 128 x 9 mm |
| Screen | 7,9 inch IPS multi-touch LED | 7-inch FHD LCD, IPS panel, 10-point multi-touch |
| Decision | 2048 x 1536 (326 ppi) | 1920 x 1200 (323 ppi) |
| Thickness | 7,5 mm | 9 mm |
| Weight : | 331 grams (WiFi) / 341 grams (WiFi + LTE) | 311 grams |
| Operating system | iOS 7 | Fire OS (based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean) |
| Processor | A7
Dual-core 64-bit processor GPU: PowerVR G640 M7: motion sensor processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
CPU: Quad Core Krait 400 @ 2,2 GHz GPU: Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 1 GB | 2GB |
| Conference proceedings | 16GB / 32GB / 64GB / 128GB | 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB |
| Extension | iCloud (5GB) | CloudDrive (20GB) |
| Connectivity | WiFi Dual band, dual antenna (MIMO), LTE, Bluetooth 4.0 | WiFi Dual band, dual antenna (MIMO), Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | Lightning, 3.5 mm Jack | USB 2.0, microHDMI, 3.5 Jack, |
| Sound | 2 rear speakers | 2 Speaker, Dolby Audio Dual |
| Camera | Front FaceTime HD 1,2 MPX (720p) / Rear iSight 5 MPX (1080p video) | Front HD |
| Embedded | GPS, accelerometer, light sensor, gyro | Accelerometer, light sensor, gyroscope |
| Battery | 10 hours | 11 hours |
| Price | WiFi: 389 euros (16 GB) / 479 euros (32 GB) / 569 euros (64 GB) / 659 euros (128 GB)
WiFi + LTE: € 509 (16 GB) / € 599 (32 GB) / € 689 (64 GB) / € 779 (128 GB) |
€ 229 (16 GB) / € 269 (32 GB) / € 309 (64 GB) |
I think this comment
"The operating systems of both are closed, therefore everything is under control so that it works smoothly."
It denotes too much ignorance on the part of the writer. Sorry if it sounds aggressive, but being "closed" has nothing to do with "fluency" ...
Hello Doenitz, I believe that closed in this case refers more to the fact that it is designed for specific hardware and for very specific uses, for example, that it incorporates native programming for specific screen or audio drivers, because it is known in advance in what hardware is going to run, and that makes performance on those particular issues better, and therefore more fluid.
-Charlie