Amazon just did what Google couldn't do in 15 years: Make a great everyday Android tablet

With the introduction of Alexa Tablets, Amazon overhauled its tablet strategy in a single move. The retailer is ditching Fire branding and going all-in on Alexa Plus integration, and it’s not just a rebrand either — these tablets come with a new metal chassis, Play Store access, and in the case of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, an anti-glare screen that could prove to be a major differentiator.

With this lineup, Amazon has finally cracked the code on something Google couldn’t figure out in the last 15 years: how to make an Android tablet that everyday users actually want to buy.

Amazon has a clear strategy — unlike Google

A lot of that is down to strategy; from the very beginning, it felt like Google didn’t know what to do with tablets. I actually bought the Nexus 7 that came out in 2012, and it was terrific: the 7-inch size was ideal; ASUS (who built the hardware) did a good job with the design and build quality; it ran NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset; and it was affordable at $199.

The Samsung-made Nexus 10 followed soon after, along with a Nexus 7 refresh, and the HTC Nexus 9. Then Google decided it wanted to make everything in-house, and we got the Pixel C. It had a metal build and came with a keyboard, but the software was a letdown, and Google didn’t do itself any favors with the Pixel Slate, which was powered by ChromeOS.

Google ignored tablets after that, and while the brand eventually managed to cobble together a decent tablet with the Pixel Tablet, we didn’t get a follow-up model, and the Pixel Tablet has since been discontinued. All of this is to say that while Samsung’s Galaxy Tab lineup remains a strong option, Amazon’s new Alexa Tablets stand out, and if you want a great everyday Android tablet, Amazon may just be your best bet.

Amazon has been making tablets continuously over the last 15 years, and it has a well-defined strategy in this category. With Alexa tablets, there are three models with varying screen sizes: the Alexa Tablet 8, Alexa Tablet 11, and the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro.

All three models have aluminum chassis and are available in vibrant colors; this in itself is a stark difference from Amazon’s previous tablet offerings, and Panos Panay’s influence on these designs is clearly evident. The design is clean, and the tablets look similar to the iPad — which I don’t mind at all.

The Alexa Tablet 8 and Tablet 11 share the same 6nm MediaTek Kompanio 540, and while it is an old chipset (it uses the ancient A78 and A55 cores), it does the job for mundane tasks like browsing and media streaming. The Tablet 12 Pro gets the 4nm Dimensity 8400 with newer Arm Cortex A725 cores, and it is the better choice if you need a tablet with decent power.

Amazon outfitted the Alexa Tablet 8 with a 4,600mAh battery and the Tablet 11 with a 6,500mAh unit. While that’s smaller than what you get on Chinese phones like the Find X9 Pro and vivo X300 Pro, you should still get a day’s worth of use comfortably. Again, the Tablet 12 Pro stands out with its 9,000mAh battery and 27W PD charging (the other two are 18W).

Just like Google is shoehorning Gemini into every product and service it makes, Amazon is bundling Alexa Plus into these tablets. If anything, Alexa Plus might be a better option, as it usually does a good job with smart home integration, and a tablet is an ideal device to control various smart home products.

Play Store is here to stay

The biggest difference with the Alexa Tablet is the inclusion of the Google Play Store; these tablets come with a standard installation of Android 16 out of the box and have full access to the Play Store. Previously, Amazon ran a forked version of Android on its Fire tablets and offered its own app store in lieu of the Play Store — thankfully, that’s not an issue on the new models.

Running a standard version of Android makes the Alexa Tablet that much more enticing. I used the Fire tablet several years ago and remember being underwhelmed by the software; not having the Play Store was a big limitation. It’s good to see Amazon making amends in that area.

Reading Kindle ebooks? No problem

The Kindle ecosystem continues to be a juggernaut, and while the Alexa Tablet doesn’t have E-Ink panels — it uses regular LCD panels — it switches to a monochrome mode when you open the Kindle app. This is designed to mimic the look and feel of a Kindle e-reader, and Amazon says notifications are muted while in this mode, with battery lasting up to 20 hours.

While it may not be the same as reading on a Kindle, I always like devices with a dedicated reading mode; that’s one of the reasons I use Xiaomi’s tablets these days. Amazon also lets you customize the intensity of the monochrome effect, or use a softer tone with some color.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro stands out in another key area

More than anything else, it’s the display that ultimately defines a tablet. This is why the tablet I used the most in the last two years is the iPad Pro M4; its tandem OLED is gorgeous, and it is a delight to use. The other tablet that I use often is the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, and that’s solely because of one feature: the PaperMatte display. This is a nano-texture coating that mimics the feel of paper, and it is wonderful.

Amazon is offering something similar on the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. The tablet is available with a Nanomatte panel with anti-glare, and if you’re considering any of these tablets, my recommendation would be to get the 12 Pro with a Nanomatte screen — an anti-glare panel makes all the difference, particularly if you’re using the tablet outdoors. Amazon also has a stylus and keyboard accessory with the Tablet 12 Pro, and they look quite decent if you’re interested in taking notes or getting some work done on the go.

Amazon nailed the pricing as well, with the Alexa Tablet 8 starting at just $229, the Tablet 11 at $329, and the Tablet 12 Pro at $499, and $549 with the Nanomatte screen. Honestly, I’ve been ambivalent towards Amazon’s tablet efforts, but the changes with the Alexa Tablet show that Amazon cares about this category in a way Google never has. The introduction of the Play Store is a big deal in and of itself, and the new design combined with all the extras makes the Alexa Tablet a good choice if you need a new tablet.