it’s black friday around the corner, but there are already several WIRED-approved Amazon devices on sale, from Kindle e-readers to Fire tablets. If your holiday gift list includes one of these or maybe even a Fire TV Stick, you can start shopping (and saving) early. Many of these products are brand new, like the Kindle Paperwhite (12th generation) or the Fire HD 8, and it’s unlikely you’ll see any bigger discounts during the big sale, but don’t rule it out completely.
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Kindle deals
The 12th generation Paperwhite (8/10, WIRED recommended) is our favorite Kindle (it was also very new, announced in October). It has all the key features that make for a great reading experience, including a large, high-resolution screen, smooth performance, warm lighting and an IPX8 water resistance rating. The latest version has the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle (for sharper text and images) and a battery life of up to three months. It’s also the thinnest it’s ever been. The Signature Edition also retails for $155 ($45 off), and comes with auto brightness adjustment, double the storage (32 gigs), and wireless charging support.
The basic Kindle is an excellent choice for a compact and affordable e-reader. The latest 2024 model doesn’t offer many new features compared to the 2022 version, but it does have a higher contrast ratio, a 25 percent brighter front light, and faster page turning. As the smallest Kindle, it’s super comfortable to hold with one hand and travel with if you’re the type who often reads on the go. For a nice pop of color, I recommend using the Matcha color. For under $100, you can’t go wrong with this one.
If you’re raising a bookworm, the kid-friendly Kindle makes a wonderful holiday gift. Although it’s more expensive, we prefer the Paperwhite Kids because it has a larger screen (which is better for reading graphic novels) and is waterproof so you don’t have to worry about accidental spills. The standard Kindle Kids is also on sale for $95 ($35 off), which is smaller, more compact, and comes with fun covers to choose from. Both models also include six months of Amazon Kids+, a subscription service for age-appropriate books, and a two-year warranty.
Fire Tablet Deals
The Fire Max 11 (5/10, WIRED Review) is Amazon’s most powerful tablet. But the high price, especially in combination with the productivity bundle, put us off. Now that the price is well under $200, it’s a much better value. Like all Fire tablets, it’s ideal if you’re immersed in Amazon’s content and services. It delivers good performance, a bright and sharp screen, solid speakers and all-metal construction, and the 1080p cameras are nicer than what you’ll find on the rest of Amazon’s tablets.
This Fire tablet launched late last year, but it’s still the best option in the lineup, especially at this retail price. It comes with a fast octa-core processor, a large Full HD (1080p) display and 3 gigabytes of RAM for smoother performance while browsing the web with several tabs open. It supports Show Mode, which turns the tablet into an Echo Show smart display when you place it on a stand. You can choose between 32GB or 64GB configurations, with a microSD card slot that can add up to 1TB of storage on both models. If you want to use the tablet to get work done, you can also buy the Keyboard Case Bundle for $100 ($90 off).
The 2024 Fire HD 8 tablet only comes with a few improvements. Amazon has increased the RAM from 3GB (from 2GB), which was likely added for smoother performance when using the company’s new AI features. The rear camera has been upgraded to 5 megapixels (from 2 MP). Apart from that, it has the same design, size and 13 hours of battery life (we got about 11 hours in our testing) as its predecessor. You also get storage options of 32GB or 64GB, with the option to expand this up to 1TB with a microSD card. It’s a better option if you want all the features of the HD 10, but in a smaller size. The screen isn’t as nice, but the tablet is more travel-friendly.
This is the best children’s tablet for younger children. It has the same features as Amazon’s standard Fire tablets, but you also get a rugged casing and a worry-free two-year warranty. Amazon will replace it for free if your kids accidentally break it. You also get a free year of Amazon Kids+, which gives you access to kid-friendly movies, books, apps and games. You can also manage parental controls on the device.
Fire TV Stick deals
If you mainly watch Amazon Prime shows and movies, the second-generation Fire Stick is our top recommendation. You can still access major streaming apps like Netflix and Max, but a Fire TV Stick is tuned for Amazon Prime content. As with the last version, the remote has Alexa built into it, there’s an “Ambient Experience” feature that displays and cycles nature or art scenes when you’re not using it, and you can access Picture-in-Picture mode for controlling smart home devices or retrieving security camera feeds. Amazon doubled the storage to 16 gigabytes in this model and added support for Wi-Fi 6E, making it a bit future-proof.