There are a lot of different tablets for you to choose from on the market nowadays. Two of these come from the biggest companies there are: Apple and Amazon. The former is the iPad Mini and the latter is the Kindle Fire HD. Both of these are upgraded versions of the original devices (smaller and with a better resolution respectively). But, when it comes to comparing the two, which comes out top?
Let’s start by examining the displays. The iPad Mini has a 1024 x 768 resolution on a 7.9” screen with a pixel density of 163. The Kindle Fire HD packs in a bit more punch with a 1280 x 800 resolution on a 7” screen and a pixel density of 216. Both of these displays use IPS LCD technology. Some were disappointed that the iPad Mini didn’t make use of the companies retina display, although you can be sure that Apple will integrate that feature into future generations of the product. Although the Kindle Fire HD has a smaller screen, it has 33% more pixels per inch than the iPad Mini does. It is also capable of displaying HD videos in all their glory, unlike Apple’s counterpart. Besides, if you are getting a tablet for portability then a smaller screen is probably more beneficial to you.
Next, let’s compare the storage capabilities. The iPad Mini comes in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB capacities, while the Kindle Fire HD offers 16 GB and 32 GB. Neither of these can be expanded through memory cards, which is disappointing. However, both of these can make use of their respective cloud services. Amazon Cloud and iDrive means that you can access your content online without having to store it on the device itself.
It might matter to you what operating system the devices are running. The iPad Mini is using iOS 6 and it is, as to be expected, simple and easy to use. It functions very well and anyone who has ever used an iPhone or iPod Touch will know what to expect here. The Kindle Fire HD is different, running a modified version of Android 4. If you have a smartphone that runs the same OS then you will find things don’t look the same here. Advertising is built into areas of the device (like the lock screen), which annoyingly you have to pay a one-time sum to get rid of. Also, you don’t have access to the Android Play store, instead being tied into Amazon’s ecosystem. This is a shame, but ultimately the device does run well.
The Kindle Fire HD has a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera, while the iPad Mini offers a 1.2 megapixel front camera and a 5 megapixel rear camera capable of shooting in 1080p quality. For those looking to use their tablet as a camera too, Apple’s offerings are definitely superior.
The iPad Mini offers some features that the Kindle Fire HD doesn’t, like a link to 3G networks. However, the reverse is also true, since the iPad doesn’t have a micro-USB port and HDMI socket like the Kindle Fire HD does.
It is to be expected since it is an Apple product, but the iPad Mini is the more expensive device. Whether or not it’s worth the extra cash is up to factors like which operating system you prefer, whether a camera is important and how much internal storage space you need.