7" Kindle Fire HD vs Nexus 7 - Suggestions?

[reverendkjr]

Reverend Kyle here...

I will be doing a full comparison video on the Amazon 7" Kindle Fire HD versus the Google Nexus 7 Tablet once mine arrives (Hopefully on the 14th). Some of you may already be familiar with my previous work with other tablets.

I am opening up the floor to you. What sort of things would you like me to compare?

Obvious ones:

-Physical appearance and dimensions
-Camera performance
-Benchmarks (Please specify which Benchmarks you prefer)
-Audio
-WIFI performance

I truly believe that this will be an interesting comparison between these two tablets. We may have an interesting battle here.
I look forward doing videos on this device as the development starts to take shape.

 

[e.mote]

Pocketability - See how many types of (oversized) pockets either can fit into. At 5.4" width, the KF HD 7 doesn't look to fit into any AFAIK. That would substantially undercut its portability if it needs a bag/purse.

Netflix or Prime HD video - See how either fares with paid HD video content, and the quality. It is called the KF HD, after all.

Wifi - Signal level isn't a good indicator of performance. More effective is a simple distance (w/ obstructions) test: while streaming a HD video (preferably the same source), walk away from the router until video stream breaks up.

Location-based services, incl mapping - See if KF HD uses wifi geolocation to compensate for lack of GPS, and how well it fares. Compare Amazon's mapping service (if any) to Goog's.

App selections of Amazon vs Google's stores.

 

[thedauntlessone]

Can you confirm the performance of the Kindle Fire HD compared to Nexus 7? Gizmodo had stated in their review that the Kindle Fire HD is not as responsive as Nexus 7.

Review from Gizmodo: http://gizmodo.com/5941095/kindle-fire-hd-hands-on-pretty-impressivefor-the-price

Aside from that, form factor would be a big one. The KF HD has what seems like a big bezel.

Which screen is better would be a big one.

 

[lerijiso]

Can you confirm the performance of the Kindle Fire HD compared to Nexus 7? Gizmodo had stated in their review that the Kindle Fire HD is not as responsive as Nexus 7.

Review from Gizmodo: http://gizmodo.com/5941095/kindle-fire-hd-hands-on-pretty-impressivefor-the-price

Aside from that, form factor would be a big one. The KF HD has what seems like a big bezel.

Which screen is better would be a big one.

Understandable, there is no way any ICS devices will be as responsive as JellyBean, plus the heavily modded with the amazon interface on the KFhd. But the review made is sound so horrible. Lol. However, the reviewer did say that once you've experience JB you will never find anything lower than that satisfactory, so i think it is not that bad.

 

[myne03]

Better Nexus

 

[shareride]

Nexus 7 wins

i feel Nexus 7 wins in portability and design.

 

[Rody2k6]

Actually I would also like to see if rooted the Kindle Fire HD would beat the Nexus 7 in terms of apps and usability outside the Amazon region, because basically the Kindle is locked inside an Amazon box.

Also people does Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 both have flash support?

 

[robertc88]

I say leave rooting OUT of the comparison.

Flash isn't supported on the Nexus 7 BUT I got it to work on about 90% of the videos I tried. The KFHD? Time will tell I guess unless it has been already confirmed that Flash is supported and works.

 

[raptir]

For the out-of-the-box experience I can't imagine the Kindle Fire HD winning. My girlfriend has the original Kindle Fire, and basically only uses it for reading because she can't use any of her Android apps purchased for her older tablet. And keep in mind that your average person isn't going to want to deal with rooting/maintaining a rooted device (XDA users are certainly not your average Android user). The Kindle Fire HD will certainly be a step up, but it's still primarily a portal for using Amazon-purchased content. It's not truly an Android tablet (unless you root it, assuming an exploit will even be found for the HD).

 

[soupmagnet]

And keep in mind that your average person isn't going to want to deal with rooting/maintaining a rooted device (XDA users are certainly not your average Android user).

Not necessarily. When I bought a Kindle Fire for my wife, I had no intention of modifying the stock software in any way. It was only out of necessity that I even found XDA in the first place, as she wanted me to look for a way to change the wallpapers. At the time, I knew nothing about Android or rooting, but without that knowledge we would be locked into Amazon's uncostomizable buggy software. Of course we could have accepted it as it was, if there were no other options...

Most people want to get the most out of their money, and the stock Amazon software is very generic as far as tablets go. It does have some great proprietary features for people looking for an e-reader and not much else, but most of the people that buy a Kindle Fire want more than that. This is why you see people in these forums of all ages and all levels of technical experience, trying to root their KFs...Amazon really hasn't given them much choice.

And just so you know, we now have three, fully modifed KFs running different ROMs and no stock software in any of them.

 

[tlawiv]

Fire

I just sold nexus 7 to buy 8.9 kindle fire only because my main purpose for the tablet is to watch movies. The 8.9 inch has one the best displays out now and 300 bucks. You don't want to spend three hundred dollars on a tablet I would recommend nexus 7. nexus seven is light weight and can do all the stuff kindle fire can do and then some. I owned 8 gig model I am not new to rooting and installing roms with nexus 7 toolkit the beginner could root this tab and unlock it. The 8 gig 200 dollar model and otg cable and you have much storage as you want. Hands down nexus 7 best 7 inch hd.

 

[zeeebs]

More concerned about build quality above anything else. My old Kingle Fire was forged from a brick it felt like, could really handle some bumps and bruises. Heard the Nexus 7 just sucks when it comes to build quality.

 

[Stevenator21]

Nexus 7 all the way. Amazing dev support will get android updates for a while and a tegra processor, so you can get THD games.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ravynmagi]

I'd like to see a comparison of color quality. The Nexus 7 is a bit subpar here, greens and yellows look a bit pastel and a slight washed out look. And the Tegra 3 causes an over exposed look after playing many videos (easily fixed once rooted).

 

[e.mote]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/11/3317586/kindle-fire-hd-review-7-inch

"The 7-inch, 1280 x 800 display on the Fire HD is fantastic. The IPS, LCD screen looks better than probably any other tablet display I've seen, save for the new iPad. While the pixel density is the same for both the Nexus 7 and the Fire HD (216 compared to the iPad's 264), the Fire blows away the Nexus in terms of color richness, black levels, and general brightness."

 

[Ravynmagi]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/11/3317586/kindle-fire-hd-review-7-inch

"The 7-inch, 1280 x 800 display on the Fire HD is fantastic. The IPS, LCD screen looks better than probably any other tablet display I've seen, save for the new iPad. While the pixel density is the same for both the Nexus 7 and the Fire HD (216 compared to the iPad's 264), the Fire blows away the Nexus in terms of color richness, black levels, and general brightness."

Yeah, I'm hoping the more this gets highlighted and mentioned, the more embarrassed Google should be and will hopefully apply a software update for the issue (and hopefully it's something that can be fixed with an update).

 

[pokey9000]

If you must have a tablet now and intend to root it, get the Nexus 7. It's a sure thing. Don't be put off by the people whining about defects; nobody posts when their tablet is working correctly.

If you can tolerate Amazon's lock-in, get the Fire HD.

If you don't need a tablet right now and do want root, then wait. Buying just released hardware expecting root and other hacks out of the gate is dumb.

 

[asrr62]

More concerned about build quality above anything else. My old Kingle Fire was forged from a brick it felt like, could really handle some bumps and bruises. Heard the Nexus 7 just sucks when it comes to build quality.

for build quality, i could easily assume that the kindle fire hd would have better build quality. my nexus 7 has a few problems in the build quality. there are threads in the fourms about the nexus 7 and build quality. when the 8.9 inch one comes out i am definitely selling nexus the 7 and getting the new kindle fire.

 

[deaglecat]

I have ordered a Fire HD because despite the Nexus 7 specs, I have personal experience of the build quality issues. I also want decent speakers.

Compared to apple.... Lets face it a 7" HD tablet for a little more money than a new Ipod nano... what a bargain !

 

[tclaw]

Nexus 7 best 7 inch tab out there gonna get fire get the 8.9. The nexus is lighter, faster, more open and i had defected nexus 7 i got replacement in a week and haven't had an issue since. Or might wanna wait check out the surface tablet it might be 200 dollars.