Amazon Kindle Fire HD looks like the Fire HDX, only larger and thicker (pictures)
The new Kindle Fire HD is Amazon's new budget tablet. It's not as refined as the Fire HDX and loses some features to hit its $140 price.
Eric Franklin
Eric Franklin led the CNET Tech team as Editorial Director. A 20-plus-year industry veteran, Eric began his tech journey testing computers in the CNET Labs. When not at work he can usually be found at the gym, chauffeuring his kids around town, or absorbing every motivational book he can get his hands on.
The new Kindle Fire HD is the budget version of the Fire HDX. Starting at $140, it's definitely cheap, but loses plenty of bells and whistles to make that price.
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New interface
The Fire HD ships with Amazon's Fire 3.0 OS, but loses X-Ray for Music and the convenient Mayday feature.
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Back buttons
When holding the tablet in your hands, the power and volume buttons are easy to access. However when it's lying down on its back, accessing them doesn't happen as quickly.
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Micro-USB
Micro-USB can be used for file transfers or charging, as with most Android-based tablets.
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Speaker placement
The speakers sit near the bottom of the tablet, similar to the 2012 Fire HD, but unlike the HDX, where they're located toward the top.
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Thinner, but not that thin
That's a thinner profile than the 2012 Fire HD has, but fatter than the Fire HDX's.
