Why You Can Trust CNET Get an Amazon Fire 7 tablet with case for $21 (Update: Sold out)
It's the 2017 model, but still a pretty amazing deal.
The Amazon Fire 7 can be yours for just $20 right now -- $21 if you want it with a case. (Hint: You do.)
As an all-around, general-purpose tablet, the 2017 Amazon Fire 7 is just so-so. The processor? On the slow side. The screen resolution? On the low side. But watch how easy it is to forgive those limitations: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Woot has the Amazon Fire 7 Tablet (8GB) with Special Offers for $19.99, with free shipping for Prime subscribers. Surprisingly, these are new, not refurbished. And if you add this Fire 7 case to your cart, it adds only $1 to your total price. (Update: The 8GB models are now sold out. You can still get the 16GB models for $10 more, while they last.)
The current-generation Fire 7 sells for $49.99, as did this model. Of course, it often goes on sale for $39.99, and even dips to $29.99 around Prime Day and Black Friday. But a price this low on a non-refurb? And a case for just $1 more? That's something I haven't seen before.
The Fire 7 can do pretty much everything; it just won't be lightning-fast while doing it. And while the 1,024x600-pixel display is fine for most tasks, it's not ideal for ebooks . You can read them, of course, but text won't be razor-sharp. (Read David Carnoy's Amazon Fire 7 (2017) review to learn more.)
At this price, though, I could see buying the Fire for some dedicated purpose, like to use as a digital photo frame or kitchen YouTube appliance. I just repurposed an old Fire as a totally unique end-table clock: I keep the Silk browser open and running the super-cool Literature Clock. (To keep the screen from timing out and turning off -- a setting Amazon doesn't allow -- I had to install an app called Keep Screen On Free. Works like a charm.)
This would also work fine for a kid. The case affords a bit of protection and allows the tablet to stand up in either portrait or landscape orientation. And although there's only 8GB of onboard storage, you can easily add more by popping in a microSD card. Here's a 64GB Samsung card for a measly $12.
To recap: So-so tablet, incredible deal. Sometimes the latter helps make up for the former. Your thoughts?
Read more: The best tablet for 2020
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