Amazon has unveiled a fresh lineup of tablets that place a strong emphasis on the Alexa Plus experience. The new offerings include the Alexa Tablet 8, Alexa Tablet 11, and the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, marking a significant shift from the company’s previous tablet models.
Transition to Android
Unlike the Fire Tablets that operate on Fire OS and utilize the Amazon Appstore, these new devices run the full version of Android 16, granting users access to the Google Play Store. While they come equipped with a custom Amazon launcher and a suite of preloaded Amazon applications, at their core, these tablets resemble more traditional Android devices, akin to those from Samsung or Lenovo, rather than the earlier Fire tablets.
Specifications and Features
The Alexa Tablets are available in three distinct screen sizes:
- Alexa Tablet 8: 8-inch display with a resolution of 1340 x 800 at 60 Hz
- Alexa Tablet 11: 11-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 at 90 Hz
- Alexa Tablet 12 Pro: 12-inch display with a resolution of 2800 x 1840 at 120 Hz, available in glossy or Nanomatte finishes
The smaller tablets offer storage options of either 64 or 128 GB, while the Pro model provides choices between 128 and 256 GB.
Performance Enhancements
Powering the 8- and 11-inch models is an 8-core MediaTek MT8189 CPU, clocked at 2 GHz, paired with a 2-core Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The 12-inch Pro variant features a more robust MediaTek MT8793N CPU, which includes one 3.25 GHz core, three 3 GHz cores, and four 2.1 GHz cores, along with a 7-core Arm Mali-G720 GPU. RAM configurations vary, with the small tablet offering 4 GB for the 64 GB storage option and 8 GB for the 128 GB model. The 12-inch tablet provides 8 GB of RAM for the smaller storage option and 16 GB for the 256 GB variant, while the 11-inch model maintains 8 GB across both storage choices. Connectivity is enhanced with WiFi 6 for the 8- and 11-inch models, while the 12-inch Pro boasts WiFi 6E.
Pricing Structure
The pricing for the new Alexa Tablets is as follows:
- Alexa Tablet 8: Starting at 9.99 for the 64 GB model, with an additional to remove lockscreen ads and to upgrade to 128 GB.
- Alexa Tablet 11: Priced at 9.99 for the 64 GB version, with similar options for ad removal and storage upgrades.
- Alexa Tablet 12 Pro: Starting at 9.99 for the glossy screen version with 128 GB of storage. The matte screen adds , and doubling the storage to 256 GB costs an additional 0, bringing the total for the high-end model to 9.99. Notably, the 12-inch models do not feature lockscreen ads.
Kids’ Versions and Availability
In addition to the standard models, Amazon is also offering kids’ versions of these tablets, which include a protective case and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. Interestingly, the ad-free kids’ version is priced the same as the regular model with lockscreen ads, despite the added value of the case and subscription. All new tablets are set to ship on October 14 and will be available in several countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, and Australia.
