Amazon Fire (2017)

Packed with compromises, but still a terrific value tablet that you can safely hand over to the kids.

We can talk processor speeds, resolutions and battery capacities all day long, but with Amazon’s new-and-improved 7in Fire tablet there’s only one number that matters: £50. While I have plenty of negative things to say about the Fire, bear in mind this is still a tablet with a quad-core processor, two cameras and Amazon’s slick, family-friendly software.

What’s more, the 2017 Fire has Alexa, better battery life and four new colours, should you want to get all jazzy. And you might be tempted. In black, this is as generic and featureless a 7in tablet as you can imagine. It’s over 1cm thick, crafted from cheap-feeling plastic, and with only the shiny silver power switch and volume rocker at the top to lend it the merest hint of design nous.

The thick frame even conspires to make the Fire’s 7in IPS display look smaller than it is. And, just when you thought 800 x 1,280 was becoming the entry-level standard for bargain-basement tablets, along comes Amazon with a 600 x 1,024 screen.

This is arguably the Fire’s biggest shortcoming. Any digital newspaper, magazine or graphic novel with small text is a pain to read. HD video you stream or purchase from Amazon will only play at SD resolution, adding to the Fire’s basic, dated feel.