Introducing Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet productivity bundle with Keyboard Case, Stylus Pen, octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM to do

2 Reviews For This Product

1. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   01

   by NETAdmin July 23, 2023

   I bought the older Fire 10 Pro when it first came out and had been using it as my main Android tablet until last week. The productivity pack’s keyboard was basically unusable due to connection issues, and many keys failed completely within a few months of light use. The keyboard case itself was heavy but really sturdy. Performance was acceptable with UI lag that was very annoying at times. I had it running Google apps and pretty much anything I would use on a normal Android tablet. So how does the Fire Max 11 compare? Really well actually. The software still needs some refinement but it is a major step forward in just about every way. As a note, while my reviews are marked Vine Voice, I have yet to use the program to receive review products and I paid for this tablet with my own money.Performance (4/5): Excellent for the price (I bought the tablet without ads + the productivity bundle during Prime Day). The UI is fast, apps load quickly, and the memory use is low on Fire OS 8.1.3.5 running Google apps without debloating Amazon apps and services. I have been able to run spit screen apps without any noticeable performance hit. Unfortunately, there are some issues that I will discuss during the software section below.Software (4/5 on OS 8.1.3.5, 2/5 on 8.1.3.9): Fire OS 8.1.3.9 is known to have some ADB security additions that are not in earlier versions. This interferes with Fire Toolbox and our ability to add some apps, limit or disable auto OTA updates, change the default launcher, and disable some Amazon apps. This is annoying and unnecessary behavior from the Amazon Software Dev team. Thankfully my Fire Max 11 came with OS 8.1.3.5 so I retained that and loaded Google services via Fire Toolbox and all other apps that I normally use via the Play Store. All apps have worked great with exception of the YouTube app from the Play Store. The Fire OS video driver doesn’t seem to be able to render 30 FPS videos properly with the screen running at 60hz refresh rate and there is serious choppiness which is especially noticeable during panning shots. This isn’t a problem for YouTube videos running in the Opera web browser so it’s not a hardware issue. I imagine this will be resolved in the future but I will not be updating my OS version until Amazon stops interfering with customer attempts to customize our tablets and install Google apps.Tablet Case (3/5): The case is held in place with magnets. The keyboard portion is fairly secure and self-aligning which is nice. The back cover with integrated kickstand is ok, but could use stronger magnets to keep it from lifting off or twisting when the kickstand is deployed. The keyboard and kickstand are not super stable on your lap for typing, so you really should find a flat surface for any serious work.Keyboard (3/5 but could be 5/5 with a software update): the keys are arranged well and have good feel and travel. The system is responsive and I haven’t experienced any key strokes that weren’t recognized while typing quickly. Unfortunately, I don’t have the same praise to offer for the track pad. I’m happy that this keyboard has a track pad but its proximity to the space bar and overall sensitivity means that it often registers a click when typing. This causes the cursor to move to some random place in the document and anything typed appears there. This a really annoying and I experienced the issue nearly a dozen times while typing this review. I think a software update could fix this but for now I will place some electrical tape along the top edge to limit these clicks. Another issue with the trackpad is the inability to reverse the scrolling direction. I invert scrolling on all devices I use (Windows and Linux) and not being able to set this up means that I end up using the touchscreen to scroll through websites instead of using the touchpad.Screen (4/5): The screen exhibits some ghosting but the overall presentation is decent enough for the price. I didn’t find any purple cast in dark areas or backlight bleed which is common on cheaper displays. Max brightness is good and the tablet can be used outside in most conditions despite the glossy finish. Having active pen support at this price point is a welcome addition. The quality of the Pen is nice and I didn’t experience any issues during my brief testing.Battery life (5/5): Battery life is excellent. I mostly use my Android tablets for watching videos, browsing websites, performing remote IT System Administration, and some PDF or e-book reading here and there. So far the battery life is better than my last 10 Pro despite the performance being much higher.Frame and build quality (5/5): The body looks and feels premium which means it really needs to have the keyboard case to avoid damaging the finish. This is not a bad thing, just a departure from the more rugged plastic cases employed on earlier Fire Tablets.Speakers (3/5): The speakers sound good but they do not get as loud as the speakers on my Fire 10 Pro. I often find that want more volume but the setting is maxed. I went looking for a safety limiter in the menu but it seems like that’s just as loud as it gets.Cameras (3/5 rear, 4/5 front): The rear camera is basic when compared to other rear cameras modules on the market and does a really poor job in low light. The front facing camera is above average in all but the worst light.Overall (4/5 with Fire OS 8.1.3.5, 3/5 with OS 8.1.3.9): This is a well rounded tablet that would serve a lot of people well. Most of the issues I have with the tablet itself are software related and are minor. The main problem long term is if Amazon continues to try to lock down the tablets to prevent customization and enabling Google services and the Google Play Store. I do not think that locking a customer into the Amazon ecosystem is a good idea, and allowing this flexibility doesn’t limit a users interaction with the Amazon services that they commonly use and enjoy. For the Prime Day price it’s really hard to go wrong with this tablet for older teens and even professionals. I would not recommend this for young children as I don’t think it would survive multiple drops, and the performance is overkill for the use case they have.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   01

   by The Bearded Mystic September 5, 2023

   This is by far the best Fire Tablet since the HDX series, and my favorite. To put into context my love of the Fire Tablet, I’ve owned (or bought and returned) the following over the past 11 years:Fire 7 (2012/2014/2020),Fire HDX 7 (2014),Fire HD 8 (2018),Fire HD 8+ (2020/2022),Fire HD 10 (2018, 2019),Fire HD 10+ (2021),Fire Max 11 (2023).Of those, the ones I kept or kept the longest was the Fire HDX 7, the Fire 7 (2014), and the Fire HD 10 (2018).Specs for the Fire Max 11 can be found within the product description.Design and BuildThe Max 11 boasts a sleek and modern design, coupled with a build quality that feels robust and premium. Its lightweight aluminum structure makes it convenient for both work and leisure, allowing easy handling and portability. I like that it went back to a similar size/ratio of the 2018 HD 10.PerformanceEquipped with a more powerful processor than its predecessor, the Max 11 is capable of handling various tasks smoothly. Whether I am browsing the web, watching videos, or using multiple apps simultaneously, the experience is fluid and lag-free, especially compared to my HD 10.While not ‘blazingly fast’, it IS much faster than I expected. Out of curiousity, I wound up trying it with a bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo, and for the first time-I feel this is a possible viable laptop replacement for light to medium users. My HD 10 does not make a viable laptop replacement. Great multitasking ability, can run enough apps at once with little to no lag.The speakers are merely adequate, if not a tad disappointing. Thought normally I either use ear buds or a bluetooth speaker. I don’t miss having a head phone jack, and love having the quite responsive finger print sensor on the power button.DisplayThis has been probably my biggest surprise. The display is vibrant and crisp, offering excellent viewing angles. It renders colors accurately, making it a joy to use for both media consumption and reading. I do wish it was a TAD brighter at times, but the vibrancy of the colors makes up for it most of the time. I’d wondered how much of a viewing difference going from the 10 to the 11 would be, and it’s shockingly a pretty big difference. The Max 11 almost feels like a small tv, or laptop screen at times.Battery LifeBattery life has been good. It’s not the best nor the worst, and should be more than adequate for most users. Since I have chargers adjacent to most places I use the tablet in my house, I’ve also not needed to run it low.ValueOne of the reasons I’ve had so many Fire tablets (I’ve owned only one other non Fire tablet, a 6th gen iPad mini that I use for my business) is that I love the value proposition and ease of use. Reviewers like to talk down the Fire software, but I have never minded it. I am admittedly deep into the Amazon ecosystem with movies, books, music, etc., so the operating system has always made it easy to access and use that stuff. I have also side loaded the Play store (I did this on my HD 10 also), so I have access to almost the entire Play store of apps on my Max 11. If one is really ambitious, you can essentially turn it into more an Android operating system. Personally, I have never like the tablet OS offered from iPad or Android tablets. When the Fire Max 11 was first announced, I was excited about the specs, but hesitant on the price. So I waited until Prime Day to buy it, also taking advantage of the trade in offer. In terms of what I paid ($229-$30 trade in gift card-$46 trade in 25% off-$80 prime day offer=$73.99), of course it’s an awesome value. At $229…I would suggest either going refurbished if available or just waiting it out for the inevitable discounts (at the time I write this, it’s on sale for $189.99). But I still think it’s a great tablet at $229, and wouldn’t fault anyone that pays that.OverallIn conclusion, the Fire Max 11 strikes a balance between aesthetics and functionality, offering a modern solution that should meet the needs of most while offering value and longevity. It might be a worthy addition to your tech arsenal, promising reliability and efficiency in daily use.Rating: 4.5/5