Amazon is seemingly looking to compete with the Apple iPad and Google Pixel Tablet with the Fire Max 11, an advanced entry into its lineup of Fire tablets.
The Fire Max 11 features an 11-inch screen with a 2,000-by-1,200 resolution, a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 4GB of memory, and up to 128GB of storage, all upgrades over Amazon's other Fire tablets (though the Editors' Choice Fire HD 10 features a nearly identical 1080p resolution). It also incorporates Wi-Fi 6, 8MP rear- and front-facing cameras, a fingerprint sensor, and has a battery that can last up to 14 hours, according to Amazon.
Much more interesting than iterative hardware improvements is the Fire Max 11's design. It features an aluminum body, a marked departure from the other, plastic-chassis Fire tablets. It also looks a bit sleeker than the Fire HD 10, with thinner bezels.
Amazon is pushing the Fire Max 11 as a productivity tablet as well as a media consumption device, another change from its other entertainment-centric Fire tablets. An optional Keyboard Case with trackpad will be available for the Fire Max 11, and the tablet will include a three-month trial of Microsoft 365 Personal.
The entire Fire line works with Bluetooth keyboards and Amazon is filled with third-party keyboard cases purported to be designed for the Fire HD 10, but the Keyboard Case appears to be the first official keyboard accessory for a Fire tablet.
While the Fire Max 11's hardware lags behind the higher resolution and RAM of the iPad and Pixel Tablet, it keeps the main strength of Amazon's tablet line: a low price. At $229.99, the Fire Max 11 is half as expensive as either the iPad or Pixel Tablet. The tablet will also be available in a bundle with the Keyboard Case and a Made for Amazon Stylus Pen for $329.99, undercutting Apple and Google. The case and stylus are also available separately for $89.99 and $34.99, respectively.
The Amazon Fire Max 11 and its accessories are available for preorder, and ship in June.