Search ZDNet US Edition Topics Log In MUST READ: Microsoft: US government is an 'advanced persistent threat' Topic: Mobility Investigate Follow via: iPad Air vs. Kindle Fire HDX: Which is the best tablet? Summary: With Amazon and Apple both having unveiled their offerings ready for the holiday spending extravaganza, consumers are faced with a choice. So, let's put Apple's iPad Air up against Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX and see which comes out the winner. By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | November 1, 2013 -- 09:19 GMT (02:19 PDT) Follow @the_pc_doc Comments 120 Votes 158 Like 91 Tweet 48 Sharre more + Image 1 of 11 Previous | Next Decisions, decisions … Given their popularity, I expect that tablets will be found underneath a lot of Christmas trees this year, and what a good time for it, since consumers are going to be spoilt for choice. With Amazon and Apple both having unveiled their offerings ready for the holiday spending extravaganza, consumers are faced with a choice, and judging by my mailbox, people are having a hard time making up their minds as to which is the best. So, let's put Apple's iPad Air up against Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX and see which comes out the winner. Note that the Kindle Fire HDX comes in two flavors – 7-inch and 8.9-inch – but for the purposes of this review I'll be focusing primarily on the 8.9-inch version. (Image source: Apple and Amazon) Topics: Mobility, Amazon, Apple, iPad, Tablets, The Year's Best Tech for Work and Play converted by Web2PDFConvert.com About Adrian Kingsley-Hughes Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. Follow @the_pc_doc Contact Disclosure Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it. You may also like New Policy - If You Drive 35/mi or Less You ... Smart Life Weekly DISCOVERED: How to Pay Less than $40 for an iPad lifefactopia.com Never Buy This at a Warehouse Club Kiplinger 6% Cash Back From A Credit Card? Yep. Next Advisor [i] Talkback 120 comments Log in or register to join the discussion Nooooooo Khaaaaaaaaan! harvey_rabbit 1 November, 2013 12:31 Reply 29 Votes Amazon includes Unlimited FREE cloud storage with Kindle HDX Amazon includes Unlimited FREE cloud storage with Kindle HDX for all Amazon content and you can move content to/from the cloud with one click. It's not just the HDX either. However, for me I'm currently drawing the line at 9.7 inches on the screen. I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 and with my eyeglass prescription I find the size to be just a smidge too small. Sure I could go back and get my prescription adjusted but there will be a problem in my visible range somewhere. I already got custom made glasses so I could do 3 things simultaneously: 1. Read a document lying flat on the table in front of me. 2. Easily see my full laptop screen behind the document 3. See the person across the conference table lengthwise to determine if they were smiling or smirking. Adjusting for a smaller tablet screen will likely upset that balance. Still the HDX is awesome and my mom or niece is getting my HD, they may have to fight over it. greywolf7 1 November, 2013 16:48 Reply 15 Votes Similar "Amazon includes Unlimited FREE cloud storage with Kindle HDX for all Amazon content" Apple does the same for iTunes content. rbgaynor 1 November, 2013 18:32 Reply 19 Votes converted by Web2PDFConvert.com Just not very well Just nowhere near as well integrated into the system or as easy to use as on a Kindle. With the kindle it is one click access and you barely notice that you are going between local and cloud content. That is not the case with my iphone, although I do not own an ipad so maybe that is somewhat better integrated, but that is not what I have heard. lynnneez 3 November, 2013 05:31 Reply 13 Votes Very well.. IMO If you go to the music app on ios, and are signed into iTunes account, all your purchased music is all there. Same with videos. Contacts integrated. Pictures integrated (with photo stream). No hassle for me at all. Feels like no cloud storage transfers. That's for me anyway. Murphy Mulvane 4 December, 2013 04:26 Reply Vote Yep It's true, the tablet is more stable than the iPad with iOS 7 and certainly more stable than the Nexus 7 FHD! slickjim 2 November, 2013 00:06 Reply 8 Votes One note though... Streaming prime instant video leaves you with a dead tablet after 5 hours! Nowhere near what Amazon claims. slickjim 3 November, 2013 18:54 Reply 10 Votes There are considerations to those 5 hours Slickjim: Screen brightness, network adapter, battery percentage when you started. As well as content viewed. That is asking a lot, I mean come on. If you are watching movies back to back via network, no it will not last. But if you are watching movies back to back from a 32gb microSD then it would be longer. The network adapter is drawing power as well as the gpu. I think it's more than enough for a coast to coast flight. There are microUSB battery packs if you need more. And who know under what conditions the battery tests were made. Often companies cannot even fathom what the user will be doing. Or how many background apps will be running. HoosierNewman 16 November, 2013 18:06 Reply 11 Votes Ok, I was surprised I figured it would be the same old, same old. I was surprised with the final verdict. And pleased actually about the terrific competition that is building in the tablet market. necessaryevil converted by Web2PDFConvert.com 1 November, 2013 12:38 Reply 19 Votes Competition Yeah- but the consumer is losing The consumers are being hit left and right with what is allowed into the market. There shelves full of junk tablets that barely run Android and cannot run many apps. Off brands where there is no support, non-standard charge ports, proprietary interfaces, and loaded with crapware that you cannot even interact with other Android users. Some of the strong considerations I tell users are "Will it run Skype?", "Will it connect to Google Play?" and System Memory and microSD Cards that it supports? Can you find a replacement charge cable in stores? Don't get tricked and have your kids disappointed or fill up the junk drawer. You know what I mean- those electronics items you purchased but rarely or cannot use because it takes a needle pin charger that Radio Shack don't have or the Shin-Wah BirdKing adapter is not on eBay. HoosierNewman 16 November, 2013 18:17 Reply 25 Votes @Adrian Kingsley-Hughes I decided some time back that I will not read multi page articles from zdnet. I am here to just go on the record that I right away skipped to the last page instead of reading the article. In future, I will close the page if it shows a multi page article if zdnet is not getting modern regarding articles. spicycheeks 1 November, 2013 12:42 Reply 55 Votes You got THAT right But—but—if the article is on a single page, can ZDNet thrust as many ads in front of our eyeballs? paul613 1 November, 2013 14:32 Reply 35 Votes Wait, you see ads? ADP ftw! blarelli 2 November, 2013 07:24 Reply 23 Votes What is this...ads? Is that what the wasted space on the page is supposed to be? Max™ 1 December, 2013 05:03 Reply 1 Vote spicycheeks converted by Web2PDFConvert.com So you would rather purchase a product without reading reviews on it? Is that laziness or total irresponsibility? That is what is wrong with the world we live in now... TurtleJ 1 November, 2013 15:25 Reply 27 Votes Surely You don't rely on ZDNet for a product review???? NoAxToGrind 1 November, 2013 16:07 Reply 18 Votes This is not a review To say this is a review when the reviewer doesn't even have a 8.9" Kindle HDX is a joke. derky 1 November, 2013 16:25 Reply 22 Votes Worse It's worse than a joke.. this article goes by the spec sheet.. and because Amazon claims a longer battery life, "therefore the HDS wins". Come on, I hate Apple with a vengeance as much as the next guy, but at the very least put both of them together, looping the same movie on similar brightness and then watch which one lasts longest. Anything else is just wasting everyone's time including your own. Han CNX 1 November, 2013 19:13 Reply 36 Votes Brilliant remark Kindle HDX is a joke??? How many hours did you work on editing your comment? I mean that is utterly brilliant. I've actually spent a long time investigating options and I see them as a pretty serious player in the tablet market. My guess is the HDX is going to sell like crazy. The amazon environment is becoming more and more helpful to me all the time. The fact that you can download movies (does anyone else let you do that???) with the HDX truly sets it apart from everyone else at this point.