Amazon's Alexa Tablet 12 Pro marks a clear break from the company's long-running Fire tablet formula. Instead of a cheap, media-focused device locked to Amazon's app store, the new premium model runs full Android with access to the Google Play Store and its wide range of apps. Engadget's Nathan Ingraham rates it 8.4 / 10, calling it a great value even though Android apps still don't always work well on a big screen.
The hardware closely resembles Apple's iPad Air and Pro. It has a thin, aluminum unibody design measuring 6.5mm thick and weighing 1.21 pounds, with a fingerprint-sensing power button, a lone USB-C port, and magnetic storage for the stylus. There is no headphone jack. The optional keyboard and pen accessories help position the tablet as a device for getting work done, not just watching video.
The standout feature is the Nanomatte display, which performs well across a range of lighting conditions. The 12-inch screen is not an OLED, but it offers 500 nits of brightness and a dense 280 pixels per inch at a 3:2 aspect ratio, which suits tablet use better than 16:9.
The main drawbacks are software related. Android can stutter or lag at times, and many apps are not designed for larger screens. The tablet also trails Apple's iPad lineup in capability. Even so, its $499 starting price makes those shortcomings easier to overlook.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing