black Friday is around the corner, but several WIRED-approved Amazon devices are already on sale, from Kindle e-readers to Fire tablets. If your holiday gift list includes one of those or maybe even a Fire TV Stick, you can start shopping (and saving) early. Many of these products are brand-new, like the Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) or the Fire HD 8, and it’s unlikely you’ll see even steeper discounts during the big sale event, though don’t completely rule it out.
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Kindle Deals
The 12th-gen Paperwhite (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite Kindle (it was also very new, announced in October). It has all the important features that make for a great reading experience including a large display with high resolution, smooth performance, warm lighting, and an IPX8 water-resistance rating. The latest version has the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle (for sharper text and images) and up to three months of battery life. It’s the thinnest it’s ever been too. The Signature Edition is also on sale for $155 ($45 off), which comes with auto-adjust brightness, double the storage (32 gigs), and wireless charging support.
The basic Kindle is an excellent choice for a compact and affordable e-reader. The latest 2024 model doesn’t offer many new features compared to the 2022 version, but it has a higher contrast ratio, a 25 percent brighter front light, and a faster page-turn rate. As the smallest Kindle, it’s super comfortable to hold one-handed and travel with if you’re the type who reads on the go often. For a fun pop of color, I suggest snagging the Matcha color. For under $100, you can’t go wrong with this one.
If you’re raising a bookworm, the kid-friendly Kindle makes for a wonderful gift this holiday season. Although it’s more expensive, we prefer the Paperwhite Kids because it has a larger display (which is better for reading graphic novels) and it’s waterproof so you don’t have to worry about those accidental spills. The basic Kindle Kids is also on sale for $95 ($35 off) which is smaller, more compact, and comes with fun covers to choose from. Both models also include six months of Amazon Kids+, a subscription service for age-appropriate books, and a two-year warranty.
Fire Tablet Deals
The Fire Max 11 (5/10, WIRED Review) is Amazon’s most powerful tablet. But its high price, especially paired with the Productivity Bundle, put us off. Now that its price is well below $200, it’s a much better value. Like all Fire tablets, it’s ideal if you’re all in on Amazon’s content and services. It packs good performance, a bright and sharp screen, solid speakers, and an all-metal build, plus the 1080p cameras are nicer than what you’ll find on the rest of Amazon’s tablets.
This Fire tablet launched late last year but it’s still the best option in the lineup, especially at this sale price. It comes with a speedy octa-core processor, a large screen Full HD (1080p) screen, and 3 gigabytes of RAM for smoother performance when browsing the web with several tabs open. It supports Show Mode, which turns the tablet into an Echo Show smart display if you set it on a stand. You’ll have the choice between 32 GB or 64 GB configurations, with a microSD card slot that can add up to 1 TB of storage on both models. If you want to use the tablet to get work done, you can also buy the Keyboard Case bundle for $100 ($90 off).
The 2024 Fire HD 8 tablet only comes with a few improvements. Amazon increased the RAM from 3 GB (up from 2 GB), which was likely added for smoother performance when using the company’s new AI features. The rear camera has been upgraded to 5 megapixels (up from 2 MP). Aside from that, it has the same design, size, and 13-hour battery life (we hit about 11 hours in our testing) as its predecessor. You’ll also get 32 GB or 64GB storage options with the ability to expand it up to 1 TB with a microSD card. It’s a better option if you want all the features that come with the HD 10 but in a smaller size. The display isn’t as nice, but the tablet is more travel-friendly.
This is the best kids’ tablet for younger children. It sports all the same features as Amazon’s standard Fire tablets, but you’ll also get a rugged case and a two-year worry-free guarantee. Amazon will replace it for free if your kids accidentally break it. It also comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which gives you access to kid-friendly movies, books, apps, and games. You can manage the parental controls on the device as well.
Fire TV Stick Deals
If you primarily watch Amazon Prime shows and movies, the second-generation Fire Stick is our top recommendation. You can still access major streaming apps like Netflix and Max, but a Fire TV Stick is tailored to Amazon Prime content. As with the last version, Alexa is built into the remote, there’s an “Ambient Experience” feature that displays and cycles through nature or art scenes when you’re not using it, and you’ll have access to picture-in-picture mode for controlling smart home devices or pulling up security camera feeds. Amazon doubled the storage to 16 gigabytes in this model and added support for Wi-Fi 6E, future-proofing it a bit.
