Amazon Fire price, specs & review: tablet is cost-efficient at $50

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For folks who are on a budget but need a device for basic features such as reading e-books, Facebook or online shopping at Amazon, this may be the best tablet yet.

Voice of America reports that Amazon's Fire tablet is the company's cheapest device and it maxes out at $230 + $15 for ad-free lock screens. It works well with other Amazon devices including Kindle and Audible audiobooks.

There's nothing impressive with the Fire's design or over-all look. It is 7-inches and is rather bulky and heavy at 11 ounces compared to higher-end tablets. When it comes to display, the Fire is certainly the one of the last devices you would go to for HD display. According to Mercury News, its highest video capability is only 1080p.

The tablet also comes with a camera which only has 2mp and is far-gone from the more expensive tablets made by the company and their competition. Due to its pixel limitation, it cannot capture photos from a distance and pictures can come out a little blurry and unclear. For connectivity, the Fire is Wi-Fi capable and is only standard and as such, cannot support higher speeds.

The Fire does not have anti-glare or fingerprint technology. It does not have multiple profiles capability nor can it be customized by parents for them to limit its usage to kids.

With its price, it's not surprising how standard or unimpressive its features are. However, the Fire has its redeeming qualities. It can support basic functions and is adequate for social media apps such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and other web browsers. It allows email and video watching on Netflix and Hulu, according to The Slanted. For the sound quality, it is not as clear compared to high end tablets but at $50, it seems like a reasonable deal.

The tablet runs on quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor runs with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. You can expand its memory by placing an external microSD. It runs on a 2,980 mAh battery or about 7 hours of batt life.

According to Trusted Reviews, the Fire is much more durable than iPad Air 2, Amazon claims. The device is made from tough plastic but it is not made from sophisticated Gorilla Glass but it seems sturdy, the review states. While this tablet is mostly recommended for those on a budget, parents can also give this one to their kids. It allows entry-level functions and basic features but it doesn't cost as much when something happens to it.