They’ve been using 2017-era Fire HD 8 Kids tablets for a few years, so they have a good perspective on how the new models might be different from older tablets. There's a comparison grid on the product pages claiming that the Kids tablet has "hand-picked sites" in the web browser, while the Kids Pro version is "open but filtered. Alexa responds to voice commands, giving you hands-free control over your tablet and long-distance access to smart home devices. And for older kids (well, six to eight year olds) there’s Ninjago, Harry Potter and Guinness World Records, among others. Apps open quicker, navigating between home screens and menus is faster, and it’s generally less annoying to use than it was before.

Inside the new Fire HD 10 is the same 2GHz octacore MediaTek MT8183 processor that was used in the prior model. But this time, it’s paired with 3GB of RAM (a 50 percent increase), which provides a noticeable improvement in the tablet’s performance. The screen is bright and sharp enough, the speakers aren't bad, and the cameras are 1080p and nicer than the cameras on the rest of the Fire tablets. For older kids, a web browser with built-in content filters is available, though that too can be turned off by the parent. The glare-free screen and choice of font styles are easy on the eyes, while customisable backlight options allow you to adjust the warmth and brightness.You might be able to grab a quick picture of your pet in a cute pose, but don’t expect to share that image on Instagram. The company doesn’t update them as often as their competitors, sometimes going a few years between upgrades. Parents can control all of this, including the screen time limits, from a web dashboard on any device, making it very easy to manage.

Choosing a product that's just right for your child - not to mention your budget - can be a tricky balance to strike and it's easy to overspend, or end up with a cheap option that's not up to the job.The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro has the VoiceView screen reader for blind or visually impaired users, and it can use either text to speech or a connected braille display.

For pre-schoolers, the Fire 7 Kids or Fire HD 8 Kids are much cheaper, have much tougher cases, and include all the parental controls and Kids Plus content. Fortunately, your Kids+ subscription can be transferred onto your kid's new Kindle—and you can then repurpose the Fire HD 10 Kids for your own needs, transforming it into a Fire HD 10 simply by setting up an adult profile and peeling off the case.Set bedtime curfews and employ tighter controls on screen time and content when they are young and relax restrictions as they get older. With the former, you’re getting an hour of extra running time over the previous model, and with the latter, there’s an improved 5MP selfie camera with both rear and front cameras now offering the same resolution. Some of the sales pitch here is around the parental controls, which are baked in and are better than the default parental controls on Apple and Android devices. The Fire HD 10 supports Echo Show mode, which lets you talk hands-free to Alexa, see the time, weather, trending topics, and other smart display features. Its resolution is 1,920 x 1,200, giving it 224 pixels per inch, and it’s protected by strengthened aluminum silicate glass.

The Fire HD 10 is available in four muted color options, while the 10 Plus only comes in black and the Kids versions come with a variety of colorful cases. It’s still by no means a fast tablet (4K video stutters in the browser), but it doesn’t get in its own way nearly as much as the last model.A far better idea is to wait for Prime Day or another sale when you can get the new models at 30 to 50 percent off. The Fire HD 10 can easily handle a few consecutive movies, and it doesn’t lose much battery life when it’s sitting idle, unlike Apple’s latest iPads.