Reviews

Amazon Fire Max 11: Unboxing and First Impressions

Check out our first impressions of the Fire Max 11 tablet by Amazon.

Last updated on

06/03/2024

Published on

July 1, 2023

Zara Ali

In the world of tablets, Amazon has been a key player with its Fire series, offering budget-friendly options. Today, we unbox and take a first look at the brand new Amazon Fire Max 11, a tablet that comes with some exciting additions like a keyboard and stylus. Priced competitively starting at $229.99 in the United States and Europe, this tablet aims to capture the attention of budget-conscious consumers without compromising on functionality. Additionally, buyers can also opt for a bundle with keyboard and stylus for $329.99.

Amazon Fire Max 11 on* Amazon

Read: Our Final Amazon Fire Max 11 Review

Amazon Fire Max 11: What’s Inside the Box

Let’s start by diving into the unboxing experience of the Amazon Fire Max 11. Inside the box, we find the tablet itself, which immediately catches the eye with its higher-end design compared to previous Fire tablets from Amazon. Alongside the tablet, there’s a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a standard charger, and a eject tool for the micro SD card. Notably, the tablet does not have a SIM card slot or LTE connectivity. Additionally, the box contains standard paper materials such as a warranty card and a quick start guide.

First Impressions of Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet

Here’s a brief overview of the Amazon Fire Max 11 based on its specifications and initial impressions, it’s important to note that a comprehensive review is necessary to fully evaluate its performance, display quality, camera capabilities, and other aspects. Our complete analysis will involve thorough testing and hands-on experience with the tablet to provide an in-depth assessment of its strengths, weaknesses, and overall user experience. We encourage our readers to stay tuned for our detailed review, where we will delve into all aspects of the Amazon Fire Max 11 to help you make an informed decision.

Fantastic Value

Amazon Fire Max 11

~~$229.99~~ $179.99

The Amazon Fire Max 11 offers a premium-feeling metal body, a good performance, a bright display, and a fantastic keyboard cover. On a negative note, the Google Play Store is missing out of the box.

Buy on Amazon Our Review

03/26/2024 06:03 pm GMT

Display and Design

Now, let’s discuss the design and display of the Amazon Fire Max 11. The Fire Max 11 features an 11-inch fully laminated LCD screen with a resolution of 2000 by 1200 pixels. Although the pixel density is not the highest, the display offers good viewing angles and satisfactory visuals for its price range. It’s important to note that the screen may exhibit slight pixelation when closely examined, which is normal for tablets in this price range. The brightness levels of the display are decent, but it may struggle under direct sunlight, making it less ideal for outdoor use.

With an 11-inch display, the tablet provides a slightly larger screen compared to Amazon’s previous 10.1-inch tablets. The symmetrical black bezels give it a modern and sleek look. Notably, the Fire Max 11 is the first Amazon tablet to incorporate a mostly metal body, adding a premium touch to its design. However, there is still some plastic at the top section of the tablet.

Connectivity and Features

As for connectivity, the tablet includes two speakers located in the plastic section at the top, a microSD card slot on the side, and a USB-C 2.0 port at the bottom. While it supports USB-C accessories, it does not offer the capability to connect external monitors. The tablet is also equipped with a volume rocker, a power button with an integrated fingerprint scanner, and it impresses with its thin and lightweight form factor, weighing only 190 grams.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the Amazon Fire Max 11 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core processor, which is paired with 4GB of RAM, and a choice of either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. This combination should provide smooth performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, media consumption, and light productivity work. However, it may struggle with more demanding applications or multitasking scenarios.

In terms of processing power, the Fire Max 11 shows slightly better performance in multi-core tasks compared to its competitors, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2, as indicated by a Geekbench 5 benchmark comparison (see the image below).

However, when it comes to graphics and computing performance, the Fire Max 11 lags slightly behind. In the provided example of playing PUBG Mobile, the tablet performs well with graphics set to HD but does not support higher settings like HDR or Ultra HD. This is fairly common within its price range, allowing you to play most games with satisfactory performance. However, for more demanding games, you may need to lower the graphic settings to achieve smoother gameplay.

The tablet runs on Amazon’s customized version of Android, called Fire OS, which offers a user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Amazon services. The tablet features an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel rear camera, although it lacks an LED flash.

Battery and Software

One of the key selling points of the Fire Max 11 is its battery life. Amazon claims that the tablet can last up to 12 hours on a single charge, which is quite impressive. Of course, real-world usage may vary depending on the tasks performed and settings used, but the tablet should easily last a full day of use for most users. The inclusion of a USB-C port allows for faster charging, although it does not support wireless charging.

In terms of software features, the Fire Max 11 includes Amazon’s digital assistant, Alexa, which can be activated hands-free with a voice command or by pressing the home button. Alexa integration allows users to perform various tasks, such as controlling smart home devices, checking the weather, setting reminders, and more.

Accessories

Moving on to the stylus, which is available as a separate purchase or as part of a bundle, we find it packed in a separate box. The stylus, priced at $34.99, comes with an eject tool for changing the tip, a battery, and an extra tip. It’s worth mentioning that additional tips for the stylus can also be purchased separately. The stylus itself utilizes the USI 2.0 pen technology, which is compatible with various Chrome OS tablets and even the Google Pixel tablet. This compatibility makes it a suitable option for users of other devices seeking an affordable stylus.

If you’re interested in the keyboard cover, it can be purchased separately for $90 or as part of a bundle. The keyboard cover consists of two parts: a back cover and a detachable keyboard. The back cover doubles as a stand, allowing you to use the tablet at different angles, even without the keyboard attached. When connected, the magnetic connector securely holds the tablet and keyboard together, providing a stable typing experience. While the keyboard and touchpad are functional and work well, they do not offer any standout features.

Conclusion

Overall, the Amazon Fire Max 11 offers a compelling package for budget-conscious consumers looking for a tablet with decent performance and a range of features. The inclusion of the keyboard and stylus options adds versatility to the tablet, making it suitable for productivity tasks as well. While it may not compete with higher-end tablets in terms of raw power or display quality, it provides good value for its price point.

As always, it’s important to consider your specific needs and preferences when choosing a tablet. If you prioritize affordability and functionality without needing the latest cutting-edge specifications, the Amazon Fire Max 11 could be a worthy contender for your consideration.

We think that the Amazon Fire Max 11 holds particular appeal during special deal days such as Amazon’s Prime Day and Black Friday wherein you get substantial discounts on various products, including tablets. Taking advantage of these discounts can make the Fire Max 11 an even more exciting option for those interested in tablets within this price range.

Additionally, if you’re exploring tablets in this price category, we would recommend checking out our review of the Lenovo Tab P11 Gen 2. It is priced similarly to the Fire Max 11 and offers comparable features, allowing you to make a well-informed decision based on your preferences and needs. We will soon be bringing out a comparison between the two.

Amazon Fire Max 11

Read now: Our Amazon Fire Max 11 Review

The Amazon Fire Max 11 has a full metal body, offers a bright display, a good performance, has great features like a fingerprint scanner and the Alexa voice assistant, and you can get it with a good USI 2.0 stylus. I like the optional keyboard cover in particular. On a negative note, I wish the battery life would be a bit longer and it would be nice if the Google Play Store would be preinstalled out of the box.

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