Amazon's Fire Tablets Are Gone: I Tried the Alexa Tablet Pro and It's a Kindle Killer

Sarah Johnson · 2026-10-08

Amazon has officially discontinued its Fire tablet lineup, replacing it with a new trio of Alexa-branded tablets. The most exciting of the bunch? The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro—Amazon's first true high-end tablet. I got some hands-on time with it before launch, and let me tell you, first impressions are strong. For years, Fire tablets were the budget-friendly option. They were popular, sure, but mostly because they were cheap and often discounted during Prime Day and Black Friday. They ran a forked version of Android that locked you out of Google apps, forcing you to sideload or rely on Amazon's limited App Store. Not exactly ideal. ### A Software Overhaul That Changes Everything The new Alexa tablets run a completely revamped software experience. All three models now have full access to Google Play, meaning you get all the apps you've been missing. That alone would make these far more recommendable than any previous Fire device. But there's more. ### The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro: A Premium Beast The 12 Pro is the flagship, and it's easily the most interesting tablet Amazon has ever made. It's clad in aluminum, giving it a premium feel that rivals the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. It's also the most expensive Amazon tablet to date, but the build quality justifies it. #### Display: A Reading Lover's Dream The standout feature for me was the 3:2, 120Hz display. There are two versions: one with a standard glossy panel and another with a Nanomatte display (similar to the iPhone Duo's inner screen). This etched anti-glare tech drastically reduces reflections while maintaining contrast. It's perfect for reading Kindle books—text is crisp, and glare is minimal. Amazon is really pushing this as a Kindle alternative, and I can see why. > "The Nanomatte display makes reading outdoors a breeze—no more squinting through reflections." #### A Reading Experience Tailored for Bookworms When you open a book, notifications turn off, blue light filters kick in, and background processes reduce to extend battery life to a reported 20 hours. You also get Kindle Scribe features like highlighting, underlining, note-taking, and annotating. It's a full-fledged e-reader experience. ### Alexa: Deeply Integrated As the name suggests, Alexa is a huge part of these tablets. There's a new home screen widget that cycles through suggested content, and you can swipe in from the right to have Alexa interact with whatever's on your screen. In a demo, Alexa added dates from a schedule to a calendar—pretty handy. ### A More Productive OS The old Fire OS has mostly been ditched. The home screen looks like a typical Android tablet UI, but swiping left takes you to a dedicated Amazon content area for Kindle books, Audible audiobooks, and more. It's simple but polished, and definitely a step up from the basic old UI. ### The Verdict (So Far) If you're a Kindle fan or just want a versatile tablet with Google apps and a premium build, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro looks like a winner. It's a fantastic Kindle alternative that doesn't compromise on apps or performance. I'll have a full review soon, but early signs are very promising.