Should I buy a Fire tablet or a cheap Samsung tablet?

Price-wise: cheap Samsung tablets usually make sense around $120–$220 new and $60–$160 used/refurb, depending on model, screen size, and storage. Amazon Fire tablets are often cheaper at about $45–$120 new and $25–$80 used/refurb. If the Samsung is only a little more expensive, it’s usually the better buy for most people; if the Fire tablet is dramatically cheaper, it can be the better value for simple streaming, reading, or kid use.

Buy a cheap Samsung tablet if you want the safer all-around choice. It’s usually better for normal Android apps, Google services, school/work use, and longer-term flexibility.

Buy an Amazon Fire tablet if your main goal is spending as little as possible for streaming, Kindle reading, web browsing, kids’ use, or Amazon Prime content. Fire tablets can be very cheap, but they’re more locked into Amazon’s app store and services.

Rule of thumb: choose a Samsung Galaxy Tab A-series model for most adults; choose a Fire HD model only if price is the top priority or it’s mainly for a child/media device. Prices change a lot, so check sold/completed listings before buying.