Hudl 2 vs Kindle Fire HDX: price
The Hudl 2, reviewed is Tesco’s second tablet and costs £129, just £10 more than the original Hudl. Because there’s only one model, there’s no choice of Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G/4G, so if you need data on the move, the Fire HDX could be a better choice. With the Fire HDX there are options which take the price from £199 to £329 depending on whether you want 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi plus cellular data.
Hudl 2 vs Kindle Fire HDX: design and features
The base 16GB model costs £199 and the only way to get more is to specify more when ordering. You can also choose not to see ‘special offers’ on the lock screen if you hand over an extra £10. Unlike the older Fire HD, the Fire HDX has a front camera which means you can Skype and take selfies. There’s no rear camera, though. We quite like the HDX’s rear-mounted power and volume buttons as once you’re used to them, they’re easy to find without looking. The rear-facing stereo speakers are pretty good, but we’re not fans of the angled microUSB connector which makes the cable point slightly upwards when charging, and it would be easy to lean on this and damage either the tablet or the cable. The Hudl 2 has a larger 8.3in screen with the same 1920×1200 resolution (that’s a 16:10 aspect ratio rather than typical 16:9). It’s an IPS panel: not the brightest and without the level of colour accuracy of the Fire HDX, but a great screen considering the price.
Storage is fixed at 16GB, but you can add a microSD card for more, up to 64GB. You get rear-facing stereo speakers, a choice of rear colours and both front (1.2Mp) and rear (5Mp) cameras. The Hudl 2 also has a GPS receiver and a micro HDMI output, two features the HDX lacks.
Hudl 2 vs Kindle Fire HDX: software and performance
The Hudl 2 runs Android KitKat, and Tesco hasn’t changed it much – a good thing. Yes, there’s a prominent link on the home screen to Tesco’s services, which becomes a full-screen ‘advert’ if you swipe to the right, but it’s not obtrusive and you won’t feel like you’re constantly being sold to as you are with the Fire HDX with Special Offers. You can access Blinkbox, Tesco’s video streaming service. Since it’s basically vanilla Android, it’s an easy tablet to use and you’ve access to all of Google’s apps and services including the Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, Maps and more. Plus, as we discovered when trying to read a book on the HDX, the blue LEDs give a faint blue glow around the edges of the screen which is both distracting and slightly offputting. Tesco offers a Freephone number for tech support. Both are quick tablets, with the Hudl using a quad-core Intel Atom chip, and the HDX an even quicker (on paper) quad-core processor. Both have 2GB of RAM.
Hudl 2 vs Kindle Fire HDX: as kids’ tablets
Tesco’s controls are also good, and include a child-safe web browser in which you can dictate which sites they can access. They can request access to sites not on your list, which you can approve or decline. You can also choose which apps they can use, and how long they can use the tablet each weekday or weekend. With both tablets you’ll want to invest in a case to help prevent damage from knocks and drops: Tesco’s Protective Bumper comes in pink or blue and costs £15. See also: Best kids’ tablets of 2014
Hudl 2 vs Kindle Fire HDX: verdict
The HDX is already a year old, and is now seeing frequent price drops so it’s unwise to pay the full price if you can wait. However, the Hudl 2 is the clear winner here, and the reasons are obvious. Next, the Hudl 2 has expandable storage, which is cheaper than buying a higher-capacity Fire HDX. It also has a rear camera, which comes in handy on occasion (and kids love). Screen size is a personal preference, so the smaller HDX might win for you, but we prefer the 8.3in size which makes web browsing more comfortable. Assuming you don’t need mobile data, the Hudl 2 is the tablet to buy. See also: Best tablets of 2014 Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
