[ScotiaBurrell]

The 7-inch, 1280 x 800 display on the Fire HD is fantastic. The IPS, LCD screen looks better than probably any other tablet display I've seen, save for the new iPad. While the pixel density is the same for both the Nexus 7 and the Fire HD (216 compared to the iPad's 264), the Fire blows away the Nexus in terms of color richness, black levels, and general brightness. It definitely looks more like an Apple-quality display, and it's clear the company put a lot of effort into making an impression here.

From a standpoint of horsepower, the Fire HD seems more than capable at handling pretty much anything you throw at it (or at least, anything that's available in the Amazon Appstore). Games like Dead Space and Angry Birds played with no slowdown or lag, lists scrolled quickly and smoothly, and books and magazines didn't hesitate when the pages were turned. Movies streamed solidly in HD, and music playing worked without a hiccup in the background. As I said, however, there are software issues which I believe are unrelated to the actual CPU performance of the device.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/11/33...-review-7-inch

With its superb display, superior speakers and improved performance, the $199 Kindle Fire HD is easily one of the best 7-inch tablets available. And, thanks to Amazon's vast library of movies, music, books and magazines -- and the new X-Ray functionality -- this slate is in fact the best choice for consuming content on the go.

Is the Fire HD better than the Nexus 7? Not quite, in our book, but it also depends on what you're looking for. Android fans will undoubtedly gravitate toward Google's device as it offers a greater selection of apps, a more familiar interface and innovative features, such as Google Now and offline voice typing. The Nexus 7 also exhibits less lag in everyday use and has a smaller physical footprint. However, the Fire HD has a brighter screen, better sound and double the amount of standard storage, strengths that complement Amazon's superiority when it comes to discovering and purchasing content. That's where the Fire HD excels.

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/tabl...fire_hd_7.aspx