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Here at TechRadar, we have our own ranking of the best tablets around. So when I discovered it was possible to view a list of Amazon's best-selling tablets, I was intrigued to see if it bore any relation to the tablets we regarded most highly.
There are some obvious points of deviation. We tend to focus on tablets for adults, and there are a number of kid-focused models in Amazon's ranking. Similarly, whereas Amazon bundles ereaders in with tablets, we have them in a separate best ereader ranking.
It also makes sense that Amazon's own models sell especially well on the platform, given that they tend to get the best discounts. I'm not surprised to see the Kindle Paperwhite taking the #2 spot, for instance, when we put two Kobo models above it in our list.
Although the iPad (A16) 11-inch — Amazon's #1 bestseller — isn't our favorite tablet, we still scored it very highly in our review. We were less enamored with Amazon's #3 slate, the Fire HD 10 (2023), awarding it three stars and declaring it "only smoldering". It is, however, relatively cheap, which helps explain its popularity here.
Scroll down for a list of Amazon's best-selling tablets (as of 22 September, in the US), in order. Hit the View details button to see what we thought of them in our real-world testing — and learn which ones are worth buying.
Top tablets Apple iPad (A16) 11-inch Pros- A16 chip is very capable
- Now starts with 128GB of storage
- iPadOS 18 runs smoothly here
- No major changes over the previous generation
- 7-inch display is great
- Fastest Paperwhite yet
- Excellent battery life
- Expensive for a mid-range ereader
- Ads on lock screen in some markets (unless you pay extra)
- Cheaper than many rivals
- Incredibly hardy
- Handy Alexa command center
- Tiny changes from 2021 model
- Stuck to Amazon ecosystem
- Lots of unremovable apps
Read our full review (non-renewed version)
Pros- Excellent value
- Upgraded selfie camera for video calls
- True Tone display
- No Face ID
- Doesn’t support newer accessories
- Lacks recalibrating speakers
- Snappier interface means faster menus and smoother zooming
- The best e-reader if you buy books from Amazon
- Design feels out-of-date and cheap, lacks buttons
- Once you see the Kindle Colorsoft, it’s hard to go black and white
Read our review of the 13-inch version
Pros- M3 chip provides plenty of power
- Vibrant screen
- Strong battery life and audio
- Still no ProMotion display
- No major changes to design
Read our full review (non refurbished model)
Pros- More affordable
- Good screen quality
- Powerful for the price
- Apple Pencil costs extra
- Design unchanged
- M4 chip delivers excellent performance
- Vibrant, sharp screen
- Great cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity
- No major design changes
- No ProMotion display
- Cheap HD screen
- Rugged build
- Fantastic warranty
- Amazon app store is somewhat limited
- Perfectly portable
- Excellent build
- Lovely screen
- A great Pencil Pro companion
- Pricey for the size
- Aging design
- FaceTime camera still on the short side of the screen
- Slight yet sturdy water-resistant build
- Bold, vibrant display
- Innovative productivity tools
- Lengthy 20-hour battery life
- Screen not the brightest
- Middling gaming performance
- Somewhat creepy Face Effects
- Chinese universities are cutting traditional courses because of AI
- Translation courses face pressure as universities reassess their employment value
- Photography programmes are being merged as AI changes creative production
The Central Academy of Fine Arts has dropped courses in illustration, photography and translation, arguing that AI has made them poor value for money.
Fashion design degrees are also being scrapped, with universities saying the future rests on close cooperation between people and machines in creative work.
The changes follow a state campaign to direct learners toward chips, robotics and AI, industries the authorities regard as vital for national prospects.
Universities are cutting courses at scaleFrom 2021 to 2025, Chinese universities closed or paused 12,200 undergraduate programmes and launched roughly 10,200 fresh programmes.
The restructuring affected over 30% of undergraduate programmes nationwide, and arts, humanities and language courses absorbed the heaviest cuts.
A survey of 70 universities found cuts to five translation majors, eight Japanese majors and five German majors among language programmes.
Alex Shi launched her creative career with a degree that trained her to translate and interpret English, and says such courses could soon vanish, as the cuts overlook the wider skills underlying translation, including communication and critical thinking, which extend beyond producing accurate text.
Shi concedes that AI could bring translation accuracy almost to perfection, yet maintains that interpreting demands far more than converting words between languages.
“There’s still that personal style that’s always been essential in translation,” said Shi.
The Communication University of China has reportedly closed five programmes, among them visual communication design, comics and photography, according to a report on its overhaul.
“Traditional photography major can no longer exist as an independent discipline… today everyone can be a self-media creator and recorder,” said Liao Xiangzhong, top official at the Communication University of China.
Liao later clarified that the majors were merged into other disciplines instead of being cancelled outright, with photography absorbed by film and television photography.
New film roles and hybrid coursesNew roles such as prompt engineer and AI animator are emerging in film and animation, where AI is also creating fresh openings alongside the closures.
One industry worker says designing characters or scenes once took a month, but with AI, a complete project can now be delivered in that time.
Degree programmes in intelligent imaging art, intelligent audiovisual engineering, and intelligent engineering and creative design have been launched by some schools.
Universities are also launching hybrid courses in which artistic instruction sits beside AI training, while some standalone degrees are being scrapped across the sector.
That shift is changing what employers expect from graduates entering translation, design, photography and film production.
For students, traditional qualifications may increasingly need technical skills that allow them to work alongside automated creative systems.
The result is a university system where some familiar degrees disappear while new AI-focused programmes take their place.
If there's one thing I've learnt in the last decade of testing some of the best robot vacuums in Australia is that not all of them are made equal. Some have excellent performance and software while others, despite a premium price tag, disappoint on testing.
However, as you can probably tell from my Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni review, I really liked how well this robovac performed in my tests. It wasn't perfect, but it cleaned and navigated well. Sadly, though, Ecovacs seems to have discontinued it, although stock is still available at retailers like JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys, listed for AU$1,999.
It has now been replaced by the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Max Pro Omni (please note the 'Max' moniker here) which, despite a very similar name is a slightly different model. I much prefer its design aesthetic over the previous X8 Pro Omni — which was rather boxy — thanks to rounded corners that make the dock look sleeker.
Other than that, the newer model has slightly lower suction power (16,600Pa compared to 18,000Pa on the X8 Pro Omni), but it now boasts a better anti-tangle brush system and a faster rotating roller mop. It can also independently raise the side brush when necessary to avoid scattering.
These upgrades mean it has an RRP of AU$2,599 (AU$100 more than the X8 Pro Omni at launch) but, in better news, it's now on the receiving end of a massive 65% discount on Amazon — down to just AU$899.
Deebot X8 Max Pro Omni: was $2599 now $899
A whopping 65% discount is absolutely nothing to scoff at. And yes, I admit I can't vouch for this model myself as an expert, but Amazon users seem happy with its performance, although some of those reviews are incentivised. Non-Vine users have also claimed it's a good buy and, given how impressed I was with the X8 Pro Omni, I think this will work just as well.View Deal
The slightly lower suction power on the Deebot X8 Max Pro Omni is neither here nor there in real-world use. Robovacs with even lower suction can perform just as well as models with upwards of 20,000Pa of suction as pulling power is highly dependent on airflow through the device.
In my tests I found that the X8 Pro Omni was able to vacuum remarkably well, but I was even more impressed by its mopping — and this Max model has the exact same roller mop mechanism as the older bot. In fact, I find rollers to be the better cleaners than rotating dual mop pads for a couple of reasons: they scrape along edges better and are able to use more water and actually mop rather than (dry) wipe as circular mop pads are wont to do.
I had no issues with navigation or obstacle avoidance with the older model, and I'm confident that since nothing other than the suction has changed here, the Max will be a good investment for anyone keen on a capable set-and-forget robot vacuum.
I would even go so far as to say not to wait until the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale next week as I don't think this vacuum will drop lower in price — AU$899 is an all-tine low that we first saw in August this year, long after the main Prime Day sale in July.
- Vivo launched the flagship X500 series of phones, with three new models
- A new monitoring screen comes in the X500 Pro Max photographer's kit, or it can be purchased separately
- At launch, all the phones and accessories are China-only, with a wider rollout TBD
Vivo quietly launched a really neat accessory alongside its new flagship X500 series of phones — an ultra-slim and light Bluetooth monitoring touchscreen — and, having paired it with the new X500 Pro Max, I wish it were compatible with my phone.
The monitoring touchscreen, aka a selfie screen, mirrors your phone's camera app, complete with touchscreen control over key camera settings and subject tracking, and can be attached to the phone magnetically or used as a remote monitor within its Bluetooth range.
Why not just use your phone's selfie camera instead, you ask? Well, the quality of the rear-facing selfie camera is always inferior to the front-facing cameras, as are the camera settings available.
A selfie screen, on the other hand, unleashes the device's superior front cameras — in the case of the Vivo X500 Pro Max, a triple array including a 50MP main camera and a 200MP 3.5x telephoto camera.
We've seen this kind of selfie screen tech before; Insta360's Snap Selfie Screen comes to mind. However, it needs a cable to connect to a phone, it has an annoying protective cover that flaps around when the screen is in use, and the display is smaller and harder to see. The new Vivo accessory, however, is better and more sophisticated in every way.
The selfie screen without its magnetic rubber caseTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanThe dedicated case Vivo makes to magnetically attach accessories such as the selfie screenTim ColemanThe best mobile accessory for 2026 so far?Vloggers should take note of Vivo's new selfie screen. For one, it can snap onto the device magnetically, or be used by hand, so long as a Bluetooth connection is possible. No cable needed.
Used as a remote monitor, you can position your phone somewhere, say, on a tripod, and then walk into the shot and see what your phone is seeing, no cameraperson needed. (Great for group photos as well, by the way.)
It's clearly a trend — the Insta360 Luna Ultra vlogging camera features a removable touchscreen and controller module (which also has a built-in mic), while DJI launched a remote controller with a screen for its Pocket 4 series.
Whether used remotely or attached magnetically, the Vivo selfie screen's 3.92-inch AMOLED display with 419 pixels per inch (PPI) is clear and crisp. It’s also super light and thin, measuring just 5.65mm thick and weighing 68g — you'll barely feel it on the phone.
Tim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanIt has a USB-C port for charging, plus three side buttons, including a recording button and one for adjusting the screen's brightness levels. Otherwise, that's it.
What's unclear at this stage is which devices are compatible with the monitoring screen, besides the Vivo X500 series, if any.
There’s one major drawback to using it with the Vivo X500 Pro Max — neither device is MagSafe, meaning you need a dedicated case for the phone and monitor for them to stick together!
Vivo sells a case (and the monitor) separately, or they're included in a photographer’s kit which also includes two teleconverter lenses. Meanwhile, the monitor is supplied with a magnetic MagSafe-style rubber case. Vivo says the monitor costs 699 Chinese Yuan (a price conversion is $105 / £78 approximately, though international pricing will be higher).
Tim ColemanTim ColemanCompared to the other similar devices I've tried, I found the Vivo vlogging monitor lighter, has a clearer display, and I appreciated its wireless connectivity, with options for remote or MagSafe-styler setups.
If you ever shoot selfie content and wish you could more easily use your phone’s superior front camera, then a selfie screen is a great option, and Vivo looks like it has just made the best one. If it turns out to be compatible with your device, then it could be the best phone accessory you buy all year — I'll update this page once I know more about the availability and compatibility of the screen.
- Data centers will get a label, just like your fridge or dishwasher
- Energy and water consumption must be reported by 500kW+ sites
- The EC also wants to know how resources are being balanced in relation to local strains
The European Commission has proposed a new rating scheme for data centers in a bid to have them report metrics like energy efficiency and water consumption more transparently.
Upcoming changes fall under the new Data Center Energy Efficiency Package, which introduces a new common, EU-wide rating scheme much like what we're already familiar with for household appliances.
Crucially, the changes now affect smaller campuses with a power demand of at least 500kW, whereas only much larger sites were impacted before the new rules.
European data centers must report efficiency statistics more openlySome of the new metrics include total energy and water consumption, Power Usage Effectiveness (a figure we're already familiar with in hyperscalers' annual sustainability reports), Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), how much of their energy comes from renewables, whether waste heat gets reused and more.
Ultimately, the intensified reporting is hoped not only to reveal how much energy sites are using, but how effectively they're balancing consumption in relation to local pressures like water stress.
"Tripling our data centre capacity cannot mean tripling the pressure on our grids, our water and our energy bills," Clean, Just and Competitive Transition EVP Teresa Ribera said.
The changes are also especially notable given ongoing changes within the bloc, because the EU has been ramping up more local compute options so as to reduce reliance on international options in a big sovereign drive. Over the next seven years, the EU wants to triple its data center capacity, per Reuters reporting.
Importantly, the changes won't happen overnight with the rating scheme subject to a two-month scrutiny window, the Commission detailed. Still, the first ratings are set to go live as early as this year, and by the end of 2028, the EU hopes to have reviewed just how effective those new enforcements were.
"Understanding their energy and resource consumption is the essential first step towards integrating them sustainably into our energy system," Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen added.