If you want an inexpensive portable entertainment device or your first Fire tablet, the standard Fire HD 8 will do just fine. It retains all of the poor parts of the standard model – average screen quality, middling performance, disappointing cameras – but splits the vote by adding a dash of speed and wireless charging support. So the Fire HD 8 Plus represents a savvy bit of marketing by Amazon. This figure will drop if you’re a heavy gamer, while sporadic use will see the longevity stretch to several days. It’s not quite seamless, but dropping the slate on the stand automatically transforms it into an Alexa-powered smart display to rival the Echo Show 8.īattery life has been boosted for both of the new tablets, too, with each now capable of approximately 12 hours of mixed usage. On the other hand, Show Mode is uniquely appealing on the Fire HD Plus, because it works with the optional Wireless Charging Dock. If you’re not a Prime subscriber, you’ll find it incredibly restrictive – particularly given the limited selection of third-party games and apps available to download. Built around Amazon’s subscription ecosystem, the skinned Android software puts the company’s content above all else, offering precious little flexibility. I just wish it was a little less Amazon and a little more Android.Speaking of which, Fire OS is as divisive as ever. But dollar-for-dollar, this Amazon Fire HD 8 review has explained why there is no better affordable tablet than the Fire HD 8. The iPad mini offers blazingly faster performance, a larger screen and the best app store in the world (though developers may disagree), but it costs $310 more than the Fire HD 8 on most days, and Amazon will most certainly discount their own slate come Prime Day 2020. The Fire HD 8 wouldn't feel so compromised, though, if it could just get Google apps, so you could use Chrome and not rely on Amazon's Silk web browser. Though, considering the HD 8’s epic battery life, you won’t need to refuel it often. Again, these companies know their audiences, and who am I to say those aren't welcome shortcuts to bargain priced products? Amazon Fire HD 8 review: Verdictįor casual TV watching and music listening, the Fire HD 8's screen and speakers prove it to be a solid device for all the basics, and its USB-C port means you can charge it with the same cable your new laptop uses.

The Walmart onn, for what it's worth, has the Play Store, and its biggest sin is pushing a lot of links to Walmart in the interface.

Lastly, Amazon's Silk browser is still slow and stilted, and not nearly as smooth as its namesake. But none of the major podcast apps (PocketCasts, Overcast, Downcast) are available on Fire tablets, and neither is WhatApp, one of the biggest messaging apps on the planet. Thankfully, some of the modern basics, such as Spotify and TikTok, are on FireOS. That being said, vocals came out clearly, drum cymbals hit crisply and piano keys clinked accurately. As I listened to tracks by Run The Jewels, Carly Ray Jepsen and The National, I repeatedly found myself wishing I could turn the tablet up to 11. The Fire HD 8 produces pleasing sound but with not nearly as much volume as I'd prefer. Scrolling wasn't as smooth, however, when I tried reading a web page in the Silk web browser, which has always underperformed in my opinion.

The 8-inch Fire HD's touchscreen proved responsive as I tapped and navigated the FireOS menus. However, viewing angles leave something to be desired: A conversation between Tracy Jordan and Kenneth the Page darkened when I viewed it from 30 degrees to the left or right. Our light meter clocked the Fire HD 8 as emitting up to 444 nits of brightness, which makes it a dimmer than the iPad mini (490 nits) and brighter than Fire 7 (370 nits) and the Walmart onn (273 nits). According to our colorimeter, the Fire HD 8 produces up to 80% of the sRGB spectrum, which beats the Amazon Fire 7 (66%) and the Walmart onn (73%).

Amazon fire 8 vs 8 plus