Amazon Fire HD 8 review: The affordable entertainment tablet
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(Pocket-lint) - Amazon churns out Fire tablets at a great pace; the Fire HD tablet has been a constant technology for a few years, available in three sizes, with daily updates.
In recent years, the offering has not changed enormously, with small tweaks identifying the various models, rather than the bigger steps you can see on premium tablets such as the Apple iPad.
Is the Fire HD 8 worth your interest, then?
Design and build
Dimensions: 202 x 137 x 9.7mm / Weight: 335g
Finish: Black, Plum, Twilight Blue, White colours
3.5mm headphone jack
Dolby Atmos speakers
Plastic build
The Amazon Fire HD 8 launched alongside an enhanced version of the same tablet - the Fire HD 8 Plus, which adds wireless charging to the mix. There's little to set these two tablets apart, except that the regular model reviewed here also comes in a wider range of colours.
In 2020, Amazon slightly modified the design of the Fire HD 8, rendering the bezels identical on both sides and moving on from the slightly elongated look of the past. In this new aspect, we definitely believe it looks better.
However, with Amazon sticking to plastics and eschewing luxury materials, the construction remains the same. Given the price, that's understandable, but there's an authenticity to it as well: this is not trying to compete with far more expensive products, instead it's built with practicality in mind.
The effect is that you have a tablet that takes a little more violence, a little easier wearing bruises and stains, preventing the cracks or dents that can accrue in your life on certain other tablets. With soft, curved edges, it also has plenty of grip. It's also easy to wipe clean.
In 2020, Amazon slightly modified the design of the Fire HD 8, rendering the bezels identical on both sides and moving on from the slightly elongated look of the past. In this new aspect, we definitely believe it looks better.
The Fire HD 8 is especially well suited for those who want the speakers to be used. There are stereo speakers that bear the Dolby Atmos name, which are actually very good for use in games and movies, with substantial volume and decent solidity in their delivery. For those who want to go wireless, there is Bluetooth, too.
Display
8-inch LCD display, 16:10 aspect ratio
1280 x 800 resolution (189ppi)
We have always thought that the Fire HD 8 lies in the Fire tablet range's sweet spot. It's big enough that it's immersive, tiny enough that it's portable. While the 8-inch size and resolution, as the name suggests, has not improved, the new versions of this tablet have increased the quality significantly over older models.
The resolution is modest, claiming (but only) the HD tag, but lacking the ability to make finer details that you'd get from a bigger phone or iPad mini. But given the price, that's not a major loss, because on the Fire HD 8, the performance is good enough.
At peak brightness and viewing angles, the real drawbacks are. You'll have a fantastic experience, but watch at a slightly oblique angle next to a window drenched in summer sunlight and the experience doesn't exactly pop. Sit in bed looking straight-on at the television.
It's a little shiny and reflective and may need a wipe to clean off fingerprints, particularly when it gets a little grubbier in the hands of kids, but we've always found it easy enough to clean up.
However, the real concern is the content that you will be watching on this tablet. Casual games and content from streaming platforms such as Amazon Video or Netflix are the real strengths of The Fire HD - and you just don't need the extra information that certain rival devices are capable of providing, but which you can rarely use to full effect.
Specs and performance
2.0GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM
32GB/64GB storage + microSD (to 1TB)
12 hours battery, 5 hours charging time
The Fire HD 8's core specs are exactly the same as those of the Fire HD 8 Plus. Although it sticks to 2 GB of RAM when offering 3 GB of RAM in the step-up model - not that you would find this in everyday use.
Compared to the new phones - including the latest run of mid-range phones - there is no escaping that the Fire HD 8 takes a more sedate approach to stuff. It's not a very fast tablet, and the user interface (UI) and the keyboard may often feel that, but then you don't use it the same way you do a computer.
Well, you can, but it's not advisable, because if you're trying to multi-task by juggling applications, doing a lot of keyboard input, and so on, the weaknesses begin to display. Again, that emphasizes the prime role of the Fire HD 8 as an entertainment tablet, rather than anything you're going to use to work on.
The Fire HD 8 comes with 32 GB or 64 GB options, but the ability to use a microSD card (up to 1 TB) increases the excitement here - as when you are on your travels, you can load the tablet with movies or content so that you are not reliant on Wi-Fi. Most of the big streaming services on the Fire tablet support downloads just like they would on your computer.
The show surface coating is the other thing that can make the Fire HD 8 feel a little sluggish. It's just not as sleek as luxury units, and you'll find it's a little slower as a result of finger movement. That means it's not so perfect for playing games - and it offers some premium gaming titles from its shop - but it's just fine for casual gaming.
You'll have to use the cable to charge when you lose out on wireless charging. It takes about 5 hours to completely charge, but then you get a realistic 12 hours of use out of it - and the Fire tablet is also good for holding onto the charge while in standby. You will return a week later and find the tablet is still charged and ready to go without the persistent background drain that other devices have.
Amazon software
Fire OS
Alexa integration
Smart home control
On Amazon's own apps, Fire tablet devices work. It's Google Android-based, so these phone users will be familiar with it, but it's a completely personalized experience of drawing apps from Amazon's own shop. The app itself is focused on a series of home screens that serve content from your Amazon account and give you access to the Amazon Prime content that you receive.
To use the Fire HD 8, you don't have to be a Prime subscriber, but it sure helps, filling it with movies, TV, music and books. You'll find your content in place and ready to resume if you're a daily Amazon user.
That's on top of the opportunity to install the Appstore's wide variety of games. While you do not get the full range of apps you'll get from the Apple App Store or Google Play, there are several popular apps and services available. There appear to be loads of counterfeit programmes, strong ad-supported games, and fake versions of famous apps in some instances. You'll find Call of Cell, Call of Sniper, Call of Counter Strike and a whole lot more besides. Just check for Call of Duty.
Most of the major streaming and entertainment platforms, including Disney+, Minecraft, PUBG Mobile and many more, are supported. Zoom is also supported by the Fire tablet, so it is a cheap way to get talking - as well as supporting Alexa Calling.
But you can't really shake the feeling on the Fire tablets that Amazon's services offer the best experience. That's improved in recent years, like Alexa on all the Fire tablets as a handsfree voice assistant. We normally toggle it off, but if you don't have an Echo in your earshot, it's going to do the job for you on your tablet.
Amazon has also built on the expertise of Alexa, providing a screen for system control. This means that from your Fire tablet you can swipe into your smart home controls and switch off the lights, adjust the heating, or communicate with anything else you've connected to Alexa (if you have the necessary smart homep items, but of course). That Alexa-powered households are a fact is very handy and a great admission.
Verdict
Fire tablets, which sounds accurate for the Fire HD 8, have always been about value for money. It's also a bit cheaper than the model Fire HD 8 Plus, so we can see that for many it will be the common option.
For travel, it's a great size and if you just don't want to do anything than eat steaming video or play causal games, then it's perfectly fit. For that very reason, we have always preferred the Fire HD as a travel tablet, with a good battery life and a sturdy enough build to be happily tossed in a pack.
It also makes a perfect tablet prospect for children - with the comfort of a headphone socket and sturdy construction, a simple and inexpensive choice for entertainment on longer journeys.
Alternatives to consider
Apple iPad mini
The iPad mini is the king of small tablets. It is certainly a step-up in efficiency over the Fire tablet, but it costs three times the cost. With easy Apple ecosystem synchronization, it opens the world to a variety of high-quality applications.
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