The new Amazon Fire HD 8 has been released; This 2022 update to Amazon's family of midsize tablets replaces the 2020 model and has four different tablets in total.
That's right, Amazon has released four tablets: There's the standard Fire HD 8, a Plus model, a Kids' Edition version, and a Kids' Edition Pro device, because Amazon clearly isn't afraid of confusing its shoppers with too many options.
These replace all members of the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) family, though updates are pretty limited. To give you an idea of what's new, we'll introduce the new Fire HD 8 below.
Amazon Fire HD 8 price and availability
The new base Amazon Fire HD 8 costs $99 for 32GB storage, which is a slight price increase from the last-gen model's $89/$89 starting cost. A 64GB version of the tablet is also on sale, but TechRadar didn't provide advance pricing.
The Fire HD 8 Plus retails for €119, which is again a bit more than the €110/€110 starting price for the previous slate version.
Fire HD 8 Kids, designed for younger users, and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro, designed for older children, cost €149; these models are more expensive because they have protective covers and special software designed for children.
Pre-orders for all of these tablets start on September 21st and will be fully on sale in October.
Amazon Fire HD 8 vs Plus vs Kids vs Kids Pro
Before we dive into the standard Amazon Fire HD 8, we should probably go over the variants, so you know how they differ.
First, the 8 Plus is a more premium version of the standard HD 8. It has more RAM, wireless charging, and a higher resolution camera, but not much else. You can buy a docking station for it, which works with wireless charging to turn the Fire HD 8 Plus into an Amazon Echo copycat if you want too.
The Kids and Kids Pro models are designed for young users: the first is aimed at children from 3 to 7 years old, while the second is aimed at children from 7 to 12 years old. Tablets come with large protective cases and the software is quite restrictive, blocking the user from content and apps that are suitable for this group of users. A parent account can be linked to better control what the child can access.
Amazon Fire HD 8 design and display
Amazon's tablets don't exactly have innovative designs, but that's to be expected with the price.
The whiteboards, including the new one, are large plastic rectangles with a screen on the front. Hey, it's a tablet, what did you expect? The new model has a USB-C port for faster charging, a 3,5mm headphone jack for wired audio, a power button, and a volume rocker.
The new Fire HD 8 has had a few design changes over its predecessor, being thinner, lighter and, according to Amazon, more durable: the company says the slate "tested twice the durability of the iPad mini over drop tests". But the changes are probably minor.
As with all Amazon Fire tablets, this one is named after its display, meaning it has an 8-inch HD display. This hasn't changed from the 2020 model's display, and we found the screen to be less than great, but adequate for some entertainment tasks.
Amazon Fire HD 8 cameras and battery life
You probably won't buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 for its photographic prowess, but it's still handy to have something for video calls.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 has a 2MP front camera and a 2MP rear camera, and at that resolution they're good for video chats, but not much else. If you want an extra camera grunt, the Plus model has a 5MP rear camera.
In terms of battery life, Amazon cites the device for 13 hours of use, an hour longer than the 2020 model. That's for viewing content, but you'll get more time if you're reading, just an e-book or a check. your emails
However, the loading speed doesn't seem to have changed; so you will still have to wait more than an hour and a half for it to turn on completely.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Performance, Specs, and Software
(*two*)
(Image credit: Amazon)In terms of performance, not much has changed with the new Amazon Fire HD 8. The company claims the processor is 30% faster, but it still has 2GB of RAM (3GB for the Plus model), so it's The differences are likely to be quite minor.
Amazon tablets tend to be quite slow as they are designed for entertainment purposes like watching TV shows, listening to music and playing low-end games so you don't need as much processing power.
You can choose the tablets with 32GB or 64GB of storage, but if neither option is enough, you'll be happy to know that there's memory expandable up to 1TB.
Software-wise, all of Amazon's tablets are locked to the company's own operating system, which is actually a heavily modified version of Android. This has strong integration with the brand's own services like Prime Video, Prime Music, Kindle, etc., so you better be a Prime subscriber to get the most out of it.
However, that does not mean that Amazon is engaging in anti-competitive actions, and you can also download apps like Disney Plus, Netflix, and Spotify, and use various games and apps available on the Amazon App Store.
Whether they'll become our best roundup of cheap tablets remains to be seen, but they'll no doubt find favor with those looking for an affordable slate with familiar features, as always.