Amazon is one of the few select companies that still really pushes Android tablets at this stage of 2020 with its Fire HD lineup, which brings us to Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020 edition).
Considering that support is almost minimal by Google, it is no wonder that Android tablets have suffered. It’s hard not to suggest that you choose an iPad instead of a competitive option from Samsung or Amazon given the option.
At the bottom end, there are some highlights. In particular, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A series, but if it drops further in price, the Fire HD series may have tempted you. While they are definitely an important vehicle for everything “Amazon” have been steadily improving with the recent launch of the 2020 Fire HD 8 series to the point that they may be of interest to you.
This is the 10th generation Kindle Fire HD device to be released and it has a number of notable improvements in both hardware and software. For just a penny less than $ 90 or £ 90, is it worth checking out?
Hardware design
We can sit all day and discuss how Android tablets like Amazon Fire HD 8 feel “cheap” or have “generic” designs, but in reality, all you probably want or need or want is a big, vibrant display on a body. bigger than the average smartphone.
Tons of plastic are used in the Fire HD 8, which is not negative. It’s nice to have a piece of technology that can withstand some everyday abuse and doesn’t really come out with bruises, scratches, and scrapes. This is one of the few pieces of hardware that I am more than happy to use without any casing. The matte plastic finish is also surprisingly attractive, easy to grip, which given the size of the HD 8 is another plus.
It is also quite light at less than 400g. You could easily slip the Amazon Fire HD 8 into your bag every day without really realizing it was there. The fact that you also get a 3.5mm headphone port is one of the reasons why you might like the Fire HD 8.
The Fire HD 8 dock comes with 32GB of storage, but you can connect a microSD card of up to 1TB, which is really impressive. If you’re a big Amazon Prime user, this might be worth it for offline video and music storage.
Monitor
Using “HD” is one that manages to be fit, as the Fire HD 8’s IPS LCD screen simply crawls at 720p. The exact resolution is 1,280 by 800 pixels, which on an 8-inch screen gives you a whopping 189ppi. I can’t say this is a stellar display. It’s poor, but it’s probably enough for what you’ll end up using it for.
It gets reasonably bright, which can be important to you, especially if you want to read your Kindle books or watch Netflix outdoors. You’ll have a hard time in really bright conditions, thanks in part to the glossy finish. Fingerprints can be a problem, I have noticed that it really attracts more grease and dirt than my comparable collection of smartphones.
Software and performance
Arguably one area where the cheapest Android tablets really start to fail is performance. You’ll find an updated MediaTek MT8168 chipset inside the Amazon Fire HD 8. It’s hard to directly compare it to a smartphone chipset, but the experience is much faster than almost every less than $ 100 smartphone we’ve tested.
If you want better overall performance, it’s probably better just by using your smartphone or spending the extra money for a better Android tablet from Samsung or even Huawei, even with Play Store’s ongoing restrictions. 2GB of RAM seems very stingy in 2020, but considering Amazon’s huge disruption of the operating system, it’s actually not as bad as you might imagine.
Fire OS
The biggest complaint with the Amazon Fire HD 8 is undoubtedly its heavily forked Android skin called Fire OS. This is one of the biggest Android reviews you can imagine, with everything geared towards Amazon products and services.
Fire OS version 7 comes pre-installed on Fire HD 8, which is based on Android Pie. It only comes with the October 2018 security patch, which could be a concern. However, there are no Google Play services or applications “officially” available on the Amazon platform.
If you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video, you won’t have a problem with the dedicated apps available. YouTube is the most obvious and frustrating omission, especially since Fire TV devices now have an official app to enjoy. You can download a ton of your favorite apps, including YouTube, but this is still a hassle and introduces some additional security concerns.
The design is so stiff and the lack of support for third-party launchers is still disappointing at this stage in 2020, but Fire OS is another vehicle to push it to more Amazon products and services. If you have a Prime subscription, this isn’t too bad as you can access more and more content, but it’s still a drag.
Everything feels a bit outdated, with too much emphasis on tab-style navigation. The menu system feels like a website that isn’t particularly good on a tablet. The user interface definitely feels like it’s been left behind during the early days of Marshmallow.
Battery duration
Amazon rates the battery life at around 12 hours, but I have found the standby time to be very impressive. After a long day’s weekend alone on my office desk, coming back I had over 45% remaining, with the odd email ping and Instagram notification in the background. Considering that many of my other devices died during this period, I found it pleasantly surprising to say the least.
Although considering that it is a fairly large 4,850 mAh with hardly any wireless connections, except Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you should expect an all-day battery ready to use.
I am very pleased that Amazon has placed a USB-C charging port on the Fire HD 8. This makes it much less frustrating than previous models with micro-USB charging ports. Not having to change your smartphone’s charger cable is great and saves carrying multiple cables. It is even more important since the slow charger that comes with the Fire HD 8 takes unbearable 5 hours from 0 to 100%. If you are a sporadic user, then I am sure that the battery life of the Amazon Fire HD 8 will be impressive.
Camera
Yes. The Amazon Fire HD 8 comes with a 2-megapixel front and rear camera. However, you shouldn’t use it because it’s horrible, although if you want to make video calls, you can at least do it.
Speakers
The Amazon Fire HD 8 comes with a pair of forward-facing stereo speakers, though that depends on the orientation the tablet is holding. They produce a great “bang” and are definitely passable at best, plus they’re not too loud. Fortunately, you can connect some wired headphones for a better audio experience.
Alexa
Amazon’s really impressive voice assistant is enabled by default in Fire HD 8. While it pales in comparison to Google Assistant on Pixel hardware, it’s much more useful than Siri to answer your questions and questions. You can request to open applications, set reminders, timers and more, as long as you have an Internet connection.
Final thoughts
If you’re happy to stick with Amazon’s heavy sales tactics, then Amazon Fire HD 8 is about the fire I’ve used and feel like I can Really recommend. Are there better Android tablets out there? 100% But I have been so surprised by the Fire HD 8 that I have used it much more than I really expected.
There’s a slightly more expensive Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus, which comes with Qi wireless charging, 3GB of RAM, and more storage. It’s an extra $ 20 but it’s basically the same beyond those few inclusions.
With that said, if you’re not an Amazon Prime subscriber, this (or HD 8 Plus) is an instant jump. The sheer amount of content immediately available to Prime subscribers makes this a better package than it would normally be.
Where can I get the Amazon Fire HD 8?
Amazon Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus are available to buy directly from Amazon for $ 89.99 and $ 109.99 respectively. You can choose one in five colors: Plum, Slate, Black, White, and Twilight Blue.
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