This one probably won't go that low, but expect to see it for $20 to $30 off at some point in the future. The previous Fire HD 8 sold for as low as $50 during the holidays last (and other flash sales this year). That said, the bundle with the dock is currently $40 more than the standard HD 8, and for some folks that's a big jump in price if you're looking for a budget tablet. I think you'll end up using the tablet more because it does double duty as a more modest Echo Show substitute it's basically always charged and ready to go when you want to use it outside the dock. I like being able to wirelessly charge the Fire HD 8 Plus and the dock is nicely designed. (There's also a $130 Kids Edition that bundles in a protective case and a year of Amazon's Freetime Unlimited all-in-one subscription service that gives kids access to thousands of age-appropriate books, videos, apps, Audible books and games.) If that's who you're buying this for, the standard HD 8 is going to be just fine. The previous Fire HD 8 was popular with parents wanting an affordable tablet for their kids. But some people may feel intimidated by the process. That would allow you to run a lot more apps. ![]() And while Amazon doesn't encourage it, you can install the Google Play store by following some instructions on the internet. The tablet runs on Amazon's latest Fire OS, a customized version of Android P, which was released in the fall of 2018. You won't find apps for Vudu or HBO Max, for instance (though HBO Max may be coming). ![]() You can also watch other streaming video services such as Netflix and Hulu, but the selection of apps in the Amazon Appstore has always been limited compared with what's available for Android and iOS, especially when it comes to games. The Fire HD 8 has always been a handy tablet for consuming Amazon video content, ebooks and music, and it's still particularly useful for Prime members. You could wirelessly connect a Bluetooth speaker to augment the sound. But it works well enough and the sound is OK for watching video (it's not so great for music). It's still using the tablet's internal speakers instead of a real speaker and the tablet doesn't have a more extensive microphone array for picking up your voice like an Echo speaker does. That's because one of the big appeals of the Fire HD 8 Plus is that you can drop it in the dock and it automatically goes into show mode, turning your tablet into something much like an Echo Show 8, complete with hands-free access to the Alexa voice assistant. But you really want the charging dock that Amazon bundles in for an extra 20 bucks. The HD 8 Plus seems to wirelessly charge on any Qi-enabled charging pad - at least the ones I tried with 7.5 watts or greater charging power. It never hurts to have more RAM, I can tell you that. Apps open a touch faster and it can help with multitasking and more graphically intense applications. I didn't see a big difference in performance between the HD 8 Plus and standard HD 8, but the extra gig does help. The HD 8 Plus automatically goes into Show Mode when in the dock. The more expensive HD 8 Plus features wireless charging and is available in a bundle with a wireless charging dock. ![]() But some people are looking for a smaller, lighter tablet and the HD 8 is a significant bump up from Amazon's cheapest tablet, the Fire 7. When that model goes on sale for $100, it's probably the best value in tablets. That said, the eight-core processor and GPU - the graphics processor - are faster in the 10-inch Fire HD 10, which also has a sharper 1080p display. It isn't as responsive as an entry-level iPad, which is often on sale for about $250, but it's overall pretty smooth and I didn't have any problem running games like Asphalt 9: Legends. At 355 grams, the new Fire HD 8 weighs a touch less than its 363g predecessor.Ī few years back, the HD 8 seemed sluggish, but its performance has steadily improved and now it's pretty zippy (Amazon says the new HD 8s are 30% faster than the 2018 HD 8 thanks to the new processor and software optimization). It's fine for watching videos but it's not nearly as sharp as the screen you get with, say, an iPad, which is why you're paying a lot less for this. The screen is technically HD but it's basically 720p and not 1080p. David Carnoy/CNETīoth new Fire HD 8 models have the same 1,280x800-pixel resolution display as the previous HD 8. The Fire HD 8 now features USB-C charging.
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