Amazon is following the recent refresh of its super-affordable Fire 7 tablet ($59.99) with a 2022 update to the slightly larger and costlier Fire HD 8. This simple 8-inch slate has a bigger, sharper display than the Fire 7, but mostly keeps the specs and performance in check to reach a $99.99 price (with ads). So while it isn't a powerhouse by any means, it offers easy access to gobs of media at a price that most competing 8-inch tablets can't match. But despite the Fire HD 8's appeal over the sluggish, low-res Fire 7, the Fire HD 10 ($149.99) remains our Editors' Choice winner for affordable tablets thanks to its full HD display and peppier performance.
Fire HD 8 Pricing and Models
Amazon markets the Fire HD 8 at $99.99, but that's not 100% accurate. You can buy the tablet at that price, sure, but you'll be forced to sit through advertisements on the lock screen. The ads appear as wallpaper and you'll encounter them every time you turn the tablet on. You have to pay $15 extra (across all Fire tablets) to get an ad-free experience. That means the ad-free price of the Fire HD 8 is actually $114.99. It's up to you to decide if that price differential is important to you. We generally think it's worth the $15 to get the ad-free experience.
It's also worth noting that Amazon offers a Fire HD 8 Plus with more RAM and faster charging for $119.99 (with ads). There's also the Fire HD 8 Kids, which includes child-focused features such as a protective case and a subscription to Amazon Kids+ for $149 (without ads).
A Decent Screen for the Price
Amazon doesn't pay much attention to tablet design other than perhaps how it serves functionality, which means you won't find fancy materials or top-notch build quality here. The Fire HD 8 is a basic, no-frills tablet that isn't overly attractive. It comes in three colors: Black, Denim, or Rose. Our review unit is Black, which amplifies the simplicity of the design.
No comments:
Post a Comment