Beside these titles is a Library icon that connects you to all your purchased Amazon content. With the Fire OS, you can swipe through app icons and categorized content in a series of screens aptly titled Recent, Home, Books, Video, Games, Shop, Apps, Music, Audible and Newsstand. This means you’ll see similarities to some of Google’s OS but won’t have access to Google apps such as Docs and Gmail, though you can still reach these through Amazon’s Silk browser. The Fire HD 8 runs Amazon’s own Fire operating system, which is really a customized version of Android. The latest Amazon Fire 7 with Alexa turned in a run time of only 6:53, while the average tablet lasts 8:58 The tablet lasted an impressive 10 hours and 58 minutes on the Laptop Mag battery test (continuous web surfing at 150 nits). The Fire HD 8 offers very good endurance. There is a a lock/power button on the top right next to the micro-USB port and microphone, and a volume rocker on the top left next to the headphone jack. The front of the device has no physical buttons, all of which are reserved for its top edge. I found there is barely any give or flex in the plastic, giving the tablet a reassuring heft. Amazon says it is more durable than the iPad Mini. While the plastic back is not premium in any way, the device overall is surprisingly sturdy. The Fire HD 8 blows the Fire HD 7 out of the water in terms of audio clarity. They were pretty good for watching a TV show while cooking, and make using Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa – which is now built into the tablet. They are mounted on the side (or top if held in landscape orientation) and produce fairly good, clear and loud audio, for a tablet. One of the best aspects about the Fire HD 8 is the speakers, which utilize Dolby Audio. You can snap pictures with the rear facing 2 MP camera or video calling with the VGA front facing one. There is a SD card support for up to 256GB and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Underneath the hood is a Quad-Core: 1.3 GHz, with 1.5 GB of RAM and two options of storage 16GB or 32GB. The Fire HD 8 has an eight inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 resolution at 189 ppi. It wasn’t until the Fire 7, which retailed for $49 that people bought tens of millions of them and propelled Amazon into the top 5 worldwide vendor category. They used to make them with solid hardware and resolution, but they were expensive. And no-one will mistake this for a premium tablet because, well, it's just not - but that's just fine.įundamentally, this is an affordable tablet that's substantially built, with the convenience of wireless charging giving the potential for use as an Echo Show alternative if you buy the additional dock, making it an affordable tablet for home and away.Amazon has had two different strategies when marketing their Fire line of tablets. There are drawbacks: the display could do with a little more punch and refinement, while the app ecosystem feels like it needs a little more quality control. You might be buying multiples, getting them to entertain the kids, or you just want something for watching movies in bed - and that's where the Fire HD 8 Plus really comes into its own. The Amazon Fire tablets offer remarkable value for money, ideal for those looking for a tablet without spending huge amounts of money. So is this 'Plus' version of Amazon's 8-inch tablet still the great value prospect it's always been and should you choose it over the regular Fire HD 8? Our quick take
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