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Amazon Fire HD 8 (2017)
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2017)
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8/10
Informr score
The Amazon Fire HD 8 (2017) currently has an Informr score of 8 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 30 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Price
  • Sturdy design
  • Good audio quality
  • microSD support
  • Great Amazon integration

What's bad

  • Horrible cameras
  • No Google Play support
  • Slow loading times
  • Dull, reflective display

Revamping its lineup, Amazon recently released the Fire HD 8 (2017). While it will not compete with flagship tablets, the low price and tight Amazon integration might make it a tempting purchase for media consumption and casual use.

Reviewers have had time to test out the latest release and they’re posting reviews across the Internet. Let’s see what they’re saying!

While most tablets and phones get slimmer and lighter with each release, the Fire HD 8 put on a sliver of thickness and a few grams of weight between 2015 and 2017. Otherwise, reviewers noted that the tablet looks nearly identical.

The plastic chassis now comes in 4 different colors. The colors are vibrant but reviewers had mixed opinions.

Fortunately, on the quality front, reviews are all positive. TechAdvisor UK said, “While the plastic back is not premium in any way, the device overall is sturdy. There’s barely any give or flex in the plastic, giving the tablet a reassuring heft.”

You won’t find any extra features or buttons on the tablet. You get the standard volume rocker, 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB charging port and a power button—all along the top. There’s also a flap covering a microSD port on the side for cheap storage expansion.

The front of the tablet features an 8-inch, 1280-by-800 LCD panel. Reviewers found that while the resolution wasn’t high enough to compete with newer offerings from Samsung or Apple that it was clear enough for light reading, video watching or gaming.

Some reviewers had issues with brightness and low contrast. A lack of screen treatment made for plenty of complaints regarding smudges and reflections. But most would recommend the tablet based on the display. The Guardian called the Fire HD 8’s screen “good but not great.”

Performance reviews were a similar mix. The quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor offered enough of power for gaming, streaming video and light web browsing. However, reviewers noted that apps are sluggish to load. With only 1.5GB of RAM, multitasking frequently required reloading apps.

TechRadar summed up performance assessments well, saying, “This isn’t an incredibly quick tablet either. Most games and apps will run just fine, even high-end ones, but the system isn’t as fast to respond as a powerful Android tablet.”

The tablet comes with either 16 or 32GB of internal storage. It runs a modified version of Android 5.0 Lollipop that Amazon calls FireOS. While it takes a different approach to display your tablet’s contents, reviewers found it responsive and easy to use.

The biggest tradeoff is a lack of support for Google Apps. Unless you’re willing to sideload apps and make settings changes, you’re stuck with the Amazon Appstore.

Amazon doesn’t disclose the capacity of the internal battery. However, most reviewers found that the estimate of 8 hours of mixed usage held up. Unfortunately, they also found that recharging the battery took 6 hours. If you use it often, you’ll want to charge it nightly.

Although tablet’s aren’t known for having high-quality cameras, reviews agree that the 2MP rear camera and 0.3MP front-facing lens on the Fire HD 8 are bad. The Guardian summed up findings well, saying, “The cameras are pretty poor, producing blurry shots with little in the way of detail—only to be used in an emergency.”

While the Fire HD 8 is a no-frills experience, it has a price you won’t find from any other major manufacturer. This won over most reviewers. Trusted Reviews offered a great assessment of the real value of the tablet, saying, “If you consider yourself a tech-head and aren't buying for someone else, you may want to consider spending a little more. However, the Fire HD 8 is perfect for those with more modest expectations, and easy to recommend to family buyers that aren't after something as fancy as an iPad.


Fire OS
Operating system
Operating system
Fire OS
1.3 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.3 GHz
8"
Screen Size
Screen Size
8"
2+ MP
Camera
Camera
2+ MP
4750 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

There are the usual caveats about the availability of apps on the Fire OS app store, the general lack of performance and the poor quality of the rear camera, but there are no other tablets that offer as much as the Amazon Fire HD 8 for so little.

- Nathan Spendelow, Expert Reviews
Tech.Co
Tech.Co

The Fire HD 8 is the mid-range Fire tablet, and we think it’s the one that most people should go for. Yes, it’s a little more expensive than the basic Fire 7, but it’s a much better everyday device. The main reason? It’s so much better for video. The screen on the Fire 8 HD has a noticeable resoluti...

- Jack Turner, Tech.Co
Mashable
Mashable

You have a good idea of what you're getting going in and the Fire HD 8 is a simple device. For media consumption, light tasks or casual gaming, and even using it as a kind of portable Echo Show, you'll be fine. However, this isn't going to be a computer, iPad, Chrome OS, or full Android device repla...

- Jake Krol, Mashable
Laptop Mag
Laptop Mag

Amazon took last year's Fire HD 8 and simply rolled out Alexa and a few new colors. And that's not a bad thing, because the previous version was already an excellent value. Overall, the Fire HD 8 is a solid midsized, no-frills tablet.

- Cortney Moore, Laptop Mag
What Hi-Fi
What Hi-Fi

The Fire HD 8 is far from perfect, but its abilities are far beyond what you might expect for the price. It does a lot, and does it pretty well. If you want razor-sharp video and class-leading audio performance, you know you’re going to spend a lot, lot more. If functionality and price are prioritie...

- What Hi-Fi


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Quick view

Screen Size
8"

The Amazon Fire HD 8 (2017)'s screen size is 8 inches with 800 x 1280 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.3 GHz

There is a MediaTek MT8135 Quad core 1.3 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on the Fire OS 5 operating system (OS).

Camera
2+ MP
You can take photos with the phone's onboard 2+ MP camera. There is also a secondary front facing camera with 2+ megapixels resolution.
Storage
16/32 GB

Internal memory is 16/32 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 400 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
4750mAh

The tablet is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 4750 mAh battery. Amazon's performance ratings are 12 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

Fire HD 8 (2017) Specs

Overview
Release Date June 7, 2017
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Fire OS 5

Compare Fire OS Smartphones

Processor MediaTek MT8135 Quad core 1.3 GHz
Internal Storage 16/32 GB
RAM 1536 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support Unknown
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 400 GB)
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
No
Additional Main Camera Info
Effects, Self-timer
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, MKV
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels
Pixel density 189 pixels
Size 8 inches
Sensors Ambient Light, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 4750 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 6 hours
Video Playback Time Up to 12 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 12 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black, Canary Yellow, Marine Blue, Punch Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 21.4 x 12.8 x 1 cm (8.4 x 5 x 0.4 in)
Weight 369 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Stereo
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech Yes
Screen Reader Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Amazon Fire HD 8 (7th Gen)

Specs are updated to the re-released version this September 2018. The previous version has VGA camera and can only support up to 256 GB of microSD.

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