Amazon unveiled an update to its popular Fire HD 8 tablet on Wednesday, bringing more speed, more storage, and an overdue design refresh for just $90 with “special offers” (lock-screen ads). That’s $10 more than the previous Fire HD 8, but you’re getting a whole lot more for your money, as our comparison below shows:
Fire HD 8 (2018)
- Dimensions: 214 mm x 128 mm x 9.7mm
- Display: 8-inch 1280 x 800, 189 ppi
- Processor: Quad-Core 1.3 GHz
- RAM: 1.5GB
- Storage: 16GB/32GB
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Cameras: 2 MP front-facing camera + 2 MP rear-facing HD camera
Fire HD 8 (2020)
- Dimensions: 202 x 137 x 9.7mm
- Display: 1280 x 800, 189 ppi
- Processor: Quad-core 2.0 GHz
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 32GB/64GB
- Battery: Up to 12 hours
- Cameras: 2 MP front-facing camera + 2 MP rear-facing HD camera
Fire HD 8 Plus (2020)
- Dimensions: 202 x 137 x 9.7mm
- Display: 1280 x 800, 189 ppi
- Processor: Quad-core 2.0 GHz
- RAM: 3GB
- Storage: 32GB/64GB
- Battery: Up to 12 hours
- Cameras: 2 MP front-facing camera + 2 MP rear-facing HD camera
Along with the updated specs, the new Fire HD 8 also has a refreshed design, with dramatically slimmer uniform bezels and a lighter frame (355 grams vs 363 grams). While the screen is the same, the new design makes it more of a naturally horizontal device. Even the selfie cam (which is just 2MP like before) has been moved to the horizontal edge.
Amazon
The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet has a sleeker design that slims down the ugly bezels.
The new Fire HD 8 is 30 percent faster, according to Amazon, with a new processor and more RAM. There’s also twice as much storage as well as support for a microSD card up to 1TB. And the battery lasts longer and charges faster thanks to a new USB-C port.
Along with the $90 base model (which costs $105 without special offers), Amazon is also selling a Fire HD 8 Plus version for $110 ($125 without special offers) which has 50 percent more RAM, slightly better battery life, and support for wireless charging. However, you’ll need to purchase a Made for Amazon Wireless Charging Dock by Angreat to use wireless charging, which will run you another $40, bringing the whole package to $150. (Amazon’s offering the dock and the Fire HD 8 Plus in a $140 bundle, however.) The Plus model is only available in slate, while the entry-level HD 8 comes in white, blue, purple, and black.
Finally, there’s also a new Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, which adds a two-year worry-free guarantee and a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for $140. Like before, they also come in a blue or pink kid-proof case with a built-in stand.
The new Fire HD 8 tablets and Angreat’s wireless charging dock will begin shipping on June 3.