#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review 720p
#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review 1080p
#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review software

You could wirelessly connect a Bluetooth speaker to augment the sound. But it works well enough and the sound is OK (it's fine for watching video but 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, essentially turning your tablet into 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. 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 HD 7. When that model goes on sale for $100, it's probably the best value in tablets.

#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review 1080p

That said, the 8-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.

#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review software

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.

#Fire hd 8 tablet 32gb review 720p

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.

The USB-C charging does help reduce charging times by about an hour from the previous HD 8, with the HD 8 Plus charging even faster. The standard HD 8 has 2GB of RAM - that's up from 1.5 - and the HD 8 Plus has 3GB of RAM, which is where you get the performance boost. Both models improve over the previous 2018 Fire HD 8 version with a faster processor, USB-C charging, improved Wi-Fi performance and a bump from 16GB to 32GB of storage in the base model. But apart from the white version, they all have a black bezel around the display. The HD 8 Plus is only available in a slate color while the standard HD 8 is available in black, white, plum, twilight blue and slate. The two models look identical on the outside. Optional wireless charging dock turns the HD 8 Plus into an Echo Showĭisplay is HD but not 1080p (could be sharper)Īmazon app store is limited compared to Google Play and Apple app store