There’s a brand new version of Amazon’s 8in tablet and it comes in standard, Plus and Kids versions.
As is typical with a new Amazon tablet, it’s really an evolution of the old model. And the changes are what we’d expect: a slightly faster processor and double the storage, so the options now are 32- or 64GB. There’s also 2GB of RAM instead of 1.5GB and you now get 802.11ac Wi-Fi rather than 802.11n.
The only other significant change from the previous version, which launched in 2018, is a USB-C charging / data transfer port instead of the frustrating old microUSB port.
Battery life is a bit better, too, at a claimed 12 hours of mixed use – a 20 percent improvement – while software improvements include a distraction-free gaming mode.
You have a choice of a slightly more sophisticated colour palette than before with White, Black, Twilight Blue, and Plum: the same colours that the latest Fire HD 10 comes in.
It’s £10/$10 more than the old model at £89.99 / $89.99, and if you opt for the 64GB version, this adds £30 / $30 to the price.
It goes on sale on 3 June, just like the other two versions of the tablet. Which we’ll get to right now.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus
- Wireless charging
- More RAM
- Three months of Kindle Unlimited
- Slate grey colour
The most interesting part of this refresh is the new Plus version of the Fire HD 8. It’s the first time Amazon has offered a more powerful option and for your extra £20 / $20 over the standard model you get a tablet with 3GB of RAM instead of 2GB. That’s good for smoother performance when you’ve got lots of apps and web pages open. There’s also a slightly more powerful charger in the box, so an empty battery will fully recharge in under four hours rather than around five.
You can also get the Plus in a new Slate colour that’s not available for the standard tablet.
Another extra feature is wireless charging, and this is designed to work with the optional Show Mode Dock that turns the tablet into a smart display something like the Echo Show 8
You can buy the Fire HD 8 Plus with the dock for £139.98 / $139.98 or buy the wireless charging dock on its own for £39.99/$39.99, so the bundle saves you £10/$10.
Again, it will go on sale on 3 June.
2020 Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
The Kids Edition of the new Fire HD 8 costs £139.99 / $139.99 as well, and is based on the standard tablet with 32GB of storage. Like the other models, you can add up to 1TB of extra storage via a microSD card.
As with all Kids Edition Fire tablets, the bundle includes a protective bumper case – in either blue, purple or pink – and a year’s subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited. We’ve rounded up all the best kids’ tablets to help you choose the right one for your child.
There’s also the usual two-year warranty that covers accidental damage.
The Fire HD 8 is the medium-size model in the Fire range that sits between the 7- and 10-inch models.
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.