Fire HD 8 Plus Review (2020): One step closer to a dream of displaying tablets

Amazon extinguishing tablets are popular for a simple one: they are really, truly cheap. But what happens when you make a slightly tablet device from shooting? This is the question that Amazon sought to answer using Fire HD 8 Plus, which is a very small optical version of the new Amazon Fire HD 8 last month, which was already an appropriate upgrade from the previous Fire tablets in both devices and programs. 8 Plus, Amazon tries to bring some quality of life improvements such as more RAM and wireless charging – scarcity of any tablet – on the table. Along with the wireless charging holder, which mainly converts HD 8 Plus into a separate echo width, Amazon has what is probably the best version of the mix Smart Tablet Mix (even if not surprising too).

Specifications

Goodness

Not very good

Design, devices, what is in the box

If you already read our review of the regular Fire HD 8, most of this section will be voted very familiar. Fire HD 8 Plus contains the same design and most of the same devices are the same as the basic model, with some exact differences between only the two (eventually laid stickers on the back of both devices so I can know that).

Fire HD 8 Plus is covered with soft touch plastic, which repels the fingerprints and other dirt better than Walmart ONN 8 Pro, but it is also somewhat vulnerable to scratches. My unit has already has dryers around the edges. The good news is that there are a lot of cases and the screen protectors available for 8 Plus, including the special Amazon books covers. HD 8 Plus is the same material size as the basic model, so the accessories will work on both models.

If you are hoping to buy you an additional $ 20 screen for a better screen compared to Base Fire HD 8, I have some bad news for you – this has the same screen 1280 x 800. The screen still looks fineWith decent colors and less than light bleeding, but it has passed seven years since the second generation Nexus 7 released on a 1080 -pixel screen. Besides this screen there is the 2MP front camera, which is placed for landscapes.

All of the tablet control items are aligned, along with the shipping conductor, on the right side of the tablet when kept in the landscape mode. There is a rock sound, power button, USB Type-C port, and 3.5 mm headphone socket. Just as with the regular Fire HD 8, it is easy to mistake the power button when you feel the volume control items.

Fire HD 8 Plus has the same MediaTek MT8168 processor such as Fire Fire HD 8, as well as the same storage options (32 GB or 64 GB, with MicroSD support) and battery capacity (4,850 mAh). So what is different, you might ask? First, Plus contains 3GB RAM instead of 2 GB, which means that the entire program experience is slightly faster – more in that later. Another main change is that Fire HD 8 Plus supports QI wireless charging, which is definitely unusual any Disc, much lower than the budget. The feature is often found for the official DOCK accessory, which receives the tablet and activates Alexa Show.

The Fire HD 8 with its shipping pavement

In the box, you get the tablet, the USB Type-C cable, the 9W power adapter, and a quick start guide. Just like normal Fire HD 8, 8 Plus does not support USB power delivery or any other fast charging method.

programming

Just like Fire HD 8 (and his eldest cousin, HD 10), HD 8 Plus operates a largely modified structure from Android called Fire OS. There are no applications or services that have been pre-installed, but you get equivalent applications and features-silk browser instead of Chrome and Alexa instead of Google Assistant, etc.

Fire OS has been built around the content, and the media that Amazon serve mainly. The main screen serves a portal not only for your applications and games, but also Kindle and TV/TV programs/movies on PRIME and Audiobooks video from audio magazines and magazines from Kindle Newsstand, etc. I don’t necessarily mind this approach, because if you buy a Firey tablet, you may use Amazon.com and perhaps other services from the company as well. However, the deep level of integration (to the point where you cannot change the bomber) means that you are so always It is bombed with ads.

Although this depends on the Pie Android 9, and it contains most of the Android stocks, Amazon has removed some of the basic OS features. There are no shortcuts for the application in the Amazon bomber, and the fast settings tiles can not be customized, and the automatic filling service is hidden in the settings (you can use this app to access it). I don’t think anything missing greatly affects how most people use tablets, but regardless, there are some strange decisions that occur here.

Unlike most Android devices, you can get Amazon AppStore to download applications and games instead of the Google Play store. The general choice is more limited than the play store, but most of the main media flow platforms and communication tools are available, and of course a a lot From games. If you want to check if some applications are available on Fire HD 8 before purchasing them, take a look at AppStore. I have also installed the F-Droid App Store, so I can download some of my favorite apps that were not available in the Amazon store.

You can still edit the Play Store in a few minutes, just as you can on the previous fire tablets. We have evidence for that here, it is updated with instructions for the new Fire HD 8 series. However, installing the Play Store does not immediately turn on the Fire operating system to the Android tablet – still you cannot easily access to the Google Assistant, and the tablet can not be managed using the Google Family link.

If you give your child’s tablet, Amazon also have strong controls for parents. You can block specific applications (such as a web browser or camera), or if you want more detailed options, you can create a child profile and adjust boundaries using the Amazon’s FreeTime app. FreeTime allows the content to restrict the content based on the age and category, such as preventing access to games until the child completes a daily educational goal (for example reading thirty minutes of books or using an educational application for an hour).

The Fire HD 8 Plus in the dock

One of the main points of sale of this tablet is that it turns into something similar to the Alexa Smart screen when it slides into the official wireless charging berth. There are some benefits for this approach – Fire HD 8 Plus has a larger screen than Google Nest Hub or Echo Show 5, and you do not need to buy a custom smart screen – but the mode does not work completely like an echo. The facade has been greatly simplified, so almost every action must be performed using vocal orders. Also, I don’t think Alexa Smart offers are great at first; Google Nest Hub spoiled me with his support on YouTube and Chromecast.

Performance and battery life

The regular Fire HD 8 is really fast enough for a basic tablet device, but HD 8 Plus is From ever ago a little Faster, thanks to 3GB RAM. The tablet immediately wakes up from sleeping when pressing the power button, the scrolling over the pages on the main screen is smooth, and the applications turn somewhat quickly. The jump from RAM 2 to 3 GB also means that you will not wait to re -download applications much.

I had no complaints about the battery life. Fire HD 8 Plus contains the same 4,850MAH battery as the regular HD 8, so in my regular use pattern of 1-2 hours of use every day with Netflix/Hulu/Twitter/Plex without recharge at night, I just had to I connect to the tablet about twice a week. Games will affect the battery life, but this nothing can be sneezed.

Camera samples

Fire HD 8 Plus has the same camera setting as Fire Fire Fire HD 8 (and the last generation model of 2018). You can get a 2 -megapixel shooter on the front, and another 2 megapixel lens on the back.

The front camera is good enough for video calls, as long as you do not cover the microphone as you usually did – Amazon puts the power button. However, the rear camera is somewhat terrible.

I liked to see a high -resolution rear camera with at least enough to wipe the documents, but this is definitely not the case. Terrible cameras equally with budget tablets.

Should you buy it? Classification 7.5/10

Amazon Fire HD 8 (10th Gen, 2020)

Perhaps, if you care about the sidewalk. Fire HD 8 Plus is only $ 20 of Fire HD 8, but if you are already ready to spend $ 110 on a tablet, you may also be able to put another $ 40 and get a Galaxy 8.0 tab. The Samsung’s Tablet only has a 2 GB RAM instead of 3 GB, but you get a standard construction from Android with full support for the Play Store, assistant and other Google services – there is no necessary side download.

Fire HD 8 Plus has no meaning except as a purchase if you want to use it as Alexa Smart width with wireless charging berth, but the mode is not self -evident as a custom smart screen. Moreover, the view is already available on Fire HD 8 cheaper, you just have to activate it manually by clicking on the slide in the fast settings.

In the end, Fire HD 8 Plus is a good tablet, but the regular Fire HD 8 is almost identical and costs $ 20 less. Save your money and buy the cheapest style, or save a little more and get something that contains the Play Store.

Purchase it if:

• You also get the shipping berth.

• You want the cheapest Android tablet that still has a 3 GB RAM and/or wireless charging.

• You can get it for sale.

Do not buy it if:

• You want a tablet that completely supports all Google applications and services, without any strange errors or solutions.

• You are not really concerned with putting the offer.

He buys: Amazon, Best Pay, target