Specifications
How’s the design?
While the Fire HD 8 Plus wasn’t designed to withstand the ruthlessness of kids – that’s what the Kids Edition is for – it can certainly take a hit or two. Instead of the usual mix of glass and aluminum that’s found on pricier tablets, the $120 Fire HD 8 Plus is decorated with texturized plastic and an 8-inch display that scratches more easily than it cracks. Also: Best early Black Friday tablet deals Besides the otherwise basic design of the Fire HD 8 Plus, there’s a wealth of ports and slots for maximizing your tablet’s potential, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C port, and a microSD card slot that can expand the base storage of 32GB (or 64GB) up to 1TB. If you plan on using the tablet for streaming shows, browsing the internet, and playing apps and games, then the 32GB should be sufficient. For anything more, the 64GB Fire HD 8 Plus would make the most sense. The best way for me to describe the display on the Fire HD 8 Plus is adequate. It doesn’t get ultrabright for a comfortable outdoor viewing experience, but the 400-nit brightness is satisfactory for indoor use. To my surprise, the viewing angles of the 1280 x 800 panel are admirable, with a minimal shift in color when holding the tablet in different orientations. My biggest gripe with the display is the low-quality oleophobic coating – the layer of composite that’s supposed to repel oil and grease. I’ve been testing the tablet for about two weeks now and the screen is absolutely covered with smudges and fingerprints. It’s nothing a screen protector can’t fix, but still a worrying sign for a tablet that you’d likely be using for years on end.
How does it handle daily tasks?
I’d also hope that “large display size” is above “camera quality” on your priority list because the Fire HD 8 Plus has two mediocre 2MP cameras, one on the front and another on the back. Even in the most well-lit environments, the sensors would overblow the subjects, causing a white-out effect that doesn’t make for the most flattering photos. Nighttime photography is worse. Sticking with features that work well on tablets, let’s talk about one aspect that sells the Fire HD 8 Plus for me: Show Mode, which essentially turns the 8-inch portable into an Echo Show, dialing between a slideshow of relevant news articles, weather information, the time, and even recipes. It’s a smart way to make your tablet practical even when you’re not holding it, much like what Samsung has done with The Frame TV and what Google plans to do with the upcoming Pixel Tablet. Also: Google’s Pixel Tablet’s speaker dock turns it into a smart screen
Terms and conditions app-ly
Battery and charging
Also: This tiny USB-C charger packs a lot of power
Bottom line
Alternatives to consider
