If you need barely extra energy, there may be additionally the Fire HD 8 Plus ($150), which provides an additional gigabyte of RAM, wi-fi charging, and a 5-megapixel digital camera (to the bottom mannequin’s 2-megapixel—neither are excellent, so do not let this be the promoting level of the Plus). The further RAM could be very welcome, however the distinction right here is just not as noticeable as it’s with the 10-inch Fire HD Plus. If you wish to get actual work completed, you are able to do it on the the 10-inch Fire HD, however neither mannequin of the Fire HD 8 will give you the results you want.

Along with the Plus mannequin, Amazon has fairly just a few different bundles, just like the Fire HD 8 Kids models, which characteristic protecting instances, some further software program, and content material bundles together with parental controls. There’s additionally now a gaming bundle that comes with a Luna controller ($169), although given the constraints of Fire OS, I can not think about this interesting to many players.

Therein lies the primary rub with Fire tablets—Amazon’s software program.

What’s Wrong

Out of the field, Amazon’s Fire tablets supply an expertise that jogs my memory of the hyper ad-saturated world of Idiocracy. 

From the second you attempt to unlock your Fire HD 8, you might be confronted with an onslaught of advertisements and dark-patterned designs engineered to get you clicking on stuff, particularly should you go for the ad-supported fashions. Just do not. Spend the additional $20 to free your self from a number of the advertisements. Don’t fear, you may nonetheless have Amazon content material pushed on you each time you a lot as take a look at your Fire HD 8. This is, as they are saying, the worth of admission. You need an affordable pill? You’re going to get a pill that feels prefer it must get more cash out of you at each flip.

Fire OS, Amazon’s fork of Android, has been up to date to make use of Android 11, which remains to be two full variations behind inventory Android. Other than the app-switching display and few minor theme particulars, I couldn’t inform a lot of a distinction. Fire OS nonetheless provides the identical fundamental expertise, which is not essentially unhealthy, however is restricted by its app retailer.

Out of the field, Fire HD 8 tablets don’t supply any Google apps or any entry to the Google Play retailer. The choice within the Amazon app retailer is what you may name missing. Want to look at YouTube? Chat on Slack? Nope, not occurring. Even if you wish to argue that it is a pill principally for consumption and would not want a lot of what is within the Google Play Store, YouTube is a evident omission. My suggestion could be that in case you have particular apps you wish to use, browse Amazon’s app retailer before you purchase to verify what you need is offered (in case you have an Android gadget, you may obtain and browse Amazon’s app retailer here).

What about “sideloading” Google Play? We do have a information on How to Install the Google Play Store on an Amazon Fire Tablet, however sadly that information would not work for this mannequin. Or not less than, it would not work with the present model of Fire OS. Some Reddit users who’ve acquired a software program replace to Fire OS 8.3.1.3 declare that they’ve been in a position to set up and use Google Play. My overview unit is up to now caught at Fire OS 8.2.1.2, which, I can verify, will set up the Google Play Store itself, however doesn’t let you log in and set up any apps from it. I’ll replace our information with information on methods to do it as soon as I can verify that it really works. At some level, you probably will be capable of set up the Play Store, however you may’t proper now.

Amazon’s 2022 Fire HD 8 stays good at what it’s designed to do: stream Amazon content material. If you are a Prime subscriber and desire a small, reasonably priced gadget to make use of on the sofa, within the kitchen, and even with a stand to impersonate an Echo Show, the Fire HD 8 is not unhealthy. But should you can afford it, the 10-inch model provides a a lot better total expertise and stays our prime choose. If you actually wish to rating a deal, watch for the following Prime Day to roll round, when, usually, Amazon’s Fire tablets could be had for half-price.