Two years after the previous version, Amazon is introducing a new Fire HD 8 tablet for 2022. Amazon claims the new model will be “faster, lighter and powered by an all-day battery.” As usual, the price is dirt cheap: $99.99 for the Fire 8 HD and $119.99 for the higher-spec “Fire 8 HD Plus” model. Amazon didn’t provide a full spec sheet for the launch, but eventually there should be details on the Amazon Developer site.
This is what we do know. There’s some sort of eight-core SoC (probably a Mediatek), which Amazon says is “30 percent faster” than the MT8168 in the 2020 Fire 8. The base model has 2GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of storage, and a MicroSD. -key lock . Amazon promises “13 hours” of battery life, but the old Fire 8 HD had the same hourly rating of a 4,850 mAh battery. The tablet charges in five hours via a bottom-of-the-barrel 5W USB-C power adapter.
The “Plus” model raises the bar a little higher for $20 more. You get 3GB of RAM, wireless charging, a whopping 9W USB-C charger and “sharper images” from an improved 5MP rear camera. The wireless charging dock holds the tablet upright and allows it to transition into an Alexa smart display mode, just like an Echo Show. From the outside, the Plus model looks identical to the normal Fire 8.
There are also children’s versions. Amazon says the Fire HD 8 Kids is “built for kids ages 3-7” thanks to its extremely tough, permanently attached housing, while the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro is “designed for school-age kids ages 6-12,” with a slightly less strong body. The Kids versions come with parental controls, standards, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and educational content. You pay extra for that bulk; Children’s tablets start at $149.99, with Disney-branded versions available for $10 more.
All tablets can be pre-ordered today at – where else? – Amazon.
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Listing image by Amazon