Amazon Updates Fire HD 8 Tablets with Better Performance and More RAM

[TheLostSwede]

Amazon's popular Fire HD 8 lineup is getting an upgrade. The new Fire HD 8, which starts shipping today, features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design that customers love, now with enhanced performance, for high-quality HD entertainment on the go. And just in time for Prime Big Deal Days, the new Fire HD 8 tablets will have introductory pricing with savings of up to 50% through October 9, with prices starting as low as $54.99.

We're also adding new generative AI-powered features to compatible Fire tablets to help customers be more productive and creative throughout their day. Here's what you need to know about the new Fire HD 8 tablets, and the new features coming to the broader Fire tablet family.




Better performance on the new Fire HD 8
The new Fire HD 8 lineup boasts 50% more RAM for enhanced performance while streaming, gaming, browsing, or downloading photos and videos anywhere you take your device. Plus, better performance means you can get the most out of your favorite entertainment apps like Prime Video, Audible, Kindle, and more. The new Fire HD 8 lineup also features:

• Improved camera: With the upgraded 5MP rear-facing camera, you can take and store high-quality photos and videos.
• Expandable storage: Choose from 32 GB or 64 GB of storage, and expand up to 1 TB with a microSD card (sold separately).
• Lightweight and portable design: With an 8-inch, vibrant HD display made with strengthened aluminosilicate glass, Fire HD 8 is the ideal on-the-go entertainment device.
• Long battery life: With up to 13 hours of battery life, you can enjoy your favorite movies, shows, or games at home or on-the-go without worrying about running out of power.
• Kid-friendly versions: Fire HD 8 Kids, designed for 3- to 7-year-olds, and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro, with a sleek-but-sturdy case for kids ages 6 to 12, will also have increased RAM for better performance. That means your kids can get the most out of the thousands of books, games, videos, and apps that come with the included subscription to Amazon Kids+, Amazon's award-winning content service for kids. Plus, both Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro come with a two-year worry-free guarantee, so if your tablet breaks, we'll replace it.
• New colors and cases: Fire HD 8 is available in Black, Hibiscus, or Emerald. Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro come with a sturdy, kid-proof case available in a variety of fun designs, including exclusive Disney cases: Disney Pixar Cars, Disney Princess, or Marvel Avengers.

New generative AI-powered features coming to the Fire tablet family
We're also using the power of generative AI to deliver features that will help you do even more on your Fire tablet.

Transform your writing with Writing Assist: When you need help refining a message or finessing a tricky email, Writing Assist is here to help. It works as part of the device keyboard and is compatible across any app on your Fire tablet, including e-mail, Word documents, and social media, so you can enhance your writing with just a few taps. Use pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally-written note, ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions, and make your writing more concise or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add even more fun and personality to it.

Save time with Webpage Summaries: Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles, so you won't have to scroll through pages of information. In a matter of seconds, Webpage Summaries will distill the key points in an article or on a web page and give you a clear, concise summary of what you need to know.
Customize your device with Wallpaper Creator: Now you can add a touch of creative flair to your tablet's home screen using Wallpaper Creator. Choose from one of the curated prompts or let your imagination run wild and type a description of what you'd like to see, e.g., a tiger swimming under water, or a watercolor of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will turn your vision into a reality, delivering a unique, high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper.
Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator will begin rolling out to all compatible Fire tablets later this month.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[Kenjiro]

This +50% RAM means only 3 GB. I know, I know, price is low, but nevertheless, hardware specs are on the low side.

 

[TheLostSwede]

This +50% RAM means only 3 GB. I know, I know, price is low, but nevertheless, hardware specs are on the low side.

This model has always had pretty low-end specs, but it has also been cheaper than just about any other tablet that you can easily get hold of.
Amazon has higher-end models as well, if not exactly high-end.

 

[dgianstefani]

This model has always had pretty low-end specs, but it has also been cheaper than just about any other tablet that you can easily get hold of.
Amazon has higher-end models as well, if not exactly high-end.

Yup, basically just a screen for Amazon to advertise with.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Yup, basically just a screen for Amazon to advertise with.

They have ad free versions too.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Still have the original Kindle Fire - I think.....maybe was pitched when we moved 3 years ago? Otherwise it's stashed away in storage somewhere.

Wife liked it at the time. So did our daughter when she was allowed to use it. Worst part of the Kindle Fire was needing to have a payment method tied to it and no way to easily prevent use of said payment method. Had a couple of accidental purchases when the daughter got button happy. Eventually a software update came out that helped prevent these issues, but by then we kind of stopped using it and the wife had moved on to the iPad.

With tablets being so widely available and offering interesting flexibility in terms of apps and performance, I'm honestly not sure what the Kindle Fire has to offer over better tablets that would warrant someone wanting to buy one (aside from the low price).

 

[TheLostSwede]

With tablets being so widely available and offering interesting flexibility in terms of apps and performance, I'm honestly not sure what the Kindle Fire has to offer over better tablets that would warrant someone wanting to buy one (aside from the low price).

The kids edition. Forgot to add a pic to the news post of it.
Also, great for people that don't earn enough to buy an iPad or Samsung whatever.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

They should bring back the high-end HDX lineup.

 

[dirtyferret]

The kids edition. Forgot to add a pic to the news post of it.

I have one each for my son and daughter. Yes they are basic tablets but great for those parents who just want something their kids can watch PBS kids videos on.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I have one each for my son and daughter. Yes they are basic tablets but great for those parents who just want something their kids can watch PBS kids videos on.

I believe that's a huge selling point for these and clearly something Amazon has realised as well.

 

[Fungi]

The low resolution (ppi) is awful to use IMO which makes the Fire 8 useless for me, and I guess they have no plans of changing that

 

[TheLostSwede]

The low resolution (ppi) is awful to use IMO which makes the Fire 8 useless for me, and I guess they have no plans of changing that

What do you expect for $55?
They still have other models with better displays, but that means going up in size as well.

 

[Fungi]

What do you expect for $55?
They still have other models with better displays, but that means going up in size as well.

I'd be looking at the iPlay 50 mini for a bit more at $80