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The important things happen fast enough, like smooth streaming of video or snappy page turning in books. The performance therefore fits its price point. Again, this slides into the space between the Fire 7 and Fire HD 10 tablets in terms of specification. Amazon Fire HD 8 review: Hardware and performanceĪmazon doesn't go to town telling us the suppliers of the hardware in its tablets, so you just have to accept that it's a quad-core chipset supported by 1.5GB RAM. If you do put it side-by-side with an iPad the admittedly, it looks weak.Īs it is, the Fire HD 8 is responsive to the touch and acquits itself perfectly well when it comes to playing games or streaming videos when you're laying in bed, which is what you probably why you want to buy this tablet. If you want a better display, or you're particular about display perfection, then you'll need to cough up a couple hundred more. Although the Fire HD 8 made improvements in the display compared to the previous version of this tablet, it still isn't the brightest, so can struggle to deal with reflections in bright conditions, and its colours aren't as punchy as you'll get from the best out there.īut let's put that in context: this is an £80 tablet that delivers perfectly acceptable visuals at that price. It presents some other weaknesses though. The important point is that it looks good once you start steaming your Netflix or Amazon Video content, and that will likely keep users happy. Although it's not the sharpest tablet display out there - and it's nowhere near as sharp as the latest flagship smartphones - it's nothing to worry about, especially at this price.
Amazon fire hd 6 reviews full#
The HD in this tablet's name refers to the fact that it steps up to a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, or 720p, which is a step-up from the smaller Fire 7 tablet, and a step down in terms of resolution from the larger Fire HD 10 tablet (which offers Full HD). Amazon has consistently stuck to a 16:10 aspect ratio for its tablets rather than flipping to 4:3 - which is becoming more common elsewhere - which we think makes for a good aspect to enjoy a lot of the content that Amazon offers, particularly for Amazon Video. It's fun, it's vibrant, it's interesting and it gives you something a little different.Ī display that fuses good size with adequate performance The Canary Yellow of this review device is a particular favourite. While a lot of tablets have opted for sombre colours - the inevitable black or grey - we like the bolder approach of Amazon. The power button and volume controls also lie on one end, leaving the microSD card slot on the side, neatly covered by a flap. The sides offer up all the connections on one end, including a conventional 3.5mm headphone socket, while retaining the older Micro-USB for charging - so if you're packing cables, be aware that this might no longer be the same as your up-to-date smartphone. It also makes it easy to put in a protective case without obscuring the display.
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On one hand that gives a slightly dated look to things (especially considering the move in smartphones to destroy all bezels), yet this gives somewhere for fingers and thumbs to sit and not obstruct what's on the display. With the 8-inch display on the front dictating this tablet's size, there's a fairly hefty bezel around the display. They also withstand the occasional accidental knock and wipe clean easily enough, so if the Fire HD 8 finds its way into the sticky hands of a toddler, it will clean up easily enough. The plastics feel solid enough with ample texture to provide grip (Amazon is confident enough to say that it surpasses the iPad in terms of durability). At this price point there's very little else that comes close. Whether you're a globetrotter, looking for a travel tablet, or just something to entertain your kids, the Fire HD 8 is well worth considering. Instead, the Fire HD 8 positions itself well for entertainment, especially for those who are Prime members, where the value for money cannot be disputed. It's not as ambitious in trying to do everything for you either. It's not the best performing tablet on the market and the display doesn't have the quality that you'll get from any of Apple's iPads. We also think the size is better than the 10, as this model will slip sweetly into a bag, while still giving plenty of space to play when you pull it out. While the performance and features of the Fire HD 8 betters those of the Fire 7, it also manages to outlast the Fire HD 10, making it a slightly more enticing proposition for those who want to travel with it. The Fire HD 8 sits in a sweet spot between Amazon's incredibly good value Fire 7 and the larger Fire HD 10.
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