The tablet next to its original packaging
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
In the field of tablets, there have been few real technical revolutions in the past one to two years – the manufacturers are beginning with model updates. That means: Existing models get a little more power, more memory, and sometimes completely new functions.
Amazon also continues to hold onto its tablet series, knowing that this is not primarily about selling hardware, but about marketing Amazon services such as Prime Music and Prime Video. And that is also the focus of the new Fire HD8 Plus, which recently saw the light of day and which we have tested.
The tablet next to its original packaging
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
Design and technical variants
The 2020 edition of the Amazon Fire HD8 Plus was presented in mid-May together with its two siblings. In principle, the tablet does not give the impression of being new or somehow from 2020. The 8-inch tablet from Amazon has been accompanying the wide display edges and the somewhat chunky design for many years – and nothing has changed in the 2020 model.
So we have to look under the hood: As a test device, we received the variant with 32 GB of memory and 3 GB of RAM, which costs 119.99 euros, Amazon requires 149.99 euros for the 64 GB version. One of the most outstanding innovations is that the Fire HD8 Plus now supports wireless charging. That is why there are both storage options together with a charging dock: Amazon would like to have 154.98 euros for the 32 GB model with charging station, and 184.98 euros for the 64 GB versions with wireless charging station.
The tablet comes with a USB-C cable and a power supply
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
Accessories make tablet easier to use
In general, Amazon apparently loves to add more accessories to the rather unadorned tablet, which only includes a USB-C cable and a power adapter. The charging dock with which the Fire HD8 Plus is charged upright (either in portrait or landscape format) comes from Angreat. If the charging dock is connected to the socket with the sufficiently long power cord, you only need to put the tablet on and the charging process begins. However, the tablet is always switched on – in the test, it was not possible for us to charge the tablet on the docking station when it was switched off.
The charging dock proves to be particularly practical when you want to listen to music, watch films or call up cooking recipes in the kitchen. Because the docking station made of hard plastic is much more suitable than the official Amazon flip cover, which we also received with the tablet.
The dark blue case for Fire HD8 tablet, which is reminiscent of jeans optics, is not worth the expensive price of 34.99 euros in our view. Although the tablet has a stable and robust “transport packaging” with it, it was hardly possible for us with the bulky case to place the tablet on the table for watching movies without having to worry about it falling over. Our tip for accessories is: You should definitely take the wireless docking station with you, the expensive case is dispensable.
No matter whether portrait or landscape format: the tablet is in good hands on the loading dock.
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
Performance and system
In terms of performance, we can classify the upgrade of the Fire HD8 Plus tablet as a “model upgrade”. The quad-core processor with a clock frequency of 2 GHz does its job properly, but the Fire HD8 Plus is not a gaming tablet. In the test it worked reliably, although sometimes a bit leisurely, which could also be due to the Fire OS 7.3.1.4 operating system. What actually sometimes takes two to three seconds is to switch between portrait and landscape mode, which shouldn’t be the case these days.
In terms of appearance and functionality, there has been little change in Fire OS in recent times: the Android 9-based operating system is already sprung from the fact that it does not claim to be the fastest, fastest and easiest to use Android variant. It’s more about pushing the Amazon services and the best way to make additional money with them – and the strong integration of Amazon services still determines the appearance of Fire OS.
Stable loading dock, seen from below
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
Sound and battery
The Amazon Fire HD8 Plus can still come up with two surprises: The speakers deliver such a clean, transparent and (living room) room-filling sound that astonishes. Not even cheap external Bluetooth boxes can do that. Of course, a device of this size cannot deliver sound bass sound, but with the speakers of the Fire HD8 Plus you can actually listen to long music and watch movies without hurting your ears.
The battery life of the Fire HD8 Plus is really impressive, which is certainly also due to the fact that the display is not the brightest and mega-bright. “Up to 12 hours of reading, surfing the Internet, watching videos and listening to music” promises Amazon, which we think is very little used in the test. The tablet easily lasts for 8 hours; in our opinion, the display setting is not as bright, and 10 hours are also good.
Well packaged, but shaky as a stand: the official flip cover
Image: teltarif.de / Alexander Kuch
Conclusion:
The individual grades in the tablet test:
A solid everyday companion for Amazon fans – this summary is the best way to describe the Fire HD8 Plus. Although it will certainly not win a prize for particularly beautiful design or great performance, it works reliably in the disciplines for which it was made: surfing the Internet, listening to music, watching films and video clips, and delivering recipes in the kitchen. The battery lasts a good 8-10 hours, and with its good sound, the tablet doesn’t have to hide from the competition.
If you are looking for a new tablet, our guide will give you important tips for buying a tablet.
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