Amazon's latest Fire HD 8 tablets boast sleeker looks and wireless charging
They're still not speed demons, however.
Amazon is giving its Fire HD 8 tablet a significant overhaul, including a much-needed visual refresh. The new Fire HD 8, Fire HD 8 Plus and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition still pack 8-inch 1,280 x 800 screens, but in a slicker-looking design — the bezels aren’t nearly as thick as they were in the past. They also share faster 2GHz quad-core MediaTek 8168 chips that are reportedly 30 percent faster, at least 32GB of storage and (finally!) USB-C.
The base Fire HD 8 and its Kids Edition counterpart won’t be spectacular with its 2GB of RAM, 2-megapixel front and rear cameras and 12 hours of claimed battery life. The real star this time around is the Fire HD 8 Plus. On top of 3GB of RAM and faster wired charging (through a 9W adapter), it also supports wireless charging if you have a compatible dock or similar device. Amazon envisions using it as an Alexa-powered smart display like the Echo Show, but it could also be useful if you’d just like to quickly grab the tablet when you’re reading a book.
You can pre-order the updated Fire HD 8 for $90 ahead of its June 3rd release, while the HD 8 Plus arrives the same day for $110. Bundle a Made for Amazon dock from ANGREAT and it’ll cost you $140. The Kids Edition costs the same $140, but it includes the customary kid-ready case, a year of FreeTime Unlimited and a two-year “worry-free guarantee.” These new Amazon slates aren’t revolutionary, but they might do the trick if you like the size and only want a few frills.
