Fire HD, or Amazon Fire HD, is a series of Amazon tablets that started way back in the year 2012 and is still going strong. Not only going strong, but the continuous improvements and increasing number of features have turned the Fire HD tablets into some of the best overall tablets.
What started as a budget alternative to Samsung tablets and iPads, has now developed a considerable market share itself. With new models coming almost every year, Amazon’s Fire HD tablets really are a great choice if you want an all-doing tablet without having to spend too much money.
Now, there are more than TEN Amazon Fire HD tablet models available with different specs and features, and in different sizes too. Today, we are going to talk about two very successful generations of the Fire HD 8 tablet. We are going to compare the Fire HD 8 6th generation Vs. 8th generation.
You would think that, of course, the 8th generation Fire HD will be better, but that’s not entirely true. New is not always better. So, let’s compare the two generations of the Fire HD 8 and see which one is the better option for you.
Table of Contents
Fire HD 8 6th Generation Vs 8th Generation Comparison and Buying Guide
[amazon table=”969″]As you can see in the comparison chart of Fire HD 8 6th generation vs. 8th generation, there aren’t too many differences between the two Amazon tablets. Both have the exact same processor and RAM configuration. But, there are subtle upgrades and degrades to the 8th generation.
For instance, the 8th generation Fire HD 8 uses a mixture of Android and Fire OS to improve the user experience. It also supports higher expandable storage than the 6th generation. On the other hand, the 6th generation Fire HD 8 offers longer battery life and is cheaper too.
Both these Fire HD tablets have their pros and cons, and it’s down to you which one you want to buy. We have already given you a broad idea with the comparison chart, but with our reviews of both these tablets, you will get a better idea of what both of these tablets have to offer. So, let’s get into it.
Fire HD 8 6th Generation Review
The Fire HD tablets by Amazon now are really loved by users because of their ease of use, utility, and the fact that they are so easy on the pocket. Fire HD tablets have always been cheap, but they weren’t so good at first. The UI was dull, and the overall user experience wasn’t very intuitive and enjoyable.
However, Amazon wasn’t going to let go of their tablet so easily. That is when Amazon decided to rebrand their tablet. The Kindle, renamed to Fire HD with lots of changes, made an impact on consumers instantly. The Fire HD 8’s 6th generation was what turned it all around. Let’s take a closer look at the Fire HD 8 6th generation tablet that became the turning point for Amazon.
[amazon box=”B018SZT3BK”]Design
The tablet is plastic with not-so-thin bezels and an 8-inch touchscreen. The 8-inch tablet is not the most attractive-looking in any way. Sitting next to an iPad or a Samsung tablet, it looks like a cheap device; but the fact is that it is cheap. Instead of fixating on appearances, Amazon has focused more on performance.
Even with a plastic body and chassis, the Fire HD has a durable feel to it. The glass panel of the touchscreen is quite strong as well. Dropping the tablet from short heights, there were no cracks or even scratches to the touchscreen. So, if you are a clumsy user, the Fire HD 8 will survive your clumsiness to some extent. Just don’t go playing catch with your Fire HD tablet.
If you like a bit of color choice for your device with different and bright color options, you will love the Fire HD color options. It is available in orange, pink, and cyan. If you don’t like these choices, you can always go with the black one.
The outlook of the tablet is pretty neat. All the ports and buttons of the tablet are on the top side of the tablet, except for the microSD slot, which is on the right. The headphone jack, power button, charging port, and volume rocker are all on the top side.
Performance
When it comes to performance, the Fire HD 8 6th generation has a pretty good hardware setup to provide a smooth performance. The 1.3 GHz quad-core processor handles things like videos, apps, games, and multi-tasking pretty well. The 1.5 GB of RAM generates good enough speeds. For casual internet surfing, movie and video watching, and reading, the Fire HD was smooth.
All in all, considering the price, the Fire HD provides stable and smooth performance, with slight delays when switching between apps.
The personalized Fire OS also plays a huge part in keeping the tab running smoothly. The Fire OS looks and feels similar to the Android OS but has a lot of subtle changes to make it lighter and better for Fire HD tablets. One disadvantage of this OS is that you don’t get the Google Play Store. One notable absence is the YouTube app. You have to use the web version of YouTube on the Fire HD 8.
But, you do get Alexa support with the 6th gen Fire HD. Just press the button and ask Alexa to do anything. Yes, to activate Alexa, you need to press a button first. It’s not like the Echo that wakes up with your voice alone. But, it’s not a big deal, considering you will be holding the tablet most of the time.
The 1280 x 800 pixels display screen provides a decent enough picture quality. You can enjoy movies and videos with clarity and high-definition results. The tablet does have sensors to adjust the brightness levels automatically according to the environment. Overall the display is above-average for a $50 tablet.
Lastly comes the performance of the battery. It is one of the best performing tablets in terms of battery life, even outperforming the Fire HD 8 8th generation. The 6th gen lasts for up to 12 hours after a full charge. So, if you like to take your tablet along, you don’t need to worry about a charger.
Verdict
All things considered, the Fire HD 8 6th generation tablet is a great choice for casual use. For reading, watching movies, enjoying some casual games for some time-kill, you won’t find a better and cheaper option.
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Fire HD 8 8th Generation Review
Fire HD 8 8th generation (or the 2018 model) is a similar tablet to its predecessors in many ways. When you compare the Fire HD 8 6th generation Vs. 8th generation, you will find that apart from some minor upgrades and inclusions, Amazon hasn’t made too many changes. Even though it’s two-generation above, the 2018 model still has the same processor and RAM configurations.
That doesn’t mean it’s the same tablet, though. There are one or two changes that justify the increase in the price of the newer model. In this review, we will take a look at those changes and see whether they are worth paying the extra bucks.
[amazon box=”B0794RHPZD”]Design
The build and design of the Fire HD 8th generation model are exactly the same as the Fire HD 6th generation. No difference in the size, no difference in bezel thickness, and even the ports and buttons position are the same. The only difference is the color options. The 2016 model was available in black, pink, orange, and cyan, whereas the 2018 model offers blue, red, yellow, and black colors.
One major change is that the 8th generation Fire HD comes with an extra layer of protection in the form of a bookcase. The case perfectly fits the Fire HD 8 and stays on at all times due to its form-fitting.
The cover closes on the screen, and the magnetic closure keeps it secure to protect the screen in case of an accidental fall. The bookcase also works as the stand of the tablet, allowing handsfree use in any orientation.
Performance
As you have seen in the comparison chart above, the hardware of the 8th generation is similar to the 6th generation Fire HD tablet. The 8th generation also has a quad-core 1.3 GHz processor and a 1.5 GB RAM configuration. However, with the integration of Android 7.1 into the Fire OS, the 8th generation does get a little boost to the performance.
With the improved OS, it handles multitasking more efficiently. Switching between tabs and apps is much smoother and faster than it was on the Fire HD 8 6th generation. But, the difference is not too significant. If we were to rate the two tablets in terms of performance, the 6th generation will be an eight out of ten, and the 8th generation will get a score of nine out of ten.
Sadly, even with Android’s integration, you still don’t get the Google Play Store. Amazon’s apps, games, and kindle books are pretty decent content for the Fire HD, but the apps and games of the Google Play Store are far more superior. This leads to another similarity between the 6th generation and the 8th generation still no YouTube App support.
One aspect that is a huge improvement is the voice-activated Alexa. In the previous models, you had to press a button to wake up the device and Alexa to give any command. Now you just have to say the function, and Alexa will do it even if your tab is sleeping.
The picture quality and the display performance is the same as the predecessors. The 1280 x 800 resolution HD screen creates decent quality pictures with good details and color recreation. The sound is what makes the entertainment aspect of 8th generation Fire HD better. The Fire HD 2016 model had sub-par speakers, but the 2018 model has the Dolby Audio speakers, which provide a much better sound.
The battery life does take a hit with all the upgrades. The previous model offers a 12-hour battery backup, but since the 2018 model has a better sound and better OS, so the battery life goes down to 10 hours. It’s still good, but 2 hours is a serious decline.
Verdict
The Fire HD 8 8th generation is definitely an upgrade from the 6th generation. Even though things like the processor and RAM are the same, the performance is a bit better thanks to the better operating system. The decrease in battery life is disappointing, but the higher storage support and Alexa upgrades kind of make-up for it.
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Conclusion
With all this information, we hope you can make the final decision about which Fire HD 8 model you want to buy. Both have their pros and cons, which we did discuss in detail in their reviews. Any one of these would be a great choice.
But, if you want one for kids, we suggest the Fire HD 8 6th generation because it costs less and has enough features to keep kids busy. For adults, we suggest the 2018 model because of the bigger storage, slightly better performance, and a ramped-up operating system.
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