Amazon Fire Tablets HD 8
By Amazon Fire Tablets · Tablets · Phones & Computers
- 8-inch HD display (1280x800)
- 32GB storage
- Up to 13 hours battery life
- USB-C charging
- 2GB RAM
Price not listed
- Amazon Amazon Fire TabletsView at Amazon
- eBay (used) eBay: used, open-box, refurbishedView at eBay (used)
- eBayView at eBay
Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.
Summary
A compact, lightweight budget tablet designed for media consumption and basic tasks. Check whether the locked-down Fire OS ecosystem works for you before buying: no Google Play, and ads on the lock screen unless you pay to remove them.
Strengths
- Affordable; Wirecutter calls it “an excellent value” under $100.
- Good battery life for the price; Wirecutter describes light-use battery as lasting “days, not hours.”
- Lightweight and compact at 337 g.
- Expandable storage via microSD up to 1 TB.
- Extensive parental controls; built-in Alexa with Echo Show mode.
- Streams from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and other services; Kindle and Libby integration.
Weaknesses
- Fire OS locks you into Amazon’s ecosystem; no Google Play Store, and many Google apps are unavailable.
- Ads on the lock screen and home screen unless you pay a one-time fee to remove them.
- Display is “so-so” with glare in direct sunlight; no anti-reflective coating.
- Cameras are poor; 5 MP rear struggles with detail and 2 MP front washes out photos.
- Performance slows during downloads or intensive games; some apps occasionally freeze.
- Slow charging with the included 5 W adapter (5 hours to full).
Verified specifications
| Display | 8-inch IPS LCD, 1280 × 800 pixels, 189 ppi. |
|---|---|
| Processor | hexa-core 2.0 GHz ARM (manufacturer not specified by Amazon). |
| RAM | 3 GB (32 GB model) or 4 GB (64 GB model). |
| Storage | 32 GB or 64 GB internal; expandable via microSD up to 1 TB. |
| Battery life | up to 13 hours rated; PCMag measured 9 hours 41 minutes in HD video streaming at full brightness. |
| Charging | USB-C; 5 W charger included (5 hours to full charge); 15 W charger reduces to 2 hours. |
| Cameras | 5 MP rear with 1080p video; 2 MP front with 720p video. |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.2; no wireless charging. |
| OS | Fire OS 8 (based on Android); four years of security updates. |
| Dimensions | 7.94 × 5.40 × 0.37 in; 11.88 oz (337 g). |
| In the box | tablet, USB-C cable, 5 W power adapter, Quick Start Guide. |
| Audio | 3.5 mm headphone jack; speakers lack bass and volume. |
| Sensors | accelerometer, ambient light sensor; no gyroscope, compass or proximity sensor. |
| No IP rating for dust or water resistance. | |
| Alexa voice assistant built-in; Echo Show mode available. | |
| Warranty | 90-day limited warranty for standard model (per 2020 specs table); Kids variants include a 2-year worry-free guarantee. |
Full research notes and sources
Fire OS and app ecosystem
The Fire HD 8 runs Amazon’s Fire OS 8, a locked-down fork of Android. The Amazon Appstore is the only app source; Google Play is not available, and apps like Gmail, Chrome, Calendar and Docs are absent. Wirecutter notes it is possible to install Google Play via a workaround but does not recommend it. Amazon’s software “bombards you with ‘suggestions’ for content that are little more than ads,” and Wirecutter concludes the device is “best used only as a media-consumption device.”
Performance and display
The hexa-core 2.0 GHz processor handles streaming, reading and casual apps without complaint, but performance drops during large downloads or intensive games. The 8-inch 1280 × 800 IPS display is bright enough indoors but suffers from glare under direct sunlight; there is no anti-reflective coating. Wirecutter notes text “isn’t as crisp” compared with other picks. The 5 MP rear and 2 MP front cameras are poor; PCMag says the rear struggles with detail and the front washes out photos. Speakers lack bass and volume.
Battery and charging
Amazon rates the Fire HD 8 at up to 13 hours. PCMag measured 9 hours 41 minutes in their HD video streaming test at full brightness. Wirecutter describes battery life as “measured in days, not hours” for typical reading and light use, though that refers to standby time rather than active streaming. The included 5 W charger takes 5 hours to fully charge; a 15 W charger reduces that to 2 hours. There is no wireless charging.
Ads, warranty and running costs
Ads appear on the lock screen and home screen by default. Removing them costs $14.99.
The standard Fire HD 8 carries a 90-day limited warranty (per a 2020 specs table); current 2024 terms were not independently confirmed. Kids variants include a 2-year worry-free guarantee. Amazon commits to four years of security updates but does not specify the total software update commitment. No user-repairable components or parts availability information was found.
Fire OS and app ecosystem
Is it worth it?
MSRP is $99.99 for the 3 GB / 32 GB model and $129.99 for the 4 GB / 64 GB model. Wirecutter listed it at $100 from Best Buy in December 2025 and called it “an excellent value.” At under $80 it is a strong budget option for media consumption and basic tasks; above $100 the Fire OS limitations and so-so display are harder to justify. PCMag recommends stepping up to the Fire HD 10 for $40 more if a sharper display and better performance matter.
Which model this is
ASIN B0D38FT41H.
This page covers the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024, 12th generation). It ships in Black, Emerald and Hibiscus. Do not confuse it with the Fire HD 8 Kids, Fire HD 8 Kids Pro, Fire HD 10 or Fire 7.
Sources
Independent reviews:
