The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus runs Amazon's Fire OS, which is a carousel interface that divides your content into sections like books, video, games and apps, music, and so on. It weighs in at 355 grams (12.5 ounces), which is quite heavy for a tablet this size heavier than the iPad Mini at 310 grams, for example, but I find it comfortable to hold for long periods. I suspect the tablet is capable of surviving a few drops and bumps, and it feels quite thick and sturdy in hand. While it looks and feels cheap, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is undeniably practical. However, the addition of wireless charging support in the HD 8 Plus means you'll never need to plug it in. Not only does this allow for faster charging, it also means the cable is always the right way up. We're happy to see Amazon finally make the switch from Micro USB ports to USB-C ports for charging. ![]() The right edge, or top in portrait, has volume controls, the power button, the USB-C charging port, and the 3.5mm headphone port. Holding it in landscape, there are two speakers on the top edge and a MicroSD card slot on the bottom. The body is molded plastic, and there's a thick bezel all the way around the 8-inch screen. The Fire HD 8 comes in a choice of four colors, while the HD 8 Plus has a dull, gray slate finish. ![]() This is utilitarian design and the only distinction compared to the regular Amazon Fire HD 8 is the color. There are just a few limitations with YouTube for Web compared with the official app, which adds up to a noticeably short-handed experience.The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus won't win any beauty contests. But for anything else, including YouTube, a web-version shortcut is the best that you'll find. If you're an Amazon Prime member who thrives in Amazon's ecosystem of shopping, video streaming, and smart home services, then you'll find no shortage of choices in the virtual store. That means the software experience can be almost too limiting, including what's available from the app store. The Fire HD 8 Plus, like every other Amazon device running Fire OS, operates on a stripped-down version of Android. Ideally, Show Mode should be used in tandem with Amazon's wireless charging dock, but I found the aforementioned kickstand case just as functional.Īlso: Google's Pixel Tablet's speaker dock turns it into a smart screen Terms and conditions app-ly It's a smart way to make your tablet practical even when you're not holding it, much like what Samsung has done with The Frame TV and what Google plans to do with the upcoming Pixel Tablet. Sticking with features that work well on tablets, let's talk about one aspect that sells the Fire HD 8 Plus for me: Show Mode, which essentially turns the 8-inch portable into an Echo Show, dialing between a slideshow of relevant news articles, weather information, the time, and even recipes. Show Mode cycles between features like news articles, the weather forecast, and recipes. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ![]() Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. ![]() When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.
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