Amazon Fire 7 vs. Fire HD 8: Which should you buy?
The bigger Fire HD 8 is worth every extra penny with more power and better battery life.
A worthwhile upgrade
The Fire HD 8 tablet from Amazon isn't the fastest Android tablet on the market but if you've been using a previous generation Fire Tablet, there are some solid upgrades worthy of your attention. The hexa-core CPU paired with 2GB of RAM is a solid bump over the previous generation while adding an hour to the expected battery life.
For
- Larger 8-inch display
- Support for 720p content with 1280x800 display
- Long battery life
- Lightweight
- Multiple colors
Against
- More expensive
- Slow charging
Incredible affordability
While a 7-inch 1024x600 display is hardly the peak of technology, it's good enough for streaming YouTube, scrolling social media, and browsing the web. When it comes down to it, the Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a great fit for those looking to get a tablet for cheap with enough power to handle everyday apps.
For
- Very cheap
- Long battery life
- Lightweight
- Multiple colors
Against
- The screen isn't great
- Slow charging
At first glance, it looks like the only difference between the Amazon Fire HD 8 and Fire 7 is the screen size, but there's quite a bit more going on here. The Fire HD 8 also has a higher resolution screen, a bigger battery, a faster processor, more default storage, stereo speakers, and a generally more modern appearance. Even so, there is a need for the cheaper tablet for light users and those looking for a good option for kids.
Amazon Fire 7 vs. Fire HD 8: Do you need the bigger screen?
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
An inch doesn't seem like a huge deal when it comes to screen size but the 8-inch display on the Fire HD 8 feels much more significant thanks to a higher resolution and smaller bezels. Bezels, the black space between the edge of the screen and the edge of the tablet, are much larger on the Fire 7 making the tablet look and feel a bit more dated despite its 2022 release date.
The Fire HD 8 has a screen resolution of 1280x800 compared to the 1024x600 resolution of the 7. Again, the difference isn't too massive but the 1280x800 canvas of the HD 8 can display common 720p video resolutions without the need for scaling. Scaling a video can make it seem blurrier than it actually is.
For HD video viewing, the Fire HD 8 will be a much better experience overall.
Amazon Fire 7 vs. Fire HD 8: How much better is the hardware?
Header Cell - Column 0 | Fire HD 8 (2022) | Fire 7 (2022) |
---|---|---|
Display | 8-inch | 7-inch |
CPU | Hexa-core 2.0GHz | Quad-core 2.0 GHz |
Resolution | 1280 x 800 (189 ppi) | 1024 x 600 (171 ppi) |
Storage | 32 or 64 GB (microSD expansion supported) | 16 or 32 GB (microSD expansion supported) |
Battery | Up to 13 hours | Up to 10 hours |
Platform | Fire OS | Fire OS |
Connectivity | Dual-band Wi-Fi | Dual-band Wi-Fi |
Audio | Dual speakers, built-in microphone | Mono speaker, built-in microphone |
Alexa Enabled | Yes | Yes |
Dimensions | 7.11" x 4.63" x 0.38" | 8.0" x 5.4" x 0.4" |
Weight | 337g | 282g |
The Fire HD 8 has a faster CPU with a hexa-core CPU that will help it keep up better with modern apps. It also comes with double the storage by default. While Fire 7 can be had with 16GB or 32GB of storage, the smaller of the HD 8s comes with 32GB with the option for 64GB. Of course, both models can be expanded with a microSD card.
The new hardware also gives both tablets a solid battery life boost. Our Fire 7 review noted impressive battery life with up to 10 hours on a charge. The Fire HD 8 comes in a bit higher with 13 hours on a charge. This stat is even more important when you note that neither tablet supports fast charging. That means four hours to charge the smaller tablet and five hours for the larger model.
Finally, the Fire HD 8 has dual speakers and Dolby Atmos support making it the better pick for watching videos or playing games.
Amazon Fire 7 vs. Fire HD 8: Which should you buy?
If you need more performance than these options can give you, one of the other best Android tablets may be a better pick for you. Still, Amazon's options can't be beaten when it comes to price. If you're buying it for a kid or teen that might lose or break it, the low price will make it hurt a little less.
As you can see, both of these tablets are excellent low-cost options, and both have their pros and cons. You can even get the Fire 7 Kids version with extra protection. If you can only afford the cheaper tablet, it's still a good option that should work well for basic apps and web usage.
Yet, if you're looking for a decent, low-cost tablet to consume media, browse the web, check your email, and even play some games on, the Fire HD 8 is the one to get. While it costs about twice as much, the extra performance and the better screen are worth every penny.
More pixels for a sharper image
At the end of the day, the primary difference between these two tablets is the size and resolution of the display. The 189ppi density of the Fire HD 8's screen will provide a clearer image at typical viewing distances.
Buy it for the kids
If you turn up your nose at the concept of a tablet under $50, you probably don't have kids. The Amazon Fire 7 is cheap and does just about anything you ask of it, apart from 3D gaming, with a little patience. You also don't need to worry as much if it gets lost or broken because of its lower price.
Get the Android Central Newsletter
Instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Jeramy is the Editor-in-Chief of Android Central. He is proud to help *Keep Austin Weird* and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.