08 Oct
Blog

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Review: The New Standard

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon Fire TV Stick Max

RRP $ 55.00

"Of course it's an iterative update, but one that makes the Fire TV Stick 4K Max the one you can get."

advantages

  • Better processor and WiFi

  • Including the new remote control

  • Still extremely cheap

disadvantage

  • Based on an outdated version of Android

The most important feature of a streaming stick is probably not listed on the side of the box. It's not how much RAM it has. It's not the size of the on-board storage. It's not if it's 4K (OK, it's about more than a little), and it's not the Wi-Fi speed or the processor. And it's not all apps that it has access to.

The main feature of the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the price. This is what really determines where it not only fits into the Amazon Fire TV range of devices, but also its place in the overall system against its closest competitor, Roku, which has its own line of relatively inexpensive streaming sticks. Sure, the specifications determine the price. But tell us how much you want to spend and we'll tell you which streaming device is best.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MaxPhil Nickinson / Digital Trends

And the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, while it's an iterative update (there's certainly nothing wrong with that) and though it has quite a bit to say (which we take a little problem with), is definitely the Fire TV Stick to buy.

Here's why.

The Fire TV Stick Max is mostly a Fire TV Stick 4K, only better. It's more max.

What's new in Fire TV Stick 4K Max

It's not just that Fire TV stick. It's not that Fire TV Stick 4K. This is Max who we can only assume is one step above plus but still below extremes. It's a silly suffix appended to a product that is itself mostly an iteration of an iteration. This is how these streaming sticks work. They have certain features at certain prices so you are guaranteed to make money no matter what. More on this below.

Amazon's own comparison chart does it pretty well. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max has a few more points than the Fire TV Stick 4K, which is three years old at this point. And they are not unimportant boxes.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the first in the Amazon range with Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax. That means it uses the latest wireless standards if you have a Wi-Fi 6 router, or be ready when you do. You shouldn't necessarily expect warp-speed WiFi, but you have more than enough bandwidth to get the job done. Wirelessly connected to one Eero Pro 6 (conveniently another Amazon-owned product), I moved up from 250Mbps downstream, with ping times between 20ms and 25ms. In comparison, the previous generation Fire TV Stick 4K reached around 200 Mbps downstream over Wi-Fi 5, with similar pings.

For those of you who say, "Just take the ethernet adapter!" – let me hang you there. You will almost certainly want to just go ahead and use WiFi with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max Amazon's own Ethernet adapterwhich is not included in the scope of delivery anyway. This adapter – which provides both power and the wired network connection – is a 10/100 device, which means that it will hit the top on a 100Mbps connection anyway. And in my case, that means I've got about half the speed I've seen with Wi-Fi, not to mention nowhere near using my real gigabit fiber connection.

In other words, stick with the Wi-Fi 6 built into the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It's a lot good.

Elsewhere, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max ships with the latest Alexa voice remote control, which came out in April 2021 and has been slightly redesigned with a few extra buttons and functions.

The Max also has a bit more RAM, which is important since it's an Android-based device and Android still needs all of the RAM it can get. Not that 2 gigabytes is a lot, and it's only half a gig more than the Fire TV Stick 4K. But we take what we can get. And the processor has also been updated to a quad-core Mediatek MT8696 with 1.8 GHz. If that's important to you, good for you. If you think you can notice this about the older Fire TV Stick 4K, chances are you're lying, an engineer, or running the two devices side by side. The point is, these are important and obvious updates, but certainly nothing that will change the way you watch TV on Amazon Fire TV.

In other words, it looks and acts much like the Fire TV Sticks of yore. Just a little better. If you're like us and dumb enough to have more than one Fire TV Stick lying around, it's easy to forget which one is which. I flipped back and forth between the 2018 Fire TV Stick 4K and the new Max and immediately had no idea what was plugged in without actively checking. In fact, near twins, the two are personally stuffed, with the only visible difference adding the nickname "Fire TV" to the case. The older stick only has the Amazon smile. There's really no difference on the screen.

And it now supports picture-in-picture if you need to.

Amazon Fire TV stick 4K max.The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2021 looks exactly like the Fire TV Stick 4K 2018 – apart from the logo. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

What else is in the Fire TV Stick 4K Max

If you currently own an Amazon Fire TV Stick, you know what to expect. You have no doubt used the new Fire TV OS user interface that was introduced in early 2021. That it is still based on Android 9 rather than something newer (Android 12 is just about to be released) is a point of contention for some, and at least a small cause for concern. But given that we're talking about Amazon here, rather than a no-name importer who just puts Android on some hardware and does it for a day, we're a little less concerned. That said, Amazon has to get into double digits sooner rather than later, and it's only a matter of time before our patience really wears off.

The other basic specs remain the same as the older Fire TV Stick 4K. It still supports 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, HDR10 + and HLG for high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos for audio. Of course, your TV and sound system must also support all of these if you want to use them.

If you want to use Alexa with your Fire TV Stick 4K Max, do so using the Alexa remote. This is unchanged because there is no microphone in the stick itself.

There's nothing new on the app side either. Amazon's Fire TV OS still has access to all of the things it had access to, like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV +, to name just three.

Amazon Fire TV stick 4K max.Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Buy it to future proof it, not because it's exponentially "better".

Our opinion

If you're looking for a new Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is for you. Period.

I would even recommend it to the Fire TV Cube for several reasons. First, it's about half the price, which in itself should be a no-brainer. If all you need to do is have Alexa hands-free (like not having to hit the voice button on the remote first), you can get yourself a Max and a new Echo Dot and still have plenty of cash to buy your lunch. The second is that the Fire TV Cube was updated a few years ago, which means older internals. That's not a big deal with devices like this, but it can play a role over time. Newer is almost always better.

Are there alternatives?

Secure. Anything that connects to a television and displays video is an alternative. And the Fire TV Stick 4K Max's biggest competitors are the other Amazon Fire TV Sticks.

Fire TV stick
Lite		 Fire TV
floor		 Fire TV stick
4K		 Fire TV stick
4K Max
Publishing year 2020 2020 2018 2021
Retail price $ 30 $ 40 $ 40 $ 55
resolution 1080p 1080p 4K 4K
Dolby Vision no no Yes sir Yes sir
Dolby Atmos no Yes sir Yes sir Yes sir
WiFi version WiFi 5 WiFi 5 WiFi 5 WLAN 6
storage 8GB 8GB 8GB 8GB
Storage 1 GB 1G 1.5 GB 2GB

Where the Fire TV Stick 4K Max fits into the larger scheme of inexpensive streaming sticks – that is, around $ 50 – really just depends on the ecosystem. Would you like Fire TV? Or do you want Roku? Or what about Chromecast with Google TV? Everyone has their merits and falls into the same price range. In general, I'd argue that Fire TV OS is the more mature and sophisticated operating system, while Roku is simple and easier to navigate. Both of them are littered with ads and other ways to spend money, and both are also heavily driving their own ad-based video-on-demand services. Amazon has IMDB TV and Roku has The Roku Channel. Choose your poison. Chromecast With Google TV is a beast of its own. If you are familiar with Android, this is where I would look.

The bigger question I have is what happens to the rest of the Fire TV Stick storage space. Amazon has told us that it has no intention of stopping selling the old Fire TV Stick 4K, which at the time of release is $ 15 cheaper than the 4K Max when it's not on sale – and you no doubt will find for less money rather than later. I'd say it's worth an extra $ 15 for future proofing Wi-Fi 6 and the newer remote that sells for $ 30 alone. Add the upgraded processor and memory and it just makes sense. You get a bigger bang for your buck. And presumably Amazon will either phase out the older Fire TV Stick 4K or maybe even rearrange the entire line. It still has the Fire TV Stick for the same $ 40 price as the older Fire TV Stick 4K, which doesn't really make sense as it hits 1080p resolution. Then there's the $ 30 Fire TV Stick Lite. That's not a huge spread, so don't be surprised if Amazon consolidates things at some point.

How long it will take?

We have no idea. It's a little piece of plastic and metal. But in general, Fire TV Sticks lasted much longer than necessary. Not that we're fans of setting money on fire, but these things are cheap. They have no moving parts, they probably don't get moved too often, and are pretty much commonplace items right now. They are impulse purchases. In the rare event that one of you fails – and you don't hear about it very often – the chances are that you could simply buy a new one without thinking too much. For everything else, there's everyone's favorite post on Troubleshooting Fire TV Stick issues.

Should you buy it?

Have you read the 1,700 words above? Yes sir. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the one we would get.

Editor's recommendations



12 Nov
Blog

Amazon Fire TV Stick/Lite Review: Best Budget Streamers

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020)

"Tiny, cheap, powerful: these sticks set new standards for budget streaming devices."

  • Affordable

  • Voice-based remote control

  • HDR and Dolby Atmos

  • Can be placed behind the TV

  • Quirky interface

  • Dolby Atmos support for apps inconsistent

For some people, nothing less than the best is enough. In the world of streaming devices, this means that an Apple TV 4K, a Roku Ultraor a Nvidia Shield TV. These set-top boxes cost between $ 100 and $ 200 and are equipped with the latest technology to help you get the most out of your 4K HDR television and home theater sound system.

But what if you're just looking for an affordable way to add streaming capabilities to your older TV, or what if you want a device for a second TV in your home?

Does this drive to save some money mean foregoing all of the cool features of the more expensive devices?

In the past, the answer was yes, but Amazon's $ 40 Fire TV Stick and $ 30 Fire TV Stick Lite redefined what we can expect from a budget streamer. Do they deliver the goods or should you look to more expensive equipment?

Here is our full report.

What's in the box?

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020)Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Your first reminder that the Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite are budget devices is the plain orange box they come in. It's thin and little more than a cover to protect the components inside. As such, it is one of the most sustainable packages in the streaming world – easily recyclable and with just a few small plastic sheets to dispose of.

The stick design makes a lot of sense. It's tiny, portable, and completely disappears behind your TV.

Inside you will find everything you need: the stick, a remote control, two AAA batteries (fortunately not shrunk), a MicroUSB cable for the power supply, a USB power supply unit and an HDMI extender dongle for televisions with cramped spaces HDMI connections.

design

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020)Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The stick design makes a lot of sense. It's tiny, portable, and completely disappears behind your TV.

For a completely wireless installation, you can try plugging the MicroUSB power cord into an available USB port on your TV. However, since Amazon includes a power adapter, I recommend using it. This way, you are guaranteed to get the best performance and faster start-up as it gets consistent performance.

Both the Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite come with Bluetooth remote controls. In this way, you can not only communicate with the sticks without line of sight, but also have advanced functions such as voice access to Alexa.

The remotes look similar, but there are a few differences. The Fire TV Stick comes with a standard voice remote that includes a power button to control the stick, as well as the TV and all other HDMI-connected devices, as well as volume buttons.

The Stick Lite remote control lacks these two functions, but it has a dedicated guide button. Pressing it will bring up the live TV guide – but only if you subscribe to a live TV streaming service like Sling TV or YouTube TV. Otherwise, it just takes you to the live screen, which you may or may not find particularly useful.

To install

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020)Amazon Fire TV Stick Remote Control (above) and Fire TV Stick Lite Remote Control Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Setting up both sticks is very easy. Once you plug it in and plug it into your TV, the on-screen instructions guide you through pairing the remote, accessing your WiFi, and signing in to your Amazon account.

Yes, an Amazon account is required to use a Fire TV device. So, if you don't already have an account, you might want to set up an account on another device, such as a laptop, before beginning the setup process.

You can choose from a few recommended apps to install – these vary by region – but don't worry if your favorite apps aren't among them. These are simply the apps Amazon is promoting, not the full list of apps available. After the setup is complete, you can install additional apps.

The Fire TV Stick has one extra step that the Lite doesn't: it walks you through a quick process of identifying your TV and / or soundbar or A / V receiver so that the power buttons and the Volume buttons are working properly.

There is one aspect of setting up these devices that could be improved a lot. Now whenever you download and launch apps like Netflix that require you to sign in, you'll need to use the on-screen keyboard to browse and search your credentials. It's a tedious process that Apple and Roku have made a little more bearable thanks to the ability to use your smartphone as a text entry tool. Although Amazon has the Alexa app – the de facto way to interact with a Fire TV device from a phone – there is no way to use it for text entry.

interface

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020)Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Amazon's Fire TV interface, which is the same for all Fire TV devices, has a heavy focus on curating content for you to watch.

That curation feels more like a persistent advertisement for Amazon's Prime Video content, however. It's also very repetitive. The same movies, shows and functions are shown over and over again in each of the main categories: Home, Your Videos, Live, Movies, TV Shows and Apps.

In theory, the UI is supposed to show results from a variety of services, but I've only seen a bunch of Netflix suggestions and none from Disney +, despite being signed into both apps.

Unfortunately, the workarounds for this presentation are not very satisfactory. A search function is available, but difficult to reach and global: a search for "Formula 1" returns results from all available content sources as well as from apps. There's no way to filter these results, and you can't access a tab-specific search for movies or TV shows.

There are some major streaming services that cannot be added to the Fire TV.

If you want to jump straight into one of your installed apps, the Apps tab isn't intuitively the way to go. Instead, it requires a long press of the Home button, which reveals the four main shortcuts: Apps, Sleep, Mirroring, and Settings. Selecting apps will take you to the full list of installed apps.

Speaking of apps, there are some key streaming services that can't be added to the Fire TV – HBO Max and Peacock are the biggest omissions. There's a workaround: Virtually any Android TV app can be loaded onto these devices, but it's a multi-step process that is probably best left to those with real tech skills.

A highlight, especially for cable cutters, is the Live tab. If you subscribe to YouTube TV, Sling TV, Philo, or Hulu + Live TV, you can use the Live tab to get content recommendations from these services and see the available channels on the guide screen.

performance

The Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite are identical from a hardware point of view. So you should rightly expect a similar, if not identical, level of performance, but I haven't found it to be.

The normal Fire TV Stick is significantly faster. Not so much in terms of response time – each model responded very quickly to keystrokes – but how quickly each new screen is filled with content.

For example, if you switch from the home screen to the live screen and then back again, the Fire TV Stick quickly populates the new page with thumbnails. The Stick Lite is slower and often takes twice as long to complete the same task.

It's not a deal-breaker – we're only talking about a few seconds here or there – but if you're impatient, the regular Fire TV Stick is probably a better choice.

The only notable lag time was when I started a new stream. However, this has occurred with almost every streaming device I have used. This is mostly related to the streaming service and / or your internet connection, not the hardware.

The conversation with Alexa was quick on both sticks, and reaction times were usually one to two seconds.

Both come with 8 GB of onboard storage, which should be enough for a serious collection of installed apps. There is a catch, however: you only get access to just over 5GB of that storage.

My 20 apps installed have used half that amount, which suggests that as a power user, you may have some tough decisions to make.

Audio and video quality

The audio quality is very good on both devices that support the two main streaming audio formats: Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Atmos fans should be careful: Despite the fact that both Fire TV Sticks support Dolby Atmos over passthrough over HDMI, streaming app support for Atmos has been a hit and miss. It worked on both devices when Atmos titles were streamed on Amazon Prime Video (as expected), but Netflix only delivered Atmos to the Fire TV Stick and Disney + didn't deliver Atmos to both devices.

Possibly this problem is specific to my particular setup. I reached out to both Disney + and Amazon about this issue, but neither company was able to reproduce it.

Offering HDR without the higher price tag of a 4K device is a game changer.

For most people, the big advantage of these affordable streamers is that they can stream in HDR. In general, only streamers that support 4K resolution will offer HDR – this applies to both Apple TV and Roku devices.

As great as 4K is, HDR makes a much bigger difference in terms of perceived image quality because of its improved brightness, color, and contrast. Also, why would you want to stream 4K video with more bandwidth (potentially reaching your data cap faster) to take advantage of HDR?

The Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite are now the first streamers to bring you HDR without asking the higher price (and bandwidth) of a 4K device, and it's a game changer.

Granted, HDR10, HDR10 +, and HLG (the three HDR flavors these devices support) aren't quite as spectacular as Dolby Vision, but it's still a huge step up from what you'd get from devices in this price range a year ago could.

I tried HDR footage from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney + and it all looked great. David Attenborough's Netflix film A Life On Our Planet is rich in color and detail.

If you're a fan of Plex and want to use these sticks to stream HDR content from your Plex media server, keep in mind that Plex will transcode that resolution to 1080p to stay in sync with it when your HDR footage is in 4K is the video capabilities of the Fire TV Stick. However, if you do this it will remove the HDR metadata, leaving you with just the old SDR.

Casting and screen mirroring

Casting (using your smartphone, tablet, or PC to send streaming content to a streaming device) and screen mirroring (the ability to see everything on your smartphone's screen in real time on a TV) are handled by both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick supports Stick Lite with restrictions.

The casting on the sticks is determined app by app. For example, Netflix allows you to broadcast to the Fire TV Stick but not the Fire TV Stick Lite. YouTube supports casting on both devices, but you need to install the YouTube app first. Disney + does not support broadcasting to any device other than Nvidia Shield TV or Shield TV Pro (2019).

Given that the sticks contain native apps for virtually all popular streaming services, this shouldn't be a deal breaker. However, if casting is really important to you, make sure your favorite service supports it on the Fire TV Stick / Lite.

Screen mirroring mode is available on both sticks, but only works with Android smartphones and tablets.

Finally, iPhone users who want to take advantage of this feature will need an AirPlay 2 compatible device such as select 4K Roku players, Apple TV, or several smart TV models from LG, Samsung and Sony.

Our opinion

Though the user interface is heavily geared towards Amazon's Prime Video service, the Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite are the only devices to offer voice-based remote control and 1080p / HDR support for just $ 30. If your budget is tight but you want great picture quality from your streaming video services, these Fire TV sticks are hard to beat.

Is there a better alternative?

No at these prices. The $ 30 Roku Express has a better interface and user experience, and supports more streaming services. However, it cannot perform HDR functions, has no voice-based remote control and cannot be tucked behind your TV.

To get significantly more than what the Fire TV Stick Lite does for $ 30, you'll need to spend $ 50 on a Roku Streaming Stick +, Google Chromecast with Google TV, or Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K.

How long will they last?

Amazon has updated its Fire TV devices very well over the years, and I don't expect this to change. That should keep these two Fire TV Sticks going for many years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes. As long as you don't mind Amazon's tendency to use the Fire TV surface as a billboard for their own content and its (currently) lack of support for HBO Max and Peacock, these Amazon streaming devices will set a new benchmark for functionality in a sub – $ 50 device.

Editor's recommendations




09 Jun
Blog

Amazon Fire HD 8 Review (2020): Low-Priced for a Reason

amazon fire hd 8 2020 review 3

"The Amazon Fire HD 8 is the only sensible choice in its price range, but there are good reasons for that."

  • Amazon integration

  • Very affordable

  • Good battery life

  • Alexa

  • Software can feel like an advertisement

  • Slow performance

  • Below average display

The tablet market is in a strange place. Apple dominates and the iPad is our first choice for those who can spend up to $ 300. However, if you can't (or don't want to) spend that much or just don't like the Apple ecosystem, your options are limited. Amazon is one of the few alternatives that has been offering extremely affordable tablets for years. An updated version of the Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet was recently released.

Amazon's new Fire HD 8 isn't fundamentally different from the previous generation Fire HD 8, but it does offer some upgrades. For example, there is now a USB-C connector on the bottom as well as a new chip that offers 30% better performance.

However, the heading is still the price. At an extremely low price of $ 90, the Fire HD 8 may be the best option under $ 100 – also because it's one of the few options under $ 100. But what are the victims?

A basic design with a few quirks

The Fire HD 8 offers an 8-inch display with a half-inch frame around the display. The tablet is available in different colors, which is perhaps the most unique thing about it. These colors include white, black, twilight blue and plum. I checked the white model and it looks good enough – although the more colorful models have more flair.

As someone who normally uses the entry-level iPad for all tablet needs, the Fire HD 8 feels a bit thick at 9.7mm compared to 7.5mm from the iPad. Given the overall size, it's still pretty light. However, once you add a case, it becomes even stronger. Because of this mass, the tablet feels relatively tough. It is largely made of plastic, which does not scratch or dent easily.

The layout of the buttons and ports on the Fire HD 8 could take some work. The webcam is arranged horizontally rather than vertically. When used in the horizontal layout, the volume rocker, the power switch, the USB-C connector and the headphone jack are on the left. In the end, I didn't mind the layout, but it's a little strange to have the USB-C port on top and the power switch and volume rocker on the bottom if you want to use the device in portrait mode. There is a MicroSD card slot on the right to expand the built-in memory.

This is the first Fire HD tablet to have a USB-C port. You won't be charged really fast through this connector, but it is convenient to charge your modern devices with the same cables, and the inclusion of such a connector is somewhat overdue for Amazon.

There is a 2-megapixel camera on the back of the device, which takes mediocre pictures at best. The selfie camera on the front is also 2 megapixels in size. Even if it is suitable for video chatting, a better camera would have been desirable.

Overall, the Fire HD 8 is designed to get the job done. Due to the low price, you have to do without the premium feeling of Apple's iPad for beginners, but this does not make the use of the tablet difficult.

Mediocre display

While the design is okay, the display leaves something to be desired. This is also to be expected from a device in this price range, but it is still important to note.

The 8-inch LCD display has a resolution of 800 x 1,280, which is slightly below average. The maximum brightness is also low. Therefore, in direct sunlight, you may have difficulty seeing what you are doing. The colors are also subdued, making videos less haunting and exciting.

Digital Trends found that the display was somewhat flawed when reviewing the 2018 Fire HD 8 model. It is therefore disappointing that Amazon has not updated it. While the display does the job in most situations, you will have problems using it outdoors, and the films will not look as sharp as on more expensive tablets.

Poor performance, good battery life

It doesn't look much better under the hood. Android devices often work well when you receive them. In the next few years, they will slow down. Unfortunately, this is not the case here. The Amazon Fire 8 HD is ready to use.

This tablet is powered by a MediaTek MT8168 processor with 2 GB RAM and 32 GB or 64 GB storage. If you want to expand this memory, a microSD card slot is integrated in the device.

The specs are undoubtedly modest, and while the tablet performs well in everyday use, if you are interested in mobile games, you will need something with a little more momentum unless you are mainly interested in basic games. This tablet is not suitable for games. However, it should be fine for streaming videos, surfing social media, etc.

While the performance is somewhat disappointing, the battery life is solid. Amazon rated the battery life up to 12 hours, and I found that it could easily stand two days of moderate use. If you don't regularly forget to charge your devices, you'll find that battery life is more than long enough for most.

Amazon forward software

Aside from the price, the main reason someone wants to buy a Fire HD tablet is to integrate with the rest of the Amazon ecosystem. For those who use more stripped-down versions of Android on their cell phones, such as those on Google's pixel cell phones or OxygenOS from OnePlus, the highly optimized Fire OS on the Fire HD 8 looks a bit chaotic – and sometimes a bit dated.

Deep integration with Amazon services can be very helpful for Prime subscribers who already use Amazon's apps and services heavily. Thanks to the instantly installed apps, you get quick and instant access to services such as Audible, Prime Video, Kindle, etc.

Many of these services are also integrated directly into the start screen. Swipe right and you'll have access to your books. Swipe right again and you'll see videos. There are games and apps again. It's an intuitive way to scroll through Amazon's services. However, if you're not using every single Amazon service, these sections of the home screen are for promotional purposes only – in full-screen mode. For example, on the Video tab, you can only view Prime Video content. Even if you download the Netflix app, you shouldn't expect Amazon to recommend content on this tab.

Fire OS does not use Google Play services, so you can only access Google services like Google Drive, YouTube, etc. if you download them. Even then, you won't be able to access the Google Play Store without great effort.

The Amazon Appstore is also limited. There are many gaps in most streaming services, social media apps, and some of the most popular games. For example, you can't download an official YouTube app, and the fitness junkies can't download services like MyFitnessPal.

Then you have the ads. If you take full advantage of Amazon services, you may not care so much about them – but if you choose in general, as most people are likely to do, the ads will get a little much. Every time you see the lock screen, you see a different set of books or shows that Amazon believes you want to read or view, and Amazon regularly fills your notification shadow with other ads.

Alexa is part of the Fire tablet experience and works well. They have all the Alexa functions you need for the Echo, as well as the ability to control certain aspects of the tablet software, such as: B. opening certain apps, playing videos on Prime Video etc.

If you are something like me, you will ultimately have a love-hate relationship with Fire OS. It works great in many situations, but only if you're seriously connected to the Amazon ecosystem – and if not, much of the operating system is just bloatware.

Price, availability and warranty information

The slow performance, bloated software, and limited app selection would be unforgivable if it weren't for the price. At $ 90, however, there is almost no competition for the Fire HD 8. You might find a cheap Samsung or Lenovo tablet that matches the price, but otherwise you'd have to look for no-name tablets that aren't offered to everyone Advantage over the Fire HD 8.

Of course, this tablet is available directly from Amazon. You only get a 90-day limited warranty here, which only covers manufacturing defects.

Our opinion

The Amazon Fire HD 8 is a solid budget option for those who need an entertainment device or are connected to the Amazon ecosystem and are looking for a device that uses it. However, the device is far from perfect. It has a relatively poor performance, the software can feel like a big advertisement, and the display is not great.

Is there a better alternative?

There are no solid alternatives in this price range, as the available options come from no-name brands or are underwhelmed. It may be worth taking a look at a refurbished iPad or saving money for something better, like a cheap Lenovo option or the entry-level iPad – although the entry-level iPad still costs $ 250 on sale.

How long it will take?

You should get a year or two of normal use of Amazon Fire HD 8. Slow performance worsens over time, which you should be aware of as it is not particularly good at first, but if you only really use it when watching videos and browsing social media, this should be fine. Physically, the tablet is strong enough to withstand most everyday use, but you don't want to drop it or get it wet.

Should you buy it

No. Although there is little competition, the Amazon Fire HD 8 is too affordable by itself.

Editor's recommendations