Amazon's affordable Fire HD 8 Plus seals the deal with some valuable extras

With models available in 7-, 8- and 10-inch screen sizes and priced as low as $50 before Prime Day discounts, Amazon's line of Fire tablets have long been the go-to option for bargain gadget hunters. But with its 2020 refresh of the 8-inch Fire HD 8 tablet, long the Goldilocks of its line, Amazon is adding a twist that may leave you wondering which one to buy. There are now two 8-inch models to choose from: a baseline Fire HD 8 starting at $90 (£90), and the $110 (£110) Fire HD Plus, which adds wireless charging and slightly better performance. The tablet isn't available in Australia but the starting price converts to about AU$160.

It costs $20 more than the standard HD 8, but a small performance boost and wireless charging make the HD Plus worth the extra cost.

Faster processor; Wireless charging; Fast USB-C charging; Better front camera placement; 3GB of RAM (up from 1.5 GB); Optional wireless charging dock turns the HD 8 Plus into an Echo Show; Hands-free Alexa voice-assistant; Improved battery life;

Display is HD but not 1080p (could be sharper); Amazon app store is limited compared to Google Play and Apple app store; Amazon Prime membership is a must;

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review

Physically indistinguishable from the cheaper Fire HD 8, the Plus offers a slightly swifter but otherwise identical tablet experience. Wireless charging is the most significant difference, with the optional Dock making it a viable Echo Show alternative. The Plus is the smarter choice for owners of the 2018 version, but with an unchanged display and similar skills, the standard model is an equally capable entertainment slate for new Prime subscribers.

Relatively affordable; Wireless charging; Optional dock apes an Echo Show;

Poor screen quality; Not swift, even with extra RAM; Locked to Amazon's ecosystem

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review: Wireless charging adds to the appeal

The Fire HD 8 Plus is an affordable tablet that's substantially built, with the convenience of wireless charging giving the potential for use as an Echo Show if you buy the additional dock, making it a convenient affordable home tablet. It's not the most glamorous tablet, but it's hard to beat it for value for money.

Great value for money; Great sound quality; Good battery life; Wireless charging; Great for Prime subscribers;

Display not the brightest and reflections can be a problem; Not hugely powerful; AppStore needs better quality control;

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus Review

Amazon's Fire tablet lineup has long been a favorite of ours as good, simple value for the money. Each uses a variant of the Android OS which is tilted heavily toward accessing Amazon services, but also good for streaming video and reading. The particularly important feature here is Show Mode, which makes the tablet act like a hands-free Echo Show smart display, displaying the time and responding to Alexa queries. The new Fire HD 8 Plus ($109.99 and up) is a gray Fire HD 8 tablet with more RAM, wireless charging, and a slightly higher-powered charger. That wireless charging, along with the optional charging dock, really make a difference here, turning the Fire HD 8 Plus into an Echo Show you can take with you. The audio isn't nearly as good as a real Echo Show—you won't use it to bop around to rich music in your living room—but that's a fair trade-off for portability. The Fire HD 8 Plus's size, shape, design, screen, cameras, and Wi-Fi capabilities are all the same as the Fire HD ...

Amazon's Fire HD 8 Plus adds wireless charging to the low-cost tablet, likely changing its usage patterns.

Inexpensive; Long battery life; Wireless charging; Excellent Alexa support

Limited app compatibility

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus review

The latest Fire HD 8 is a good tablet which is made a bit better in the Plus version. As ever, if you can live with the apps on offer, it’s still fine value.

Good battery life; Works like an Echo Show; Hands-free Alexa;

Entry-level performance; Limited selection of apps;

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) Review

Amazon's Fire tablet lineup has long been a favorite of ours as good, simple value for the money. Each uses a variant of the Android OS which is tilted heavily toward accessing Amazon services, but also good for streaming video and reading. The particularly important feature here is Show Mode, which makes the tablet act like a hands-free Echo Show smart display, displaying the time and responding to Alexa queries. The new Fire HD 8 Plus ($109.99 and up) is a gray Fire HD 8 tablet with more RAM, wireless charging, and a slightly higher-powered charger. That wireless charging, along with the optional charging dock, really make a difference here, turning the Fire HD 8 Plus into an Echo Show you can take with you. The audio isn't nearly as good as a real Echo Show—you won't use it to bop around to rich music in your living room—but that's a fair trade-off for portability. The Fire HD 8 Plus's size, shape, design, screen, cameras, and Wi-Fi capabilities are all the same as the Fire HD ...

Amazon's Fire HD 8 Plus adds wireless charging to the low-cost tablet, likely changing its usage patterns.

Inexpensive; Long battery life; Wireless charging; Excellent Alexa support

Limited app compatibility