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Amazon's new Fire HD 8 tablet with more RAM and AI is official, up for grabs, and already discounted

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Oct 03, 2024, 2:59 AM

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Amazon may have picked the weirdest timing for its latest product launch, unveiling with no advance notice and minimal fanfare a new edition of its popular Fire HD 8 tablet just days before next week's big Prime Day fall festival.

In a way, of course, this could be considered the perfect time to start selling an upgraded low-cost Android-based device, as it allows the e-commerce giant to "organically" offer a killer introductory discount that many bargain hunters may not be able to refuse.

Now that's an affordable multitasker!

It's definitely no secret that the key selling point of the Fire tablet family is extreme affordability, but Amazon may have outdone itself on that front with the 2024 HD 8 model, which normally starts at $99.99.

$45 off (45%)

32GB Storage, 3GB RAM, 8-Inch Display with 1280 x 800 Pixel Resolution, Hexa-core 2.0 GHz Processor, Up to 13 Hours of Battery Life, USB Type-C Port, 5MP Rear-Facing Camera with 1080p Video Recording, 2MP Front-Facing Camera with 1080p Video Recording, 5W Power Adapter in the Box, Generative AI Features, Three Color Options, With Lockscreen Ads

Buy at Amazon

If that doesn't sound remarkably cheap, perhaps a 45 percent price cut will help seal the deal. You have until Wednesday, October 9, to score that irresistible $45 discount on an entry-level 32GB storage configuration or you can go up to 64 gigs of local digital hoarding room and also slash 45 bucks off a list price of $129.99.

If the "new" Fire HD 8 happens to look familiar, that's probably because its appearance is identical to that of its 2022 predecessor. We're talking the exact same product measurements and weight, completely unchanged screen bezels, and an overall design language that remains... straightforward and basic.

The new Fire HD 8 looks exactly the same as the old Fire HD 8. | Image Credit -- Amazon

There are no obvious changes to report in the processing power and battery life departments either, but the upgraded Amazon Fire HD 8 does offer an important upgrade for multitaskers. Yes, the old version's 2GB RAM count is bumped up to 3 gigs of the good stuff in combination with 32GB storage space and 4 gigs of memory as far as the costlier 64GB storage variant is concerned.

Those are far from impressive numbers if we compare them with some of the best Android tablets in the world today, but for the Fire HD 8's price tags, they're pretty remarkable, promising vastly enhanced performance for everything from mobile gaming to web browsing, video streaming, and... AI technology.

AI is in, Plus tablets are out

The industry's favorite buzzword these days is making its way to the most affordable tablets in the US, and yes, there's a good reason why I'm using a plural noun. The 2024 Fire HD 8 will not be the only device to support Amazon's first AI-powered "experiences", which are instead scheduled to roll out to "all compatible Fire tablets later this month."

There are three main "experiences" you should look forward to if you own a recent Fire 7, Fire HD 8, or Fire HD 10 generation, with Writing Assist aiming to "enhance your writing with just a few taps" across emails, Word docs, and social media posts, Webpage Summaries essentially turning insightful articles into tweets (yuck!), and Wallpaper Creator allowing you to "add a touch of creative flair to your home screen" with AI-generated pictures based on your specific instructions.

Those are, let's face it, not the most sophisticated or innovative artificial intelligence tools in the world right now, but Amazon arguably deserves a bit of praise for trying to spice up its incredibly affordable and already decently feature-packed products.

Curiously enough, the new Fire HD 8 doesn't get a beefed-up Plus variant, so if you want an Amazon-made tablet with wireless charging, you'll have to opt for the 2022-released Fire HD 8 Plus... which only comes with 3GB RAM.

That's certainly a confusing setup, which is fortunately not what we can say about Amazon's children-oriented slates. Just like before, the Fire HD 8 gets a Kids version designed for 3 to 7-year-olds and a Kids Pro model with a slightly older target audience (namely, 6 to 12-year-olds). These are normally priced at $149.99 and $139.99 respectively with "kid-proof" cases included, and for a limited time, they're both marked down by a substantial 70 bucks.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.