Which low-cost tablet should you buy?

Amazon is known for its low-cost Fire tablets. If you’re on a tight budget and want a device primarily for video streaming, Amazon’s Fire tablets are a fantastic option. The company recently debuted its 2022 edition of the Fire HD 8 tablet for just $100. Meanwhile, the Fire 7 also packs a lot of comparable features and costs less than the Fire HD 8 tablet. So which low-cost tablet should you buy? Let’s find out.

Technical Specifications

Price

The cheapest Fire HD 8 tablet with 32GB storage will cost you $115, while the cheapest Fire 7 tablet with 16GB storage will set you back $75. Like every other Fire-branded tablet out there, Amazon has set different prices for the variants with and without lockscreen ads. A variant with lockscreen ads costs $15 less than one without. The following table shows the pricing of Fire tablets without lockscreen ads.

Design and Display

Moving on to the display department, the Fire 7 tablet comes with a 7-inch display that features a resolution of 1,024×600 pixels and 171 PPI. On the other hand, the Fire HD 8 comes with an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and a higher pixel density of 189 PPI. The Fire HD 8 offers a better multimedia experience compared to the Fire 7, thanks to Dolby Atmos playback support and dual speakers.

Both devices feature a similar design with thick bezels around the display and plastic build, which is not surprising considering their low price points. Amazon offers the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 in three colors: Black, Denim, and Rose. The company also claims that both Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 are thinner and lighter than their respective previous generation tablet and feature a screen that is made with strengthened aluminosilicate glass. In terms of durability, both the Fire 7 and HD 8 feature screens that are twice as durable as Apple’s iPad Mini, according to Amazon.

Performance

One of the key differences between the two is that the Fire HD 8 tablet comes with a hexa-core processor while the Fire 7 is powered only by a quad-core CPU. Amazon says the Fire HD 8 comes with a 30 percent faster SoC compared to its previous generation, so users should notice improvements in app launch times and overall responsiveness.

While you won’t be able to play high-end games on either device, both Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 should be able to handle everyday tasks and video streaming easily. However, when we take a look at the RAM inside both the devices, we’re left disappointed as both the tablets come with only 2GB of memory.

The Fire 7 comes in two storage variants: 16GB and 32GB. On the other hand, the Fire HD 8 comes with a minimum of 32GB storage, with the top-of-the-line variant offering 64GB internal storage. Both devices feature an expandable microSD card slot. When it comes to battery life, Amazon says the Fire 7 can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Fire HD 8 offers a longer battery life of 13 hours. Both devices support USB-C charging.

Alexa Features

Naturally, being an Amazon-branded tablet, both Fire HD 8 and Fire 7 come with the company’s own Alexa voice assistant. Both the tablets offer a hands-free Alexa experience, which means you can just say the ‘Alexa’ hotword and ask it to play videos and music, open apps, and do much more. It is, however, worth noting that only the Fire HD 8 is equipped with Alexa Show Mode.

For those unaware, Alexa Show Mode virtually allows you to convert your Fire tablet into Echo Show. When your tablet is in Show Mode, it shows the same content on screen as if your device is an Amazon Echo Show. You can ask Alexa to see trending news, weather reports, calendars, camera feeds, and much more. This feature is only available on the Fire HD 8 tablet and not on Fire 7.

Verdict

While Amazon tablets don’t offer much competition to the likes of Apple iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tab series, they’re a perfect study companion for kids and home use. If you’re looking for a cheap tablet that can be used for casual streaming and act as an Alexa-enabled smart home controller at the same time, then the Fire tablets are some of the best options out there.

When deciding which one to buy out of the Fire HD 8 and Fire 7, the Fire 7 proves to be a great option for those who want a tablet just for streaming TV shows and movies without caring much about video quality. On the other hand, the Fire HD 8 offers a larger and sharper display, a better processor, more storage, and longer battery life without adding too much cost. So, which device are you going to purhcase? Let us know in the comments section down below!