Amazon Lights a Flame Under the Fire HD 8 With Four New Tablets

Four new versions of Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet claim to be faster, lighter, longer-lasting, and come in kid-friendly versions.

It looks as though Amazon isn't done with the Fire HD 8 tablet, with the company revealing a quartet of new devices under the same banner. But despite carrying the same name as older tablets, they aren't quite the same thing.

The 2022 Fire HD 8 tablet boasts a faster processor for smoother web browsing and video watching at the same time or when using picture-in-picture. It uses an 8-inch HD display that Amazon says is thinner and lighter than previous HD 8 models, and the battery is said to last up to 13 hours with constant use (and take five hours to charge fully). It also comes in both 32GB and 64GB versions, but either can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card.

If you want a little more, there's also the Fire HD 8 Plus, which supports multitasking, and can reach a full charge in three hours instead of five. The HD 8 Plus also supports wireless Qi charging and has a built-in 5MP rear-facing camera for taking photos and videos.

The new Fire HD 8 Kids tablet comes bundled with a "kid-proof" case, a two-year warranty, and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ for books, games, and the like. Or, if your little ones prefer something Disney-flavored, you can get the series' first Disney Design bundle with either a Mickey Mouse or Princess-themed case for $10 more. But if they aren't that little anymore (like around ages six to 12), you can grab the HD 8 Kids Pro with access to a kid-friendly digital store instead.

Both the Fire HD 8 (starting at $99.99, 32GB) and HD 8 Plus (starting at $119.99, 32GB) are available to pre-order today. The same goes for the Fire HD 8 Kids (starting at $149.99, 32GB) and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro (only available for $149.99 with 32GB). Shipping for all new Fire HD 8 tablets is expected to begin on October 19.