There’s a thick black frame around the 8-inch HD display, and the actual experience of using the device felt ages behind my Apple products or my partner’s Samsung Galaxy Note Ultra. It’s nothing special or impressive - it looks almost identical to the display of my Echo Show 10 - and while I appreciate the simplicity, it also looks a bit outdated. Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashableįrom there, however, I was a little disappointed by the Fire tablet. The back of the Fire HD 8 Plus feels a little cheap and plasticky, but the tablet cover makes the device feel super durable. It’s a little bit heavier than I expected, but I’m fairly certain that I could throw this device and cause more damage to my wall than the tablet. Thankfully, Amazon’s compatible tablet cover eliminates any of those fears - I popped it on the device, and I was immediately surprised by how sturdy the combination felt. As someone who is accident-prone (and terrified of dropping a $329 iPad), I appreciated the emphasis on durability, but I wasn’t sure if the plastic back cover would actually hold up to Amazon’s claims that the Fire HD 8 Plus is “twice as durable” as the iPad Mini. It’s roughly the same size as an iPad mini, but at a 0.37-inch thickness, it’s definitely got a bit more weight than the. Straight out of the box, the 12th generation Fire HD 8 Plus tablet is compact, lightweight, and sturdy. Over the years, a majority of my e-book consumption has taken place on my iPad - and in desperate occasions my iPhone - but I was interested in trying out Amazon’s latest iteration of the Fire HD 8 Plus tablet (Opens in a new tab) as an affordable alternative to my 8th generation iPad (Opens in a new tab).

They’re convenient, portable, and perfect for reading pretty much anywhere: in bed, at the gym, on vacation, etc…and they don’t weigh down my carry-on as much as my “standard” three-book minimum. My physical book collection is constantly expanding, but - thanks to the countless free library books I read on OverDrive’s viral app, Libby (Opens in a new tab) - these days I tend to gravitate toward e-books.