The Amazon Fire HD 8 is packed with great internal specifications to create an excellent software experience. Whether you are reading books via Kindle or watching a movie immersed with the Dolby Atmos speakers, the Fire HD 8 can be your go-to for entertainment.
For
- Great price
- Optional 64GB built-in storage
- Expandable storage up to 1TB
- Dolby Atmos-enabled dual speakers
- USB-C charging
Against
- Only has 2MP front and rear cameras
- No Google Play store access
Samsung is known for creating great products, and the Galaxy Tab A 8" is another example. With quality tech squeezed into a thin and light device, you'll be able to spend hours enjoying your content on it. You'll also have access to the Google Play Store.
For
- Slightly smaller form factor with the same screen size
- Higher-resolution rear camera at 8MP
- Access to Google Play Store
- Longer battery life
Against
- More expensive
- Only 32GB built-in and expandable up to 512GB
- No Dolby Atmos support for the speakers
- Outdated micro-USB port
When looking at the Amazon Fire HD 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0", it is easy to see all of the elements they have in common. They are both thin and light tablets with an 8-inch HD display and access to familiar apps, but there are plenty of differences to explore.
It might perplex you to know that the older Galaxy Tab A 8.0" costs more. However, the price difference is explained by a few differentiating factors. Does that make the Galaxy tablet a better option over the Fire HD 8? Let's see which of these capable cheap Android tablets is the one to take out its contender.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" (2019): Tale of the tape
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Samsung and Amazon have both been making great, affordable tablets for years now. Each of them offers a tablet with an 8-inch screen that has HD resolution. Though they look very similar at first glance, they start to differentiate themselves in everyday use.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" | Amazon Fire HD 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 12.2 oz | 12.5 oz |
| Display | 8-inch, HD | 8-inch, HD |
| Dimensions | 8.0 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches | 9.52 x 5.89 x 0.38 inches |
| Storage | 32GB | 32 or 64 GB |
| Operating System | Android 9 | Fire OS 7 (based on Android 9) |
| Expandable Storage | Up to 512MB | Up to 1TB |
| Screen Resolution | 1280 x 800 | 1280 x 800 |
| Battery life | Up to 13 hours of multimedia | Up to 12 hours of multimedia |
| Camera | 2MP front and 8MP rear-facing cameras with 1080p video recording | 2MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p video recording |
| Voice Assistant | Google Assistant | Alexa |
| Colors | Black and Silver | Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, White |
| Audio | Dual speakers | Dual speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Case | Kid-safe case included | No case included |
| Ports | micro-USB, 3.5mm headphone jack | USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Warranty | 12-month limited warranty | 90-day limited warranty |
Amazon has taken affordable, high-quality tablets to another level with the Fire HD 8. While Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 8" is no slouch for the price and feature differences, Amazon still has a leg up.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" (2019): Differences abound
The Fire HD 8 is slightly wider and thicker than Samsung's offering here, but Amazon makes fair use of that space. Tablets are great devices for content consumption like movies, reading, and playing games, so having a good amount of space to differentiate it from your phone is helpful.
When watching a movie, you want to be immersed in it, and with the Fire HD 8, it's much more possible with its fantastic dual-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support. It brings a significantly improved audio experience to your music, games, and movies. For the times you can't use the external speakers, you can plug in a pair of headphones. While Samsung's tablet also has a headphone jack and dual-speakers, they aren't at the same level as the Fire HD 8.
The Fire HD 8 pulls you in when you're watching your favorite movie or shows with its Dolby Atmos dual-speaker set up.
On the subject of entertainment content, each of these tablets offers 32GB of built-in storage, but Amazon has a 64GB option too. The Fire HD 8 also wins in the expandable storage category as well with a maximum of 1TB extra space, whereas the Galaxy Tab A 8" only goes up to 512GB. This means you can download movies for offline viewing and not have to worry about storage as much on the Fire HD 8.
Samsung does have an edge in battery life, eeking out an extra hour of usability at 13 hours rather than the 12 hours of the Fire HD 8. Another area that the Galaxy Tab A 8" has over Amazon is with its rear camera. While taking photos with the rear camera may not be an everyday activity, the improved 8MP sensor on the Samsung tablet will be a welcome option.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" (2019): Which operating system is best?
While there are differences noted above, the most significant difference is in the tablets' operating systems. Both technically use Android, but Amazon uses a custom version known as Fire OS. Currently, each device is using software based on Android 9 Pie.
The Galaxy Tab A 8" uses the Android you are most familiar with. The way you navigate the device, the apps, and Google Play Store, and settings menu all have a familiar feel.
Using an Amazon Fire tablet comes with learning a new operating system. That's not bad, but it does have a learning curve.
When you pick up the Fire HD 8 and begin using it, you immediately notice that it doesn't look your typical Android. Fire OS is based around Android, but it uses an entirely different interface and app store. The tablet software's look is designed for finding content, whether that is books, movies, shows, or games.
Fire OS isn't necessarily bad, but if you haven't used it before, it takes some getting used to. One drawback to it is that you won't have full access to all of the apps the Google Play Store offers. Most of the apps you would want on a tablet, like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are available, but don't expect the entire catalog of Android apps to be there.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" (2019): Which way to go?
Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" and Amazon Fire HD 8 are solid tablets that will make for great entertainment devices. Each has an app store full of choices to get you all of the content you could think of. You'll have a vibrant display for enjoying your movies, games, books, and more.
However, for a device that is squarely focused on content with the capability to do more, the Fire HD 8 should be your top choice. The modern USB-C port, the superior dual-speakers featuring Dolby Atmos, and the higher storage capacity all make for a better overall experience. Pair that up with a great Fire HD 8 case to prop it up while enjoying your shows, and you can't go wrong.
If you need to have the full breadth of the Android apps in the Google Play Store and want a thinner, lighter option, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" is a fine choice. It has a slightly longer battery life and an improved rear camera. However, keep in mind that the Galaxy Tab A 8" uses an ancient micro-USB port for charging and is limited to 512GB expandable memory. As light and thin as this tablet is, be sure to protect this more expensive device with a solid Galaxy Tab A case.
Fill it up
The Amazon Fire HD 8 offers an expansive catalog of entertainment options from books to movies and games to shows. All of it can be enjoyed with Dolby Atmos supported dual-speakers and loaded up with up to a 1TB microSD card.
Ready to roll
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" is a lightweight device that pulls no punches in performance. You'll enjoy all of your content on its HD display with up to 13 hours of runtime. Plus, there will be no shortage of apps with all of the Google Play Store at your fingertips.
