Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids vs Fire HD 8 Kids Pro: Which fits your kid best?
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro gives your kids more access to the media content they want while giving you complete control of how they access the online world. It’s also more streamlined for those kids who care about aesthetics.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is a perfect way to introduce your kids to the online world. It comes with complete access to several kid-oriented media channels and in-depth parental controls to help you protect your children as they take their first steps into the online world.
Amazon’sFire HD tablet seriesoffers one of the most streamlined experiences for enjoying popular content. And while it’s ideal for accessing the Prime Video catalog, it’s not limited to just Amazon apps. It also works perfectly with some of the most entertaining streaming services, including Netflix and Disney+.
But the internet is a wild place, so you probably don’t want your kids having unfettered access to the internet until they’re old enough to make safe and healthy decisions for themselves.
Price, availability, and specs
The concept behind Amazon’s Fire Kids tablets isn’t anything new, and Amazon has plenty to offer when it comes to the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro. Both tablets are available on Amazon and even at some third-party retailers such as Best Buy. Their price is exactly the same, too, and even their specs will run the same, right down to the processor at the heart of it. So here’s a full listing of what kind of specs you can expect out of these two tablets:
The design is where these two tablets start to separate a bit. Because the Kids HD 8 is made for younger kids, it has a thick, rugged, and internally padded case that is about as dependable as they get. It’s also resistant to the spills that kids inevitably cause, so they’d have to be awfully dedicated to damage it in any other way.
While there’s nothing majorly wrong with the original Fire HD 8 Kids case — especially from the perspective of the child using it — older kids will probably be put off by the bulky case. To make the experience more palatable to tweens and early teens, the Kids HD 8 Pro comes with a much sleeker case (with a kickstand) that’s nearly as rugged as the base version but looks a lot cooler. It also comes in a number of fun, flashy, and colorful patterns.
The display on the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro both offer 1280 x 800 resolution in an 8-inch package. The display is solid and will exceed what your kids might need while using the devices; however, there aren’t any significant differences between the two displays.
At its core, the software used on the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro are the same, though there are some differences you can expect to come into play. For starters, the main user’s profile on the base model Fire HD 8 Kids — your kid’s profile — doesn’t have access to Amazon’s digital app store. As the curator of your child’s online experience, your job is to manage what apps they use. Though there’s a tightly controlled list of available apps, there are quite a few to choose from, with more always in development. It’s also important to remember that neither tablet has open access to the Google Play Store, but you can always try toinstall it on your ownif you trust your kids.
The Fire HD 8 Kids tablets' limitations are also their selling points. Instead of unrestricted access to the internet, the tablets allow youngsters to access only a curated selection of websites via a specially designed, proprietary browser. Parents can easily add more websites or block any that are already approved using a simple browser option. In other words, if you want to disable common search websites like Google, it’s no problem to do so. Parents can even turn off browser access entirely and limit use to locally installed apps.
It’s also worth noting that Amazon continually manages this handpicked website selection, adding new sites that meet specific kid-friendly criteria and removing ones that are unsuitable for young users.
The Kids HD 8 Pro has a lot of these same features but offers significant enhancements for your older children through an expanded content library. In combination with parental controls, it’s possible to even give your youngsters permission to stream PG-13 movies. There’s also a digital store with a list of available apps for the user to browse. Kids can’t install anything without their guardian’s permission, though; they simply request using the digital store, and it’s up to the parent to approve or deny it.
Performance
The hexa-core processor on both the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro isn’t as powerful as what you’d see in otherAndroid-based tablets. However, the processor should be more than enough power for your kids to enjoy the various apps you allow them to use. Both devices have the same specs across the board, making their performance similar. Still, that performance may differ depending on the content type they’re trying to access and how you set your parental controls up.
Battery Life
Both the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro offer fantastic battery life, claiming up to 13 hours on a single charge. That means your child will have plenty of battery juice to enjoy their favorite shows and apps or browse the web. Of course, battery life can change based on the various device settings enabled, such as the screen’s brightness, where files are downloaded, and even if they are using more intensive games and apps.
The Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro cameras are nothing to write home about. The front and rear-facing cameras both sport just 2 MP, making them relatively weak, especially by today’s standards for mobile device cameras. Both cap off at 720p HD video recording, so you won’t find your kid using either of these tablets to film anything of high quality. Parental controls can also turn it off entirely if you prefer.
Should you go Pro?
Ultimately, deciding whether to purchase a Fire HD 8 Kids or Fire HD 8 Kids Pro comes down to what type of child you’re buying it for. If you’re buying it for an older child, the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro offers a lot of things that they may be looking for in their tablet, thus making it a purchase they’ll be willing to hold onto and use for several years.
Because neither device is the clear winner here in terms of specs, it’s really all about the management and options you’ll have as a parent. Because of its wider content pool, the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro is honestly the better choice, at least if you don’t need the super bulky, almost indestructible case found on the Fire HD 8 Kids.
The step up
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro offers the same great parental controls as the original HD 8 Kids table but with a sleeker case and an expanded content library for your kids to enjoy. This tablet is perfect for older children who need online guidance and protection while still providing parental control features you can count on.
If you want that extra protection, or if your child is just younger, the Fire HD 8 Kids is a solid Amazon tablet experience. The performance here is just as good as the Pro, though it has several more ways to fine-tune what your kid sees and can do.
Perfect for kids
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet offers great protection and tons of parental controls to really let you fine-tune just how much content your kids can interact with online. The built-in browser controls, restricted access options, and other parental features make it easy to ensure your kid is safe while enjoying their favorite shows, apps, and other entertainment media.
Pixel 10 Pro XL charges faster wirelessly
Google’s made several improvements over the years
Things get red hot for Magenta
From faster storage to better speakers
Carriers get the upper hand
A hefty discount makes this a no-brainer
