We purchased the Amazon Fire HD 8 so that our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and review it. Read on for our full product review.

Amazon’s Fire tablet lineup sits at the lower-budget end of the tablet ecosystem. They’ve become popular for their reliability as multimedia machines for both adults and kids looking to stream video content, play basic games, and surf the web.

The eighth-generation Fire HD 8 isn’t designed to be a computer, but instead offers an affordable tablet experience for a wide range of users. We put one through its paces to see whether its limited specs and compromised operating system hinder the user experience, or whether Amazon’s budget-minded gadget is worth the investment.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 is very light at 12.8 ounces and has a stealthy design that easily fits into a backpack or messenger bag. Whether you want to read an e-book on the go or stream some YouTube videos before bed, it’s a nice alternative to your smartphone screen. Plus, you don’t have to worry too much about dropping it. The Fire HD 8 feels solid, even sturdier than its bigger brother, the Fire HD 10.