alaTest Sites
About alaTest
Connect with alaTest
alaTest, Product Reviews & Tests © 2005-2025 ICSS AB. All rights reserved. Privacy
13347 reviews
Apr, 2025
alaTest has collected and analyzed 13347 reviews of Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch (1st gen, 2012). The average rating for this product is 4.0/5, compared to an average rating of 4.2/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. People really like the portability and price. The screen and performance also get good feedback, but the GPS navigation and reliability get negative views.
usability, performance, screen, price, portability
reliability, GPS navigation
We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch (1st gen, 2012) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 87/100 = Very good quality.
Consumer review (amazon.com)
alaTest has collected and analyzed 12790 user reviews of Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch (1st gen, 2012) from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.1/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.1/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com. Comments about the portability and price are on the whole positive. The screen and performance also get good comments. Some have doubts about the GPS navigation and reliability.
usability, performance, screen, price, portability
reliability, GPS navigation
86% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.
Expert review by : K. T. Bradford (digitaltrends.com)
This is a good device for people deeply invested in Amazon's products and services. Even for a low-cost device, the performance issues lower the Fire HD's desirability.
Our bottom line here is pretty much the same as it was for the Kindle Fire HD 7: this is a good device for people deeply invested in Amazon’s products and services. It ties the books, apps, audiobooks, music, and other content together with a nice bow....
Expert review by : Tim Stevens (engadget.com)
What a difference a generation makes. While the original Kindle Fire impressed, there was only one thing that really made it worth considering: it was
Bright and beautiful 1080p display ; Great build quality ; Huge selection of content ; Inexpensive base data plan
Occasional OS stutters ; No access to Google Play
Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is slightly larger and slightly faster than the 7-inch version, but other than optional LTE it doesn't bring much more to the table.
Expert review by : Sascha Segan (pcmag.com)
Amazon has built a killer budget media tablet in the new Kindle Fire HD 8.9. With a solid design, top-notch media store, affordable data plan, and robust parental controls, this tablet is a great choice for families on a budget. Nope, it's no iPad. But...
Very easy to use. Least expensive tablet data plan available. Amazon Prime members get lots of video and book content. Multi-user parental controls
Other tablets have more apps. Speed is just okay, not great. User interface is very shopping-oriented
The 8.9-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD is the top low-cost large-screen tablet you can buy, but to get the best bang for your buck, go for the Wi-Fi-only version.
Expert review by : Sascha Segan (pcmag.com)
The 8.9-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD is the top low-cost large-screen tablet you can buy, but to get the best bang for your buck, go for the Wi-Fi-only version.
Very easy to use. Least expensive tablet data plan available. Amazon Prime members get lots of video and book content. Multi-user parental controls.
Other tablets have more apps. Speed is just okay, not great. User interface is very shopping-oriented.
(Next Page: Multimedia and Conclusions)
Expert review by : David Pierce (theverge.com)
In September, inside an airplane hangar in Los Angeles, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos made a series of bold statements about the company's two brand-new Kindle Fire HD tablets. The Kindle Fire HD 7, he...
Gorgeous display ; Sturdy build ; Amazon's content well is deep
Missing some important apps ; Some sluggishness ; Still too many ads by default
Perfect for Amazon junkies, not for tablet buyers
Expert review by : Eric Franklin (cnet.com)
Editor's note (March 15, 2013): On March 13, 2013, Amazon cut the starting prices of both the Wi-Fi and 4G versions of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. The Wi-Fi version now starts at $269 (down from $299), and the 4G version's new starting price is $399 (down...
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 has zippier navigation than its 7-inch counterpart, a beautiful high-definition screen, incredibly fast 4G LTE speeds, seamless streaming performance, and access to one of the best media eco systems available. The new Fire HD...
Web performance is lacking compared with that of other tablets. Its physical design is fairly plain with buttons that are too flush with its chassis. The curated Appstore means many games and non-entertainment quality apps are not available. There's a...
If you're looking for a pure media consumption experience, the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 delivers better than any tablet before it. People looking for something more utilitarian, however, will want to look elsewhere.
Expert review by (notebookcheck.net)
A bigger Fire. Amazon's aggressive pricing has positioned the Kindle Fire series as some of the best tablets for the buck. The larger 8.9-inch versions, however, are reaching upwards of $300 and even $500. Does the Full HD display justify the price...
Good workmanship and quality for the cost, Low starting price at $300 MSRP, 1920x1200 resolution IPS screen, Very bright display, Excellent outdoor usability, Integrated micro HDMI-out, Good sound quality, Good battery life, The Kindle Fire HD 8.9...
No tangible performance improvements over 7-inch model despite faster CPU and GPU, Little customization options, Mediocre home screen design; UI beginning to feel stale, Unavoidable lock screen advertisements for cheapest model, Expensive LTE model...
Expert review by : Chris Burns (slashgear.com)
With the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 comes the most well-rounded Amazon content delivery system you've ever held in two hands - but that's all it is. This device is being sold as exactly the device it was meant to be: the Amazon Vending Machine HD 8.9, and it...
If you’re deeply invested in the Amazon universe for content, this device is the best content delivery system you’re going to be able to buy today. It’s the biggest tablet Amazon makes at the moment and gives you access to all of your Amazon-held...
Expert review by : Reviewboard Magazine (reviewboard.com)
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]o as a nerd I was really pretty excited to check out the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9. There were a number of reasons, I love the idea of a reader and the 10+” tablet I have now is just too big to be a real reader. I know an inch and...
Expert review by : John V. (phonearena.com)
This time around, though, the online retail giant decided to move up in size by offering the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9” – in addition to the new 7-inch models of the Kindle Fire that were launched not too long ago. Now that they have a somewhat...
Even sharper looking display ; Great battery life ; Modest & sturdy design
Lacks the depth of functionality and the Play Store of full Android ; Some sluggish performance
For a brand spanking new tablet, much like its smaller sized sibling, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is graced with an inviting $300 starting price point (up to $600 for the highest model; the 64GB version). If you can somehow tolerate the Amazon...