The tablet market offers a vast range of options, from budget-friendly choices to premium powerhouses. Today, we're pitting two very different contenders against each other: the affordable Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) and the groundbreaking Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4. Can a budget tablet compete with a foldable flagship?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is the clear winner for performance, display quality, and camera capabilities, thanks to its flagship Snapdragon processor and innovative foldable design. However, the Fire HD 8 (2022) offers incredible value for casual users seeking a basic tablet for media consumption and light tasks.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | N/A | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | - | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| EDGE | N/A | - |
| GPRS | N/A | - |
| Speed | - | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | No cellular connectivity | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2022, September 21 | 2022, August 10 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, September 21 | Available. Released 2022, August 25 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 201.9 x 137.4 x 9.6 mm (7.95 x 5.41 x 0.38 in) | Unfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mmFolded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2-15.8 mm |
| SIM | No | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 337 g (11.89 oz) | 263 g (9.28 oz) |
| | - | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
Stylus support |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 800 x 1280 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~189 ppi density) | 1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density) |
| Size | 8.0 inches, 185.6 cm2 (~66.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.6 inches, 183.2 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| | - | Cover display:
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
6.2 inches, 904 x 2316 pixels, 23.1:9 ratio |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT8169A | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G52 2EE MC2 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 11, Fire OS 8 | Android 12L, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 32GB 2GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | - | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP | - |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 2 MP | 4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", 2.0µm, under display
Cover camera:
10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm |
| Video | 720p | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
Tuned by AKG |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | No | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| | Alexa natural language commands
Text-to-Speech English-language content reader | Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 15W wired | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min
15W wireless
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Talk time | Up to 13 h | - |
| Type | - | Li-Po 4400 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Denim, Rose | Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy |
| Models | KFRAWI | SM-F936B, SM-F936B/DS, SM-F936U, SM-F936U1, SM-F936N, SM-F936W, SM-F9360 |
| Price | About 110 EUR | $ 457.00 / € 511.80 / £ 485.00 / ₹ 73,899 |
| SAR | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.30 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 101h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-28.3 LUFS (Average)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 964530 (v9)
GeekBench: 3981 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022)
- Extremely affordable
- Compact and portable
- Good battery life
- Access to Amazon's ecosystem
- Limited performance
- Basic display
- Mediocre camera
- Fire OS limitations
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
- Innovative foldable design
- Powerful performance
- Excellent display
- Versatile camera system
- Fast charging
- Very expensive
- Bulky and heavy
- Foldable screen durability concerns
- Software optimization still evolving
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 boasts a stunning foldable AMOLED display with a 1000-nit peak brightness and an infinite contrast ratio, offering vibrant colors and exceptional clarity. The Fire HD 8 (2022) has a smaller, less impressive LCD display, but it's perfectly adequate for its price point. The Z Fold4's versatility with its folding design is a major advantage.
Camera Comparison
Samsung's Z Fold4 has a superior camera system, offering better image quality, more features, and improved video recording capabilities. The Fire HD 8's camera is serviceable for occasional snapshots, but it's not a priority for this device.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold4's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset absolutely crushes the Fire HD 8's Mediatek MT8169A. Expect significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and the ability to handle demanding games and applications on the Z Fold4. The Fire HD 8 is fine for basic tasks, but struggles with anything intensive.
Battery Life
Both devices offer impressive battery life, with the Z Fold4 achieving an endurance rating of 101h. The Fire HD 8 also provides all-day battery life for typical usage. Charging speeds are faster on the Z Fold4 with 25W wired and wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022)? Users on a tight budget, families needing a simple tablet for kids, or those primarily using the tablet for reading, browsing, and streaming. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4? Power users, professionals needing a versatile device for productivity, and those who appreciate cutting-edge technology and a unique foldable form factor.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Fire HD 8 good for gaming?
The Fire HD 8 is suitable for casual games, but it will struggle with graphically intensive titles. The Galaxy Z Fold4 is much better suited for gaming.
❓ How durable is the Z Fold4's folding screen?
Samsung has improved the durability of the folding screen, but it's still more susceptible to damage than a traditional screen. Careful handling is recommended.
❓ What operating system do these tablets use?
The Fire HD 8 runs Fire OS, a customized version of Android. The Galaxy Z Fold4 runs full Android.
