Christian de Looper/BGR

Amazon is going in a different direction with its most recent tablets. The $229.99 Alexa Tablet 8 runs full, Google-certified Android 16 with the Google Play Store, rather than Fire OS and its much smaller app selection. It's the entry model in Amazon's all-new tablet line, alongside the Alexa Tablet 11 and flagship Alexa Tablet 12 Pro .

That software change and the new, more premium designs come with a much higher entry price, though. The Tablet 8 starts at $229.99 with 64GB of storage and lock screen ads, or $249.99 without ads, while a fully maxed, ad-free configuration costs about $320. The 2024 Fire HD 8 cost $99.99 to $129.99, and the Fire HD 10 cost roughly $155, so getting a new, Amazon-built tablet now costs over $100 more.

So, is it worth the cash? People bought Fire tablets specifically because of their low price.…