I love my iPhone 6s, but its 4.7 inch LCD screen is not suitable for enjoying a streaming movie or video. Separately, my iPad's are too big so I needed something in between and settled on both a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and an Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet.
Overall, I love the HD 8 for the screen size, but the Note 4 is just a gem with its beautiful screen and faster processor and specs. It's amazing how the Note 4 first issued in 2014 is still faster than many modern devices; excluding flagship ones.
When evaluating for a device primarily to be used for watching videos you really only need to focus on five (5) things:
- Display
- Processor
- Battery Life
- Memory/Storage
- Headphone Jack
Display
Note 4
- 5.7" screen
- OLED
- 1440 x 2560 resolution (1440p)
Fire HD 8 (8th Generation)
- 8.0" screen
- IPS LCD
- 800 x 1280 resolution (720p)
Hands down the Note 4 beats most devices on screen quality and considering it was released in 2014 and still beats many modern devices utilizing LCD. However, if your streaming source doesn't support beyond 480 or 720 resolution, its somewhat meaningless and the HD 8 works just fine (i.e. Youtube).
And really, for a device that'll be used primarily for watching videos this should be the main attribute to focus on.
Processing Power
Note 4 has an Octa-Core vs. the HD sporting a Quad-Core. You can tell the difference as the Note 4 is more responsive, but both are laggy compared to modern devices when navigating the OS. However there is no skipping or issues when watching videos.
But this is expected as the Note 4 was once a flagship model when it was released in 2014. The HD 8 was always a bargain device from the start.
Other Specs
Batteries are surprisingly the same in both at ~ 3,200 mAh. Memory is better on the Note 4 with 32gb storage and 3 gb ram. The HD 8 is half that with 16gb storage and 1.5 gb ram; probably explaining why the Note 4 is just so much faster.
Both accept microSD and I've tested with the same 128gb card and works fine. Camera is decent on the Note 4 and I never bothered taking photos with the Fire HD.
They also both allow bluetooth, but maintain a headphone jack.
Another nice feature of the Note 4, it has a physical main home button. That is a big deal compared to the HD 8 where you have to know how to swipe up to bring up the on-screen home button; sometimes there is lag and a few times it never comes up at all.
Overall
Get the Amazon Fire HD 8 if you want a big screen and are okay with 720p. Get the Note 4 if you want to enjoy 1080 or higher resolution videos.
In my case, I got the Note 4 for free as a friend upgraded. I paid $50 for the Fire HD 8 new and in hindsight, somewhat regret it.
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