My advice is that you should not buy a new case until you try the old one. It may fit better than you think.
Despite product descriptions, the new and old Fire model have the same dimensions as well as shape. Most old cases with fit the new model, so don’t rush with buying the cover tailored for the 2022 model.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) case compatibility – background
▸ Amazon launched the 2022 Amazon Fire HD 8 in September 2022, announcing it as thinner and lighter.
▸ This claim suggests that the new device has smaller dimensions – and therefore is incompatible with your old case.
▸ As a result, you may be more willing to buy an original cover tailored for the 2022 Amazon Fire HD 8, instead of waiting for third-party cases to arrive.
▸ The thing is that the dimensions are almost the same. Also the position of ports are similar. Let’s quickly compare the details.
Amazon Fire HD 8 2022 dimensions
Is the new Fire HD 8 really thinner? Comparing the dimensions gives a surprising answer. The numbers in millimeters are more reliable as they are more precise.
The new 2022 Amazon Fire HD 8 has the following dimensions:
7.94 × 5.40 × 0.37 in / 201.90 × 137.34 × 9.60 mm
The older 2020 Amazon Fire HD 8 has the following dimensions:
8.0 × 5.4 × 0.4 in / 202 × 137 × 9.7 mm
When you compare the depth in inches, you see 0.4” in the old model and 0.37” in the new one. It looks like a considerable change which may cause an inevitable case cover incompatibility.
Wait, in millimeters it’s 9.6 mm (new model) vs. 9.7 mm (old one). The difference is only 0.1 mm. Wow, I was expecting to see a difference of at least 1 mm!
Even the tailored case covers will accept this tiny depth difference, especially that the new model is thinner – by only 0.1 mm but still thinner.
Other dimensions – width and height – are also similar, although inconsistencies in how the dimensions are presented create a lot of confusion.
However, when I compare the numbers in millimeters, I see these two devices have exactly the same dimensions.
What should be a potential source of Amazon Fire HD 8 2022 case incompatibility, then?
Amazon Fire HD 8 2022 ports and shape
I have compared images from product pages of 2022 Fire HD 8 and 2020 Fire HD 8.
The conclusions are:
▸ The rear camera, microSD card slot, and speakers are positioned in the similar place. There is no way to compare the exact positions based on available product photos. The only way to test is to actually try the old case on the new tablet.
▸ The ports and buttons on the side of the tablet are in a different order. The USB-C port has moved to the side. The power button and volume buttons have switched places.
▸ Fortunately, the total length taken by ports and buttons is not larger than in the old model. Look at the comparison below.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2022) – case compatibility
Is my case for the 2020 Amazon Fire HD 8 model compatible with the 2022 model? The answer depends on the case you have:
▸ If you have a case with a plastic shell that holds the device in place, and this shell has cutouts for each and every port and button, you won’t be able to use it with Amazon Fire HD 8 released in 2022.
▸ If you have a case with a plastic shell, and this shell has one large cutout for all the ports and buttons on the shorter side, you should be able to use it with the 2022 model. Original Amazon Fire case cover and many third-party cases have such a construction.
▸ If you have a case with a leather frame, you will be able to use it with the new 2022 Amazon Fire HD 8.
▸ If you have a case with corner straps, you will be able to use it with the new 2022 Amazon Fire HD 8.
▸ If you have a sleeve tailored for the 2020 Amazon Fire HD 8, you will be able to use it with the 2022 model.
Amazon Fire HD 8 2022 case compatibility – conclusions
As you see, despite misleading product descriptions, the new model is almost exactly the same as the old one.
My advice is not to buy the new case together with the new tablet, but try the old one first. It may turn out it fits very well the Amazon Fire HD 8 model released in 2022.
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