The good: 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 interface feels better suited on the 8.9-inch screen.

The bad: 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 $15 opt-out for ads.

The bottom line: 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.

If you're interested in purchasing a Kindle Fire this year, know that the Fire HD 8.9 is the version to get. Its larger, higher-resolution screen better facilitates Amazon's still-new Kindle Fire interface, and its faster processor makes for a much smoother and zippier experience than what its 7-inch counterpart delivered.

The Fire HD 8.9's unique screen size lands in between the 7.9-inch iPad Mini and the 9.7-inch iPad. While the iPad Mini carries with it the trump card advantage of Apple's ecosystem and industry-leading App Store, the Fire HD 8.9’s lower pricing, superior streaming capability, and higher-resolution screen make it a better deal if you’re looking for a media consumption device. Especially if you’re an Amazon Prime member. The Mini does have speedier performance and as mentioned, many more app options, however.

The fourth-generation iPad is still the ultimate premium tablet. Its performance in just about everything beats all other tablets, and it's the best doorway to the most and highest-quality apps you can find on any mobile device. But, the Fire HD 8.9 has superior video-streaming prowess and is also a lot cheaper than the iPad in both Wi-Fi (starting at $299) and 4G LTE (starting at $499) models.

I should also note that Barnes & Noble offers the 9-inch Nook HD+ for $269, with a slightly higher-resolution screen than the Fire HD's as well as expandable storage. The Nook ecosystem however isn't as mature, nor is its app store as well-stocked as Amazon’s. There’s also no 4G version of the Nook HD+. I’ve yet to actually spend enough time with the Nook HD+, however, to make a final judgment call on its quality.

Having said that, the Fire HD 8.9’s $299 entry price is a great deal, as the content and services Amazon provides are well worth the price. It’s not as versatile as the iPad or top Android tablets and not as cheap as the Nook HD+, but it’s the best version of the Kindle Fire yet and the best media consumption tablet out there.