The new Fire TV UI (pictured here) is coming to the Fire TV Stick later this year. The 4K revolution isn't fully here yet, but it's only a matter of time. Even with that in mind, the case for the 1080p-only Fire TV Stick is a little flimsy given that an extra $10 will get you a device that's sure to be viable for a much longer period of time. I understand that many, many people don't have 4K TVs and don't plan on getting one anytime soon, especially in economically precarious times. That said, the Fire TV Stick 4K, which does all of the above but also supports ultra high definition resolutions, is only $10 more at $50. Amazon also aggressively discounts its own devices during Prime Day and holiday sales, so don't be shocked if this thing shows up on the Amazon store for half-price soon. Obviously, $40 is pretty cheap and right in line with what other streaming devices cost. I'm not going to accuse the Fire TV Stick of being expensive. The Bad: Questionable value, UI needs some help
Firestick fireplace screensaver 1080p#
That said, technology has gotten to the point where it's fair to ask if a $40 1080p streaming stick is worth it. Streams load quickly and typically look as sharp and smooth as they're supposed to. Streaming quality, in general, is totally fine here, even if the Fire TV Stick is still capped at 1080p. HDR support on the Fire TV Stick works as expected, producing deeper levels of black and brighter whites on a display when the content calls for it. Disney+ and Prime Video support HDR with little fuss, but Netflix charges extra for it and Hulu doesn't have it at all. I definitely appreciated this as someone with an HDR10-compatible TV, but a word of caution: HDR adoption among major streaming apps is still pretty low.
Still, I'll give Amazon credit for making a necessary change without jacking up the price.Īmazon also added HDR support, specifically for the HDR10 and HLG standards. We've come so far in just a few years that it's almost shocking when a streaming device doesn't stream at 60fps. Yes, the new Fire TV Stick can finally stream things like sports the way they were meant to be seen, unlike previous models which were capped at 30fps as recently as last year.
Credit: alex perry / mashableĪlong with a full-featured remote comes one major streaming upgrade: Support for 60 frames per second. The remote hasn't changed much either, but those volume controls are nice. Just about every other audio brand is represented on that list, though, so I don't anticipate this being a problem for most folks. That means if you use the Roku Smart Soundbar for audio like I do, you'll have to keep that remote around for volume control. The only caveat here is that Roku isn't on the Fire TV Stick's list of recognized audio hardware brands for remote programming. Trust me: That extra $10 is worth it if you don't want to juggle remotes. In fact, one of the main differentiators between this and the $30 Fire TV Stick Lite is the lack of volume controls on the cheaper model's remote. You can also program the remote to control your TV or sound system's volume, which is a welcome returning feature from last year's Fire TV Stick. Installing all of your favorite streaming apps (sans HBO Max, which is still unavailable just like it is on Roku devices) is a breeze thanks to an Alexa-powered voice search button on the remote. You'll be asked to sign into your Amazon account the first time you boot it up, so make sure you've got that login info at the ready. The elongated, rectangular shape of the dongle itself is unchanged, while the companion remote is aesthetically identical despite some small functional differences. The Good: 60fps and HDR support, full-featured remoteĪt a glance, the latest Fire TV Stick isn't all that different from its predecessors. So is the new Amazon Fire TV Stick an ideal value for those who need a solid streaming stick, or should they look elsewhere? Let's find out. So what's changed this time around? Amazon's new $40 Stick has got more processing power and a more robust remote than the Fire TV Stick Lite, but still maxes out at 1080p stream quality in an increasingly 4K-ready world. Yes, Amazon is back with another one of its little HDMI dongles that you can use to watch your favorite shows and movies on Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, or any of the other numerous streaming services it supports. And Amazon is more than ready to fill the void with its new Fire TV Stick, which could be a cheap solution to the problem of having nothing to watch.
With the one-two punch of incoming cold weather and a pandemic forcing many of us inside until further notice, people have never needed quality streaming hardware more than right now.
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