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. 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.
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. So what's changed this time around? Amazon's new US$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.
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...
The Good: 60fps and HDR support, full-featured remote
At a glance, the latest Fire TV Stick isn't all that different from its predecessors. The elongated, rectangular shape of the dongle itself is unchanged, while the companion remote is aesthetically identical despite some small functional differences.
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. Initial setup after that is pretty easy. 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 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. In fact, one of the main differentiators between this and the US$30 Fire TV Stick Lite is the lack of volume controls on the cheaper model's remote.
Trust me: That extra US$10 is worth it if you don't want to juggle remotes. The only caveat here is that Roku isn't on the Fire TV Stick's list of recognized audio hardware brands for remote programming. 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. Just about every other audio brand is represented on that list, though, so I don't anticipate this being a problem for most folks.
Image: alex perry / mashable
Along with a full-featured remote comes one major streaming upgrade: Support for 60 frames per second. 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. We've come so far in just a few years that it's almost shocking when a streaming device doesn't stream at 60fps. Still, I'll give Amazon credit for making a necessary change without jacking up the price.
Amazon also added HDR support, specifically for the HDR10 and HLG standards. Sorry, Dolby Vision fans. 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. Disney+ and Prime Video support HDR with little fuss, but Netflix charges extra for it and Hulu doesn't have it at all.
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. Streaming quality, in general, is totally fine here, even if the Fire TV Stick is still capped at 1080p. Streams load quickly and typically look as sharp and smooth as they're supposed to.
That said, technology has gotten to the point where it's fair to ask if a US$40 1080p streaming stick is worth it.
The Bad: Questionable value, UI needs some help
I'm not going to accuse the Fire TV Stick of being expensive. Obviously, US$40 is pretty cheap and right in line with what other streaming devices cost. 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.
That said, the Fire TV Stick 4K, which does all of the above but also supports ultra high definition resolutions, is only US$10 more at US$50. 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. Even with that in mind, the case for the 1080p-only Fire TV Stick is a little flimsy given that an extra US$10 will get you a device that's sure to be viable for a much longer period of time. The 4K revolution isn't fully here yet, but it's only a matter of time.
Image: amazon
The only other real complaint I have about the new Fire TV Stick is that the UI is occasionally a little sticky for a device that, according to Amazon, is 50 percent faster than the last model. Navigation is largely responsive enough, but it still hitches up momentarily every now and then. On top of that, the unchanged Fire TV UI as it exists now is a little busy for my tastes; Amazon's self-promotion colors every corner of it, including the screensaver if you leave the Fire TV Stick idle.
I will point out that Amazon is rolling out a "new Fire TV experience" later this year, starting with this new Fire TV Stick. It appears to be a total interface overhaul that's a little cleaner, with content recommendations on the bottom half of the home screen and a straightforward list of apps in the middle. I didn't get to test this new UI out, unfortunately. The UI I did get to use felt old and mildly slow, perhaps as a consequence of the fact that it's on the way out the door.
The Competition
Streaming hardware is, of course, a very crowded market with lots of different options for folks who just want to settle in and watch The Office over and over again. If you're not down with Amazon, there are a handful of alternatives to the new Fire TV Stick in the same general price range.
Roku's streaming hardware is generally reliable, if nothing else. For the same price as the Fire TV Stick, you can get the current Roku Premiere, which is capable of 4K and HDR streaming. That said, it's more of a set-top box than a stick and the simple Roku remote doesn't have voice controls like the Fire TV Stick remote. The US$50 Roku Streaming Stick+, on the other hand, is a stick and comes with a full-featured remote with voice controls and volume buttons. That one is 4K-ready, too.
The best overall streaming device of 2020 is probably the new Chromecast with Google TV. It's US$50, comes with an excellent UI that's much slicker and faster than the one in the Fire TV Stick, and has a fully programmable remote with voice controls courtesy of Google Assistant. You'll also get 4K and HDR support on compatible TVs.
The Verdict
Amazon's latest revision to the Fire TV Stick product line brings much-needed improvements in 60fps streaming and HDR support. In addition, full volume controls on the remote will reduce clutter in a way the slightly cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite cannot. If you're in the market for a 1080p streaming stick and already make use of Prime and Alexa, you don't need me to tell you this is the right device for you.
I would caution prospective buyers to at least consider spending an extra US$10 for the 4K version, though. Even if you don't get the most out of it now, you may very well end up with a cheap 4K TV in the next couple of years. For those who aren't married to Amazon's web of services, go with the new Chromecast instead. The new Fire TV Stick is certainly no slouch, but there are better options out there that won't hit your wallet too hard.
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