As part of its fall hardware refresh, Amazon unveiled the latest iteration of the Fire TV Stick 4K on Wednesday. The new streaming device is thinner, faster, and now supports direct charging via a television’s USB port. However, the most significant upgrade may be the inclusion of a newly designed remote control that addresses long-standing user complaints.
The previous voice remote featured a prominent blue Alexa button, a home button that was difficult to identify in low light, and a layout that lacked tactile feedback. The new remote replaces the blue button with a more understated black microphone key positioned at the top right, which includes a slight indentation to help users locate it by touch. The home button now has a metallic finish with an orange-red tint, providing a distinct texture. Additionally, the power button is recessed to prevent accidental activation, and the D-pad has been flattened for smoother thumb movement.
Amazon claims the new stick is 20% to 40% faster than competing streaming devices. Despite this performance boost, the redesign of the remote acknowledges a common truth among viewers: a poor controller can diminish the experience of an otherwise powerful streaming box. The updated layout prioritizes usability in dark rooms, where icon visibility is limited.
In response to user feedback, the new remote also includes a programmable favorites button. This key can be customized to launch a preferred app or toggle frequently used settings, such as Closed Captions or Dialog Boost.
Under the hood, the Fire TV Stick 4K features 8GB of internal storage, a quad-core 1.7 GHz processor, and support for Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and Bluetooth Low Energy. It handles HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9, and AV1 video formats, outputting resolutions up to 2160p at 60 frames per second.
The device is priced at $59.99 but will be available for $29.99 at launch. It is initially rolling out in the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. The redesigned remote will be sold separately for $14.99 in the U.S., shipping in late October, and will also come bundled with the Fire TV Stick 4K.
Another subscription service waiting to happen. Why do these streaming sticks get faster every year anyway? The apps barely change.
Wi-Fi 6 support is great, but I really wish they included an ethernet adapter for stable gaming sessions.
Wait, is the stick $60 or $30? The article mentions both prices and I am thoroughly confused right now.
Finally, a remote you can actually use in the dark without poking your eye out. The tactile feedback is a game changer.