Key Takeaways
- Amazon has launched two new versions of its popular Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, offering improved performance and faster Wi-Fi streaming.
- The Fire TV Stick 4K supports Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos, optimizing the viewing experience for OLED TVs and home theatre systems.
- In addition to hardware upgrades, the Fire TV Sticks also come with new software features, including an ambient mode that displays information from a family calendar, reminders, and local weather on the TV screen when not in use. Both models can be pre-ordered globally, with prices starting at $49.99.
Amazon - along with a swathe of other new hardware and software products - launched two new versions of its popular Fire TV Stick, delivering even better performance than before at a very accessible price.
First among them is the Fire TV Stick 4K which is 30 per cent faster than the previous version thanks to an improved 1.7GHz quad-core chipset inside, and it's also got faster Wi-Fi streaming. It supports Wi-Fi 6 networks, for more consistent, faster speeds.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is joined by the Fire TV Stick 4K Max which ads Wi-Fi 6E support. This flavour of Wi-Fi 6 enables the dongle to connect to a Wi-Fi 6E network, and that means less chance of wireless interference from other Wi-Fi devices and a more stable connection. The Max model also has 16GB storage for downloading apps and games.
Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire Stick 4K Max support Dolby Vision, HDR, HLG and HDR10+, plus Dolby Atmos - so it'll make the most of your brand new OLED TV set, or surround sound home theatre system.
It's not just about improved hardware performance though. Fire TV Sticks have new software, including a new ambient mode that can show you information from a family calendar, reminders or local weather information on your TV when it's not being used to stream content. You can also choose from a number of new wallpapers to have on the screen when in its ambient setting.
Both models ship with the usual voice-controlled Alexa remote, which combines simple physical controls with the ability to use Alexa's smart voice commands.
Joining the two Fire TV Stick models for 2023 is the all-new Fire TV Soundbar, which is a simple two-channel soundbar designed to improve on the sub-par audio that usually comes from your TV's own speakers. It launches today for $119.
Amazon's new standard Fire TV Stick 4K is available to pre-order from today across the globe, with a price point of just $49.99 (£59 in the UK). As for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max with Wi-Fi 6E, that'll be just $10 more at $59.99 (£69 in the UK). Again, that's available to pre-order from now, with shipping starting from 27 September.