Is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Still Relevant in 2024?
In 2017, the Amazon Fire TV Stick was a game changer, offering a convenient and affordable way to access streaming services on traditional TVs. But with the rise of affordable smart TVs and the explosion of OTT platforms, is there still a place for a dedicated streaming device? We put the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K to the test to see how it fares in a crowded market.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Design and Remote
The design of the Fire TV Stick 4K remains largely unchanged from previous generations. It’s a compact, matte black rectangular device with curved edges, featuring the Fire TV logo and an HDMI port. For TVs with difficult-to-reach HDMI ports, an included HDMI extender provides flexibility. The device is powered via a Micro-USB port on the side, although some TVs might offer sufficient power from their USB port.
The remote has received a few updates from the 2019 model. It now sports dedicated app buttons for Prime Video, Netflix, and Amazon Music, as well as a fourth button to launch installed applications. A live TV button and a dedicated Alexa button replace the older voice control button. While the functionality remains similar, Alexa performance has been significantly enhanced. Previously, Alexa could only open apps, but now it can pull up title cards from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Jio Cinema, and YouTube, making it much more useful for content discovery.
The installation process is straightforward and takes about 15 minutes, including software updates. Plug in the device, connect it to a power source, and follow the onscreen instructions. It’s designed to be a plug-and-forget device.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Interface
Powered by Fire OS, the user interface is similar to the standard Android TV experience, featuring a tile-based layout and horizontal scrolling for navigating shows, movies, and apps. There are dedicated sections for Home, Find, and Live TV, and the app library is easily accessible. The Settings icon is conveniently placed at the top, as the remote lacks a dedicated settings button.
Amazon’s recommendation algorithm suggests content from various OTT platforms, even if they are not installed. You’ll find recently watched shows, recommendations from Netflix, free movies and TV programs, and genre-specific categories. However, being an Amazon product, there is a clear bias towards Prime Video content, which is the only one labeled 4K on the home screen. For other platforms, you need to check the details within the content tile.
You can also access Prime Video content from the recommendation section on the home screen, while other platforms require navigating a description screen first. Prime Video also dominates the top half of the home screen, showcasing featured titles.
This emphasis on Prime Video might be a minor inconvenience for those who don’t subscribe to the service, but it’s not a major issue for Prime Video subscribers. The integration simplifies discovery and playback of Prime Video content. Users who prefer other streaming services might find Mi TV Stick or Android TV/Google TV as better alternatives.
Overall, the interface is snappy, responsive, and reliable over extended usage, with minimal glitches or issues.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Performance
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is billed as Amazon’s most powerful streaming device in India. It supports up to Wi-Fi 6 (both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands) and Bluetooth 5.0. It also boasts HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos support, complementing its 4K Ultra-HD video quality. The device comes with 8GB of built-in storage.
Our test results over two weeks on a Redmi Fire TV were consistently impressive. Whether streaming episodes of "Shogun," enjoying "Laapataa Ladies," or watching "Spy x Family" anime, the video quality was crisp and vibrant, with clear distinction between light and dark areas. Even darker scenes were well-lit and visually pleasing. Surprisingly, the Fire TV Stick 4K’s OS performance was faster than the inbuilt Fire OS on my smart TV.
However, it’s important to note that 4K video support requires a fast and stable internet connection, as slow or unstable connections can impact streaming quality. Furthermore, the overall video quality is influenced by the capabilities of your TV. A premium TV with 4K support will deliver better visuals than a non-4K TV.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Verdict
Our goal with this review was to ascertain the relevance and necessity of the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K in today’s market. After extensive use, we can confidently say that it remains a valuable proposition.
Even with the availability of affordable smart TVs priced under Rs. 15,000, these TVs vary significantly in performance. Some struggle with low memory, while others suffer from subpar OS experiences. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K fills the gap for users with older smart TVs or non-smart TVs, offering a reliable and powerful solution.
The Fire TV Stick 4K delivers solid performance in terms of OS interface, overall speed, and picture quality. But its most compelling feature is reliability. While personal experience with smart TVs from Redmi and Sony Bravia has involved glitches, the Fire TV Stick 4K was remarkably stable. Navigation across apps, watching shows and movies, everything was seamless. A good streaming device should feel invisible while watching TV, and the Fire TV Stick 4K excels in this regard.
If you lack a smart TV or are grappling with an older smart TV experiencing slowdowns, the Fire TV Stick 4K offers a way to extend your TV’s life without compromising viewing quality. It’s a solid and dependable option for anyone looking to upgrade their streaming experience with minimal effort.
