Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus: New Interface & 40% Off
▼ Summary
– The redesigned Fire TV OS is now rolling out to the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, making it faster and better organized with an interface similar to Google’s.
– The new OS update improves navigation with content tabs, a dedicated apps row, and enhanced Alexa Plus voice controls for searching and smart home management.
– The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is currently on sale for $29.99 and offers a good balance of features, supporting HDR10 Plus, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos.
– A cheaper alternative is the standard Fire TV Stick 4K at $19.99, but it is slower, lacks Dolby Vision/Atmos, and has not yet received the new OS update.
– Both sticks provide access to major streaming services and include an Alexa Voice Remote, with the 4K Plus being the overall recommended device for most users.
Amazon’s redesigned Fire TV OS is now arriving on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, bringing a faster, more intuitive interface that organizes content from all your subscriptions into easy-to-navigate tabs. This significant software upgrade coincides with a major price drop, making the device a standout value in the crowded streaming market. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is currently available for just $29.99, representing a substantial $20 discount at major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. For those seeking an even more budget-friendly option, the standard Fire TV Stick 4K is also on sale for $19.99, though it awaits the new interface.
The latest Fire TV OS overhaul fundamentally improves how users find and watch content. A new row of tabs across the top of the home screen provides dedicated sections for Search, Home, Movies, TV Shows, Sports, News, and Live content, pulling recommendations seamlessly from services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Your applications now reside in their own customizable row, where you can pin up to twenty favorites for instant access. Enhanced Alexa Plus voice controls allow for sophisticated commands, such as searching for a specific genre, jumping to a particular scene in a movie, checking live sports scores, or controlling compatible smart home devices. A long press on the remote’s Home button opens a quick settings panel for adjusting audio or viewing feeds from connected devices like Ring cameras.
On the hardware side, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus delivers a robust 4K streaming experience. Positioned as the mid-tier model, it supports premium formats including HDR10 Plus, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for high-quality picture and sound. It comes bundled with the Alexa Voice Remote, providing hands-free control. While it offers half the storage of the more expensive Fire TV Stick 4K Max, it represents an excellent balance of performance and price for most viewers.
For many, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is the recommended choice, especially with its new software and sale price. However, the standard Fire TV Stick 4K at $20 is a compelling option for a secondary TV where top-tier features are less critical. That model has not yet received the interface update, has less RAM, and lacks support for Dolby Vision and Atmos. It does still support HDR10 and HDR10+ and includes the Alexa Voice Remote. All major streaming apps are accessible, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can stream games from the cloud, a feature available across Amazon’s streaming stick lineup.
(Source: The Verge)
