Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) Overview

The Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K was launched nearly two years in the past, and it is nonetheless a really succesful gadget for the worth, due to its dependable efficiency and assist for Extremely-HD Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material in addition to loads of apps. Nevertheless, the corporate’s extra reasonably priced full-HD Fireplace TV Stick lineup has been lengthy overdue for a {hardware} improve. That has lastly include the brand new Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) and Fireplace TV Stick Lite. On evaluation at the moment is the previous, and it’s the dearer of the 2.

Priced at Rs. 3,999, the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is a full-HD streaming gadget meant to be used with reasonably priced televisions, and presents a bit greater than the Rs. 2,999 Lite mannequin. The {hardware} will get some helpful updates, which Amazon hopes will hold the product lineup related within the face of robust competitors, significantly the Mi TV Stick and Mi Field 4K. Is that this the very best reasonably priced streaming gadget you should purchase at the moment? Discover out in our evaluation.

The Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) plugs instantly into the HDMI port of your tv

Who’s the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) meant for?

Just like the Mi TV Stick, the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is a full-HD streaming gadget that plugs into the HDMI port of a tv. If in case you have an older good TV that is not receiving updates and may’t run trendy apps, or perhaps a non-smart TV, the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) will plug into an HDMI port and add up-to-date good and streaming capabilities to your display screen. It is a great way to get entry to full-fledged smarts with out having to interchange your TV.

The Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is a standalone streaming gadget. It’s powered by the Mediatek MT8695D processor, runs Amazon’s Fireplace OS 7 (primarily based on Android 9), and has 1GB of RAM. All main apps and companies are supported on Fireplace OS, together with Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and YouTube, along with Amazon’s personal Prime Video. Fireplace OS additionally helps the Apple TV app, which presently is not out there on the Android TV platform.

With assist for streaming at as much as full-HD (1920×1080 pixels), the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is good to be used with smaller, extra reasonably priced televisions, together with 32-inch and lots of 43-inch fashions. You can even use the brand new Fireplace TV Follow big-screen 4K TVs for those who select, however video high quality can be capped at full-HD even when it is out there in increased resolutions. Dolby Atmos audio is supported, and apparently, so is HDR as much as the HDR10+ format.

HDR at resolutions decrease than 4K does not make a lot of a distinction and is not even supported on the {hardware} stage on most non-4K TVs, nevertheless it’s an fascinating specification to have. In the event you intend to make use of the gadget with a 4K HDR TV, the software-level assist might make a small distinction in enhancing color and brightness ranges, even when the stream decision tops out at 1080p.

How does the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) work?

As soon as plugged in to an HDMI port in your tv, the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) features like some other related gadget, whereas dealing with content material and connectivity by itself. Fireplace OS has a big, rising checklist of supported apps and companies, so you may stream content material from quite a few sources. These embody common subscription-based streaming companies, in addition to quite a few free content material suppliers.

As is the case with different Fireplace TV units, the person interface of the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is closely centered on Amazon Prime Video, and is subsequently the perfect choose for you for those who use this streaming service closely. Though the UI presents straightforward, dependable, and really practical entry to all main streaming companies, there’s a clear visible bias in direction of Amazon’s personal streaming service and content material.

Though centered on Amazon Prime Video, the UI offers quick access to different streaming companies as properly

All of that is managed by way of a devoted distant, which is the first distinction between the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) and the extra reasonably priced Fireplace TV Stick Lite. The distant is a full-fledged affair on the dearer of the 2 streaming units, and is just like the one you get with the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K.

Aside from fundamental controls for the Fireplace OS interface and content material playback, the distant may also be set as much as management sure points of your TV by sending the particular IR sign that your TV accepts, together with energy and quantity, which is helpful because it permits you to put the TV’s common distant away more often than not.

The distant additionally has a microphone, and offers you entry to Alexa. You should utilize it just about the identical manner you utilize Amazon’s voice assistant on its good audio system. Responses are tailor-made to your account, and Alexa on the Fireplace TV Stick can be utilized to entry particular content material and apps by way of voice instructions, in addition to to manage linked good units and home equipment corresponding to plugs and lights.

What are you able to do with the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen)?

The Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) is a fundamental streaming gadget that fits most streaming functions, significantly when you’ve got a small-screen tv with a decision as much as full-HD (1920×1080 pixels). It presents dependable and quick access to all the common streaming apps and companies, together with Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+ Hotstar, and does so with a content-first, easy-to-learn person interface that segregates movies by style, language, and extra.

Naturally, how good the content material appears to be like and sounds is essentially depending on the tv you utilize, and some other tools you’ve got related corresponding to soundbars or speaker methods, however the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) does a superb job of pushing content material on the highest potential high quality to your display screen. UI efficiency is sweet although the gadget has simply 1GB of RAM, due to the much-improved processor.

Even when the content material is on the market at increased resolutions, the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) will high out at full-HD

A mains energy adapter and Micro-USB cable are included within the field. Amazon recommends that you simply plug the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) into an exterior energy supply by way of the Micro-USB port on its aspect, however I did not have any bother powering the brand new Fireplace TV Stick from a USB port on my MarQ 43SAFHD TV. I used to be even capable of arrange the ability and quantity controls for the TV by way of the Fireplace TV Stick’s distant.

Boot time is a bit gradual on this case because it has to totally boot up each time, nevertheless it is not any slower than how lengthy it takes Android TV-based units such because the Mi TV Stick and Mi Field 4K to begin up. If in case you have the Fireplace TV Stick related to an influence outlet, you would safely depart it on on a regular basis, through which case beginning up is loads faster because it solely has to come back out of standby mode.

I had a largely bug-free and lag-free expertise with the gadget, and was capable of rapidly and reliably stream quite a lot of content material at as much as full-HD. You do, after all, want a quick Web connection to have the ability to take advantage of the Fireplace TV Stick, and something over 10Mbps ought to allow you to stream at full-HD with out an excessive amount of bother. In my case, due to my 50Mbps connection, the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) was capable of bump up content material to full-HD decision on Amazon Prime Video in just some seconds.

Verdict

Our present high choose amongst streaming units is the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K, and the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen) delivers a lot of the identical expertise for smaller televisions at a lower cost. The UI is simple to make use of, efficiency is dependable, and vast app assist makes this the very best full-HD streaming gadget you should purchase at the moment. Nevertheless, the Rs. 3,999 price ticket is the most important weak point of the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen).

At Rs. 3,499, the 4K-capable Mi Field 4K is a extra reasonably priced and better-equipped choice. In the event you suppose you do not want 4K streaming proper now, the Mi TV Stick, priced at Rs. 2,799, is significantly extra reasonably priced and presents largely the identical capabilities because the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen). If worth and worth are huge components for you, it may be price contemplating the Xiaomi units as a substitute.

Amazon itself additionally has another within the type of the Fireplace TV Stick Lite. Priced at Rs. 2,999, the Lite mannequin skips TV controls on the distant and assist for Dolby Atmos, however has the identical {hardware} and software program because the Fireplace TV Stick (third Gen). In the event you watch loads of content material on Amazon Prime Video, each the brand new Fireplace TV Stick units are undoubtedly price contemplating.

Value (MRP): Rs. 3,999

Professionals

• All main apps and companies supported
• Glorious UI
• Good distant, Alexa entry
• Dependable, hassle-free efficiency

Cons

Scores (Out of 5)

• Design and specs: 4
• Options: 4
• Worth for cash: 3
• General: 4

Mi TV Stick vs Fireplace TV Stick Lite vs Mi Field 4K vs Fireplace TV Stick 4K: Which is the very best price range streaming gadget for TVs in India? We mentioned this on Orbital, our weekly know-how podcast, which you’ll subscribe to through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, obtain the episode, or simply hit the play button under.