Amazon launched its first Fireplace TV Stick in India in 2017. Again then, sensible TVs had been costly, fewer manufacturers had been manufacturing them, and the proliferation of over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms was comparatively low. In such a market, a streaming system that may be plugged into any tv with an HDMI port to entry not solely streaming apps but additionally video games was a profitable proposition.
Issues, nonetheless, have modified considerably in 2024. On the one hand, OTT platforms have massively grown in quantity and provide a variety of unique content material. However, sensible TVs have turn out to be comparatively cheaper, and plenty of new manufacturers have entered the market, making them extra accessible to the lots. As per a report by the Web in India Report 2023, performed by the Web and Cell Affiliation of India (IAMAI) and Kantar, an enormous 707 million customers in India interact with OTT platforms. The whole variety of streaming platforms has additionally grown to 57, in keeping with the Ministry of Info and Broadcasting.
In circumstances like these, the place it could seem that the usefulness of a third-party streaming system is likely to be lowered, Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K made its debut. Priced at Rs. 5,999, the system helps 4K decision content material (2160p) together with HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and extra. It additionally gives your entire Amazon Appstore library with greater than 12,000 apps.
For the final fortnight, I’ve been utilizing the streaming system to search out out whether or not what it gives is sufficient to make it related at a time when it faces competitors not solely from different streaming gadgets but additionally from the rising variety of sensible TVs that supply the identical expertise built-in throughout the tv. So, let’s get all the way down to the brass tacks.
Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K Design and Distant
The fundamental design from the primary technology of the Fireplace TV Stick has but to see many upgrades through the years, and the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K continues the custom. You get the identical matte black rectangular system (which now will get curved edges) with the Fireplace TV brand on the highest and an HDMI port on the entrance. If the HDMI port does not simply plug in, an HDMI extender provides you that additional little bit of flexibility.
The brand new Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K distant
On the aspect, there’s a Micro-USB port for energy. Some TVs may be capable of energy the system utilizing the USB port if it supplies sufficient energy. Mine couldn’t, so the charger within the field got here in helpful, and I used to be in a position to energy it by plugging it into an influence supply.
The distant has additionally seen minor enhancements in comparison with the earlier Fireplace Stick 4K that got here out in 2019. It now options devoted app buttons for Prime Video, Netflix, and Amazon Music. A fourth button immediately takes you to the put in apps. A stay TV button and a devoted Alexa button exchange the older voice management button. The performance stays the identical; nonetheless, I discovered Alexa way more succesful.
Within the earlier evaluation, Devices 360 discovered that if the searched content material was not from Prime Video, the digital assistant would solely pop up the app at greatest. Nevertheless, now, it might probably deliver up the title card from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Jio Cinema, and YouTube (these had been the apps I steadily used). Aside from that, the remainder of the distant is fairly normal.
By way of set up and utilization, Fireplace TV may be very simple to make use of. The set up course of, together with all of the OS-based updates, took me about quarter-hour. All you need to do is plug it into your TV, join the ability supply, and observe the directions on the display screen. It’s a system that’s meant to be plugged in and forgotten.
Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K Interface
Working on the Fireplace OS, the consumer interface just isn’t drastically totally different from the usual Android TV expertise. You get the identical tile-based format and horizontal scrolling interface showcasing reveals, films, and apps. There are House, Discover, and Dwell TV sections and an easy-to-access app library. The Settings icon can also be positioned conveniently on high, and for the reason that distant doesn’t have a Settings button, its placement helps change round stuff.
Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K interface
Amazon additionally has a superb suggestion algorithm that means content material from totally different OTT platforms, even you probably have not put in them. You will note not too long ago watched reveals, suggestions from Netflix, free films and TV programmes, and genre-wise classes. Nevertheless, being an Amazon product, there’s a bias for its content material. For instance, solely the Prime Video content material is labelled 4K on the house display screen. For all the things else, you’ll have to click on on the content material’s tile and test the main points.
You can even immediately soar to Prime Video content material from the advice part on the house display screen, however for some other app, you may encounter an outline display screen first. Additionally, Prime Video dominates the highest half of the web page the place featured content material is proven.
Nevertheless, I didn’t discover any of it an inconvenience since I watch a good bit of reveals and flicks on Prime Video. The combination helped me uncover newer content material to observe and allowed me to play it rapidly. Those that will not be followers of the Prime Video library is likely to be higher served by Mi TV Stick or the default Android TV/Google TV.
General, the interface is snappy, responsive, and fairly dependable over prolonged utilization. I not often encountered any glitches or points.
Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K Efficiency
Now, let’s get to the efficiency. On paper, that is essentially the most highly effective streaming system by Amazon obtainable in India. It helps as much as Wi-Fi 6 (each 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands) and Bluetooth 5.0. It additionally will get as much as HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and Dolby Atmos audio assist to pair with the 4K Extremely-HD video high quality assist. The system gives an inbuilt storage of 8GB.
IPL 2024 finale utilizing Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K
I’ve been utilizing this system for greater than two weeks on my Redmi Fireplace TV and have been happy with its constant efficiency. Whether or not I used to be catching up on episodes of Shogun, having fun with the comedy-drama Laapataa Women, or binge-watching Spy x Household anime, the video high quality was crisp and vibrant, and the lighter and darker areas might be distinguished very simply. Even the darker scenes had been well-lit and made for pleasant viewing. Surprisingly, the OS efficiency of the Fireplace TV Stick 4K was snappier than my inbuilt Fireplace OS.
Nevertheless, notice that 4K video assist would require sooner web connectivity, and the video stream might battle if the connection just isn’t steady or sluggish. Additional, the general video high quality is dependent upon the TV you are utilizing. It goes with out saying {that a} premium TV with 4K assist will current higher visuals than a TV with out it.
Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K Verdict
As acknowledged above, my objective with this evaluation was to know if the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K actually gives sufficient to make the system a related and obligatory buy. After utilizing it extensively, my reply is a powerful sure.
Even in a world the place sensible TVs will be discovered for lower than Rs. 15,000, they aren’t all constructed equally. Some have poor reminiscence, whereas others are affected by sub-par OS expertise. With many individuals nonetheless utilizing TVs with old-smarts and no-smarts, Amazon’s streaming system fills the hole of needing to exchange dependable tv {hardware} for software program deficiencies.
The Fireplace TV Stick 4K gives stable efficiency with its OS interface, efficiency, and movie high quality. However much more than that, what it really gives is reliability. Whereas I’ve skilled glitches with my Redmi sensible TV and even my dad and mom’ Sony Bravia, I by no means confronted even a small subject with it. From navigating throughout totally different apps to watching reveals and flicks, the expertise was seamless. A very good streaming system, in my view, needs to be unnoticeable when watching the TV, and the Fireplace TV Stick 4K did precisely that.
If you don’t personal a sensible TV or are battling a few-year-old sensible TV that has began slowing down, the Fireplace TV Stick might be a great way to increase the TV’s life with out compromising the viewing expertise.
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