Fire TV Cube review: Time to ditch the Fire TV Stick?

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Amazon Fire TV Cube 2022 review (Photo: AMAZON • GETTY) This article contains affiliate links, and we may receive a commission on any sales we generate from them. learn more

The new Fire TV Cube brings even more streaming TV features to your living room

What we love Powerful streaming box Supports future Wi-Fi 6E Buying process Easy setup Hands-free Alexa Helpful Can act as an echo speaker What we don’t No remote in the box Expensive compared to Fire Sticks Most TVs offer the same features for free

Amazon already makes some of the most popular gadgets that help make your TV smarter, and the new Fire TV Cube brings even more features to your living room.

It’s now faster, gets an updated texture design, and if you have a Wi-Fi 6 router it can take full advantage of this fast broadband technology, which means your stream will never suffer from stuttering again.

It’s also the only Fire device that features hands-free Alexa which means you can bark requests from the chat assistant without reaching for the remote control, plus you can connect it to other set-top boxes or game consoles and control things via your voice. With some built-in audio, this device can also act as a mini Echo speaker with music, timers, and useful information blasting out at a decent volume.

Like all Fire TV devices, there’s an onscreen menu that’s easy to navigate and consolidates all of the most popular services like Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Disney+ into one place.

You can also add in plenty of TV apps like Paramount+, freevee, ITVX, Discovery+, YouTube plus, and there are games and even platforms like TikTok that can all be viewed on the big screen.

There’s a lot to like but at over £130 this isn’t a cheap device. For some reason, it also shipped with a standard remote instead of the more premium Pro channel changer. With Amazon’s base Fire TV Sticks offering similar features at a fraction of the cost, the new Fire TV Cube should only be considered by hardcore Fire fans.

All of the biggest streaming apps are integrated (Image: AMAZON)

Fire TV Cube: Complete Review

Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks offer some of the best value when trying to make your TV smarter, but what if you want something with a few extra bells and whistles? This is where the Fire TV Cube really starts to shine with this set-top box that offers some useful extras that you won’t find on any of Amazon’s streaming devices.

The Fire TV Cube has been around since 2018, but it just underwent an overhaul with a new design, more power, and silky smooth streaming thanks to the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E. Should you shell out over £130 and buy one? Here’s our full Fire TV Cube review.

Create and design

The new Fire TV Cube is easy to get started with Amazon doing all the heavy lifting for you via its smartphone app. A few taps on your iPhone or Android device will connect the cube to your Wi-Fi and connect things to your Amazon account with the whole process taking just a few minutes.

Once everything is connected, simply place it next to your TV and connect an HDMI cable to view the content on the biggest screen in your home.

Besides being simple to set up, the Cube looks so premium with Amazon ditching the all-plastic look in favor of a design that’s now covered in fabric. When you shout a command at Alexa, this device also has a nifty light around its edge that lights up so you know the smart assistant has heard you.

Its small size, at just 7.7cm, means you won’t really notice its placement next to the TV, and there are also volume and Alexa buttons on top that are easy to find and press.

The design team at Amazon has done a great job on the Fire TV Cube and it won’t look out of place in even the fanciest of living rooms.

The Fire TV Cube ships with a standard remote control (Photo: AMAZON)

remote control

Shipping with the Fire TV Cube is a standard plastic remote that’s quite usable but definitely not market-leading. Apple sells its new TV 4K box with a stunning aluminum rechargeable channel changer that looks even more premium than what comes in the box with the Fire TV Cube.

Don’t get us wrong, it’s not a bad remote because it’s comfortable to hold and there are plenty of buttons to help switch channels, increase volume, and change settings. There are even four hotkeys that instantly launch apps like Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+.

It’s fine, but we couldn’t help but think Amazon should bundle its new Alexa Voice Remote Pro with its more unique streaming device.

We couldn’t help but think Amazon must have bundled the Fire TV Pro remote with its most premium streaming device

This controller includes backlit keys, a more compact design, and two additional buttons that can be programmed to access favorite apps and services. There’s even a simple Bluetooth speaker pairing and a loud alarm in case he slips behind the couch.

If you want this remote you will have to pay an extra £35 on top of the cube which looks pretty rich.

The fact that Amazon offers no way to recharge their remotes means you’ll also have the nightmare of tracking down AAA batteries when you run out of things.

Alexa Voice Remote Pro should be included (Photo: AMAZON)

Speed ​​and running

Packed inside the Fire Cube is a fast octa-core processor that delivers some impressive performance – in fact, this is the most powerful Fire device the online retailer has ever made. This means navigating menus and launching apps is done without a hint of stuttering. Animations also appear silky smooth and it’s fast enough to play games and flick quickly between streaming apps.

This is definitely Amazon’s most powerful streaming device to date, and it’s a real pleasure to use plus the added performance is likely to come in handy over the life of the device.

Along with that extra power under the hood, there’s also full Wi-Fi 6E compatibility.

For those who don’t know, Wi-Fi 6E is capable of faster speeds. In lab conditions, downloads over wireless could achieve speeds of 9.6Gbps—that’s nearly three times the ceiling on Wi-Fi 5, which topped out at 3.5Gbps.

It’s definitely Amazon’s most powerful streaming device to date and it’s a real joy to use

This all adds up to more reliable streaming although it’s worth keeping in mind that you’ll need a Wi-Fi 6 router if you want to take advantage of this boost. Wi-Fi 6E will also not only make the broadband that reaches your home physically faster but it will ensure that the signal around the house is more reliable.

Another thing to note is that Amazon’s cheaper Fire TV Stick Max is fully Wi-Fi 6 compatible and costs half the price of the Fire Cube.

When it comes to watching and finding shows, Fire TV OS, the operating system found on all Fire TV Stick devices and Fire TV smart TVs, is a hit. For our money, it remains one of the best user interfaces out there on any streaming tools

Fire TV fills your screen with stunning, high definition artwork from shows and movies as you browse. There are also brief descriptions and ratings from IMDB – so you don’t need to keep checking your smartphone to see if the movie you’re thinking of seeing has been bashed by critics.

You can also organize your watchlist of shows and movies that have caught your eye and that you would like to watch sometime.

The Cube offers a great user interface (Photo: AMAZON)

Alexa hands free

One of the Fire TV Cube’s best features is the touchless access to Alexa. It makes this broadcast box look like an Echo smart speaker where you simply need to say that popular name to see the smart assistant spring into action. No other Fire device has such easy accessibility and works really well.

You can ask the Cube to play some music, set timers, read the news, and launch apps on the screen like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video.

There’s even the option to say things like, “Alexa, show me the Bond movies on Prime Video,” and in a flash, your screen will be full of iconic spy flicks.

When watching content, quick voice commands like “Alexa, pause” and “Alexa, fast forward 5 minutes,” work very well, and you rarely need to grab the remote to control things on the screen.

Amazon’s Alexa is still one of the best smart assistants on the planet and the integration with the Cube is great.

Of course, most of these features can be found on cheaper Fire TV Sticks, but to wake Alexa you have to find the remote, press the volume button and speak. There is no such hassle on the Cube.

There are plenty of ports on the box including HDMI and USB-C (Photo: AMAZON)

One of the biggest additions to the new Cube is the ability to connect other devices, like set-top boxes or consoles, and have full Alexa support. Essentially, it means that you can switch between devices and change channels without reaching for the remote control.

It takes a while to get this feature working but if you like voice controls it’s a great addition to Cube.

As you’d probably expect, Amazon’s most premium streaming box is fully 4K-ready and also supports Dolby Vision audio, HDR, and Dolby Atmos.

There’s easy-to-access volume and Alexa buttons on the top and on the back of the box you’ll find an Ethernet port for your internet connection and there’s also a USB jack.

This allows you to connect external devices such as hard drives and webcams for video calls.

price

Compared to the basic Fire TV Stick, the new Fire TV Cube is quite pricey. Amazon’s entry-level dongle will set you back just £29.99 – that’s four times cheaper than the Fire TV Cube.

At £139 it’s slightly less expensive than the £149 Apple TV 4K and can also act as an Echo speaker which improves the overall value for money.

However, if you already own an Amazon smart speaker and don’t really care about speed, Wi-Fi 6E, or hands-free Alexa, it probably isn’t worth the price and we’ll stick with the cheaper Fire TV Stick.

One thing that is definitely worth looking out for is the annual Prime Day sales as the Cube will almost certainly be lowered and this may make its price look more attractive.

Amazon Fire TV Cube is pricey but packed with features (Photo: AMAZON)

Fire TV Cube: Verdict

Amazon’s new Fire TV Cube is a great little streaming box that not only streams content to your TV, but also doubles as an Echo mini smart speaker.

With a fast processor and Wi-Fi 6E capabilities, this device also offers a fast and smooth streaming experience as well as a plethora of apps and games that make it feel like so much more than just a TV set-top box.

The fact that it has hands-free access to Alexa is also a huge bonus as you can bark requests without having to reach for the remote.

Other impressive features include its simple setup, compatibility with other devices, and its sleek design means it shouldn’t spoil the look of even the fanciest living rooms.

These are the good things but there are some things we are not keen on. First, Amazon must ship its Cube with the upgraded Fire Pro remote. Asking customers to pay extra cash for this supplement is deceptive.

Then there is that same price. The Fire TV Cube costs £139 which is £100 more than the basic Fire TV Stick. Is it really better than £100? We are not entirely convinced of that.

If you really want the ultimate Amazon streaming device, the Fire TV Cube won’t let you down. It’s a cool box that makes streaming a dream. However, if you simply want a device that makes your TV smarter, you can’t go wrong with the £29 Fire TV Stick.

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