Amazon launches faster Fire TV Stick 4K and a remote you can use by feel
Amazon has launched the Fire TV Stick 4K, which the company says gets users to content nearly 20-40% faster than a similarly priced 4K stick from another leading brand. It also introduced a redesigned Fire TV Remote with buttons meant to be found by touch alone.
- Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K costs $59.99 and ships in 11 countries, with more following in late October.
- Amazon claims it gets users to content nearly 20-40% faster than a similarly priced 4K stick from another leading brand.
- The Fire TV lineup is reduced to three sticks: HD, 4K and 4K Max, alongside the Fire TV Cube.
- The new Fire TV Remote costs $14.99 in the U.S. and ships in late October.
- Fire TV Remote Plus, with backlit buttons and Find My Remote, is expected in early 2027.
A faster 4K stick with a slimmer body
According to Amazon, the Fire TV Stick 4K turns on faster, launches apps over 35% faster and starts playing content nearly 20% faster than a similarly priced 4K stick from another leading brand. Amazon also says it tested the stick against the built-in experience of three 4K smart TVs from top-selling brands, measuring the average across the three most popular apps on Fire TV, and that the stick played content faster than all three TVs.
The device follows the Fire TV Stick HD, which launched earlier this year, and shares its slimmer form factor. It supports Direct Power, so it can be powered from a TV's USB port with the included cable, which means fewer cables to hide behind the TV or pack for travel.
The stick runs Amazon's Vega operating system and ships with Alexa+ and the new Fire TV experience. Amazon says it has added over 2,000 more apps since the first Fire TV product built on Vega OS arrived last year, including Spotify, XBOX, VLC and a range of VPNs. Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Tubi, Pluto and Instagram are also available.
On the hardware side, the Fire TV Stick 4K has 8 GB of internal storage, a quad-core 1.7 GHz processor, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth Low Energy. It supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9 and AV1, with output at 2160p, 1080p and 720p up to 60 frames per second.
A simpler lineup of three sticks
Amazon is cutting its stick range to three tiers:
- Fire TV Stick HD: the most affordable entry-level stick, for everyday streaming.
- Fire TV Stick 4K: the new core product, which Amazon describes as the best balance of speed and value in its lineup.
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max: aimed at gamers and home theater fans, with more storage and features such as Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and Alexa+ Home Theater.
The Fire TV Cube remains for enthusiasts who want hands-free Alexa+ and voice control. Other existing models will stay available while supplies last.
A remote designed for use without looking
The new Fire TV Remote has an asymmetric shape, with a flat top and a curved, weighted bottom, so users can tell quickly which way to hold it. The home button, which Amazon says is pressed over 100 million times per day on average across Fire TV devices, now has its own metal surface. Other buttons are indented or distinctly shaped.
The customizable star button, previously found only on Amazon's more premium remote, can open a favorite app or toggle settings such as closed captioning or Screen Magnifier. The remote also controls compatible TVs, soundbars and receivers with dedicated power, volume and mute buttons. It pairs with all Amazon Ember TVs and all Fire TV streaming media players launched from 2019 to today.
Early next year Amazon will add the Fire TV Remote Plus, with aluminum housing and backlit buttons. It replaces Alexa Voice Remote Pro and includes a Find My Remote feature: saying "Alexa, find my remote" makes it play a sound. Amazon expects it to launch in early 2027.
Pricing and availability
The Fire TV Stick 4K costs $59.99 and began shipping in the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Australia. Additional countries follow in late October. During Prime Big Deal Days, customers in the United States can buy it for $29.99, which is 50% off the regular price. It ships with a Fire TV Remote.
The standalone Fire TV Remote is open for preorder, for owners who want to upgrade an existing Fire TV device. It starts shipping in late October at $14.99 in the U.S.
For buyers, the changes mean a clearer choice among sticks and a cheap way to replace an existing remote, although the speed figures come from Amazon's own testing.
