Amazon Fire Tv Stick 3rdgen

Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) with Alexa Voice Remote

The Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) is Amazon’s Full HD streaming stick: it plugs into a television’s HDMI port and turns it into a Fire TV smart TV with apps for the major streaming services, live TV apps and games. It outputs up to 1080p at 60fps and is not a 4K device; if your television is 4K and you want 4K streaming, that is the Fire TV Stick 4K line instead. This third-generation HD model is the faster replacement for the second-generation stick, with a quad-core 1.7GHz processor and IMG GE8300 graphics that Amazon rated around 50 percent more powerful than the model before it.

The stick itself measures 86 x 30 x 13mm and weighs 32g, small enough to sit hidden behind the television, powered over micro-USB from the supplied adapter. Inside are 8GB of storage for apps and a dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi radio supporting 802.11a/b/g/n/ac networks, the MIMO arrangement helping hold a stable stream on busy home networks. Bluetooth 5.0 with Low Energy pairs wireless headphones for private listening, speakers, and game controllers.

Key features

• Full HD streaming up to 1080p at 60fps, with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG support
• Quad-core 1.7GHz processor with IMG GE8300 GPU
• 8GB internal storage for apps
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with 2×2 MIMO, plus Bluetooth 5.0
• Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus audio support
• Alexa Voice Remote (3rd Gen) with TV power and volume controls included
• HDMI output with micro-USB power input; HDMI extender included

Picture and sound

Although output tops out at 1080p, the third-generation stick handles HDR formats HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, so on an HDR-capable Full HD television, compatible content gets the contrast and colour benefits of HDR even at HD resolution. Video codec support covers H.265 (HEVC), H.264 and VP9 among others. For audio, Dolby Atmos is supported alongside Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, with HDMI passthrough of Dolby formats to a soundbar or AV receiver, so the stick does not become the weak link in a surround setup.

The Alexa Voice Remote

The included Alexa Voice Remote (3rd Gen) handles search and control by voice: hold the voice button and ask for a title, actor or genre instead of typing on an on-screen keyboard. Dedicated buttons jump straight to popular services, and the remote’s infrared blaster controls power and volume on compatible televisions, soundbars and receivers, which removes one remote from the coffee table. The remote measures 38 x 142 x 16mm, weighs 43.4g without batteries and runs on two AAA batteries, included. Voice control also works through the free Fire TV app on a phone.

Setup and everyday use

Setup needs three things: an HD television with a free HDMI input, a Wi-Fi internet connection and a power outlet. Plug the stick in, connect the power cable, join the home Wi-Fi and sign in; the included HDMI extender helps where the television’s ports are recessed or crowded. Free cloud storage covers digital content bought from Amazon, and accessibility features include the VoiceView screen reader, screen magnifier, text banner and closed captioning support.

For a 1080p television, a guest room set, a projector or a second screen, the Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) remains a complete, tidy streaming upgrade: one stick, one remote, no box under the TV.