Amazon’s streaming stick is nearing its final form. Find out if anything is missing in our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max reviewed: bells, whistles, and more
Manufacturers use a simple trick to describe something as the best or the most powerful: they add “Max” to the name. Think of the iPhone 13 Pro Max or the HBO Max streaming service. Now Amazon is taking its streaming devices to the “Max”. Its new Fire TV Stick 4K Max bills itself as the company’s most powerful streaming device to date. Find out in our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review if the claims are true.
What you need to know about the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is an Amazon media streaming device that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port. and it only costs $ 5 more. For that little extra, you get noticeable improvements. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the only streaming device from Amazon that currently supports WiFi 6. It also matches the Fire TV Cube with 2 GB of RAM and is equipped with a new quad-core processor at 1, 8 GHz. So you can stream quickly and not get bogged down in menu navigation.
Amazon’s premium streaming device is compatible with all major video streaming and music services such as Spotify. It also supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, and you can also enjoy HDR and 4K Ultra HD quality, still having a decent TV.
Amazon introduced a new voice remote with the Fire TV Stick 4K and it’s back for the next generation. At the top, you’ll find a blue Alexa button for voice commands, along with a number of keyboard shortcuts at the bottom. Our remote comes with Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu.
The Amazon Fire TV 4K Max wants to compete with the best sticks and dongles from Google and Roku, especially the Chromecast with Google TV and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. You can pick up the Fire TV Stick 4K Max from Amazon (obviously) and many other major retailers in the US, UK, and other parts of Europe and many other markets.
What is good?
Using the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a snap from the start. Everything is included: key, remote, a pair of AAA batteries, a power cord and even an HDMI extender for TVs with going through a series of updates before relinquishing control, and setting up the remote to turn on TV is extreme HDMI CEC support lets you restore your downloads even if you had an old Fire TV Stick.
Even in everyday life, everything goes fast. I didn’t notice any lag or stuttering thanks to the improved internal components. With the addition of WiFi 6, transfers also start almost instantly, although you’ll need a compatible router to experience the benefits. Even if you don’t have one, you can rest assured that the Fire Stick 4K Max connectivity suite is ready for the future.
Despite the updates, Amazon also kept the price very competitive. It costs $ 5 more than competing Roku and Google devices, but at $ 54.99 the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is half the price of the Fire TV Cube, but better for those who want the raw cube performance without the. functions of a smart speaker.
Amazon Fire TV’s interface has also been given a facelift. It’s sleek and polished, and its extensive list of streaming apps is easy to navigate. As with any self-respecting device, you can attack any service. Amazon’s remote keyboard shortcuts make it easy to jump into each other, but you shouldn’t have a hard time finding and downloading your favorites.
Mention the Amazon remote, it has everything you need. It now includes 17 buttons for complete control of your TV and the pairing process couldn’t be easier. The blue Alexa button stands out more than ever before, and voice commands are the best way to get around as long as your apps are already installed.
What is not so good?
There’s not much to fault with Amazon’s latest streaming device. It offers speed, memory and a great remote control. However, the remote itself seems a bit cluttered. Amazon has increased the number of buttons to 17, but the size and shape of the remote hasn’t changed much from previous generations. Likewise, some will find them useful, but I also haven’t used keyboard shortcuts often. It’s a shame that I can’t reassign them.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is also a victim of Amazon’s love for advertising. As soon as you turn it on, you will be greeted with a huge banner ad on the homepage. The UI will also show you some advertised bars and prioritize Amazon programs above all else. It’s not exactly a surprise, but it could be toned down a bit.
If you’re looking to stream shows and videos from your phone to your TV, you’ll be disappointed to learn that the Fire Stick 4K Max doesn’t support Google Cast or Apple’s AirPlay 2. The Prime Video app, although you won’t find that many