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Now into its 3rd generation, the Amazon Fire TV Cube remains the most exciting product in what is realistically an unexciting field. With a sea of streaming sticks that look, feel and operate the same, points should be given to Amazon for at least trying to do something slightly different.
This latest Fire Cube boasts a list of high-end features, matched with voice assistant technology and a super-fast performance.
However, there is a catch. Not only is it easily one of the most expensive streaming sticks around, but the service is also covered in ads for Amazon’s own products.
So do the benefits outweigh the costs with this smart streaming stick, or is it worth spending your money on something cheap and cheerful? We spent a few weeks using the product to decide for ourselves.
Set-up and features
The Fire TV Cube is incredibly easy to set up. Once you’ve unboxed the device and its remote, you simply supply it with power and connect it to your TV via a HDMI cable.
Now, this is where the first problem kicks in… there is no included HDMI cable. This isn’t the end of the world as HDMI cables seem to amass over the years and they aren’t very expensive, but it is an annoyance on such an expensive product.
Powered up and plugged in, all that's left is to log into Amazon on your new device and connect to the internet and then you’re all done.
The cube can be placed anywhere, but Amazon advises not putting it too near to a speaker or hiding it away in a cupboard where it won’t hear your commands.
Speaking of commands, the Fire Cube comes with an included Alexa voice assistant. Unlike other streaming sticks where you need to press a button to activate this, the Fire Cube’s assistant is always on.
Simply say 'Alexa’ followed by your command. This can be easy to do with your TV, such as ‘play The White Lotus, season 2, episode 1’ or, you can use it in the same way you would use a smart speaker, checking the weather, asking for important information or obviously making your TV make fart noises.
If you pay for TV, you can connect your Freeview box to the Fire Cube, accessing channels through the same interface. Equally, another feature available is gaming through the device’s auto-low latency mode.
In this mode, you can connect consoles to the Fire Cube, controlling all of your devices from one place. However, when connecting to an Xbox One, I found a noticeable lag. This was the same when using a Nintendo Switch via this method.
The Fire TV Cube comes with Amazon’s standard remote instead of the Pro version. You can use either version with the device, but the Pro remote will cost you an additional £34.99 which feels steep on top of the price of this streaming device.
With the cube itself being the main part of this whole experience, it’s nice to know Amazon has put some care into it.
It is an all-black design. With a high-quality metal top, featuring four buttons: volume up, volume down, microphone off and activate microphone.
On the back, you’ll find HDMI in and out slots, a power slot and USB and network options, as well as an IR extender.
Experience
This is truly a streaming experience for the inpatient viewer… just like me! I’ve come from a now pretty dated Fire Stick which felt like I was waiting hours for anything to load. The cube on the other hand is highly responsive with very little latency as you scroll through menus.
Apps don’t take long at all to load, and I was repeatedly impressed with the device's ability to jump between different streaming platforms in the never-ending search for a new show.
I have never been that convinced by voice as a method of controlling devices, but of course I was willing to give it a go. The cube easily picked up my voice, even with a show playing through the soundbar, although it could occasionally require a few attempts when there was a lot of noise.
However, getting the voice control to actually work is a different story with precise language needed to get anywhere. Phrases like 'play' or 'start' a show didn't work and instead you need to say 'select Parks and Recreations'. I was also frequently hit with the classic 'I can't help you with that'.
In typical Amazon style, you will find yourself navigating through a lot of recommendations and adverts for Amazon content. While this could be annoying, I found it fairly easy to forget about, especially when I already knew what I wanted to watch.
The home screen is easy to navigate once you've worked it out. It is quite cluttered with a lot on the screen at any given time, but all of the most important information is displayed at the top, including your most used apps.
Verdict
The Amazon Fire TV Cube is the perfect example of what a streaming stick can be. Powerful, full of smart features and combined with an impressive voice-control feature, it’s hard not to recommend Amazon’s new streaming device.
However, the price is more than enough reason to be put off, with plenty of cheaper streaming sticks offering all the crucial features.
That combined with the heavy attention on Amazon services could be enough reason to ignore.
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Alternatives
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
If you like the Amazon layout but can't justify the price tag of the Amazon Fire Cube, the regular Amazon Fire Stick 4K will be a fantastic alternative. It cuts the costs by more than half, only costing you £39.99 (most of the time).
While you don't get the Amazon Cube's continuously activated voice control, you can still use voice control via the TV remote. It also lacks some of the connectivity and speed of the more expensive cube, but it is by no means a slow streaming experience.
While you can go even cheaper than this with Amazon, the option to stream in 4K here is worth the slight increase in price.
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Google Chromestick
Amazon's closest competitor in the streaming world, Google has come a long way with its range of 'Chromecast' devices. With a stylish remote and an equally minimalistic home screen and user experience, Google is the option for people who like to keep things simple.
This version of the device costs a similar amount to the Amazon Fire Stick 4K and offers access to almost all of the same apps. It will really come down to a preference in brand and style.
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Roku Streaming Stick 4K
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a great streaming device for those looking for a compact, affordable way to watch 4K HDR content.
It's easy to set up and use, and the included remote control is simple and intuitive. The Roku interface is also very user-friendly, with a wide variety of apps and channels to choose from.
Overall, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a great option for anyone looking for a reliable and affordable 4K streaming device.
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