Verdict
A potent media cyclosis equipment from Amazon that select steps forward in its processing capabilities and connectivity options but a few whole tone back with its less than democratic and dense interface . Those without the pauperism to incorporate a streamer within a nursing home movie house set - up will be fit just fine by the Fire TV Stick 4 K Max or else .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Amazon ’s third - gen Fire TV Cube is its most premium and advanced attempt yet , and properly from the off you should have a go at it that it ’s not one for casual user but home cinema enthusiasts look to corral every machine in the support elbow room into its an Alexa - centric paddock .
There ’s not as much challenger at this price but what is available is formidable in the mannikin of the five - star Apple TV 4K. With a new aspect , more sinewy processing , upgraded Wi - Fi and an HDMI stimulation , can the Fire TV Cube fend off the contender from Apple ? And would it have been too difficult for Amazon to call it Fire telly Cube³ ?
Design
This all - new interpretation is decorate in smarter attire than its predecessor . The 2ndGen model ’s glossy surface was a magnet for rubble and smudge , but the 3rdGen ’s wraparound fabric cover version is as if the Fire goggle box Cube has put on a jumper – and it looks much better for it .
But video streamer are n’t meant to be ogled at . For most , it ’ll reside behind the TV , but for those who rule smirch devil ( and I ’m one of them ) , this natty attire helps the streamer fit alongside more upmarket soundbars and TVs .
The iconic Alexa thread strip can be found on the front of the streamer , neatly incorporate above the material covert . On the top surface are four buttons : loudness up / down , an action push for Alexa and a mute clit that turn off the microphone for privacy .
ascendance such as these are probable to be used only when you ’re away from the comfort of the sofa , after all , the independent purpose of Fire TV machine is to provide for hands - free Alexa .
Another means of control is the remote and the Fire TV Cube hold up two reading : the standard Alexa remote control and the more expensive Alexa Pro version .
Interface
More obvious rows for the likes ofApple TV+andDisney+would aid , as well as being placed higher up the interface as currently what content there is from other services is submerge under rows of Prime andFreevee . Sky Streamand Sky ’s Entertainment o does a much good chore of content discovery in a non - partizan way .
The ‘ Next up ’ row could apply some delicately - tuning too , as what footing there is for its suggestions elude me . It ’s suggest I check the first serial of His Dark Materials and Andor , both of which I ’ve experience , and among the other titles are Moonfall , A Private Affair , Amsterdam , Elementary and The Last Ship . I ca n’t see a rhyme or reason behind that selection .
At least the Fire television receiver platform is home to a vast telephone number of apps . Netflix , Disney+,Paramount+ , UFC , NOW , BT Sport , NFL , Eurosport , Spotify , Tidal , BBC Sounds , Deezer , ROXi , Amazon Music , Audible , Hayu , Peloton are some of the many apps Fire video features .
Features
Around the back is an HDMI output ( for a TV ) and an HDMI input ( for plug a source into the Cube ) , both of which are sign to theHDMI 2.1standard , and the Fire tv set Cube tell apart gambling devices with itsauto low latency mode .
There ’s also a USB 2.0 larboard ( an rising slope from mini - USB ) , IR extender port and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port for hardwired connection ( the previous mannikin need an Ethernet adapter via the mini - USB port ) . Despite the positive news program on the connection front , less welcome is that the Fire TV Cube no long ship with an IR extender transmission line . You are n’t provided with an HDMI cable either , but that ’s the same as it ever was .
There ’s also no support for Gigabit ethernet connections the 128 GB Apple TV 4 K box has , and storage is small than eitherApple TV streamerat 16 GB ( technically 12.83 GB ) .
However , the 3rdGen Fire TV Cube is the first streamer to provide aHDMI input , admit another source to be add together if all the ones on your TV are used up . I ’ve plugged in a PS4 and PS5 console and it ’s worked every time with no issues .
The new USB port wine also means you’re able to add a toilsome drive and take advantage of the spiritualist player to play videos , audio or view pictures . Or you could connect a webcam and turn the Fire TV Cube into anEcho Show .
The Fire TV Cube comes with the de facto Alexa representative remote , but also indorse the Alexa Voice Remote Pro . The ‘ Pro ’ remote control is available individually at £ 34.99 , an irritation reckon this is thepremiumFire TV pennon and I ’d await it to have everything . It makes the Fire goggle box Cube feel uncompleted , and get more disbursement on top of the Mary Leontyne Price hike over the previous model . The Pro Remote is compatible to use with other Fire TV Sticks and former Cubes .
What you get with the Pro Remote over the received edition are two customisable button ( judge 1 and 2 ) . These could be personalized for favourite apps , channel , Alexa routines or even initiate recent voice control . A jam and a handle can reset it , but only in the sentience of choosing another cutoff .
The Alexa Voice Remote Pro also suffer motion - activated backlighting ( useful in the shadow ) and there ’s a construct - in verbalizer . If you mislay it , you’re able to involve Alexa to locate the remote and it ’ll let loose a bleeping phone that lasts for 30 seconds or so .
The Cube ’s Wi - Fi connection has been boosted from Wi - Fi 5 toWi - Fi 6E , grant access to 6GHz band for faster speeds and lower latency . However , W - Fi 6E router are still expensive even if there are more cheaper options than there were when the Fire television Cube 2022 launched .
There ’s the integrating of smart products from Ring cameras that look as a start - up live feed to control over smart lights . This can be done from the Smart Home Dashboard once you ’ve added devices .
And if that were n’t enough , the Fire TV Cube can overtop other home cinema devices . It ’s able-bodied to hold in a soundbar , home cinema recipient and the TV , or do action such as volume and input shift over HDMI ( through your tv set ) . The IR extender expands the streamer ’s touch to check other equipment it ca n’t do through HDMI .
Performance
The Fire television receiver Cube needs to be placed around 30 cm from any utterer so Alexa does n’t get confused by audio that could sound like a command . It also should n’t be enclosed within a cabinet which will make it harder for it to hear what you ’re say .
Set - up is quick if you have a ) an Amazon story and b ) had a prior Fire idiot box waft as you may transfer your point over .
Once up and running it ’s noticeably quicker than the2ndGen model . Scrolling through the menus and opening apps is speedier thanks to the octa - core processor , with no noticeable slowdown navigate the computer menu or with button presses . I ’ve not run into many issues in terms of streaming ; the Fire TV Cube ( 2022 ) get up to speed quick . Buffering issues have been rare – albeit that ’s on a fast internet crease .
The Fire TV Cube ’s near- and far - field microphones well picked my part from several measure away , and she ’s quick to respond and bring results . She seems to get the gist of what you ’re saying better than rival voice support . Searching for Disney+ ’s Andor has try out tricky for other voice helper to deal with , but Alexa got it first fourth dimension .
In terms of its AV performance , HDR10 , HLG , HDR10+and Dolby Vision support are all provided . The cellular inclusion of HDR10 + and Dolby Vision dynamic metadata allows your television to create an optimal HDR performance with compatible apps . Of naturally , your idiot box must support HDR10 + andDolby Vision , and HLG support means you may watch 4 kilobyte HDR cognitive content on iPlayer ( the Apple TV 4 K does n’t patronage HLG for iPlayer ) .
Picture quality is resoundingly respectable , though dependent on your TV ’s performance , net stop number and lineament of the source . The Traitors ( HD ) on iPlayer featured stable blackened storey , and the unripened and dark-brown whole step of the Scottish highlands come out well .
Giri / Haji on Netflix in Dolby Vision has an intentionally easygoing aspect but there ’s still flock of point and clarity in the current to pluck up on . Season three of Jack Ryan on Prime Video face outstanding in 4 K HDR10 , sharp and elaborate in a way that bring out the high tone of the production . Wednesday in Dolby Vision on Netflix is full of solid and plenteous looking colours and wide contrast on aSony A8 OLED .
The Cube supports Amazon ’s Super Resolution engineering science , which ‘ convert ’ HD content in 4 K for “ greater detail , contrast and lucidness ” , as well as bring about a sharp picture show . Watching The Bear on Disney+ and Gangs of New York ( All4 ) and I scramble to see much of a deviation with Super Resolution on or off . I can see no progress in detail , uncloudedness or add together acuteness . I marvel if it has more of an impact on cheap TVs , but I also ca n’t see this streamer being couple with moreaffordable tellies either .
The audio performance of the Fire television set steamers has , I ’d say , been expert than the competition , and the Fire TV Cube ( 2022 ) continues that good run , though it ’s not much different from the previous Cube . In fact , I ’d say they ’re on par with each other .
Watching the first instalment of Wednesday in Dolby Atmos , both streamer vocalize near selfsame when dealing with the clarity of Jenna Ortega ’s deadpan delivery and positioning of effects ( if anything the new Fire TV Cube wreak out a little more detail in the surrounds ) .
Watching Last Christmas on iPlayer , the quondam model was actually louder . The possibility scene in a bar feature raised voice ( manful voices had a bassier inflexion ) and I could clean out the desktop disturbance in the tantrum comfortably . I could hear a similar difference in ‘ meretriciousness ’ watching Gangs of New York on All4 but with Atmos tracks both Cubes were pretty much identical .
Musically the Cubes are similar too . Plays of the Harlem Shuffle , Lupe Fiasco ’s Gold Watch and Rey ’s Theme from The Force Awakens in Amazon Music all resulted in a wish - for - like strait . Disappointingly there ’s no bump in Hi - re audio support . It still tops out at 16 - bit/192kHz , so UHD tracks in Amazon Music are downscaled .
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Should you buy it?
The young HDMI input is a godsend if you ’ve run out of stimulus on your TV , plus hands - devoid Alexa allow for control over other devices over HDMI
Unsurprisingly , Amazon ’s all - new Fire TV port is weighted to Amazon and Freevee content , but it could do with being more democratic and considerably less slow in terms of the options it curates .
Final Thoughts
The all - new Fire TV Cube is quantifiably better and perceptively worse than the previous manikin . The interface favours Amazon serving too much and makes discovery of title from other divine service much harder than it ought to be .
Nevertheless , there ’s no other streamer as well featured as the Fire TV Cube 3rdGen . Alexa is guileful and responsive , it ’s one of the dissolute streamers around and AV performance is excellent . However , stimulate the Remote Pro optional is unsatisfying given this the Fire TV Cube ’s position as its Prime Minister banner .
I ’d say the leap in price is merited in terms of its performance and connectivity . The latter bring with it more versatility and makes the Cube a more complete home media hub . There ’s no dubiousness this is a powerful streamer , and the computer hardware is fantabulous but that user interface could do with another refresh .
Trusted Score
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We test every video streamer we refresh thoroughly over an extended period of time . We use industriousness - standard trial to compare lineament properly . We ’ll always tell you what we get . We never , ever , accept money to critique a mathematical product .
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FAQs
The Cube offers more connectivity options such as a HDMI input , Ethernet and USB . It also features a libertine central processor and hands - free Alexa mathematical operation .
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