Amazon’s New Fire TV Cube Offers Smoother Streaming, More Inputs And Snappier Performance

You don’t need me to tell you that Christmas is approaching with all the speed of a runaway train. With each year, we seem to have less and less time for buying presents and ensuring everyone will be happy on the big day. This year, one gift might solve some of those issues. The new Amazon Fire TV Cube makes an ideal Christmas gift. This powerful streaming media player has recently been upgraded to make it ready for the new generation 6E Wi-Fi.

The new Cube is the third iteration of Amazon’s Fire TV Cube and it now has an octa-core 2.0GHz processor that bumps up the processing power by 20% over the previous generation. The faster processor speeds up app launching and improves the user experience when switching services. The new Fire TV Cube can be controlled hands-free with Alexa and includes support for 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR, plus Dolby Atmos audio. Inputs include an HDMI input port and support for Wi-Fi 6E and Super Resolution Upscaling.

The new Fire TV Cube is the first Fire TV streaming media player to feature an HDMI input port. This enables users to connect compatible set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and other HDMI devices. With the Alexa Voice Remote, it’s possible to control live TV, set-top boxes and on-demand streaming. The Fire TV Cube also has an additional USB port for connecting a compatible webcam for making video calls with Alexa Communications.

Support for Wi-Fi 6E makes it possible to use the newly opened 6GHz wireless band for high-speed streaming when used with a 6E router. The higher-speed connection can deliver smoother streaming and the new 6GHz bands copes better with interference generated by other Wi-Fi devices in the home. And for those lucky enough to have a wired network, this new Cube also sports an Ethernet port.

Also new to the Fire TV Cube is its Super Resolution Upscaling for enhancing picture quality by converting HD content into 4K resolution for extra detail, improved contrast and overall clarity. With Super Resolution Upscaling, older HD content looks sharper, although the quality can depend on the source.

The Fire TV Cube has been awarded the Carbon Trust’s Reducing CO2 certification, indicating its carbon footprint has been reduced yearly. Products awarded the certification must be made with more sustainable materials and include changes that reduce the device’s lifetime energy consumption. Additionally, 99% of Fire TV Cube’s packaging is made using wood fiber-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.

For those who already have an Amazon Fire TV Cube or want to take this latest version to the next level, Amazon also announced the new and deluxe Alexa Voice Remote Pro to tempt you. The new remote has extra features and a more upmarket feel than the basic one bundled with the Cube.

The Alexa Voice Remote Pro is a new premium remote built to help customers spend more time watching TV and less time searching for the remote. For the first time, the new remote has a Remote Finder feature. This helps find misplaced remotes by saying, “Alexa, find my remote” or using the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app. Once activated, the Alexa Voice Remote Pro emits an audible ring making it easy to track down. Let’s hope that noise doesn’t come from within the family dog.

Two new customizable buttons on Alexa Voice Remote Pro make it easy to favorite content and Alexa commands more quickly. The remote can be personalized by programming two new custom buttons that can create one-touch shortcuts to favorite apps, channels and anything that Alexa can do. For example, a button could be programmed to dim the lights, check the weather, or start an Alexa Routine for movie night.

Alexa Voice Remote Pro also has a motion-activated backlight that illuminates its buttons when the remote is picked up in dimly-lit rooms. Alexa Voice Remote Pro is compatible with most Fire TV devices and other popular TVs, soundbars, and A/V receivers.

Verdict: The Amazon Fire TV Cube Third Generation has some neat features worth considering if upgrading from an old-and-tired Fire TV device. The support for Wi-Fi 6E is good, although I doubt many people will have a router that can take advantage of 6E at the moment. Including Ethernet, HDMI and USB inputs are most welcome and make adding a Blu-ray player easy. The Super Resolution Upscaling is a welcome addition and the faster processor makes the Fire interface appear to work a bit snappier. This 3rd Generation Fire TV Cube is a good upgrade from older versions, but anyone who has recently bought a 2nd Generation Fire TV Cube might want to hold fire for a bit longer. The Alexa Voice Remote Pro is an excellent upgrade from the standard Fire TV remote, but I’d love to see it bundled with the Amazon Fire TV Cube as standard.

Pricing & Availability: The all-new Amazon Fire TV Cube is available now and costs $174.98 / £139.99. The Alexa Remote Pro costs $34.99 / £34.99.

More info: Amazon USA and Amazon UK