Hands-on review: Updated: New Amazon Fire TV

The new Amazon Fire TV has just been announced, and we've already had our hands on the new Ultra HD streaming device.

Using the same basic chassis design as its Fire TV forebear, the new Amazon Fire TV actually has some pretty nifty new innards.

Cut to the chase
What is it? The next generation of Amazon's media streaming box, the Fire TV
When is it out? October 5 2015
How much does it cost? £79.99 / $99.99 for the base unit, with a US-exclusive Gaming Edition for $139.99
Why is it better? A faster processor, improved WiFi, Alexa voice control, 4K Ultra HD playback, HEVC support for 1080p content too

Boasting a 75% boost in overall performance, the new 64-bit MediaTek quad-core processor and dedicated GPU silicon means this is the first Amazon streamer capable of outputting in glorious 4K Ultra HD.

Despite being a dedicated stream machine it does also come with 8GB of onboard storage – a fair way behind the recently announced new Apple TV – but it does though come with support for expanded storage via the microSD card slot in the rear.

That means the new Amazon Fire TV can potentially take cards up to 128GB in capacity to house all those downloaded games and applications.

4K Ultra HD playback

The new Amazon Fire TV's flagship feature though is that Ultra HD output and with that comes the largest selection of UHD content around.

The Mediatek-powered quad-core CPU is designed to give it that extra grunt, and flicking around with the new remote (which now uses WI-Fi instead of Bluetooth for a stronger connection and longer battery life) was a pleasant enough experience.

It still wasn't whizzy fast though – there was definitely a little more that could be done to speed things up here, and the directional d-pad on the remote feels a little archaic.

It has support for Amazon Prime Instant Video, Amazon Video and UHD Netflix, which means you'll have loads of 4K content to play with – although sadly it seems like you'll have to purchase or rent the 4K films on Amazon Prime Instant Video, with only the TV series appearing to be in the crisp pixel quality as part of your monthly subscription.

As well as the ability to stream the 4K fun, it's also got support for Dolby Audio too when connected to your TV or AV receiver.

Voice remote

The voice remote is also available with the new Amazon Fire TV Stick and is the real Siri-baiting feature of the new box.

Alexa, the personal assistant from the Amazon Echo, is now available to the new Fire TV and, as well as helping you search for video content, will also give you access to weather, sports and traffic info too, all shown up on your TV.

And all for a lot less than Apple is asking for its Siri-on-a-TV box…

It seems to be pretty accurate, with the demo showing up flawlessly with whatever was requested time and again. There's even Mayday-style support on offer, where you can call support and let them take control of your box (no laughing at the back) and show you how to do things like pair a game controller using sketches on the screen.

It's an odd choice though, as surely this box is designed to be foolproof. You can go into the settings and request a call back so you don't even need to dial numbers… but if you can do that, then you're surely tech-savvy enough to solve your own problems.

Gaming

Like the new Apple TV, Amazon is talking up the gaming potential of its latest streaming device. For an extra £40 ($45) you can pick up the new Fire TV Game Controller, which now comes with voice search and an audio jack for those stealth late-night gaming sessions.

In the US only Amazon is offering an exclusive $140 Fire TV Gaming Edition pack. The premium bundle comes with the base Fire TV, the controller, a 32GB microSD card and two games – the excellent Shovel Knight and Duck Tales.

The gaming side of things seems pretty limited at the moment, but Amazon is touting console style games on the device – it's definitely not up to the likes of the PS4 and friends, but then again for the price, spec and limited game catalogue, we wouldn't expect it to be.

Early verdict

Like most streaming boxes, they're quite underwhelming – you're buying them to supplement a TV rather that=n being that lust-worthy purchase you've been craving for months.

The design of the new Amazon Fire TV sells exactly that message, and while the interface and new 4K powers are good, it's not a mind blowing addition to your TV set up – especially when a lot of UHD TVs have got the services it's offering here already built in.

That said, the new efficiencies inside mean streaming is really, really quick and the access to that large a library of 4K content (if you're willing to pay for it) is brilliant.

If you feel the need for such a thing, the Amazon Fire TV is a decent addition to your home cinema system, and won't cost you the earth.

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