You never asked for a hands-free streaming box, but Amazon did it anyway. And it’s a cube! It is available with the regular voice-remote or, if you feel fancy, the voice-remote pro, which adds a few features (backlight, remote finder, extra buttons).
“The ultimate hands-free 4K streaming experience” they say; let’s see if the most advanced Fire TV device delivers.
Design and Build Quality
The new design swaps out the glossy plastic of the 2019 model for a nice fabric look, giving it a more modern feel.
It has four buttons on the top: action, mic mute, volume up and down, and the signature glowing blue light runs along the edge.
Size-wise, it’s significantly bigger (taller) than any of the other available devices. I like it but it might be a dealbreaker for some who prefer a device blending more subtly into their setup. The exact dimensions are: 3.38″ x 3.38″ x 2.99″ / 86 x 86 x 77mm
Hardware Specifications
Under the hood, we’ve got an octa-core processor, 2BG RAM, 16GB storage, and Wi-Fi 6E support. TL;DR and in my experience, that’s more than enough to stream videos up to 4K60 with no trouble.
Regarding streaming, the Cube does the job, supporting various (all? Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG) HDR formats and providing a snappy experience. I wish they had included a more efficient upscaling feature instead of the “super resolution” which is not showing significant improvements.
Read Also: Super Resolution on Fire TV Cube (Amazon)
I was surprised to find an HDMI input; it’s unclear what the benefits are, but it seems handy if your TV has too few of them. It might also help you switch quicker to your console, for instance, and it keeps the Amazon Alexa overlay available while you’re in your other source. Still, a nice feature, but just like voice control, is it really what will make you pick the Cube?
Full Specifications
| Size | 3.38” x 3.38” x 2.99” (86 mm x 86 mm x 77 mm) |
| Weight | 513g (1.13 lbs) |
| Processor | Octa-core 4x 2.2GHz 4x 2.0GHz |
| GPU | 800MHz |
| Storage | 16 GB internal |
| Memory | 2 GB internal |
| Wifi | Wi-Fi 6E Tri-band. Also supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax wifi networks. For Wi-Fi 6E support, Fire TV Cube must be connected to the 6GHz band of a Wi-Fi 6E network using WPA3 encryption. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 + LE. Pair with compatible Bluetooth speakers, headphones, video game controllers, and more. |
| Ports | HDMI 2.1 Input, HDMI 2.1 Output, IR Extender, Power, USB-A 2.0, Ethernet port 10/100Mbps |
| Audio support | Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 5.1. |
| 4K Support | To watch movies and TV shows in 4K Ultra HD, you need a compatible 4K Ultra HD TV. All services may not be available in 4K/HDR. Certain services are subject to change at any time, may not be available in all areas, or in 4K/HDR, and may require separate subscriptions. Learn more about services. |
| Content formats supported | Video: Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9, AV1, Audio: AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, Dolby Atmos (EC3_JOC), Dolby MAT, Dolby TrueHD passthrough, DTS passthrough, DTS-HD passthrough (basic profile), Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP |
| Output/Input resolution supported | 2160p, 1080p and 720p up to 60 fps |
User Interface and Software
Full disclosure: I was previously traumatized by a Fire TV I had to keep for several years. I hated every second of my interaction with the Fire TV UI, so I might be biased. Fortunately, the UI has improved since then; but it’s still a bit of a mess. I have some trouble navigating through the different menu layers, and Amazon pushes too much sponsored content for my liking (especially for their extra Prime channels). Did I mention the ads? That’s the straw that broke the camel’s back for me, I wasn’t expecting to have my experience disrupted by ads while paying top dollars for a device.
Really annoying too, that featured content at the top will sometimes launch a full-screen trailer with sound, it’s good to know it can happen before you wake up the whole family. Maybe I did click on it? Stayed too long on the ‘Learn More’ button? It’s that confusing…
The Cube runs very smoothly; everything is fast, and navigating the icons would be a delight if only the UI made more sense. I mostly use the Shield nowadays, and it feels much smoother than NVIDIA’s UI.
While Alexa integration is a highlight, the voice control can be a hit or miss. Also, it is crucial to note that if you already have an Alexa device in your living room, there are too many Alexas now! I ended up muting the Cube’s mic for that reason specifically. Also, I don’t mind another remote control… (my wife disagrees).
Conclusion
Wrapping it up, the Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) is a mixed bag. It works well for the average streaming user and smoothly runs any HD video format. Still, the performance doesn’t quite justify the price point, especially if compared to its more affordable sibling with similar hardware, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. If you are in the market for an Alexa smart assistant and a streaming device, that’s a great pick, but for those looking for the best bang for their buck or a more straightforward streaming experience, there might be better options.
Amazon Fire Cube 4K
Amazon’s Cube has everything you would want for a streaming device: nice hardware, great performance, and a pleasant design. But not more, it lacks mostly a good AI upscaling feature, IMO. The voice control, its standout feature, doesn’t quite justify the device and even makes your existing Alexa setup confusing.
For most users looking for an Amazon streaming device, the cheaper, more recent and hardware equivalent(ish) Fire TV Stick 4K is a far better choice.
Pros
Robust Hardware: octa-core processor and Wi-Fi 6E support
Hands-free Voice Control
Nice modern built (if you like Cubes?)
Cons
User Interface (with ads!!!)
Deceptive upscaling
High Price Point