In February, Amazon plans to roll out a much-needed revamp of Fire TV OS, one that seemingly takes a cue from Google’s TV platform. The forthcoming UI redesign will introduce better organization, support for Alexa Plus, and quicker performance to the aging OS, the latter of which has been a crux of the platform’s issues for years. Collectively, the changes make it a lot easier to recommend the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, which is on sale at Woot through January 23rd for an all-time low of $18.39 ($32 off) when you use code DEVICES20 at checkout.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — formerly known as the “Fire TV Stick 4K,” which is how Woot refers to it here — sits in the middle of Amazon’s lineup of 4K-ready streaming devices. It packs twice as much RAM as the newer “Select” model and supports an array of HDR and surround sound formats, including HDR10 Plus, Dolby Vision, DTS, and Dolby Atmos. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can also use it to stream select titles from the cloud, and, as expected, you can use it to watch the newest movies and TV shows from Prime Video, HBO Max, Netflix, and dozens of FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels in HD or 4K.
As for the hardware itself, the latest Fire TV Stick 4K comes with an Alexa Voice Remote, which allows you to quickly access your favorite streaming apps and Amazon’s ubiquitous voice assistant with the press of a button. Alexa lets you adjust various Fire TV settings, including the volume and input, but with Alexa Plus, you’ll soon be able to get stats on your favorite sports team, jump between iconic scenes, and carry out a host of more advanced actions using your voice. It’s a step in the right direction, even if our experience has been mixed thus far.