Amazon just announced an update to its popular Fire TV Stick HD with a new version that changes a few things. For starters, unlike with many other recent devices, the refreshed Stick is keeping the same $35 price tag.
The ecommerce giant has already opened up preorders for the updated Fire TV Stick HD which starts shipping on April 29.
What's new?
There are two big physical changes to the streaming stick. Firstly, Amazon claims the new model is 30% slimmer than the previous generation.
Per the specs on the product page, the new model measures in at 3.6 x 0.8 x 0.5 inches. By comparison, the first generation measures in at 3.4 x 1.2 x 0.5 inches. So it's slightly longer and skinnier than its predecessor.
The bigger change is in how you power the stick. So long wall adapter. Now, the Stick can be plugged directly into your TV's USB port for power. That said, if your TV lacks a USB port, a standard USB-C charger should also work.
Amazon also says the new Stick is 30% faster than the older model and comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The processor is listed as a quad-core 1.7 GHz, the same as the previous generation, but the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips appear to be new.
Software updates
It will also come with the redesigned Fire TV interface that launched in February of this year. This is a long overdue change, plus Alexa+ is now built in for owners in the US, Canada and UK. This means you can ask it for show recommendations, to look up actors in movies or TV shows and to control your smart home devices.
Amazon promises an adaptive display accessibility feature will launch in the next few months which will enlarge text, menus and on-screen elements. Multiple size options will be available to help customize the interface as needed too.
The new stick ships on April 20 to customers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand with more regions to come later this year.
More from Tom's Guide
- Amazon is quietly discounting its most popular smart home devices — 29 deals from Blink, Fire TV, Echo and more
- Amazon is abandoning support for all of these older Kindle devices — what it means for you
- Amazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it
