Amazon is giving its Fire TV range a refresh, and this time the remote is getting one of the more noticeable changes.
The new Fire TV Stick 4K is claimed to get users from powering on to watching content nearly 20–40% faster than a similarly priced 4K streaming stick from another leading brand. Amazon says apps launch over 35% faster, while content starts playing nearly 20% faster.
The stick itself gets a slimmer design, along with Direct Power, which lets you run it from a TV’s USB port using the included cable. Inside, there’s 8GB of storage, a quad-core 1.7GHz processor, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth Low Energy. It supports 4K output at up to 60fps, alongside HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9 and AV1.
It runs Amazon’s Vega OS and comes with Alexa+ and the new Fire TV experience built in. Amazon says more than 2,000 apps have been added to Vega OS since its launch, including Spotify, Xbox, VLC and various VPNs, alongside Netflix, Disney+, YouTube and Prime Video.
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The more interesting change, though, might be sitting beside the TV. The redesigned Fire TV Remote has an asymmetric shape, with a flat top and curved, weighted bottom, making it easier to tell which way you’re holding it without looking.
The buttons have also been given different shapes and textures. The home button gets its own metal surface, while other controls are indented or distinctly shaped so they can be located by touch. There’s also a customizable star button, previously reserved for Amazon’s more premium remote, which can launch an app or toggle settings such as closed captions.
The new Fire TV Stick 4K costs £46.99/$59.99 and starts shipping today in the US, UK and several other markets. The standalone Fire TV Remote is available to preorder for $14.99 in the US and ships in late October, with UK availability TBC.
Amazon is also planning a Fire TV Remote Plus for early 2027, with aluminium housing, backlit buttons and a Find My Remote feature.
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