Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Hands on: Amazon’s Fire TV stick is slick, speedy and super-affordable

By Caleb Denison November 18, 2014

hands amazons fire tv stick slick speedy super affordable amazon on — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Amazon’s Fire TV stick starts shipping on November 19, and we got our hands on one for an early look at what promises to be one of the hottest gift items this holiday season. At just $40, the Fire TV Stick undercuts the Roku Streaming Stick in price, but puts it to shame when it comes to hardware specs. Frankly, when the Fire TV Stick was first announced, we thought it sounded a little too good to be true, but we’re happy to report now that we were wrong about that. Check out the video below to see it in action.

Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick, which is a bit sluggish compared to its full-sized streaming set-top box brethren, the Amazon Fire TV stick is quick to respond to commands, and any differences in app/content loading times are so minute, we’ll need a stopwatch to chart them. Its interface is identical to the Fire TV Box, and its functionality is very similar, too. At this point, it seems the only real advantage to using an Amazon Fire TV box would be its Ethernet connection for faster HD video throughput, and its faster processor for smoother gaming.

We’ll be pitting the Fire TV Stick against the Fire TV box and, separately, the Roku Streaming Stick and Chromecast soon. We’ll also have our full review of the Fire TV Stick shortly, so visit back tomorrow for a more in-depth look at Amazon’s latest effort to garner your affection for its special brand of streaming movies, TV shows, games, and music.

You can order an Amazon Fire TV Stick now, but it is not expected to ship until January 15 2015.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Amazon
Roku

Editor at Large

Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

Entertainment

Philo: everything to know about the live TV streaming service

Philo home page.

Are you considering cutting the cord on your cable TV to save some cash? With the rise of streaming services, it seems like that may not be as cost-effective as it once was. These days, you can find many channels on streaming platforms that could cost you as much as your cable subscription and internet service.

Do you need all those channels? Philo, a TV streaming service, begs to differ. It competes with TV streaming options like Sling TV and provides a more budget-friendly choice without sacrificing access to live television.

Audio / Video

Sling TV adds arcade games on Fire TV and Android TV

Sling Arcade on Sling TV.

If you've ever been watching live TV and thought to yourself, "What I'd really like to do right now, as I'm watching a basketball game, is also play some Tetris," Sling TV now has you covered. Enter Sling Arcade.

As the name implies, Sling Arcade is a smattering of arcade-style games (ask your parents, kids) that are not only available in the Sling TV app as a standalone feature, but you also can play multiview style, with the game you're playing side by side with whatever you're watching. Or if you want to play full-screen, just hit the "Arcade" playlist on the Sling TV app home screen.

Audio / Video

How to add new a profile to Amazon Fire TV

The Continue Watching row on the Amazon Fire TV home screen.

Amazon Fire TV devices, such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, are among the best streaming devices you can buy. They offer a wide range of entertainment options such as the ability to watch your favorite TV shows and movies, play video games, and use apps. To cater to everyone's preferences in your household, the Fire TV comes with a profiles feature.

This feature enables you to personalize your Fire TV experience for each user on the device. With profiles, each user has the ability to add content to their watchlist, keep track of their watch progress and history, view unique recommendations, and more.