Amazon Fire TV Cube Review 2020: Everything you need to know

What is the Amazon Fire TV Cube? 

Amazon has squeezed its Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device and its Echo Dot smart speaker technology into a smooth black Cube, all powered by Alexa voice-activated controls.  It’s a unique, hands-free experience that not only gives users access to TV channels and endless hours of movies but also allows them to connect soundbars, satellite boxes, lights, and locks to a single, voice-activated system.

Launched in 2019, the latest version of the Amazon Fire TV Cube lets users stream sharp, 4K Ultra High Definition video with Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+.  It’s speedier than Amazon’s first-generation Cube, and its Alexa controls can better drill down into content to pull up the shows you want to watch. Thanks to the eight far-field microphones embedded in the Amazon Cube, you can use voice commands to search for content and operate smart devices throughout your home. 

How much does the Amazon Fire TV Cube cost?

The Amazon Fire TV Cube costs $119.99 on Amazon.com. The price may vary if you buy it from other major retailers such as Best Buy.  Just over 60% of the nearly 8,000 customers to review the Amazon Fire TV Cube on Amazon.com gave it 5 out of 5 stars. 

Amazon Fire TV Cube at a glance

 

 Amazon Fire TV Cube
Device styleStand-alone
Size86.1 mm x 86.1 mm x 76.9 mm
Voice remoteYes
Voice assistantAlexa
Streaming quality4K Ultra HD

Amazon Fire TV Cube streaming services and apps

Using the Amazon Fire TV Cube, users can access a whopping 500,000+ movies and TV episodes as well as surf the net through Firefox and Amazon’s Silk browser.

Amazon’s Fire TV Cube offers all the big-name content providers, including Apple TV, Netflix, Spotify, and Starz, alongside its own extensive movie and music collection.

Free streaming is available via providers such as IMDB TV and Pluto TV, but as with the Amazon’s other TV streaming devices, you’ll need a raft of subscriptions to view much of the top-ranking content.  

Amazon Prime

Subscribers to Amazon Prime ($12.99/mo.), can use the Fire TV Cube to access Prime Video.

Amazon’s Prime Video is also available separately for $8.99/mo., which covers over 100 TV channels. It also includes thousands of movies and Amazon Original productions such as Homecoming and The Big Sick.

Amazon Prime members can also use the Fire TV Cube to stream millions of songs through Amazon Music. Any digital content bought via Amazon is eligible for free cloud storage.

Netflix

Plans start at $8.99/mo. for Netflix’s basic package, which allows subscribers to watch the service on just 1 screen at a time. Its premium, $15.99/mo. plan features with 4 simultaneous streams and UDH video quality. 

Movies, documentaries, and TV series are available to all Netflix subscribers, along with original films such as The Two Popes and original shows like Orange Is the New Black, Mindhunter, and The Umbrella Academy. 

Hulu: Hulu’s basic plan costs $5.99/mo. Its ad-free option comes in at $11.99/mo. A subscription for its No Ad Live TV plan is $60.99/mo. All of Hulu’s options give subscribers access to its on-demand content, which includes thousands of movies and shows such as Outlander, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Hulu’s live TV plans include news channels such as CBS, FOX News, and NBC. The service also offers sports programming from CBS Sports Network and ESPN.

HBO

 An HBO subscription costs $14.99 /mo. It offers original content such as Westworld and classic shows, including Sex and the City and The Sopranos.

Sling TV

The Sling TV cable replacement service provides live TV streaming, plus over 4,000 movies and TV episodes. Its Orange plan costs $30/mo. and includes over 30 channels like Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and CNN. Sling’s Blue plan, also $30/mo., offers over 45 channels, including MSNBC, TNT, and Vice. A plan combining both the Orange and Blue packages costs $45/mo.

Amazon Fire TV Cube features

4K

Amazon’s latest Fire TV Cube features 4K Ultra High Definition, Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+ technology. The sleek black plastic Cube relies on a powerful Hexa-core processor and comes with 16 GB of storage.

Ports

Connecting to an HDMI port at the back of compatible televisions, the Cube uses dual-antenna Wi-Fi and also has an ethernet cable that plugs straight into your router.

Alexa Voice Control

A narrow, electric blue bar lights up when Alexa is activated through the Amazon TV Cube, which also offers users high-quality Dolby Atmos surround sound. The Cube can be linked to a wide range of infrared-enabled devices such as soundbars, lights, and locks, and is compatible with most popular brands.

Parental Controls

Parents can add a PIN to set restrictions on the channels and content children can watch through the Cube, which also comes with a remote control.

VoiceView

VoiceView, Amazon’s screen reader function, is built in to help visually impaired users by verbally describing what’s on the screen. Audio descriptions are available for some movies and TV channels. Closed captioning is also available on some programming.

The final cut

You’re paying for convenience with the Cube, which costs more than buying both an Amazon Echo Dot and a Fire TV Stick. The big attraction is the ease of having a single, voice-activated device that can be extended to soundbars and even lights to create a smart-home environment.

With endless content via providers such as Hulu, Sling TV, and Netflix, it’s an entertainment-packed, user-friendly addition to the ever-growing Amazon family, that’s arguably worth more than the sum of its parts.

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