Updated Amazon Fire TV Offers 4K, HDR for $69

In the market for a new, budget-friendly 4K-compatible media streamer? Amazon might have what you're looking for. Its next-generation Fire TV supports 4K Ultra HD and High Dynamic Range content, and comes with an Alexa Voice Remote.

Amazon said the device is 40 percent more powerful than its Fire TV Stick; at $69.99, it's also Amazon's "most affordable 4K enabled device ever," the company said.

The new Fire TV is available for pre-order today and is slated to start shipping to US customers on Oct. 25. You can also get 33 percent off when you buy the new Fire TV and Echo Dot together.

On the inside, the new Fire TV has a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of memory, and 8GB of storage. It connects to your TV's HDMI port; just plug it in, connect it to Wi-Fi or directly to your router using an adapter, and start streaming.

Thanks to Alexa, you can use your Fire TV to control your connected home gadgets, play music on your TV, view camera feeds, and a lot more—all with your voice. Plus, starting today, all Fire TV devices and second-generation Fire TV Sticks can display home camera feeds, Amazon announced. Just say "Alexa, show the nursery camera," for instance, to see your little one on the big screen.

The new Fire TV's predecessor earned an "excellent" rating in PCMag's review.

Meanwhile, Apple recently released a 4K-friendly new version of its Apple TV, years after the competition began supporting ultra-high definition content. The $179 Apple TV 4K also earned an "excellent" rating in PCMag's review. "The wait for Apple TV 4K was worth it, especially for those living exclusively in the iOS ecosystem," we concluded.

Amazon today also overhauled its Echo lineup.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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