Amazon Launches Fire TV Stick HD With Upgraded Features
After unveiling a 4K version of its Fire TV Stick Select at a hardware event last September, Amazon is launching the latest version of its HD dongle today. The Fire TV Stick HD costs $35, comes with Alexa+ built in, and offers the redesigned experience the company previewed at CES in January. It sits at the entry level among Amazon’s streaming sticks and brings meaningful upgrades.
The new dongle is about 30 percent narrower, making it easier to fit into tight spaces or squeeze behind a TV and wall. It ships with a short USB-C cable that has a USB-A head, letting it draw power from a TV USB port instead of a separate wall adapter. In short, the Fire TV Stick HD is optimized for direct power through a TV’s USB port.
If your TV lacks a USB port for direct power, you can still use a USB-C cable with a traditional wall adapter. Given typical TV USB power limits, most standard chargers should work fine to power the device.
The Fire TV Stick HD adds Wi‑Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and Amazon says it’s more than 30 percent faster on average than its predecessor. This speed boost helps the device boot up and open apps more quickly, and the redesigned layout aims to help you find what you want to watch easier.
For Prime Members or Alexa+ subscribers, the stick can offer show recommendations, let you dim lights, and allow you to resume Prime Video from a different room if you have a compatible TV there. The company notes that an Adaptive Display feature is coming in the coming months to improve accessibility.
The Adaptive Display setting will scale content artwork and enlarge text and menus to make the interface easier to read, with multiple size options. This aims to provide a more balanced viewing experience for users with varying visual needs.
As with its predecessors, the Fire TV Stick HD is a straightforward device that brings modern features to older TVs. At $35, it remains a budget-friendly option, though some shoppers may prefer the higher-end 4K Max model if they have the budget to spare.
The Fire TV Stick HD starts shipping on April 29 in the US, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, with more regions to follow later. This quick deployment makes it a simple upgrade for those looking to add a refreshed Fire TV experience to an existing display.
