Amazon Fire TV 2016 with 4K Ultra HD review

Amazon Fire TV Game Controller

Some games are compatible with the included remote control, but the optional Fire TV Game Controller (£34.99, www.amazon.co.uk) makes the Amazon Fire TV makes a much more viable gaming system. The controller is very much modelled on the Xbox 360 controller. The Game Controller also has media controls, so you won’t have to switch to the regular remote control to watch a video. 

The new 4K Ultra HD Amazon Fire TV uses a quad-core CPU with 2GB of RAM, along with a PowerVR GX6250 processor to power games. The Fire TV only has 8GB of internal storage, although there’s a microSD slot to add up to 128GB. Some of the available games are impressive, and there’s a decent variety. Titles such as The Wolf Among Us ran perfectly. The Fire TV also has exclusive access to Flappy Bird Family, a pseudo-sequel to the famously addictive title.

Amazon is commissioning its own exclusive titles for the device, including Sev Zero, a mashup of tower defense and third-person shooting, plus there’s big-name titles such as Minecraft – Pocket Edition. Gaming is a good extra for a streaming device such as this, but the £35 controller does raise the bar to entry somewhat, so we’re not totally convinced it will take off. 

Conclusion

The Amazon Fire TV, like many of Amazon’s other Fire products, feels as if it’s a shop window for Amazon’s products and services. While you can access your own content through apps such as Plex, you’ll benefit most from the Fire TV if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber. The Fire TV comes with a 30 day trial, but you can only use it if you haven’t taken a trial previously, which again feels miserly. The new 4K-capable model is at least exactly the same price as the original, so it’s a nice upgrade.

A year of Amazon Prime, which brings with it access to Prime Instant Video, is currently £79 but also has the added benefit of expedited shipping and the Kindle Lending Library for eBooks. As well as Instant Video, and the ability to rent and buy newer releases, there’s a good range of other content and it’s much improved now that the full roster of UK catch-up services are now available. If you’re a Prime subscriber then Fire TV is a great device, otherwise you should buy the Roku 3.