Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD is slimmer than ever and has no power adapter

After unveiling a 4K type of its Fire TV Stick Select astatine its hardware arena past September, Amazon is launching nan latest type of its HD dongle today. The Fire TV Stick HD costs $35, comes pinch Alexa+ built successful and offers nan redesigned acquisition that nan institution previewed astatine CES successful January. It mightiness beryllium confusing, considering Amazon makes astatine slightest five different configurations of its streaming stick, but nan exemplary announced coming comes successful astatine nan entry-level and brings immoderate meaningful upgrades.

First, it’s astir 30 percent narrower, according to nan company, which makes it easier to fresh into tight spaces (or to wedge betwixt your TV and wall, perhaps). It comes pinch a short USB-C cablegram pinch a USB-A caput that plugs into 1 of nan USB ports connected your TV, allowing it to tie powerfulness without nan typically longer cables that would link to wall adapters. To quote nan company, nan caller Fire TV Stick HD is “optimized for Direct Power done a TV’s USB port, truthful it fits much neatly down a TV without requiring a abstracted powerfulness adapter.”

But if your TV doesn’t person a USB larboard for that, you tin still usage a USB-C cablegram pinch a accepted wall adapter to powerfulness nan caller Fire TV Stick HD. Given really small powerfulness nan USB ports connected a TV provide, it's apt immoderate aged charger will do.

The caller dongle besides comes pinch different improvements for illustration support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and Amazon says it’s “more than 30 percent faster connected average” compared to its predecessor, “which intends it turns connected and opens apps much quickly.” That, together pinch nan redesigned layout, should make it easier to find what you want to watch.

And if you’re a Prime Member aliases subscribed to Alexa+, you tin besides inquire nan adjunct for show recommendations, dim your lights aliases prime up wherever you near disconnected connected a Prime video successful a different room, if you person a compatible TV group successful there.

Amazon besides said that “in nan coming months,” it will adhd a “new Adaptive Display mounting to nan Fire TV Stick HD.” This is expected to beryllium an accessibility characteristic that makes onscreen elements for illustration words, menus and images easier to see. The institution said that it would proportionally standard contented artwork while enlarging matter and menus, truthful nan wide acquisition is “more balanced.” Multiple size options will beryllium available.

Like its predecessors, nan Fire TV Stick HD is simply a beautiful straightforward instrumentality that brings modern features to older TVs. At $35, it’s a comparatively budget-friendly price, though we urge springing for nan 4K Max exemplary if you person a spot much to spare. If not, nan caller Fire TV Stick HD will commencement shipping connected April 29 to those successful nan US, nan UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, pinch much regions coming later.