Amazon launched its first Hearth TV Stick in India in 2017. Again then, good TVs had been costly, fewer manufacturers had been manufacturing them, and the proliferation of over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms was comparatively low. In such a market, a streaming gadget that may be plugged into any tv with an HDMI port to entry not solely streaming apps but in addition video games was a profitable proposition.

Issues, nonetheless, have modified considerably in 2024. On the one hand, OTT platforms have massively grown in quantity and provide a variety of unique content material. Alternatively, good TVs have turn out to be comparatively cheaper, and lots of new manufacturers have entered the market, making them extra accessible to the plenty. As per a report by the Web in India Report 2023, performed by the Web and Cell Affiliation of India (IAMAI) and Kantar, an enormous 707 million customers in India interact with OTT platforms. The whole variety of streaming platforms has additionally grown to 57, in keeping with the Ministry of Info and Broadcasting.

In circumstances like these, the place it will seem that the usefulness of a third-party streaming gadget is likely to be lowered, Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K made its debut. Priced at Rs. 5,999, the gadget helps 4K decision content material (2160p) together with HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and extra. It additionally provides all the Amazon Appstore library with greater than 12,000 apps.

For the final fortnight, I’ve been utilizing the streaming gadget to seek out out whether or not what it provides is sufficient to make it related at a time when it faces competitors not solely from different streaming gadgets but in addition from the rising variety of good TVs that provide the identical expertise built-in throughout the tv. So, let’s get all the way down to the brass tacks.

Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K Design and Distant

The fundamental design from the primary era of the Hearth TV Stick has but to see many upgrades over time, and the Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K continues the custom. You get the identical matte black rectangular gadget (which now will get curved edges) with the Hearth TV brand on the highest and an HDMI port on the entrance. If the HDMI port would not simply plug in, an HDMI extender provides you that further little bit of flexibility.

The brand new Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K distant

On the aspect, there’s a Micro-USB port for energy. Some TVs may be capable to energy the gadget utilizing the USB port if it supplies sufficient energy. Mine couldn’t, so the charger within the field got here in helpful, and I used to be in a position to energy it by plugging it into an influence supply.

The distant has additionally seen minor enhancements in comparison with the earlier Hearth Stick 4K that got here out in 2019. It now options devoted app buttons for Prime Video, Netflix, and Amazon Music. A fourth button instantly takes you to the put in apps. A dwell TV button and a devoted Alexa button change the older voice management button. The performance stays the identical; nonetheless, I discovered Alexa rather more succesful.

Within the earlier assessment, Devices 360 discovered that if the searched content material was not from Prime Video, the digital assistant would solely pop up the app at finest. Nonetheless, now, it could possibly carry up the title card from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Jio Cinema, and YouTube (these had been the apps I steadily used). Other than that, the remainder of the distant is fairly customary.

When it comes to set up and utilization, Hearth TV could be very straightforward to make use of. The set up course of, together with all of the OS-based updates, took me about quarter-hour. All you need to do is plug it into your TV, join the facility supply, and observe the directions on the display screen. It’s a gadget that’s meant to be plugged in and forgotten.

Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K Interface

Operating on the Hearth OS, the person interface just isn’t drastically totally different from the usual Android TV expertise. You get the identical tile-based structure and horizontal scrolling interface showcasing exhibits, motion pictures, and apps. There are House, Discover, and Stay TV sections and an easy-to-access app library. The Settings icon can also be positioned conveniently on high, and for the reason that distant doesn’t have a Settings button, its placement helps change round stuff.

Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K interface

Amazon additionally has advice algorithm that implies content material from totally different OTT platforms, even if in case you have not put in them. You will note not too long ago watched exhibits, suggestions from Netflix, free motion pictures and TV programmes, and genre-wise classes. Nonetheless, being an Amazon product, there’s a bias for its content material. For instance, solely the Prime Video content material is labelled 4K on the house display screen. For all the pieces else, you’ll have to click on on the content material’s tile and test the main points.

You may as well instantly soar to Prime Video content material from the advice part on the house display screen, however for every other app, you may encounter an outline display screen first. Additionally, Prime Video dominates the highest half of the web page the place featured content material is proven.

Nonetheless, I didn’t discover any of it an inconvenience since I watch a good bit of exhibits and films on Prime Video. The combination helped me uncover newer content material to observe and allowed me to play it shortly. Those that should not followers of the Prime Video library is likely to be higher served by Mi TV Stick or the default Android TV/Google TV.

General, the interface is snappy, responsive, and fairly dependable over prolonged utilization. I hardly ever encountered any glitches or points.

Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K Efficiency

Now, let’s get to the efficiency. On paper, that is probably the most highly effective streaming gadget by Amazon accessible in India. It helps as much as Wi-Fi 6 (each 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands) and Bluetooth 5.0. It additionally will get as much as HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and Dolby Atmos audio assist to pair with the 4K Extremely-HD video high quality assist. The gadget provides an inbuilt storage of 8GB.

IPL 2024 finale utilizing Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K

I’ve been utilizing this gadget for greater than two weeks on my Redmi Hearth TV and have been happy with its constant efficiency. Whether or not I used to be catching up on episodes of Shogun, having fun with the comedy-drama Laapataa Girls, or binge-watching Spy x Household anime, the video high quality was crisp and vivid, and the lighter and darker areas may very well be distinguished very simply. Even the darker scenes had been well-lit and made for pleasant viewing. Surprisingly, the OS efficiency of the Hearth TV Stick 4K was snappier than my inbuilt Hearth OS.

Nonetheless, notice that 4K video assist would require quicker web connectivity, and the video stream could battle if the connection just isn’t steady or gradual. Additional, the general video high quality is determined by the TV you are utilizing. It goes with out saying {that a} premium TV with 4K assist will current higher visuals than a TV with out it.

Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K Verdict

As said above, my aim with this assessment was to grasp if the Amazon Hearth TV Stick 4K actually provides sufficient to make the gadget a related and needed buy. After utilizing it extensively, my reply is a powerful sure.

Even in a world the place good TVs may be discovered for lower than Rs. 15,000, they aren’t all constructed equally. Some have poor reminiscence, whereas others are affected by sub-par OS expertise. With many individuals nonetheless utilizing TVs with old-smarts and no-smarts, Amazon’s streaming gadget fills the hole of needing to interchange dependable tv {hardware} for software program deficiencies.

The Hearth TV Stick 4K provides strong efficiency with its OS interface, efficiency, and film high quality. However much more than that, what it really provides is reliability. Whereas I’ve skilled glitches with my Redmi good TV and even my dad and mom’ Sony Bravia, I by no means confronted even a small situation with it. From navigating throughout totally different apps to watching exhibits and films, the expertise was seamless. A great streaming gadget, in my view, ought to be unnoticeable when watching the TV, and the Hearth TV Stick 4K did precisely that.

If you don’t personal a sensible TV or are battling a few-year-old good TV that has began slowing down, the Hearth TV Stick may very well be a great way to increase the TV’s life with out compromising the viewing expertise.