Amazon introduced their latest 4K streaming device with Fire TV (2017) last year. The TV box was based on Amlogic S905Z, supported 4K HDR10, and was launched for $69.99.
The company also had a Fire TV stick that’s limited to 1080p, and they’ve now announced an upgrade – Fire TV Stick 4K – that support 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ thanks to MediaTek MT8695 SoC, and sells for just $49.99 – or $10 more than the 1080p model – with shipping expected to start by the end of the month.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K specifications:
- SoC – Mediatek MT8695 quad core Arm processor @ up to 1.7 GHz with Imagination PowerVR GE8300MP4 GPU supporting OpenGL 3.2 and Vulcan 1.1
- System Memory – 1.5 GB DDR4
- Storage – 8GB flash, no micro SD card
- Video & Audio Output – HDMI 2.0b up to 4K UHD @ 60 Hz with HDCP 2.2, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ support.
- Video Codecs
- 10-bit H.265 up to 4K @ 60 fps (35 Mbps max)
- MPEG-2 up to 1080p60
- H.263, H.264, VP8, MPEG4 up to 1080p30
- VP9 up to TBD (but likely 4K60 + HDR support)
- Audio Features – Dolby Atmos 7.1, Dolby Audio 5.1 pass through via HDMI
- Connectivity – 802.11ac WiFi (i.e. WiFi 5) 2×2 MIMO + Bluetooth 5.0 via MediaTek MT7668, optional 10/100M Ethernet USB adapter
- USB – 1x micro USB 2.0 port
- DRM – Widevine L1/L3, PlayReady 3.0
- Power Supply – External PSU
- Dimensions – 90 x 30 x 14 mm
- Weight – 53.6 grams
The stick runs Fire OS 6 based on Android 7.1 (API level 25), and ships with an “all-new” Alexa Voice Remote, a power adapter, and two AAA batteries.
Via Liliputing, Anandtech, and Amazon Developer Site.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Mediatek probably gave Amazon a hell of a deal since they can combine the margin from wireless and SoC together.
The newly added features of the Amazon 4K Fire Stick are very impressive. The addition of Dolby vision along with the Alexa voice control along with he integrated MediaTek chip at its core makes it a reliable and takes the durability factor up a notch.