2022 Amazon Fire TV Cube with Voice Remote Review

Pushing buttons is so 1997… if you want a great TV experience today, you need to be able to talk to your TV… like with the new 3rd generation 2022 Amazon Fire TV Cube with Alexa built in.

The video streaming market is so saturated, companies are doing all they can to make their streamers stand out. For Amazon, it differentiated its Fire TV products with one very distinguishing feature—Alexa. The 2022 4K Amazon Fire TV Cube combines an Amazon Echo and a Fire TV in one single device, and it’s ready for higher resolution 4K TVs and streaming. You can use your voice to launch TV shows, play music, check on the weather or turn the TV on and off, control cable boxes, and even soundbars. You can even use the Alexa digital assistant functions when the TV is off. In this review, I’ll take a look at the new 2022 Fire TV Cube, the features, what it does well and whether it’s a good pick overall.

Why buy a streaming device when TVs are smart?

Let’s get something out of the way first…

Back when streaming launched there were only two players; Netflix, and YouTube. Now there’s as many streaming services as there were channels. You can access most of them on a smart TV, right, so what’s the point of an external streaming device like the 2022 Fire TV Cube? To cut to the chase there’s three solid reasons you might want a streaming device:

• Adopting one streaming TV platform means you get the same familiar user interface on every screen.
• Replacing or upgrading a streaming device for faster speeds or better resolution is cheaper than buying a new TV.
• A streaming device like Fire TV Cube will work on nearly any TV, old or new, smart of dumb.
• Having your own streaming device that you can bring with you lets you stay signed into to accounts and streaming channels, meaning you don’t need to sign in on other TVs, if you’re traveling, for example.
• And when a streaming device is combined with other features, like a built in digital assistant it may become even more valuable.

What’s new on 2022 Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen?

While the design is largely the same, the most noticeable change is that the new Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen is now fabric wrapped, where the previous one I got to test was all shiny plastic.

The most significant changes are under the hood… There’s a new octa-core 2.0 GHz processor, which Amazon says makes this Cube its fastest streaming media player ever; 20% more powerful vs. 2nd gen Fire TV Cube. The upgraded processor should improve app launch speeds.

Inside the Cube is now improved Wi-Fi 6E support for smoother streaming. Wi-Fi 6 is a new industry standard that allows better connections and data transfers with less interference from other Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the home.

There’s also some new connection options in the back…

Amazon added an HDMI Input Port, making this the first streaming media player in the industry with an HDMI input. This will let you connect and control other entertainment devices with just your voice. There’s also a USB-A 2.0 for added storage, and Ethernet port 10/100 Mbps for wired access.

The final upgrade is Super Resolution Upscaling – which provides enhanced picture quality by seamlessly converting HD content into 4K for greater detail, contrast, and clarity.

There’s also ASHA Support – Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) supports Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA), allowing you to directly connect compatible Bluetooth hearing aids.

The new Fire TV Cube also comes with the new Alexa Voice Remote Pro.

What’s in the Box?

There’s plenty to unpack in this television kit. Inside the box you’ll get the grapefruit sized, but cube-shaped Fire TV Cube. There’s a power cord, and a small Alexa Voice Remote Pro. Oh yeah, and the batteries are also included!

What do you get with Amazon’s Alexa Voice Remote Pro?

The new voice remote pro is a handy gadget so you don’t need to always be digging for your phone. The remote has some convenient features that make it a little more valuable than the average remote.

• Remote Finder Feature – Simply say, “Alexa, find my remote” or use the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app, and Alexa Voice Remote Pro’s built-in speaker will emit an audible ring to attract your attention.
• Customizable Buttons – You can personalize your remote by programming two customizable buttons to create one-touch shortcuts to favorite apps, channels, and anything Alexa can do.
• Backlighting – Motion-activated backlighting automatically illuminates the buttons when the remote is picked up in low-light settings.
• Dedicated Headphone Button – A new shortcut to the on-screen Bluetooth menu that lets you pair your wireless headphones fast.
• Integrated TV Controls – Control power, volume, plus surf live TV with dedicated channel buttons all from one remote.
  Press and Ask Alexa – Use your voice to find your shows, open apps, manage volume, and control compatible smart home devices.

Set up

Set up was simple. Once you get everything plugged everything in and powered up, just switch your TV’s input to the HDMI input where you’ve connected the Cube. Once there you’ll see the instructions for how to get your Cube online. Fire TV Cube will start searching for its included remote right away. Once it finds it, you’ll touch the home button on the remote to connect it then follow the steps on screen.

Channel availability

It’s actually very pleasing to see several Canadian channel options on this device. On Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen, there’s Netflix and YouTube, plus Apple TVCrave, Bell fibe TV, Global, CTV, and CBC Gem. You can also add sports channels, and music streaming apps too. The device will add all of your chosen channels or apps to your home screen.

I also got access to my Audible library which was a great surprise and a nice added feature.

Watching TV with Fire TV Cube

One of the first things I noticed is that the interface is pretty quick. Particularly noticeable when clicking around the home screen interface, there’s zero lag and things seem to load quickly.

Accessing Alexa on the Fire TV Cube is easy in one of two ways; push the Alexa button on the remote control, just say “Alexa” then make your request.

It’s convenient having Alexa in the TV, since it means I don’t need a seperate Echo device in that room.

Overall review: 2022 Fire TV Cube

Overall, If you already have a Fire TV Cube, you probably don’t need to upgrade, but if you’re looking for a new streaming device, this is a pretty powerful package.

The Fire TV Cube is easy to set up and it operates easily with your voice or the included Alexa remote. I absolutely LOVE controlling this TV with my voice. In the kitchen where I’m usually cooking, being able to call out commands to load up shows is a huge help.

You get a tonne of streaming channels including Netflix, YouTube and lots of CanCon.

A big downside? The Fire TV is quite big and bulky and would definitely not be an ideal solution for a wall mounted TV that has no furniture under it. Also, because you need to keep the Cube in line of sight for the remote to work, that’s also a consideration.

Even so, I can definitely recommend the 3rd gen Fire TV Cube if you’re looking for a reliable, powerful 4K streaming device with lots of content options.

The 3rd Gen Fire TV Cube with Alexa Voice Remote Pro sells for about $235 CAD, or pick up the Fire TV Cube with regular remote for $189CAD

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