Amazon has replaced two of its streaming sticks with one new model.
On September 30, 2026, Amazon announced the third-generation Fire TV Stick 4K. It costs $59.99 and started shipping the same day in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Australia. Amazon says more countries follow in late October.
It replaces the Fire TV Stick 4K Select ($49.99) and the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus ($69.99), according to AFTVnews. Amazon's stick lineup is now three tiers: Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The Fire TV Cube stays on sale too.
The new stick is faster and easier to set up. But it also gives up a few things that past 4K sticks had. That makes the choice between it and the 4K Max more important than it used to be.
Key dates
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) announced and shipping | September 30, 2026 |
| $29.99 launch deal (Prime Big Deal Days) | Ended October 7, 2026 |
| New Fire TV Remote sold alone ($14.99) | Ships late October (U.S.) |
| More countries for the new stick | Late October |
| Alexa+ hub on Fire TV 4K Max, Cube and Fire TV TVs | Starts November (U.S.) |
| Alexa+ hub on the new Fire TV Stick 4K | Early 2027 |
| Fire TV Remote Plus | Early 2027 |
Specs side by side
| Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) | Fire TV Stick 4K Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99 | Not stated in Amazon's announcement |
| Operating system | Vega OS | Fire OS (Android-based) |
| Sideloading apps | No | Possible (runs Android-based Fire OS) |
| Processor | Quad-core 1.7GHz (MediaTek MT8698E per AFTVnews) | Not covered in our sources |
| RAM | 1GB (per AFTVnews) | Not covered in our sources |
| Storage | 8GB | 16GB |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 and LE | Not covered in our sources |
| HDR | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Adds Dolby Vision |
| Dolby Atmos | Pass-through only, no Dolby decoding (per AFTVnews) | Yes |
| Video | Up to 4K at 60fps; H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1 | 4K |
| Power | Direct Power from TV USB port | Not covered in our sources |
| Alexa+ hub | Early 2027 | November 2026 |
What's new
It is slimmer and can run off your TV. The new stick has a thinner body, like the Fire TV Stick HD. Amazon calls the feature Direct Power: you plug the included cable into your TV's USB port, and you do not need a wall outlet. How-To Geek points out this is handy in hotels or behind a TV with few outlets.
There is a catch. AFTVnews says the box only has a short 1.3-foot cable. There is no wall adapter and no HDMI extender. If your TV's USB port is weak or far away, you may need to buy those extras.
Amazon says it is faster. Apps launch over 35% faster and shows start playing about 20% faster, according to Amazon. Amazon also says it reaches content 20% to 40% faster than a similarly priced 4K stick from "another leading brand." These are Amazon's own tests. AFTVnews also notes the new stick has 1GB of RAM, which is half of what the outgoing second-gen model had.
It runs Vega OS. This is Amazon's own Linux-based system, not the Android-based Fire OS on older sticks. Amazon says more than 2,000 apps have arrived on Vega OS since its first product, including Spotify, Xbox, VLC and several VPN apps. The big streaming apps are there too. But you cannot sideload Android apps. If you use apps that are not in Amazon's store, this matters.
It drops Dolby Vision. The new stick supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. AFTVnews says it is the first Fire TV 4K stick without Dolby Vision since 2018. It also does not decode Dolby audio itself, it only passes it through over HDMI.
It comes with a new remote. The new Fire TV Remote has a flat top and a rounded, weighted bottom, so you can tell which way you are holding it by feel. The Home button has a metal surface. There is also a custom star button that you can set to open a favorite app or turn on captions. Before, that button was only on the pricier remote. It has TV power, volume and mute buttons, and it works with Fire TV devices from 2019 onward. You can pre-order it alone for $14.99.
Where each one wins
- Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) wins on setup and simplicity. It is small, it can run off the TV, and it should open the main apps quickly. It comes with the new remote in the box.
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max wins on picture, sound and features. It has Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6E and double the storage at 16GB. It still runs Android-based Fire OS, so sideloading works. And it gets the Alexa+ hub in November, months before the new 4K stick.
- Fire TV Stick HD is still the entry option for 1080p TVs. If your TV is not 4K, you do not need either 4K stick.
Check Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) price on Amazon
Which should you buy?
- You just want the main streaming apps on a 4K TV: get the Fire TV Stick 4K (2026). It is the simple, fast option.
- Your TV supports Dolby Vision, or you have a Dolby Atmos soundbar: get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The new 4K stick does not support Dolby Vision.
- You sideload apps or use Kodi-style tools: get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Vega OS cannot sideload.
- You want Alexa+ on your TV soon: get the 4K Max. The new stick gets the Alexa+ hub in early 2027.
- You only need a new remote: the new Fire TV Remote is $14.99 and works with Fire TV devices from 2019 onward.
- Wait: if you missed the $29.99 launch deal, holiday sales may bring the price down again. And if your current 4K stick works well, there is little reason to switch.
Check Fire TV Stick 4K Max price on Amazon
For more on Amazon's other new devices this month, read our Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, 11 and 8 article, or line up devices side by side in our compare tool.
Other tech news this week
- Apple holds its home launch on October 13. Reports say a new HomeView hub, Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are coming. See our Apple October 13 event preview.
- Meta starts shipping Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses on October 13. Read our Ray-Ban Meta Audio vs Gen 3 vs Gen 2 article.
- Microsoft puts the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13 with Snapdragon X2 Plus on sale October 13. Read our Surface Pro 12 and Laptop 13 article.
Sources
- Amazon News: Fire TV launches all-new, faster 4K stick and new remote design
- Amazon News: Alexa+ is making Fire TV smarter
- AFTVnews: Amazon announces new 3rd gen Fire TV Stick 4K running Vega OS
- GSMArena: Amazon unveils faster Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) and a new Fire TV Remote
- How-To Geek: Amazon's redesigned Fire TV Stick 4K draws power from your TV
Image: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) and Fire TV Remote, via Amazon News.
