Amazon’s lineup of digital media players has never lost its popularity. They are incredibly popular for the price and the contents they are offering. Amazon has been rumored for its new low-cost Firestick model for quite some time. The company has put an end to all the rumors and made the product available for sale along with Fire TV Stick 3rd Gen. Both the devices were released on September 30, 2020. While the Fire TV Stick Lite looks more similar to the original Fire TV Stick, there exist some noticeable differences. Get to know about Firestick Lite in detail beforehand you consider buying it.
Firestick Lite – An Overview
Amazon launched the Fire TV Stick Lite variant on September 30, 2020. It is considered to be the redesigned variant of the standard Fire TV Stick. However, the Lite variant is found to be the most affordable Firestick till date. The device is exclusively designed for the best streaming experiences and thereby comes with an Alexa Voice Remote Lite. It is unlike the original Alexa remote and has many differences. This Lite variant will be replacing the older 2nd gen Fire TV Stick which was launched in 2016.
Firestick Lite – What’s Inside the Box
You will find the following things upon unboxing the Firestick Lite variant.
- Fire TV Stick Lite
- Alexa Voice Remote Lite
- Power Adapter
- USB Cable
- HDMI Extender
- 2 AAA Batteries
Firestick Lite Cost
Amazon has made Fire TV Stick Lite be the most affordable and low-cost media streaming player. It’s price starts from $29.99 and is $10 less than Fire TV Stick and $20 lesser than Fire TV Stick 4K. Of all the Fire devices, the Fire Stick TV Lite is comparatively less in terms of price than all the previous Fire TV models.
Firestick Lite – Design
You will not find any noticeable difference between the new Fire TV Stick Lite and standard Fire TV Stick. Both of them look similar in terms of color, size, and weight. The Lite variant looks like a USB drive with a matte black finish showing the glossy Amazon logo on one side. The other side features the micro USB port that needs to be connected through the USB charging cable to power the device.
Amazon claims that the Lite model Fire TV Stick design has been focused on sustainability. Hence, the device is made of post-consumer recycled plastics from media players and remote cables. This however excludes the power adapter for the ultimate safety of the user. Fire TV Stick Lite is designed to be Climate Pledge Friendly, the first-of-its-kind of Amazon’s media player.
Firestick Lite – Setup
Amazon Firestick Lite doesn’t let you get involved with a much-complicated setup procedure. It is similar to the process of any Firestick setup. All you need is a high-definition TV (that supports streaming 1080p or 720p) with an HDMI port. With this, all you have to do is to plug the Firestick Lite into the HDMI port available at the back of the smart TV. When needed, you shall make use of the HDMI extender that comes with the device to get the best WiFi reception.
So, Firestick Lite will stay hidden and doesn’t mess up with your smart TV power cord and other cables. It’s compact design not only fits well on your TV but is also portable. So, the users can carry it at home and away from home.
Having done these, you shall need to connect the power adapter into the power outlet. Turn it on, connect it to the internet, set up the device by following the on-screen instructions to start streaming content on it.
Specifications
Amazon hasn’t downgraded Firestick Lite by restricting any of the existing features to the latest entry. In other words, you will get everything just like the older Fire TV Stick with Firestick Lite as well.
The device includes 8GB of internal storage and thus you can download loads of apps without having to run out of space. It is a third-generation media player of Firestick and thus has a 1.7GHz quad-core processor. You will get free cloud storage and thus be able to store the digital contents that you purchase from Amazon.
It supports dual-band and dual-antenna WiFi. Thus you will be able to stream at a much faster rate. Also, you will get fewer dropped connections.
It supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy. With this, users of Firestick Lite can connect or pair compatible speakers, game controllers, and more.
Interface
Amazon has revamped the user-interface of Fire TV along with the launch of Fire TV Stick Lite. With this, you can find content and anything more with ease. It even gives you a much more personalized experience when it comes to discovering new content. With the new update, the home screen has been redesigned. You can use the main menu from the center of the screen. Right from the main menu, Fire TV Stick Lite users can access popular features like Live TV, Library, Find, etc. With the Find option, you shall search for content across different streaming services. It supports up to six personalized profiles with each getting its own personalized recommendations.
Contents
Like Fire TV Stick, you will be able to access several hundreds of channels. It includes popular apps like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, HBO, Disney+, and more. Besides this, you can choose to stream from more than 500000 movies and shows. Fire TV Stick Lite supports live TV and thus you can watch live news, sports, and more.
With HDTV, you might be able to watch content in full HD and 720p at 60/50 Hz. Prime Members will get the additional benefits of streaming more content. The video content format you can make use of includes HDR 10, HDR 10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, and Vp9. Apart from streaming videos, users can also listen to music from apps like Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, etc. The audio quality it supports includes Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Atmos.
Performance
As of writing, Fire TV Stick Lite hasn’t started its shipping. So, we are unable to check out its performance. We shall expect the Lite model to perform more similar to Fire TV Stick as both of them feature the same processor. However, Firestick claims it will provide a 50% faster speed at 50% lesser power.
Alexa Voice Remote Lite
Fire TV Stick Lite comes with Alexa Voice Remote Lite with which you can navigate on its user-interface. It is the remote that made the Lite model to be completely rebranded version of the original Firestick. i.e., you will not find volume and power buttons like Alexa Remote. However, it features a Guide button that will show you a live TV guide.
You shall press the microphone button to ask Alexa to search, open, and download content. With your voice, you shall check live camera feeds, control volume, ask for the weather, stream music, and do more on the go.
Pros
- Comparatively less expensive model
- Redesigned UI
- Low Power Mode consumes less power
- Works faster
Cons
- No dedicated power and volume buttons
Our Verdict
According to us, Firestick Lite is a great option to consider if you are about to buy a new media player and thereby cut the cord. It seems to be a low price streaming player than others. If you are satisfied with the Alexa Remote without dedicated power and volume button, then Firestick Lite is all you need.
