Is the Fire TV Cube worth it?

It is worth it if you want the fastest Fire TV experience with hands-free Alexa, built-in Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E, at around €159. For most people a Fire TV Stick 4K Max delivers the same picture for half the price, so the Cube mainly suits those who want speed, a far-field mic and a wired port in one box.

What is the difference between the Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick 4K Max?

The Cube is faster, adds hands-free far-field Alexa (no remote needed), a built-in Ethernet port, an HDMI input for set-top boxes and an IR blaster. The 4K Max matches its picture and Wi-Fi 6E in a cheaper stick form. The Cube is for speed and smart-home control; the Max is the value pick.

Does the Fire TV Cube have Ethernet?

Yes. Unlike the Fire TV sticks, the Fire TV Cube has a built-in Ethernet port, so you can wire it directly for the steadiest 4K streaming without an adapter. It also has Wi-Fi 6E, so it is well connected either way, and is a good fit for a main living-room TV.

Can the Fire TV Cube control my TV hands-free?

Yes. The Cube has far-field microphones and an IR blaster, so you can control the TV, volume and playback with your voice from across the room without touching a remote. It can also power on your TV and switch inputs, acting as a hands-free smart-home and entertainment hub.

Is the Fire TV Cube ad-heavy?

Yes, it runs the same Fire OS interface as the sticks, with a home screen that prominently features Amazon content and sponsored placements. You can rearrange app rows, but the promotional home screen is a known Fire OS trade-off compared with the cleaner Google TV or Apple TV interfaces.

Amazon Fire TV Cube Review 2026: The Fastest One Yet?

#	Product	Rating	Price
1	Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)Fastest Fire TV	★ 4.5/5	≈ €159	Check Price

The Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) is the fastest Fire TV device, adding hands-free far-field Alexa, built-in Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E and an HDMI input to the usual 4K HDR streaming — at around €159. It suits people who want speed and voice-controlled smart-home features in one box. But for most viewers the cheaper Fire TV Stick 4K Max delivers the same picture for far less. Here is how the Cube performed in testing.

Amazon Fire TV Cube box with its Alexa remote on a plain white background — The Fire TV Cube — the fastest Fire TV device, tested on a European setup.

We tested the Fire TV Cube per our methodology, on a German account with apps from the German Amazon Appstore, across several evenings of real viewing.

Specifications

Spec	Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Max resolution	4K at 60fps
HDR	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Audio	Dolby Atmos passthrough
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E
Ethernet	Built-in
Extras	Hands-free Alexa, HDMI input, IR blaster
Storage	16 GB
Price (obs. Jul 2026)	≈ €159 (amazon.de)

Beyond the usual 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, the Cube adds built-in Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, far-field voice, and an HDMI input to route a set-top box through it.

Using It: Real-World Performance

The Cube is the quickest Fire TV device we have tested:

Cold boot to home screen: ~22 seconds.
Opening a major streaming app: ~2–3 seconds from the home screen.
Hands-free Alexa: responsive from across the room; controls TV, volume and playback.
Navigation: consistently fast, with no noticeable slowdown over time.

Picture quality matches the best Fire sticks, with correct Dolby Vision on compatible TVs. The built-in Ethernet is welcome for a main TV, and the IR blaster plus HDMI input make it a capable hub. It runs sideloaded apps and IPTV players easily on Fire OS — with the same busy, ad-heavy home screen.

The Fire TV Cube home screen with hands-free Alexa listening indicator — Hands-free Alexa and a fast interface — but the same ad-heavy Fire OS home screen.

Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

Fastest Fire TV device
Hands-free far-field Alexa; IR blaster and HDMI input
Built-in Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E
Full 4K HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Atmos

❌ Cons

Expensive vs a Fire TV Stick 4K Max for the same picture
Ad-heavy, Amazon-centric home screen
Bulkier than a stick
Hands-free mic won't suit privacy-conscious users

Who It's For — and Who Should Skip It

Buy it if you want the fastest Fire TV, hands-free voice control, built-in Ethernet, or an HDMI input to route a set-top box.
Skip it if you just want great 4K streaming cheaply (get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max), prefer a clean interface (the Apple TV 4K or Google TV Streamer), or dislike an always-listening mic.

Price and Where to Buy

As observed in July 2026, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) sells for ≈ €159 on amazon.de. That is roughly double a Fire TV Stick 4K Max for the same picture, so buy it for the speed and hands-free features, not the image. Check the current price before buying.

Check Price on Amazon.de →

Alternatives

Fire TV Stick 4K Max — same picture and Wi-Fi 6E for about half the price.
Apple TV 4K — faster still and cleaner, with strong privacy.
Google TV Streamer 4K — Ethernet and a clean interface for less.
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro — the power box for Plex and local media.

Compare them all in our best streaming devices guide.

Our Verdict

The Fire TV Cube is the fastest, most feature-rich Fire TV device — hands-free Alexa, built-in Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E and an HDMI input in one box. But its picture is no better than a Fire TV Stick 4K Max that costs half as much, so it only makes sense if you specifically want the speed and voice-controlled hub features. For pure streaming value, the Max wins; for a hands-free Fire TV command centre, the Cube is the one. Rating: 4.5/5.

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