The Fire TV Stick HD has quietly launched along with an adapter, but it's not fully prepared for prime usage.
A Gigabit Ethernet Adapter has just become available for Fire TV, although the new stick won't achieve Gigabit speeds.
Amazon will launch a refreshed Fire TV Stick HD on April 29 for $35. For the first time, this Fire TV Stick is replacing the Micro-USB port with a USB-C port. This change has led to the introduction of a new USB-C Ethernet Adapter priced at $20, and there's an interesting detail hidden in the product description.
It states that it supports speeds "up to 480 Mbps," which means it can technically handle Gigabit speeds. However, there is no Ethernet standard between 100 Mbps and Gigabit; hence, the only way to reach 480 Mbps is through a Gigabit adapter, although Amazon isn't promoting it in that manner.
Why can't the new Fire TV Stick HD achieve full Gigabit Ethernet speeds?
According to AFTV News, even with the USB-C upgrade, the new Fire TV Stick HD is thought to be operating with a USB 2.0 port. USB 2.0 has a maximum speed of 480 Mbps, and considering real-world overhead, the realistic speed is closer to 350 Mbps. Thus, while the adapter is capable of Gigabit speeds, the stick itself limits its performance.
Amazon has not yet released the hardware specifications for this new model, which is both unusual and indicative. The report also implies that the hardware is likely very similar to the six-year-old version it replaces.
Is the new Fire TV Stick HD worth purchasing?
The new stick is Amazon’s thinnest streaming device to date, eliminating the need for a wall plug by drawing power directly from your TV’s USB port. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
However, a significant downside is Vega OS, Amazon’s new Linux-based operating system, which lacks support for sideloading apps. Nevertheless, the Gigabit-capable adapter may become more beneficial with upcoming Fire TV models, such as a new 4K Max, that offer proper USB 3.0 support. For now, users are only utilizing half its potential.
It should be noted that for most streaming purposes, 350 Mbps is generally sufficient. A 4K stream usually requires about 25 Mbps. However, if you’re operating a Plex server or depend on fast local network transfers, you may notice the limitations.
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The Fire TV Stick HD has quietly launched along with an adapter, but it's not fully prepared for prime usage.
Amazon's latest Gigabit Ethernet Adapter appears to be an enhancement for the Fire TV Stick HD, but there's an important hardware detail to consider.