Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max review: 4 things I like, 1 I don’t after using Amazon device

The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max is a leaps and bounds improvement on previous models, once you use it you won’t go back. In just a couple of weeks it has become my main entertainment system and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. 

I have owned a previous model since around late 2018/ early 2019 and in truth after an initial bit of experimentation it has mostly just sat around and collected dust. So when Amazon sent me the much fancier model, I wasn’t sure if history would repeat itself. 

Instead it has become an integral part of my entertainment set up and if it wasn’t for occasionally needing to switch input modes on the TV, I don’t think I’d ever need to reach for my remote again. The Max comes with lots of bells and whistles, so much so that I feel like I am barely scratching the surface. 

The Amazon Fire Stick TV 4K Max is available for £69.99 from the online retail giant right now. It boasts UHD support, WiFi 6E and plenty more.

After a few weeks using the Fire Stick, here are four things I like about it. As well as one that I have a few gripes about. 

Like: It groups all your streaming apps together 

Instead of having to bounce between sections on my SmartTV or fire up my video game consoles, Amazon Fire Stick’s slick  design just groups them all together. Just a few clicks on the remote and you can jump from Netflix to Now to Disney Plus and so on. 

It makes it feel like a connected ecosystem instead of a bunch of disparate apps, stretched out across the ether. And most importantly of all, with all your apps handily grouped together, it means you aren’t at risk of forgetting which subscriptions you do have. 

Like: Homepage shows you content from beyond Amazon Prime 

When you fire up the Fire Stick (pun not intended), I was surprised to see how the homepage promoted shows and films from other apps, not just Prime Video. Unsurprisingly Amazon’s own programming appears highly, but you can also see what’s popular on, for example, BBC iPlayer and click on a show which takes you straight to the app. 

It makes the Fire Stick feel much more like an ecosystem, a destination for all your entertainment needs. I feel far more inclined to turn straight to the Fire Stick first and stay on it for all my streaming needs. 

Like: Voice search is very neat 

My previous Fire Stick, which is perhaps so ancient it is more like a Fire Twig, did not have the ability to do voice search and that was perhaps the feature I was most excited to try. It did not disappoint, I have used it dozens of times and the results have always been pretty much spot on. 

Sometimes I find that voice search functions can struggle with my accent, which is from the north east, and so I am always prepared for failure before I try it out. But I had no such issues with the Fire Stick one - and I look forward to using it regularly. 

Like: Picture quality is impressive 

Streaming obviously comes with the downside that you can’t always be sure how good the picture quality will be. And that does come down to a variety of factors including what your internet connection is like. 

But when I compared the likes of Netflix and Now TV on my smart tv apps with the versions when using the Fire Stick, it was almost night and day. It really was noticeable how much better the picture was when watching films and shows via the Fire Stick, so much so that it has become my go to option - and not just because it has Discover + for the Olympics. 

Don’t: Leaving screensaver isn’t seamless 

My main gripe in my time with the Fire Stick Max comes from the screensaver. If you pause a show on say Now TV to go and make a cuppa or if you need a bathroom break, the Fire Stick will after a period of time go into a screensaver mode. 

And while these are always beautiful (as well as quite hypnotic), there is a bit of friction that comes with it. Instead of returning you to the program you were watching, it has often bounced me back to the front page of Now, meaning I have to jump through hoops to resume the show. 

Now, I don’t know if this is a function that can be adjusted and I just haven’t found the option - which is a very real possibility. It is better at returning you to paused shows and films on Prime Video. 

I have yet to test out Amazon Luna or the gaming capabilities, but only because I have games that need finishing on my PlayStation first. The box also mentions Wi-Fi 6E capabilities, which I'm pretty sure I don’t have at home so can’t vouch for if that works.  

You can pick up the Amazon Fire Stick TV 4K Max from Amazon’s website by clicking this link here.

Have you bought a Fire Stick recently? What are your thoughts on your experience so far - let us know in the comments below.