Amazon Hearth TV Dice (third gen) assessment: One field to rule all of them?

Amazon’s The Rings of Energy is an bold collection. It units out to cowl a number of floor, bouncing between the Harfoots, the arrival of Orcs within the Southlands, and the creation of the rings themselves, highlighting every storyline with various levels of success (sorry, Harfoots). Whereas we’re not right here to speak about big-budget tv, there are parallels between The Rings of Energy and Amazon’s top-tier streaming device for 2022, the Hearth TV Dice (third gen). Can the costly streamer stability its strengths as each a Hearth TV hub and Echo speaker evenly? Discover out in our Amazon Hearth TV Dice (third gen) assessment.

• Amazon Hearth TV Dice (2GB RAM, 16GB): $139 / £139 / €159 / CA$189

The third-generation Hearth TV Dice — the “all-new Hearth TV Dice,” as Amazon calls it — arrived in October 2022 as the brand new flagship of the Hearth TV fleet. It’s touted as essentially the most highly effective Hearth TV participant but, including Wi-Fi 6E (when you have a suitable router) and a beefed-up octa-core processor to the combo. It packs 4K streaming with suitable companies and TVs, supporting HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in addition to the more and more fashionable AV1 codec. Many of the Hearth TV Dice (third gen)’s specs maintain regular from the final technology with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage proper out of the field, although the latter is double the storage of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Amazon has additionally packed in a quicker octa-core processor in comparison with the second-generation Hearth TV Dice, which it claims offers a 20% efficiency enhance.

When you’ll most likely discover the interior upgrades extra over the lifetime of the Dice moderately than instantly, the exterior tweaks are simply as essential and way more apparent. The shiny black end is gone in favor of a soft-touch material that matches the remainder of the Echo fashions, however it retains the acquainted blue bar for when Alexa is energetic. Transferring to the again of the field, the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) has two further ports to work with. It now packs an ethernet jack and an HDMI in port, and the micro-USB port has been swapped for USB-A 2.0. The updates are joined by the usual energy outlet, HDMI out port, and IR extender, although the final one isn’t a lot good with out Amazon’s suitable cable ($15).

Amazon’s costliest streaming gadget now prices $140, a rise of $20, however it nonetheless comes with the essential Alexa Voice Distant. It’s barely completely different than the distant included with the Hearth TV Stick 4K Max, with a brand new settings button and a button in your current apps, however it skips programmable buttons and backlighting. If you need these and different options, you’ll need to shell out for the Alexa Voice Distant Professional ($35) individually or in a bundle. The included distant does assist HDMI-CEC, which implies it could actually take the place of your earlier distant and management capabilities like energy and quantity.

You’ll want to join or log into an Amazon account whenever you arrange the Hearth TV Dice, although you don’t essentially want a Prime subscription. Nevertheless, Amazon places its unique programming and Prime Video choices above all else, and the distant has devoted buttons for Prime Video and Amazon Music.

As you possibly can most likely guess, one of the best place to purchase the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) is from Amazon in North America, Europe, and different international markets. The field contains the Dice itself, the distant, an influence cable, and a few fundamental paperwork, however you’ll have to supply your personal HDMI cable.

When you’re not a devoted Prime subscriber, you is likely to be enticed by just a few alternate options from the broader streaming gadget market. The Chromecast with Google TV presents extra flexibility amongst Android gadgets at a a lot cheaper price, whereas the Apple TV 4K (third gen) delivers a tailor-made iOS expertise with further storage at an identical value. Nvidia’s Defend TV Professional is dearer, however it provides two USB 3.0 ports and gigabit ethernet to the combo, with a powerful observe document of software program updates.

It took Celebrimbor just a few tries to create the fabled rings of energy (sure, I’ve been having fun with the present — are you able to inform?), and it’s taken Amazon simply as many to nail the Hearth TV Dice’s design. The change from shiny, fingerprint-loving plastic to material goes a great distance in unifying the Dice with its Echo siblings and making it extra presentable. It now blends in on my TV shelf as an alternative of reflecting glare from lamps and different lights. Certain, you could possibly disguise it in a cupboard and use the non-compulsory IR extender as an alternative, however which means an additional cable and additional value related to an already costly gadget. However, it’s nice to have the choice for those who wish to hold your tech out of sight.

Whereas the Hearth TV Dice’s new ports may not be the newest or the best, they make life a lot simpler total. The HDMI enter means that you can join a cable field, gaming console, and even one other streaming gadget, all whereas holding an Alexa overlay on the UI in order for you. You may then swap backwards and forwards with a easy Alexa command, eliminating the necessity to fumble for a distant. And whenever you do use the distant, communication between the Hearth TV Dice and one other gadget will now be dealt with by the far smarter HDMI enter, not infrared, which permits for extra granular interactivity. It’s not excellent: Some avid gamers may bemoan the HDMI port’s 60Hz passthrough restrict because it’ll restrict the framerate in sure video games, however that gained’t matter for lots of oldsters. Most video games will nonetheless look and carry out simply high-quality, and also you gained’t discover for those who’re connecting a cable field.

The devoted ethernet and USB-A ports additionally set us free from one of many weirder dongles we’ve seen — the outdated micro-USB to Ethernet and micro-USB splitter. Amazon’s ethernet strategy doesn’t supply gigabit speeds, however it’s a ok possibility for those who haven’t upgraded to a Wi-Fi 6E router. In case you have the newest Wi-Fi {hardware} in your house, I like to recommend utilizing it as an alternative, however it’s good to have built-in choices for improved stability. It will’ve been good to see microSD growth, however USB-A stays higher than the earlier micro-USB, as you possibly can simply mount exterior arduous drives (or perhaps a webcam for Skype/Alexa Drop In video calls) with out the necessity for an adapter.

Amazon’s Hearth TV Dice (third gen) presents a fundamental type of upscaling, which might enhance 1080p content material to 4K in most conditions. It’s not as superior because the Nvidia Defend TV’s strategy with its adjustable sharpness, however it ought to hold some life in your favourite reveals as 4K turns into extra prevalent — so long as you have got a pointy sufficient TV. In the meantime, AV1 codec support ought to assist with even hazier video high quality in outdated YouTube movies and the like.

I had no issues plugging in and organising the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) as soon as I spotted I must present my very own HDMI cable. Essentially the most difficult elements of the setup are typing your Amazon and Wi-Fi logins with the distant, however restoring from a earlier Hearth TV gadget can prevent time discovering your earlier apps. I selected to revive from my Hearth TV Stick 4K Max and left it to run by means of the downloads whereas I went about the remainder of my day.

Generally I’ll brush off the upgraded processor in a streaming gadget, as they typically supply incremental boosts. Nevertheless, the Amazon Hearth TV Dice’s new octa-core setup does ship a bit extra kick. You gained’t discover them when shopping apps or menus, however they cut back lag for those who soar into stay video from one other app. Which means you could possibly be watching a soccer matchup, bounce over to Netflix for just a few hours when it ends, after which come again to the identical channel for the subsequent sport such as you by no means left. I seen this characteristic would generally lag on the Hearth TV Stick 4K Max, however it’s a lot smoother on the third-generation Hearth TV Dice.

After all, the Hearth TV Dice’s headline draw is the truth that it doubles as a Hearth TV and an Echo speaker. Which means entry to Alexa with the large, blue button on the Voice Distant or fully hands-free. I’m lazy after I watch TV, so I like the hands-free possibility, however it’s much more essential to notice that the hands-free instructions nonetheless work along with your TV turned off due to the built-in audio system. You may also use voice instructions to regulate different Alexa-enabled gadgets, making the Hearth TV Dice a useful central hub in your good dwelling, for those who want it to be one.

The Hearth TV Dice’s microphones and audio system are ok that you just may end up skipping the distant greater than anticipated. I requested questions in regards to the climate and this week’s slate of NFL video games whereas loudly streaming a World Cup match or from one other room in my residence and obtained clear, correct responses.

See additionally: The best streaming apps for Fire TV

It’s troublesome to search out out-and-out deal breakers on the Hearth TV Dice (third gen), however there are nonetheless some head-scratching options, particularly given the excessive price ticket. For starters, the additional ports add options however shrink back from premium speeds. The ethernet port is able to 10/100Mbps, and the USB-A port is on the two.0 customary as an alternative of three.0, which is ten occasions quicker. Quicker ethernet and USB ports (or a USB-C port as an alternative of USB-A) would have supplied extra future-proofing, although the present requirements are nonetheless usable.

What’s extra of a letdown, nonetheless, is that the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) doesn’t supply assist for both Google Solid or Apple AirPlay. It does assist the sideloading of Android apps for those who’re ready to leap by means of some hoops, however the two hottest strategies of beaming content material instantly out of your telephone will not be out there with Amazon’s costliest streamer. It does assist Miracast and Intel’s Wi-fi Show (“WiDi”) casting, however these are far much less ubiquitous.

Rising costs have grow to be a reality of life, and the Hearth TV Dice isn’t any exception. The third technology is available in $20 dearer than the earlier mannequin, however I’m undecided it presents sufficient worth. Quicker Wi-Fi and built-in ports are good, however rivals just like the Apple TV 4K and Nvidia Defend toss of their premium remotes at no further value for the same value. Whereas it’d be nice to get the motion-sensing backlighting and misplaced distant options, all I really need from the Voice Distant Professional is the programmable buttons. There are 4 hotkeys on the common distant, however there’s at the moment no strategy to change their capabilities. When you don’t subscribe to one of many 4 companies, it simply turns into lifeless house. Nevertheless, including the $35 Voice Distant Professional pushes the Hearth TV Dice’s already steep asking value even greater.

Constructing off of the elevated value, the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) stays laden with adverts. It’s been toned down from earlier generations, however I’d wish to see Amazon comply with the YouTube Premium strategy of paring again the adverts for many who pay for Prime. Jeff Bezos will get his cash a technique or one other, however it looks as if the $139 price ticket (once more, not together with the Distant Professional, both) and an Amazon Prime membership must be fee sufficient. Because it stands, sponsored content material takes up two of the primary three rows whenever you flip in your TV, and the Prime membership doesn’t add way more than entry to Prime Video and Amazon Music.

Just like the one ring to rule all of them, the Amazon Hearth TV Dice (third gen) towers over the remainder of the Hearth TV lineup. Amazon provides sufficient options — a brand new octa-core processor, Wi-Fi 6E assist, and additional ports — to out-muscle different Hearth TV gadgets. Whereas we’ll most likely see the improved processor and Wi-Fi 6E assist come to Hearth TV Sticks sooner or later, the extra HDMI and ethernet protection will seemingly stay out of attain, given the dimensions limitations. It’ll additionally nonetheless have the benefit of doubling up as an Echo speaker, too. The voice command expertise isn’t too completely different from the Echo Dot, however the Dice’s streaming apps and TV controls supply flexibility {that a} devoted speaker can’t match.

All issues thought of, the Hearth TV Dice seems like an effective way to kill two birds with one stone as you begin your smart home journey. Nevertheless, it may not be essentially the most cost-effective method to take action. At $140, the Hearth TV Dice (third gen) is dearer than an Echo Dot and a Hearth TV Stick 4K Max ($79.99 at Amazon) mixed, however it doesn’t supply many killer bonus options over the pair, and by shopping for two separate gadgets, you can provide Amazon a presence all through your property as an alternative of tethering it to your TV — for higher or worse. Sure, Wi-Fi 6E is technically higher than what you’ll discover on the Hearth TV Stick 4K Max, however suitable routers are comparatively costly. In the meantime, the distinction between Wi-Fi 6E and the latter’s Wi-Fi 6 is barely noticeable for video streaming functions, and Amazon’s sport streaming choices are basically restricted to its personal, underbaked Amazon Luna service.

In the end, the Hearth TV Dice’s undoing for the non-Alexa trustworthy is likely to be the results of a fellowship of succesful alternate options. Amazon’s field is highly effective, versatile, and has some welcome upgrades over its predecessor, however there are such a lot of different wonderful choices. You possibly can completely get monetary savings with a distinct Hearth TV gadget, however you could possibly equally select one of many many premium streaming rivals — most of which supply barely extra bang in your buck and are much less area of interest with their gross sales pitches.

Because of exceptional software program assist, Nvidia’s Shield TV and Defend TV Professional stay a few of our favourite streaming gadgets years after their launch. The Defend TV Professional ($199.99 at Amazon) is likely to be dearer, however it has extra ports than you possibly can shake a stick at, together with quicker USB-A ports and gigabit ethernet, whereas the compact Defend TV ($145.1 at Amazon) retains the important thing specs — and wonderful distant — however with a smaller, tubular footprint. Each Defend TV gadgets additionally assist Alexa and Google Assistant, have superior AI upscaling, and supply rapid entry to Nvidia’s sport streaming companies and the numerous titles on Android TV‘s Play Retailer. The Defend TV Professional, in the meantime, is suitable with Samsung SmartThings and also can perform as a Plex Media Server, which is nice for constructing your personal streaming library.

When you’ve already began to construct an Apple or Google Nest-centric good dwelling, it is likely to be even more durable to persuade you to change. Google’s Chromecast with Google TV ($39.99 at Amazon)) is much cheaper than the Hearth TV Dice and integrates simply with present Google Nest gadgets. Just like the Defend TV, it additionally helps an in depth library of Android apps and, after all, Google Solid. Google doesn’t have a premium distant to purchase, so it’s good to know that what you see is what you’ll get. Every part the Chromecast does for Google, the Apple TV 4K $129.99 at Amazon does for followers of iOS. It contains Apple’s premium distant, simple casting by means of AirPlay, an exquisite library of video games by way of Apple Arcade, and (for those who purchase the $150 model) Thread support for an much more superior good dwelling expertise.

These of you after true good dwelling freedom also can take into account the Roku Ultra ($68.84 at Amazon). It snubs the ecosystem dependency with assist for AirPlay, Apple Residence, Alexa, and Google Assistant, making the premium Roku an possibility for almost anybody. You’ll nonetheless need to cope with adverts, however even Roku presents its rechargeable Voice Distant Professional as a part of its premium package deal.