Amazon unveils affordable Fire TV Stick 4K Select with Linux-based Vega OS
Amazon is now offering a cheaper alternative to the Fire TV Stick 4K and the more powerful Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select is hardly any more expensive than the Fire TV Stick HD, but still supports 4K content and can also display movies and series in HDR10+. The processor is said to be more powerful than the HD model, allowing apps to load faster.
While the stick has 8 GB of flash storage for installing apps, just like the more expensive 4K model, the cheaper model only supports Wi-Fi 5 instead of Wi-Fi 6, which may result in longer loading times during streaming. The design remains largely unchanged: the stick still connects to TVs via HDMI and is powered by a USB-C cable, and the remote control has a built-in microphone for voice control and shortcut buttons for important streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.
The most interesting new feature is the operating system, as the Fire TV Stick 4K Select no longer comes with Android-based Fire TV OS, but with Vega OS, a slim Linux-based operating system that supports JavaScript and React apps. This should make it easier for developers to port existing smart TV apps to the stick. For users, however, little will change, as the user interface is very similar to that of Fire TV OS.
Price and availability
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select will soon be available for pre-order directly via Amazon for $49.99, with shipping expected to begin in mid-October.
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