The latest remote is longer than the one that comes with the 2019 Cube but mostly the same in functionality. While the 2nd gen Cube had a simple HDMI output and Micro-USB port which could be used with an Ethernet adapter, the 3rd gen model has its own Ethernet port built-in. The end result is that the 3rd generation Fire TV Cube should provide a smoother, more user-friendly experience. Pricing is therefore mostly irrelevant, with the latest version available for just under 140 pounds or dollars.

Prior to Pocket-lint, Rik worked on and edited Home Cinema Choice and various videogames magazines, such as Your Commodore and Amstrad Computer User. Still, if you do want to keep things simple, and like the idea of the same box controlling your paid TV service too, the latest Fire TV Cube certainly has enough new bells and whistles to make it worthwhile.

The new Fire TV Cube is clearly improved - it's not just a slightly tweaked model, as was the last upgrade.

It also matches the 4K 60fps-enabled HDMI output with an input, so you can feed a separate source into the Fire TV Cube and use its voice functionality to control your third-party equipment - whether that be a Sky, Virgin Media, BT or TalkTalk set-top-box in the UK, or a number of cable boxes in the US. There's also better connectivity, with Wi-Fi 6E support for greater stability and speed, plus a later version of Bluetooth that offers more bandwidth. The main visible difference though is that its circumference is now covered in fabric, making it look more like an Echo speaker than before. When he’s not playing games, he is a football (soccer) nut and has a comic book and action figure collection the size of a small house. His TV and radio career has also seen him produce and/or present on many shows, including GamesMaster, Sky One’s Games World, Sky News Swipe, BBC Radio Humberside, The Apprentice and Channel 5’s Greatest Christmas TV Ads.He has seen and covered just about every console, mobile phone, gadget and home cinema device launched in the last 35+ years. Now we have a 3rd generation model that brings a few more features to the party and a bit of a design change, so here's what's different between the last two variants to help you decide whether to upgrade.

Other than that, the design is familiar and the Cube performs a similar function to before - it can be used as an Alexa voice assistant even when the TV is off.It was then upgraded a year later, with a 2nd generation version adding a faster processor and new remote control.