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Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen): the downsides first

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#3 of 8
$$$BoxScore 3.7/5
10%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)16,034 ratings; the listing may include reviews of earlier Cube generations.

PCMag's pick for hands-free Alexa: a fast box with Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E and an HDMI input that puts Alexa over your cable box. It's expensive at $199.99, Prime-first like other Fire TVs, has no AirPlay or Cast, and 1 in 10 Amazon ratings are 1-2 stars, with crash and Wi-Fi complaints.

Top complaints

What owners love

Good for
  • Hands-free Alexa control of the TV and smart home
  • Routing a cable box or console through Alexa
  • Wired Ethernet setups

Scores (tap for why)

  • Speed & interface4.5
    Why 4.5?Quick menus, Alexa and app switching (PCMag); Amazon owners praise speed. Tom's Guide found the Apple TV 4K faster at loading apps.
    Source: PCMag review, Amazon.com product page, Tom's Guide best streaming devices
  • Apps & formats4.0
    Why 4.0?Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Atmos and HDMI input, but no AirPlay or Google Cast (PCMag).
    Source: PCMag review
  • Ads & privacy2.0
    Why 2.0?Prime content up front like other Fire TVs (Wirecutter), whose home screens CNET and Tom's Guide describe as ad-heavy. Always-listening mics can be muted (PCMag).
    Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Tom's Guide (sideloading), PCMag review
  • Remote4.5
    Why 4.5?Hands-free voice means you often don't need the remote, which adds TV, channel and recents buttons (PCMag).
    Source: PCMag review
  • Wi-Fi & reliability3.5
    Why 3.5?Wi-Fi 6E plus Ethernet (PCMag), but Amazon owners report crashes and Wi-Fi issues; 10% of ratings are 1-2 stars.
    Source: PCMag review, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • PCMag: 4.0/5, Editors' Choice; best for hands-free Alexa in the roundup (updated 2026-04-30). The only real complaint is cost.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Not a pick: appeals to Alexa die-hards, but it is Prime-first and too specialized.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked streaming devices whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in streaming devicesApple TV 4K (3rd Gen, 2022)

The fastest box testers have used, with clean tvOS, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos, and a HomeKit/Thread hub. Apple raised its price to $199 in June 2026, it puts Apple's own content first, and the touch remote can be finicky. A new Apple event is set for Oct. 13, 2026, so a refresh is possible.

Its catch: expensive, and now pricier#2 in streaming devicesGoogle TV Streamer (4K)

Wirecutter's top pick: very fast, with the best cross-app home screen and search, plus a Google Home and Matter hub built in. It's Wi-Fi 5 only, has no hands-free voice or AirPlay, and Google's store now lists it at $149.99, up from the $99 most reviews were written at.

Its catch: price went up#4 in streaming devicesRoku Ultra (2024)

The best Roku box: Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet, Dolby Vision and Atmos, and a backlit hands-free Voice Remote Pro. Testers disagree on speed (Wirecutter found it sluggish next to Google TV), Tom's Guide flags intrusive ads, and Roku raised its list price from $100 to $150 in July 2026.

Its catch: expensive for what it adds

Head-to-head

See all 8 streaming devices ranked →