What is the difference between first and second generation Fire TV Stick? Here is a run down of the old and new Fire TV Stick. Most notable change is the cpu. The first gen Fire TV stick used a Dual Core 2xARM A9 chip by Broadcom. The new Fire TV Stick sports a Quad-Core ARM CPU by MediaTek with speed of 1.3GHz. The WiFi and Bluetooth technology has aso improved. The voice search function with Alexa is not default whereas the first gen model didn’t have voice search capabilities.
another subtle change is that the warranty went from a full year to now only 90 days. We also saw this change for the Amazon Echo Dot which is set to be released on Oct.
| Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen) | ||
| Size | 3.3 x 1.0 x 0.5 in. (84.9 x 25.0 x 11.5 mm) | 3.4″ x 1.2″ x 0.5″ (85.9 mm x 30.0 mm x 12.6 mm) | |
| Weight | 0.9 oz. (25.1g) | 1.1 oz. (32.0 g) | |
| Processor | Broadcom, Dual-core 2xARM A9 up to 1 GHz | MediaTek Quad-core ARM 1.3 GHz | |
| GPU | VideoCore4 | Mali450 MP4 | |
| Storage | 8 GB internal | 8 GB internal | |
| Memory | 1 GB | 1 GB | |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO); supports 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networks. | Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi supports 2×2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 3.0 with support for the following profiles: HID, SPP | Bluetooth 4.1 | |
| Voice Search Support | Yes, requires Fire TV Voice Remote (sold separately) or free Fire TV Remote App (available for download on Fire, Android OS, and iOS) | Yes, with Alexa Voice Remote (included) or free Fire TV Remote App (available for download on Fire, Android, and iOS) | |
| Game Controller Support | Yes, optimized for Amazon Fire TV Game Controller and most games are compatible with other Bluetooth controllers | Yes, optimized for Amazon Fire TV Game Controller and most games are compatible with other Bluetooth controllers | |
| Cloud Storage | All Amazon Cloud Drive customers start with 5 GB of free storage | Free cloud storage for all Amazon content | |
| Ports | HDMI output, Micro USB for power only | HDMI output, Micro USB for power only | |
| Audio Support | Dolby Audio, 5.1 surround sound, 2ch stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 7.1 | Dolby Audio, 5.1 surround sound, 2ch stereo, and HDMI audio pass through up to 7.1 | |
| Content Formats Supported | Video: H.264, | Video: H.264 1080p30H.265 1080p30, | |
| Audio: AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, | Audio: AAC-LC, HE-AACv1 (AAC+), HE-AACv2 (eAAC+), AC3 (Dolby Digital), eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MIDI, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, AMR-NB, AMR-WB | ||
| Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP | Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP | ||
| Output Resolution Supported | 720p and 1080p up to 60fps | 720p and 1080p up to 60fps | |
| System Requirements | High-definition television with available HDMI input, Internet connection via Wi-Fi, a power outlet. | High-definition television with available HDMI input, Internet connection via Wi-Fi, a power outlet. | |
| TV Compatibility | Compatible with high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 1080p or 720p at 60/50Hz, including popular HDCP-compatible models from these manufacturers: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse | Compatible with high-definition TVs with HDMI capable of 1080p or 720p at 60/50Hz, including popular HDCP-compatible models from: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse, and others. | |
| Warranty and Service | 1-year Limited Warranty and service included. Use of Fire TV Stick is subject to the terms found here. | 90-day Limited Warranty and service included. Optional 2-year and 3-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Fire TV Stick is subject to the terms found here. | |
| Regional Support | Certain services may not be available outside the U.S. | Certain services may not be available outside the U.S. | |
| Closed Captioning | Watch videos and TV shows with closed captioning displayed. Captions are not available for all content. | Watch videos and TV shows with closed captioning displayed. Captions are not available for all content. | |
| Included in the Box | Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick | |
| Amazon Fire TV Remote | Alexa Voice Remote | ||
| 5′ USB cable and power adapter | USB cable and power adapter | ||
| HDMI extender cable | HDMI extender | ||
| 2 AAA batteries | 2 AAA batteries | ||
| Quick Start Guide | Quick Start Guide | ||
| Amazon Fire TV Remote | Alexa Voice Remote | ||
| Size | 4.7 x 1.6 in x 0.5 in (119.0 x 40.4 x 13.8mm) | 1.5″ x 5.9″ x 0.7″ (38.4 mm x 150.7 mm x 16.7 mm) | |
| Weight | 2 oz. with batteries inserted (56.9 grams) | 2.4 oz (68 g) with batteries / 1.6 oz (45 g) without batteries | |
| Batteries | 2 AAA (included) | 2 AAA (included) | |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | |
| Buttons | 5-way directional, select, back, home, menu, rewind, play/pause, fast forward | Voice button, navigation, select, menu, back, home, rewind, play/pause, fast forward | |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 months battery life with typical use |
