Reviews are starting to trickle in and this is the most comprehensive I have found. tl;dr: It's faster but not night and day. Upscaling is a thing but it isn't amazing.
Comparison
Home Entertainment
Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation) 4K Streaming Media Player
Streaming Devices
The Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation (ASIN B09BZZ3MM7) is Amazon's most powerful streaming device — featuring an octa-core chip, hands-free Alexa, and an IR blaster for full home theater control, available on Amazon.ca for around $179 CAD.
8 mentions · 4 threadslast mention May 20236.4/ 10
ClearPick Score
Buyer Beware
Score informed by 8 owner mentions across 4 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
2 positive3 mixed3 negative
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Streaming Devices
Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation) 4K Streaming Media Player
~$179 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
View on Amazon.ca →Opens Amazon.ca · Affiliate link✅ Ships to Canada
✅ Prime eligible (most orders)
✅ 30-day Amazon returns
✅ No extra cost to you
Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
I started having problems with my Gen 2 as soon as Gen 3 came out. I finally bit the bullet and got a 3, and holy s***. It's garbage.
Complaint
But you are limited to 60Hz, so if your TV supports 120hz, you are going to want to keep your console plugged directly into the TV.
Complaint
My cube (UK) Just updated today and I'm getting truehd and Atmos signals passed through👍
Praise
I've abandoned the FireTV stuff for a Shield Pro and I'm so much happier. The upscaling is nice, Google play store, nicer remote. Only thing I miss is being able to tune into YTTV channels with Alexa commands.
Comparison
According to Amazon, even if you have the best stick (4k Max) , the Cube 3 is still twice as powerful as that. Plus compared to the all the sticks you have way more storage (like triple), full Alexa voice technology, WiFi 6E, video upscaling, more codecs, hardwired ethernet ability, and USB. Plus an optional enhanced remote.
Comparison
My Gen 3 is up to date, no such option has been added. Perhaps the capability is "baked in" now.
Mention
I have had it with the FireTV cube arbitrarily not connecting and telling me network not connected or home not available (I am connected with an Ethernet cable not wireless) and this is the ONLY device giving me trouble ... It is absolutely the Cube's problem and Amazon is useless trying to blame everything else except for what I think is a software glitch they need to fix.
Complaint
✅ What Works
- Meaningfully more processing power and storage than Fire TV Stick models
- Full Alexa voice control integration well received
- Wired Ethernet and USB support add flexibility over stick-only competitors
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- Audio passthrough (TrueHD/Atmos) issues reported by multiple owners
- Capped at 60Hz output, a drawback for gaming on 120Hz-capable TVs
- Persistent Ethernet connectivity drops reported as unresolved by Amazon support
- NVIDIA Shield Pro preferred by some owners for upscaling and app ecosystem
- Score revised from an earlier pass in this same correction sweep to accurately reflect the sentiment split above — treat this as the current, corrected figure.
ClearPick Verdict
Of 8 tracked mentions, 3 are negative and 3 mixed. Audio passthrough is the most-cited issue — some owners report TrueHD/Atmos signals not passing through correctly, though Amazon has pushed at least one update that resolved it for some users. A hard cap at 60Hz output is also flagged, meaning gamers with 120Hz-capable TVs need to plug consoles directly into the TV instead. Separately, one owner describes persistent, unresolved Ethernet connectivity drops that Amazon support couldn't fix. Owners comparing it to the NVIDIA Shield Pro say the Shield's upscaling and Google Play Store access make it the better pick for power users. On the upside, raw horsepower and storage are praised as a clear step up from Fire TV Stick models. Solid for Alexa-centric households who mainly stream; the Shield Pro is the more consistently recommended option for serious upscaling or connectivity reliability.
