The Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro has recently hit the market, boasting a slew of new functions and features designed to enhance your television experience. But is it a game-changer or just an unnecessary upgrade? This review will dive into the details and help you decide if it’s worth the investment.

Design and Ergonomics

The Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro retains its predecessors’ slim, black design. It adds a few extra buttons, including a power button for your TV, a channel guide, volume rocker, and mute button. The remote feels comfortable in the hand and has a textured back to improve grip.

Voice Controls and New Features

Alexa’s voice capabilities are still at the core of this remote. It allows you to search for shows or movies, control playback, launch apps, and interact with your smart home devices. With the new “find my remote” function, if you have an Echo device within range, say “Alexa, find my remote,” and your Fire TV remote will emit a sound to assist in locating it.

One of the touted upgrades in this version is push-to-talk functionality. By pressing the Alexa button while speaking (similar to using a walkie-talkie), it aims to make speaking with the device less intrusive in shared spaces. However, some users have found that this additional step detracts from the experience.

Battery Life

The Pro model now includes a rechargeable battery system instead of relying on AAA batteries. The package comes with a USB-C cable for charging (though no wall adapter). A single charge can last up to two weeks with regular use, which is appreciated but may not be essential for most users.

Compatibility

It’s important to note that while this remote works seamlessly with newer Fire TV devices such as the 4K Stick and latest Cube models, it is not compatible with older models like the 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick or 1st-gen Fire TV Cube.

Price

The Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro will set you back $29.99, which is a small bump up from the previous version’s price of $24.99.

Conclusion

While there are undoubtedly some functional updates to the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro, they may not be necessary for all users. The added buttons and features are nice to have but aren’t groundbreaking. If you already own a compatible Fire TV device with a functioning remote, it’s hard to justify the upgrade unless its specific enhancements appeal to your needs.

In summary, the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro offers some interesting tweaks and improvements, but it falls short of being a must-have upgrade for existing users.