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Released just last month in the US, Amazon Fire TV is a set-top media streaming box that has a firm foothold in the gaming camp. As well as offering hundreds of existing Android favourites, each playable with its custom gamepad, Amazon is also investing heavily in its own games studios to create exclusive titles - such as third-person shooter Sev Zero available at launch. At $99 the box is hardly going head-to-head in the living room space with the PS4 or Xbox One, but for the money could this offer the definitive Android gaming experience?We're still waiting for an official UK release alas, but with a little help from our friends across the pond we're able get an early look at what the device can do. Out of the box, we're greeted with a tiny square tile - barely taller than an SSD, adorned in a black matte plastics on top, and with a glossy sheen reserved for its sides. Towards the rear of the device we get an HDMI out, optical out, a USB 2.0 connection, plus an Ethernet port for those who'd rather sidestep WiFi altogether - itself a viable option thanks to its built-in dual-band antenna.
Though surprisingly weighty, its low-key appearance sits well with just about any living room setup - its demure look also matched by an equally modest power requirement. Drawing just 6.25 volts through a supplied DC adapter, the device promises 1080p gaming courtesy of powerful mobile parts. This includes a quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 300 Krait processor and Adreno 320 graphics chip - overkill for video streaming services such as Amazon's own Instant Video service or NetFlix, but a capable part for smartphone gaming.
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