Amazon just launched a redesigned Fire TV Stick 4K — its first 4K stick running Amazon's own Vega OS instead of Android — and it's dropping to $29.99 USD during Prime Big Deal Days, October 6–7 (Amazon is also running an introductory $29.99 promo with code 4KINTRO through October 7). In Canada, Best Buy already has the 2026 stick on sale at $39.99 CAD (reg. $79.99) through October 7. At those prices it's the cheapest way into a new 4K stick. But the biggest change isn't the price — it's the operating system.
What changed
- Vega OS replaces Android. The new stick no longer runs the Android-based Fire OS. The trade-off, flagged by reviewers: apps from outside Amazon's Appstore can no longer be sideloaded.
- No Dolby Vision. This is the first stick carrying the 4K name to ship without Dolby Vision since 2018, and it can't decode Dolby audio itself (pass-through only).
- Trimmed hardware: quad-core 1.7 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB storage, Wi-Fi 6, HDR10+/HLG/AV1. Slimmer body, officially powered from your TV's USB port, redesigned remote with a customizable star button.
- Slimmer box, literally: no power adapter and no HDMI extender in the box — just a 1.3 ft cable.
It ships in late October in the US; it's also launching in Canada (Amazon lists the Canadian launch price at $59.99), the UK, and elsewhere.
Who should grab the $29.99 deal
If you stream from the big apps and live inside Amazon's ecosystem, $29.99 for a fast 4K stick is a genuinely good deal. The stick is 20–40% faster than its predecessor by Amazon's own testing, and the new interface is built around Alexa+.
Where it falls short — and why an open box still wins
The sideloading change is the real story. On Vega OS, if an app isn't in Amazon's Appstore, it doesn't go on the stick — full stop. No APKs, no workarounds. Amazon says over 2,000 apps were added to Vega OS this year, but the door to anything outside the store is closed.
That's exactly the use case an open-platform box is built for. Formuler boxes run an open Android-based platform, so you install what you want — media players, file managers, VPN apps, launchers — and hardware like the Formuler Z11 Pro Max ships with Wi-Fi 6, 4 GB RAM, MYTVOnline 3, and a Bluetooth voice remote, all backed by a Canadian seller shipping from Ottawa with no cross-border surprises.
Bottom line
At $29.99, the new Fire TV Stick 4K is a fine closed-ecosystem streamer. But if you want control over what runs on your box — install any app, use any player, keep your setup portable — buy hardware that stays open. That's the gap Formuler exists to fill.
Related guides
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- Best Android Streaming Boxes in Canada: 2026 Buyer's Guide
- Dreamlink vs Formuler: Choosing the Right Streaming Box
- Formuler Z12 Ultra SE vs Z12 Pro: What's the Difference?
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs Formuler Z11 Pro Max: Which Should You Buy in Canada?
Prices verified October 6, 2026: US deal pricing from Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days announcement; Canadian pricing from Best Buy Canada.