Summary
- Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD runs Linux-based Vega OS, which locks it to Amazon's app store and blocks sideloading/piracy.
- The Fire TV Stick HD can be powered by a TV's USB port and doesn't require a wall adapter.
- The refreshed streaming device offers a 30% speed boost over the last Fire TV Stick HD, alongside Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and built-in Alexa+; $35 preorder, ships April 22nd.
Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD runs Vega OS instead of Fire OS, making it the second streaming stick from the tech giant to make the switch. Additionally, the refreshed streaming stick doesn't include a wall power adapter and can be powered via a TV's USB port, making setup easier and offering a more streamlined look compared to its predecessor. Since Vega OS is a low-power focused operating system, ditching the wall power adapter isn't surprising.
Other new Fire TV Stick HD features include a 30% slimmer design and built-in Alexa+ support. The switch to Vega OS is particularly notable because the number of third-party streaming apps available for the operating system still lags behind Fire OS. That said, the situation has improved since the Fire TV Stick Select's initial release, with VPN apps making their way to Vega OS.
More notably, Vega OS is locked to Amazon's own app store and doesn't allow sideloading, making it impossible to use the new Fire TV Stick HD with piracy-focused apps. Amazon's Fire OS-powered streaming sticks are well known for being relatively easy to sideload less-than-legal Android-based streaming apps, thanks to Android's open nature. Unlike Android-based Fire OS, Vegas OS is powered by a Linux kernel.
The fact that the Fire TV Stick HD doesn't require a wall power adapter makes it ideal for taking with you while traveling. Even at home, setup will be easier for most people, since most TVs have USB ports near the HDMI ports. Thankfully, the Fire TV Stick still includes a USB cable in its box.
Amazon says that the new Fire TV Stick HD also "delivers noticeable speed improvements" compared to previous HD models, offering a 30% improvement over the last-generation HD stick. This means that apps should open more quickly and that the platform's UI should be more responsive. Other new features include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 support.
Amazon seems to be slowly shifting its Fire TV Stick streaming devices to Vega OS
It's likely future Fire TV Stick refreshes will make the move to the Linux-based OS
Back in a December 2025 LinkedIn post, Robert Williams, Amazon's VP of Device Software and Services, said that the company "will continue to build on it [Vega OS] and with" Android, firmly stating that the tech giant will continue to support both Vega OS and Fire OS. "We also felt that we could build something more purpose-built for consumer electronics devices that was faster and used more modern components and design," said Williams. Additionally, Fast Company's Janko Roettgers, a reporter that's been tracking Vega OS' development for years, wrote that Vegas OS is an "insurance policy against Google."
It's unclear whether Amazon plans to continue developing both Vega OS and Fire OS simultaneously, but the fact that another Fire TV Stick has been refreshed with the Linux-based operating system is, at the very least, an indication that Amazon's focus has shifted. It's possible that Vega OS is Amazon's more budget-focused streaming device operating system, while Fire OS will be reserved for its higher-end devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The fact that Amazon is also launching a revamped Fire OS user interface seems to back up this theory.
The Fire TV Stick HD is available to pre-order now at $35, with shipping starting on April 22nd. Alongside the refreshed Fire TV Stick HD, Amazon also announced that its Ember Artline TV, the tech giant's Samsung The Frame-like TV, is now available for pre-order, starting at $900 for the 55-inch version. The art-focused TV starts shipping on April 22nd.
