Amazon’s ‘Fault-Free’ Fire Stick and Echo Dot downgraded to the cheapest we’ve seen in surprise sale

TV buffs and music fans are heading to Amazon to snag half-price devices in a seemingly surprise sale at the end of May. Retailer Prime has slashed the price of the Echo Dot speaker and Fire TV Stick connectable devices, which are famous for turning any bulky TV into a “smart streaming” device.

The latest fifth-generation Echo Dot has been reduced by £25, bringing the price down to £29.99, which is a welcome cheaper rate compared to the usual price of £54.99. The essential Fire TV Stick 4K for streaming can be purchased for just £20.

The sale caught buyers and tech experts by surprise, leaving no sign of any pre-sale price cuts. The discounts were first spotted over the May 27 holiday weekend and offer the lowest price on Alexa-equipped devices since Black Friday.

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Amazon’s Echo Dot speaker, which can play music, browse the internet, provide weather updates and even set alarms, is a common sight in many UK homes. One of the most attractive features of the Echo Dot, often called a “virtual assistant”, is hands-free Alexa voice control.

Bargain hunters are rushing to get their hands on the new Amazon Echo Dot, and customers are praising the sound quality in particular. One said: “This 5th generation Echo Dot delivers rich, vivid sound with impressive bass for its size. Whether I’m listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks, the clarity and depth of sound is extraordinary.”

They added that the device could “easily fill a room.” Another satisfied buyer recommended this device after ditching the old second-gen Echo Dot and Echo Show 8: “The sound is louder and brassier than the previous version, and the addition of a built-in temperature sensor is useful. The performance is great, it’s snappy and I never stop raising my voice.”

The Echo Dot Gen 5 model offers improved sound quality, designed for deeper bass, vivid sounds and clearer vocals – similar to the features of the Google Nest Mini 2, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Another device appearing on Amazon’s sale, the Fire TV Stick 4K can be connected to any standard TV to turn it into a smart device… as long as it has an HDMI port. Users will have access to Paramount+, Prime Video and Disney+ from the home screen, as well as enhanced high-resolution graphics.

Fire Stick users were quick to boast about the benefits of the plug-in device, which will discourage buyers from purchasing a high-end device. As one buyer said: “This Fire Stick replaced the internet element of your TV for a much lower price than a new TV. I can watch all the apps I want on it, including Disney+ and Now TV.”

While another customer called the stick “almost like a new TV,” he said, “It’s great, much faster and responsive than the old SMART HUB software built into the TV.” Amazon’s nifty Fire TV Stick is often called the budget alternative to Sky Glass TVs and Samsung Frame TVs.

As a caveat, buyers should be aware that the affordable Amazon Fire TV player, while great considering the price, won’t offer the same high-tech streaming quality and speeds as integrated models like Sky Glass TV.