Thanks to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and streaming video games, many tech products can become “Xbox consoles”. This is the case of the Fire TV Stick 4K, a TV stick sold for less than €70 by Amazon, compared to €300 for the cheapest Xbox.
« This is an Xbox »: this is the slogan of Microsoft’s latest advertising campaign. The message is clear: exploit Xbox Game Pass like a Trojan horse to bring its video game ecosystem into as many homes as possible. We might think that this is counterproductive since its objective, ultimately, is not necessarily to sell its console, but a subscription with which a less specific device is compatible.
Upon arrival, this is the opportunity to acquire an “Xbox console” without wasting your money. Take the example of this Fire TV Stick 4K, sold for less than €70 by Amazon (it is regularly on sale). Simply add a Bluetooth controller (around €50) and take out an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (€18 per month) to avoid having to spend €300 on an Xbox Series S. Cloud gaming will do the rest.
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We tested an inexpensive “Xbox console”
The importance of the formula
Only the Ultimate plan, the most expensive, of Xbox Game Pass provides access to streaming video games. Good news: the library now contains hundreds of titles.
The Fire TV Stick 4K takes the form of a key that you plug into one of the HDMI ports on your TV, and that you power it via USB (either via a port on the TV, or from the mains with an adapter provided). The product comes with a remote control and provides access to a library of streaming applications. Netflix, myCANAL, Prime Video, Disney+… They are all there and the Fire TV Stick 4K allows you to enjoy them with maximum image quality (4K UHD and HDR, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+) and ad audio rendering. -hoc (Dolby Atmos).
Note that the Xbox application that interests us is not preinstalled. You have to go to the store to download it. This will also be the only thing to install to play, since video games are played in streaming, that is to say like a Netflix video. The configuration is quite didactic and clear; You will be asked at launch to pair a compatible Bluetooth controller (we recommend the official Xbox pad) and you will only have to do this once. Once this step has been completed, all you have to do is enjoy the immense catalog of Xbox Game Pass games.
Be careful however, this configuration requires having a good Internet connection, that is to say with sufficient bandwidth and solid network coverage within the home. If your Internet box is far from your living room, it is not guaranteed that it will work well. Compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 standard, the Fire TV Stick 4K is comfortable when it is in the same room as the box – there is also a Max version with Wi-Fi 6E, which is only slightly more expensive. This is a little less true, however, if a floor separates the two devices. The conclusion is as follows: clogging gaming being a technology that is still a little capricious, it is better to put as much luck as possible on your side (no Ethernet port is available to improve stability).
In any case, we didn’t have to deplore the slightest glitch when launching a game ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circleeven if the graphic fidelity (rendered in 1080p maximum) is not comparable with a version installed on an Xbox Series reassuring with a suitable Internet connection. One point to keep in mind: streaming is not the ideal solution for enjoying a game with demanding gameplay or for achieving prowess in a competitive title. If absolute performance is your goal, move on.
Upon arrival, the Fire TV Stick 4K + Xbox pad + Xbox Game Pass subscription combo is aimed at a more indulgent audience, i.e. those who don’t want to spend a lot of money to play and would like to search for an effective solution. Cloud gaming allows this: you launch the application, choose a game and that’s it. The association can also be an additional solution to put an “Xbox” at a lower cost in another room. And proof that Microsoft is indeed capable of materializing its slogan, even if its consoles may suffer from a commercial point of view.
