It’s eight years to the day since my first comprehensive review of what was then known as Fetch TV, and boy has it come a long way – though it has retained all its key features and a familiar user interface. The latest generation of the larger Fetch box the Mighty is a few steps forward but a strong play to the future of streaming and content.
Fetch has always been proud of the simple to navigate user interface, and easy access to content. Nothing changes there.
What’s new about the 4th Generation Fetch Mighty?
In fact, the differences for the 4th Generation Fetch Mighty are essentially under the hood. From the outside it looks identical. Inside though it has a faster processor – double in fact, at 24 DIMPS vs the previous 12.
A bump in the RAM from 3GB to 4GB, and doubling the Flash Memory are all specification changes that make sense and ensure the box is snappy.
Perhaps the most important update is WiFi with the Fetch Might Gen 4 offering WiFi 6 for the best speed and connectivity if you’ve got a WiFi 6 router.
Likewise, Bluetooth is now version 5 not version 4, and HDMI is now HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3, and this upgrade also enables support for Dolby Vision.
Around the back there’s one less USB port – but who cares, honestly, I’ve NEVER plugged a USB drive into my Fetch box – in eight years.
One final change is support for AV1, a streaming codec which will become more popular in the years ahead because it’s far more efficient than what we have today, meaning higher quality streams without huge increases in bandwidth usage. On the broadcast side there’s support for DVB-T2 which is the next generation Digital TV though not currently in use.
How much is the Fetch Mighty?
This new Fetch Mighty retails at the same price as the previous one – $449, while the 4K Fetch Mini is still available at $199.
Retailers are already stocking the new Fetch Mighty, Internet Providers who offer Fetch on subscription will also have the Gen 4 – but you should check with them before they ship it to see if they’re sending the latest.
Will I notice the difference with the new Fetch Mighty?
Probably not. If you’ve got a TV that supports Dolby Vision then you might see an improvement in the viewing on some streamed content on apps, but I think for most that’s a stretch.
I think there is a slight improvement in how snappy the menu responds and pages within the Fetch box load, noticeable side by side perhaps, but in daily use this is quite minor, though important to ensure future upgrades to the operating system continue to carry the same improvement.
Frankly, this isn’t a rush out and upgrade kinda deal. This is a “oh awesome I’ve got the Gen 4 box already” in 5 years when some streams only work with AV1 support or require the processing power of this box.
Should I get Fetch?
My opinion on Fetch hasn’t wavered in 8 years. Fetch is the single best all-round home entertainment box for your TV. Having a Fetch Mighty ensures you can access thousands of movies in an instant, stream heaps of great subscription TV channels if you choose, watch content from heaps of great apps like Stan, Netflix and now even Disney+, watch Catch Up TV, watch Live Free to Air TV, record your favourite TV shows with ease and find almost any content with a simple search – even using just your voice.
Fetch Mighty vs Fetch Mini
The new Gen 4 Mighty doesn’t change the compelling argument for the Mighty – it just helps it last longer. If you want to record great shows on Free to Air or subscription TV channels, the Mighty is the single greatest way to record shows and the smartest way to find those shows you’ve recorded.
Fetch Mini has all the same features of the Mighty, except the 1TB recording function, so you can stream content, watch movies and all that. You just can’t record it.
However, the Mini is also a great accomplice device. Working together they can provide a multi-room experience to your home, where the Fetch Mighty records your TV and is connected to the Antenna, while the Mini sits in any room and can access those recordings as well as Live TV essentially streamed from the Mighty via your WiFi, it’s incredible.
Fetch Mighty Gen 4 Verdict
Fetch has hit a home run without the fireworks. There’s no need to let of all the fanfare here, this is just getting the job done, and keeping on doing it.
With the Gen 4 you can be sure your investment in home entertainment is future proofed, to work alongside the best TV you buy and whatever the future streamers and TV networks throw at you. It’s got better connectivity, better performance so you’ll not be frustrated by your Fetch at any time.
All that, without making owners of the previous generation Fetch boxes feel awkward or like they are missing out. Sure, at some stage, things will be “Gen 4” only – perhaps some streams, or apps, but that’s some time away now I expect.
Fetch has invested in their future with the Generation 4 Fetch Mighty over many years, taking it from being “Easily a class leading PVR” to being the best home entertainment set-top box on the market.
