Amazon offers a variety of Fire TV devices, ranging from the Fire TV Stick Lite to the Fire TV Cube. Pick the best Firestick for you by reading our in-depth overview to see what makes these models distinguishable.
If you’ve ever looked for a smart TV or streaming device, you realize that there are plethora of choices, including Google Chromecast, several Roku products, and maybe the popular, Amazon Fire TV (check out how they hold out against each other in the Roku vs Firestick vs Chromecast guide). But which Firestick device is the one? Learn more about this in our review.
In order to determine which Fire TV device is ideal for you, we’ll be checking all of them, along with the Fire TV Sticks, the original Fire TV, and the relatively uncommon Fire TV Cube.
Key Learnings:
- An outdated TV may be upgraded to stream video from almost any app with the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
- Models of the Fire TV Stick vary not just in cost but also in streaming quality and features like supported HDR and sound formats.
- The cheapest choice is the Fire TV Stick Lite, whereas the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Cube have more functions but are way more expensive.
There are at least some Fire TV models on Amazon that will probably offer what you need, whether you’re seeking a top-notch 4K HDR cinematic experience or just a basic streaming device that makes it possible to stream YouTube videos on your TV.
What Sets each Firestick Device Apart From One Another?
The primary distinctions between the several Stick versions, outside pricing, are the video and audio options each one supports. Higher versions tend to contain features like 4K, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos while lower devices simply offer 1080p.
What Firestick Device Version Should You Buy?
Which Fire TV Stick model is ideal for you truly changes depending on your demands, but the highest-end adapter in the Firestick family right now is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. There is always the Fire TV Cube, which has far more sophisticated hardware than any of the Fire TV Sticks despite not having the most discreet dongle.
What Sets the Firestick 2020 and Firestick 4K Apart?
The Fire TV Stick Lite and the Fire TV Stick 3rd gen were the two Firestick versions that were launched in 2020. In contrast to the poor-performing devices introduced in 2020, the most accomplished Fire TV Stick 4K was released in 2018 and supports better graphics and a few significant functions.
What Stores Sell Firesticks?
All Firestick products are available on Amazon.com.
Comparison of 5 Different Firesticks
Within its Fire TV product line, Amazon offers an extensive range of streaming devices, the bulk of which are variants of the Fire TV Stick. A small rectangular device called the Fire TV Stick fits into an HDMI port on the backside of your TV and stays there to carry out its function discreetly.
| Fire TV Stick Lite | Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick 4K | Fire TV Stick 4K Max | Fire TV Cube | ||
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| Basic Stats | ||||||
| Form factor | Stick | Stick | Stick | Stick | Cube | |
| 4K | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 1080p HD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| HDR | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Dolby Vision | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Ports | micro-USB, HDMI | micro-USB, HDMI | micro-USB, HDMI | micro-USB, HDMI | micro-USB, HDMI | |
| Wireless & connectivity | bluetooth, MIMO dual-band | bluetooth, MIMO dual-band | bluetooth, MIMO dual-band | WiFi 6 | ethernet, bluetooth, MIMO dual-band | |
| Power | TV USB port, wall outlet | TV USB port, wall outlet | TV USB port, wall outlet | TV USB port, wall outlet | wall outlet | |
| Streaming | ||||||
| Netflix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Amazon Prime Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple TV+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Hulu | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| HBO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Disney+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Live TV Channels | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Display mirroring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| In-app streaming | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Audio | ||||||
| Audio selections | Dolby Atmos, Dolby-Encoded Audio | Dolby Atmos, DTS surround, Dolby-Encoded Audio | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | |
| Internal speakers | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Headphone-compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Speech clarity | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Optical output | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Accessories & Add-ons | ||||||
| Remote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Native voice assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Voice assist implementation | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Mobile app | Android, iOS, Fire OS | Android, iOS, Fire OS | Android, iOS, Fire OS | Android, iOS, Fire OS | Android, iOS, Fire OS | |
| Speakers | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Remote Features | ||||||
| TV controls | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Shortcut buttons | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Personal shortcut buttons | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Lost remote finder | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Voice commands | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Pricing | ||||||
Each Fire TV model includes a tv remote, and the majority of them all feature an internal storage capacity of 8GB, which can be used to download Fire Stick channels or programs from the Amazon app store, including streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and others. The Fire TV Cube, which increases the storage to 16GB, is the exception to this rule.
As you advance up the product range, various features are added to each model, including things like better resolution, compatibility for more audio and video codecs, and additional remote-control options. Let’s examine the models more thoroughly and discover what features they each have to offer.
Fire TV Stick Lite
Optimal Firestick for Effective Streaming
HD streaming device: Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa Voice Remote Lite (without TV controls).
Amazon Price: $29.99
Advantages:
- A cost-effective model
Drawbacks:
- Not compatible with 4K
- Unable to control TV volume or power with included remote
By far, the Fire TV Stick Lite is a bargain. The Fire TV Stick Lite, as its title suggests, has the least functionality of all other Fire TV Stick models currently on the market as it was created with affordability in mind. Despite that, this basic gadget also has all the essential capabilities that a person needs in a smart TV.
The Fire TV Stick Lite features 1GB of RAM and the very same processor as some of the other premium devices, which we’ll review in a moment. Any HD screen with an HDMI connector can handle streams of 1080p HD video thanks to this equipment.
Even some HDR formats, such HDR 10 and HDR 10+, are compatible with this streaming stick. The Fire TV Stick Lite further offers similar apps and streaming options as the other variants.
The Fire Stick TV Lite has two shortcomings. One is that compared to the other models, it supports fewer sound formats. Dolby audio passthrough over HDMI is supported, but it doesn’t support more sophisticated codecs like Dolby Atmos, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
The bundled remote has less functionality, which is the Fire TV Stick Lite model’s second flaw. You will still need your original TV remote to manage the power, volume, and mute settings even though the Lite version still includes an Alexa voice remote. The Fire TV Stick’s remote can control the other models in this situation.
3rd Generation Fire TV Stick
A Firestick that offers the Best TV Settings & HD Streaming
HD streaming device: Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (has TV controls)
Amazon Price: $39.99
Advantages:
- Dolby Atmos sound support
- The voice remote also has TV controls.
Drawbacks:
- Not compatible with 4K
The hardware specs of both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick Lite are very similar. The MT8695D CPU, a competent quad-core processor with a peak speed of 1.7 GHz, is featured in both devices. Given that there is no ventilation on the Fire TV Stick, makes this is an incredible piece. The variations also share a 1GB RAM and IMG GE8300 graphics processor.
The Fire TV Stick features the same HDR settings as the Lite model and can only display content in 1080p quality, which reinforces the comparison. A TV must integrate HDR to enhance the brightness of the display. The advantages include substantially increased detail in darkened images and the improved distinction between light and dark.
Dolby Atmos audio is completely backed by the Fire TV Stick. It is a comparatively recent audio format that enables precise and dimensional audio by letting your sound system know the exact location of an object or sound it is making. In addition to supporting 5.1 surround or normal left and right channels, Dolby Atmos now supports sounds that are coming from above and around you.
The remote represents the other significant distinction. With the exception of the Fire TV Stick Lite, all other variants of the bundled Alexa voice remote have built-in TV controls for power and volume.
Fire TV Stick 4K
The Greatest Firestick for Dolby Vision & 4K Streaming
The Fire TV Stick that has the new Alexa Voice Remote (which incorporates TV controls) and 4K streaming.
Amazon Price: $49.99
Advantages:
- Features Dolby Vision and 4K resolution, and is Dolby Atmos compatible.
Drawbacks:
- Similar CPU and GPU as cheaper models
We start to notice some little but significant variances on the feature list with the Fire TV Stick 4K. The 4K version offers a similar CPU and GPU as the other devices, but has 1.5GB of RAM as opposed to 1GB in the case of the other previously mentioned models.
The Fire TV Stick 4K’s main advantage over less expensive variants is that it can handle 4K UHD streaming, as its name implies.
It supports HDR video and a variety of audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, just like the basic Fire TV Stick. Additionally, this model supports Dolby Vision, a technology that is similar to HDR but able to produce more vivid colors and sharper contrasts between bright and dark areas on a screen.
The very same control is included with the Fire TV Stick 4K as that of the third-generation device. This implies that you can alter the volume and turn on or off your TV using the TV control buttons and Alexa voice control.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The firestick with the highest top-notch performance
A Fire TV Stick with Wi-Fi 6, and Alexa Voice Controller (has TV controls)
Amazon Price: $54.99
Advantages:
- Has a stronger cpu, also 4K, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos compatibility
Drawbacks:
- Similar size of storage as cheaper alternatives
The latest addition to the Fire Stick series is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Compared to the earlier versions we’ve looked at, which all share the same GPU and quad-core CPU, it has a hardware upgrade that is much more noteworthy.
The speed of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max’s Central processing unit, an MT8696, has been increased from the previous versions’ 1.7 GHz to a slightly superior 1.8 GHz. Additionally, the RAM has been increased to a full 2GB, which is significantly more than the typical 4K model. Additionally, the GPU has been upgraded to a 750 MHz IMG GE9215 from the 650 MHz model in all the other Fire Stick configurations.
These improved characteristics are primarily intended for use with Amazon’s cloud gaming platform, Luna. A faster and more consistent frame rate is possible thanks to the improved hardware. With the exception of this, it is very identical to its basic 4K counterpart, featuring the same Alexa voice remote, 4K HDR streaming, and support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.
Fire TV Cube
The Ultimate Hands-Free operating Fire TV Device With Excellent Performance
Fire TV Cube, a 4K Ultra HD, hands-free Alexa voice remote-enabled streaming device
Amazon Price: $119.99
Advantages:
- The Fire TV lineup’s most potent hardware
- Compatibility with hands-free Alexa TV and streaming control
Drawbacks:
- The costliest Fire TV gadget
The Fire TV Cube is the most potent Fire TV streaming gadget, but it comes at a cost of being far larger than any of the Amazon streaming stick options we’ve just looked at. The Fire TV Cube is technically not a cube because it is 2.99 inches tall and has a square base that is 3.38 inches wide rather than being a little dongle that hangs behind your TV invisibly.
Unlike the subtle look of the other Fire TV Stick variants, the Fire TV Cube has more room for considerably more powerful hardware. It has a hexa-core processor with a 2.2 GHz maximum clock speed, an 800 MHz GPU, and a total of 2GB of RAM. With 16GB of space for apps, approximately twice as much as the other models’ 8GB, the Fire TV Cube also offers a storage edge over the other devices.
Instead of pressing a button and giving commands to the remote as you would with other models, you can operate the Fire TV Cube hands-free by using Alexa voice controls. You can also connect the Fire TV Cube with other devices, such as the Amazon Echo, to operate your TV almost anywhere in your home.
Along with its integrated speaker, the Fire TV Cube makes it simple to operate your cable box and other devices for voice control. This allows you to use Alexa even while the TV is not on.
Fire TV Omni Series
Alexa control-free, 55″ Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV
Amazon Price: $419.99
Advantages:
- No dongle needed; Fire TV hardware embedded into your TV
- Alexa voice control; no remote needed
Drawbacks:
- Hardware for streaming cannot be switched between devices, unlike with Fire TV Sticks.
The very first Amazon streaming device was the Fire TV. The device has been discontinued in lieu of the Fire TV Sticks because they have superior features and functionality. Originally, it was a little square rather than the rectangular-shaped Fire Sticks available now.
Amazon still refers to televisions with integrated Fire TV hardware by the term “Fire TV.” Amazon sells an official series of Fire TVs called the “Omni Series” despite alternatives already being out in the market from competitors like Toshiba that integrate the Fire TV hardware into their screens.
These TVs feature a full 4K resolution and range in size from 43 inches to 75 inches. The displays also support HDR 10 for more brilliant colors and include hands-free Alexa navigation similar to the Fire TV Cube. If you’re looking to switch your TV and want something that comes equipped, this is a terrific choice.
Pricing breakdown between the Fire Stick, Fire Cube, and Fire TV
The Fire TV Cube is still the costliest among all, priced at $119.99, due to its increased storage space and significantly more powerful features. The Fire TV Stick 4K model is at a reasonable price point for its functionality due to the latest price reduction, while the Fire TV Stick Lite is a terrific entry-level choice for a streaming device.
- Least expensive Firestick is Fire TV Stick Lite at $29.99
- Best bang for the buck is Fire TV Stick 4K at $49.99
- The priciest streaming device is Fire TV Cube at $119.99
- Costliest Device of All is Fire TV Omni at $419.99
Is Amazon Fire TV Subject to a Monthly Fee?
There are no ongoing costs associated with the Fire TV device. But if you want to get additional benefits, you should think about signing up for certain monthly streaming platforms.
Nearly every streaming service you can imagine is available on Fire TV, such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and thousands of additional choices.
The best fire stick to purchase is…
The Fire TV selection of products each has unique advantages and disadvantages. The Fire TV Stick 4K provides excellent high-quality HDR viewing for current screens that do not have a smart TV integrated into them, whereas the Fire TV Stick Lite is an efficient alternative for upgrading an older TV.
While the Fire TV Cube is a strong contender for users who want Alexa services all over their homes, the Fire TV 4K Max is a wonderful option for people keen on streaming games from Amazon’s Luna service. Depending on the requirements and how you want to use the gadget, you can choose whichever seems compatible with your lifestyle.
Final Reflections
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a terrific way to stream entertainment from virtually any app directly to your TV, with devices varying in price and functions. Even while the selection may currently be a little packed, most consumers will still value the number of alternatives.
Once you’ve decided on a device, you can use our detailed instructions manual for Fire Stick. We also have troubleshooting guides in case your Firestick isn’t functioning properly.
Can you stream content on your existing TV? Have you already utilized or read about HDR? Have you used a Fire TV or perhaps another streaming gadget? In the comments section, share your stories with us.