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What is the best Fire TV Stick?
When looking at all the great options available in the variety of Fire TV Sticks on the market, we’ve given our top spot to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It launches apps quickly, and navigation feels snappy and fluid, thanks to its robust processor. It also comes with Dolby Vision support and Wi-Fi 6 for faster streaming.
Amazon has aggressively entered the streaming market, producing a range of streaming devices under its Fire TV brand. We’ve tested and reviewed all of them, as well as others from Roku, Google, Apple, and more, and found that we like Roku’s products best for their ease of use and cross-platform approach. Roku’s menus don’t favor one streaming service (like, say, Prime Video) over others. That said, Amazon’s Fire TV devices are also very capable, especially if you Alexa speech integration.
Amazon’s product lineup is robust, ranging from the entry-level Fire TV Stick Lite to the mid-range Fire TV Stick 4K Max to the top-of-the-range Fire TV Cube, and plenty of models in between. If that sounds confusing, don’t worry. Our guide to the best Fire TV streaming device will help you pick the right model for you.
read more: Best 4K TV for 2023
Best Fire TV Sticks of 2024
If you’re looking for the best Fire Stick on the market, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the one to go for. The Max is fast, loading apps almost instantly, and navigating the system is quick and fluid. Better yet, the Max supports Wi-Fi 6 and almost all of the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. The downside to the Max is the Fire TV platform, which places ads front and center. We just don’t like that the TV becomes a giant rotating billboard for content, or that it displays ads in screensaver mode. But, it’s a solid pick for those after the best, fastest Amazon Fire TV Stick.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K debuted in 2018 and is still around today. While we generally think it’s worth upgrading to the Max, the original Fire TV Stick 4K is still a solid choice for those who want 4K streaming without paying for all the bells and whistles, namely Wi-Fi 6 and blazing-fast speeds. Its voice capabilities are impressive, and Echo and Dot owners can control it with Alexa. Its app and game selection is excellent, and it’s still responsive, though not as quick as on the Max. The remote can control volume and power on both TVs and sound bars. Ultimately, if the Fire TV Stick 4K’s price is close to that of the Max, we’d recommend skipping this one and getting the newer, faster Max.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite budget streaming device, better than the Roku Express . The Lite beats the Express in features-for-the-money. The biggest advantage this Fire TV has is a remote with built-in voice search and Alexa control. The least expensive Roku with a voice-activated remote is the Express Plus 4K, which uses Roku’s more basic voice-activated system, not Alexa. The Fire Stick’s remote also doesn’t have to be in plain sight to work. If you’re looking to spend as little as possible on a streaming player, the Lite is your best bet.
The 2022 Fire TV Cube adds a handful of bells and whistles, including 4K upscaling and a faster processor, to a device that’s been around for a while. The Cube has always been a mix between the Fire TV Stick and an Alexa speaker, letting you use your voice to search for shows and adjust the volume and inputs on your TV, dim the lights, make Zoom calls (audio only, unless you add a webcam), stream music and check the weather — all hands-free, without having to reach for the remote. It also features an octa-core processor and 2GB of storage for blazing-fast 4K streaming, as well as Dolby Atmos audio support. That said, the latest iteration of the Cube struggles to control devices connected to your TV — especially if that TV happens to be a TCL — and often misses the mark when it comes to integrating Alexa commands with your cable box.
While the Lite is a better value, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is another good choice for those still using regular HDTVs. The main difference between the Fire TV Stick and the cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite is the remote. The Fire Stick’s remote has volume, mute, and power buttons, allowing you to control these functions on your TV. The Lite lacks these capabilities and is a bit cheaper as a result. If you have a 1080p TV and don’t mind paying a little more for a remote that can control the volume on your TV, the Fire TV Stick is a good choice for you.
Every Fire TV Stick we review gets hours of hands-on testing. Typically, this involves installing the device on multiple TVs, evaluating the setup process, adding popular streaming channels, and using the product as if it were our own. We hit all the key features available and see how they compare to other Fire TV models in the company’s lineup. To do this, we connect multiple Fire TV streaming devices to the same TV, so we can easily switch back and forth to compare experiences.
The metrics we use to rate a device include its hardware design, distinguishing features that differentiate between different models, remote capabilities and design, overall ease of use, effective layout and design, search capabilities, privacy settings, number of apps and their performance, and overall system speed and reliability.
Fire TV FAQ
A Fire TV device, like the ones on this list, is a small rod-shaped or square piece of hardware that plugs into an HDMI port on the back of your TV. This gives your TV access to Amazon Fire TV software and content, regardless of what brand of TV you have.
Amazon also makes Fire TVs, which are televisions that come with Fire TV software pre-installed. This means that your TV will automatically have access to the Fire TV interface without the need for an additional streaming device.
Fire TV offers a long list of streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount Plus, Peacock TV, Tubi, Pluto TV, Showtime, Discovery Plus, and othersHowever, Spectrum Cable users do not have access to the Spectrum app on Fire TV.
No, although you do need a free Amazon account to set up the device. While you don’t have to pay for a Prime membership to use Amazon Fire TV, it is useful and recommended. Membership comes with a selection of Prime Video content, including access to shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Expanse, and Wheel of Time. These shows and other Amazon-branded content are heavily advertised on the Fire TV system, and a Prime membership makes it easier to watch everything Amazon has to offer.
