Black Friday is swiftly approaching, and based on previous years, we expect to see media streamers be heavily discounted. One of the most popular options on the market is Amazon's series of Fire TV Sticks, which add smart streaming enhancements to any TV via the HDMI socket. Considering Amazon goes all-in on the Black Friday sales, it should come as no surprise that we expect its own line of streamers will be heavily discounted.
There is, however, a whole range of Fire Sticks to choose from, so picking one is easier said than done. Amazon has made this slightly easier as of late, by combining the Fire Stick Lite and Fire Stick HD into one model; the Fire Stick HD (2024). That being said, the Lite model is still available as of now, bringing the total number of Fire TV Stick options to four (not including the Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation).
Luckily for you, we're here to clear up some confusion and point you in the right direction, so that you can buy the Fire TV Stick that best suits your needs.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023)?
The second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K launched in 2023, and is 30 per cent faster than the old Fire TV Stick 4K (2018), and supports Wi-Fi 6. Like the previous version, it supports the major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10 and HDR10 Plus) and Dolby Atmos for more immersive audio with virtual height channels. And of course, as the name suggests, it's equipped for 4K visuals.
The Alexa Voice Remote means voice controls without touching a button, and it can control your TV, soundbar and AV receiver too.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023)?
We haven't reviewed this model yet, but the previous model picked up a five-star review along with a What Hi-Fi? Award to boot. Considering the similarities to the old model, we would like to think the new Fire TV Stick 4K could follow suit.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Without testing it, we couldn't say. But competition is fierce at this end of the market. The Google Chromecast with Google TV is another previous Award winner, and then there's the follow-up, the Google TV Streamer (which we're yet to review). And don't forget, Amazon's previous Fire TV Sticks can still be found at knockdown prices.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)?
Besides the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, Amazon also launched a new version of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max in 2023. The Max is the biggest and most powerful Fire TV Stick that Amazon makes.
The latest model is even more powerful than the one it replaces, upping the processor to 2GHz, and supporting Wi-Fi 6E, which potentially means lower latency streaming and faster speeds (as long as you have a compatible router).
It's also the first Fire TV Stick with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which displays artwork, info from your calendar, sticky notes, and controls for your smart home devices and music streaming services, all when you're not watching TV. (Previously, this feature was only on Amazon's Fire TV Omni QLED Series of TVs.)
The Fire TV 4K Max supports the same HDR and Atmos formats as the standard 4K model, and has double the storage (16GB) of its predecessor. It too ships with an Alexa Voice Remote that can also control your soundbar and AV receiver as well as your TV.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)?
We haven't tested this second-gen model, but the first one fared well, earning four stars. It'll be interesting to see if Amazon has addressed the issue we had with sound quality on this model – the previous one lacked the soul and drive necessary to keep us entertained during testing.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is only £10 / $10 / AU$40 more expensive than the Fire TV Stick 4K. Again, Google Chromecast gives it a run for its money. The Apple TV 4K (2022) is still a fair bit pricier but does offer significant improvements in picture and sound quality.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD?
The Fire TV Stick HD launched in October 2024, and is the latest entry-level device in the Fire TV Stick family. It replaces both the standard Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite (both below).
What's new? Not a whole lot. There's an Alexa Voice Remote for barking commands at the virtual assistant, and you also get buttons for your TV's volume and power controls.
Other than that, it's business as usual, with HDR support, full HD picture quality, HDMI ARC compatibility and a 1.7GHz processor. It doesn't support Dolby Vision or Atmos – for those, you'll need the Fire TV Stick 4K.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick HD?
We haven't reviewed it yet, so can't say for definite. But if you can make do with HD picture quality, this could be £39 / $34 / AU$69 well spent.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Without reviewing it, we couldn't say. Stay tuned for a full review...
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Generation)?
The third iteration of the standard Fire TV Stick is no longer sold by Amazon, but you might find it at other retailers or second hand. It offers HD streaming (no 4K here) with support for the major HDR formats (apart from Dolby Vision), Dolby Atmos audio for virtual height channels, and the Alexa Voice Remote for voice commands as well as buttons to control your TV.
It's also cheap. Very cheap. Not quite as cheap as the Fire TV Stick Lite below, admittedly, but considering its abilities, it's something of a steal.
Performance? It's very good for the money. The HDR is typically excellent and brings an enjoyable punch to lower-res material, while the audio makes for a very easy listen with high levels of clarity.
It runs an older version of the FireOS operating system and has a slower processor than the pricier Fire TV Sticks, but considering the price, those compromises are really very small.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen)?
It's definitely worth a look. Its main competition comes from Roku, whose devices are a bit less hard sell than Amazon.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Quite possibly. It earned four stars in our review – we praised the strong app offering, improved UI and excellent HDR performance. But with the 4K model only fractionally more expensive, why wouldn't you spend the extra to future-proof it?
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite?
Again, this model has been discontinued, but stock is still lingering on Amazon for now. It's basically the standard Fire TV Stick (above), but without Dolby Atmos. Its Alexa Voice Remote Lite also lacks the TV control buttons of its pricier brethren, so you can only use it to control the Fire TV Stick (and activate the Alexa voice assistant, of course).
We haven't tested it, so can't comment on its performance. When it was new, it was £10 / $10 cheaper than the standard Fire TV Stick.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick Lite?
If you want the bare-bones Fire TV Stick experience, then it will do the job. We would advise spending a little more to get 4K and Atmos, but if your budget really won't stretch, this could be a cheap way to access streaming services.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
It could well be, though without having tested it, we can't say. The main competition at this price comes from Roku, but if you can put up with Amazon's self-promotion through its FireOS interface, we would opt for a Fire TV Stick.
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