Which Fire TV is best for you? A breakdown of Amazon's streaming sticks, televisions, and Cube device.
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The best Amazon Fire TV devices deliver easy access to popular streaming services. Fire TV products are some of our favorite streaming solutions thanks to their snappy speed and affordable prices. Right now, you can choose between stick, cube, and full-fledged smart TV models.
Entry-level Fire TV options, like the standard Fire TV Stick, offer HD playback, while the best Fire TV devices, like the second-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max, support Ultra HD video and Dolby Vision for enhanced color and contrast. Amazon also sells its own smart TVs that have the Fire TV operating system (OS) built in. Though these sets don't rank among the top TVs you can buy, they're decent budget options for fans of Amazon's ecosystem.
But with so many different Fire TV models to consider, it can be tricky to determine which is right for your needs. To help you pick the best Fire TV stick or display for your setup, we've detailed all the ins and outs of each model.
How to get a great deal on the best Fire TV devices
Right now, Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K is 30% off. Though not the lowest it's ever dropped to, that's a solid $15 discount.
The best Fire TV sticks and smart TVs get even better deals during big sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, though smaller deals pop up throughout the year.
Fire TV Stick Lite
The Fire TV Stick Lite is the most affordable of the lineup, making it the best Fire TV on a budget. Like the company's other stick models, this compact dongle plugs into your TV's HDMI port. Once powered on, you can navigate through the stick's interface to access all of the best streaming services.
The Fire TV Stick Lite matches the video quality of the more expensive standard Fire TV Stick. The only notable difference between this model and the regular Stick is its remote. The Lite includes an Alexa Voice Remote Lite, which lacks TV controls, like power and volume buttons. Other than that, both models are essentially the same.
The Fire TV Stick Lite can stream videos at up to 1080p resolution, which makes it ideal for an HDTV. The device also supports high dynamic range (HDR) using the HDR10 and HDR10+ formats. This feature delivers enhanced colors and contrast when streaming HDR videos through apps like Disney Plus. That said, most TVs that support HDR are 4K models, and if you have a 4K TV, we highly recommend you pay a bit more for one of Amazon's 4K sticks.
If your TV doesn't support 4K, the Fire TV Stick Lite will suit your streaming needs just fine. However, keep in mind that the standard Fire TV Stick occasionally goes on sale for even less than the Lite. When that happens, there's no reason to consider this model.
Fire TV Stick
The standard Fire TV Stick matches the 1080p and HDR streaming quality of the Lite model but has an improved remote with TV controls like power and volume. Though it usually costs $10 more than the Lite model, it's sometimes on sale for less than that entry-level option.
The base Fire TV Stick will meet most people's HD streaming needs, but if you own a 4K TV, we recommend spending the extra money on one of Amazon's more advanced 4K streaming devices.
Fire TV Stick 4K
As the name suggests, the Fire TV Stick 4K streams at a higher resolution than the Fire TV Stick or Stick Lite. With 4K support, you'll get a sharper, more detailed image when watching 4K videos on a 4K TV. Right now, you can snag it for 30% off.
This model also carries over HDR playback but adds support for the more advanced Dolby Vision format, which is missing on the Lite and standard Fire TV Stick. Dolby Vision can give your TV more detailed guidance for displaying HDR images, but only when watching Dolby Vision content on a compatible display. Check out our HDR TV guide for more details about different HDR formats.
The latest version of the Fire TV Stick 4K was released in September 2023. It has a slightly tweaked design with rounded edges, more memory, and an improved processor. Amazon says it's around 25% faster than the first-gen model. It also now supports WiFi 6 when used with a compatible router.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is also one of the few Fire TV models with access to the Xbox app. With the Xbox app, a Game Pass Ultimate membership, and a Bluetooth controller, you can stream Xbox games to your Fire TV Stick 4K. This means you can play high-end games without a console.
All things considered, this model is a good fit for those with a 4K TV. However, if you're willing to spend a bit more, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers slightly better performance.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one of our picks for the best streaming devices you can buy. It carries over everything you get with the regular Fire TV Stick 4K while offering a faster processor and GPU, as well as more storage. This makes navigation a little snappier and lets you save more apps and games.
Amazon released the latest version of its Fire TV Stick 4K Max in September 2023. Compared to the previous-generation edition, this new model has an upgraded processor, double the amount of storage, and support for WiFi 6E routers. It also has a revised design with rounded edges.
Unlike other Fire TV Sticks, the 4K Max supports Amazon's Fire TV Ambient Experience, which lets you display art, photos, and widgets for things like the weather and your calendar. And like the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, it also supports the Xbox app for Game Pass streaming.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is typically just $10 more than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, so we think it's the best Fire TV option for people with 4K TVs.
Fire TV Cube
The Fire TV Cube is the best Fire TV for pure processing power. It incorporates all the features of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max but has a beefier CPU and is meant to be a more traditional home theater device. Instead of a dongle that hangs out of your TV's HDMI port, the Cube is a compact box that sits on your TV stand and plugs into your display with an HDMI cable.
One of the Fire TV Cube's biggest benefits is its support for hands-free Alexa voice control without a remote. In other words, the Cube can act like an Echo device. The newest model also has an HDMI passthrough port to control cable boxes, twice as much storage space as the stick models, 4K upscaling to make HD videos look better, and overall faster performance.
The Fire TV Cube is a premium streaming box designed to compete with devices like the Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra, and Google TV Streamer,so it's best suited for home theater enthusiasts who want the brand's absolute best quality and fastest technology.
Fire TV 2-Series
Amazon also sells its own lineup of full-fledged smart TVs, which all use a built-in version of the Fire TV OS. This means you can stream your favorite apps without an extra device. Though Amazon's displays don't make our guide to the best TVs, they're still worthwhile budget options if you're a fan of the Fire TV ecosystem. The 2-Series is Amazon's entry-level HDTV model designed for people who just want a basic smart TV for casual viewing.
The 2-Series is available in a 32-inch 720p screen or 40-inch 1080p screen. Both models support HDR processing using the standard HDR10 format, but the 2-Series can't deliver the brightness or color needed to really take advantage of high-dynamic-range playback. For this reason, we only recommend this model for people who want a cheap TV that doesn't take up too much space. The 40-inch model is on sale for just $180, which is lower than what we saw on Prime Day.
Fire TV 4-Series
The 4-Series steps things up from HD to Ultra HD with a 4K resolution screen. Models are available in 43-, 50-, and 55-inch sizes.
Though it supports 4K playback, the 4-Series has subpar HDR performance and lacks advanced features like wide color support and Dolby Vision. It's a decent TV for buyers who want a smaller, affordable 4K display for a bedroom, but it's not suited for home theater use.
Fire TV Omni Series
The Omni Series Fire TV adds support for hands-free Alexa voice control without using the remote. You can control power, volume, navigation, and search with spoken commands through the TV's built-in microphones. And the TV can also serve as an Alexa smart home hub even when the display is off.
Models range in size from 43 to 75 inches. Every model supports 4K resolution and HDR10, and the 65- and 75-inch models add support for Dolby Vision.
Unfortunately, the TV's picture quality and navigation speed are underwhelming for its price. There are simply better-looking displays from brands like TCL, Hisense, and Roku that cost around the same. That said, the Omni is a decent buy when it's on sale during deal events like Black Friday and Prime Day. We only recommend picking up the 65-inch model when you can snag it for under $500.
Check out our Amazon Fire TV Omni review.
Fire TV Omni QLED Series
Amazon's Omni QLED is the best Fire TV display you can buy, and it offers a big step up from the regular Omni Series. It carries over hands-free Alexa support while adding advanced picture features like quantum dots and local dimming. These features enable it to deliver much better color and contrast performance.
The TV also has an ambient mode that can display art and widgets when it senses someone has walked into the room. Sizes range from 43 to 75 inches, but the 43-inch model does not include local dimming.
The 65-inch model's list price of $800 is high for what you get, and the set doesn't match the overall performance of the very best 4K TVs in this class. However, we've seen it drop to $600 during big sales events, offering much better value at that price.
Check out our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review.
Fire TV Soundbar
Amazon's latest Fire TV-branded product isn't actually a streaming device at all. Instead, it's a soundbar.
The Fire TV soundbar is a compact 2.0-channel speaker designed to rest in front of your TV. It features an HDMI eARC and optical port for easy connection to most modern displays, and it also supports Bluetooth for wireless music playback from a mobile device.
At 24 inches wide, the soundbar is relatively small, which should make it easy to set up on most TV stands. Though it doesn't include a subwoofer or offer advanced features like up-firing audio drivers with Dolby Atmos support, the Fire TV Soundbar does support DTS Virtual:X to simulate surround sound. That said, at this price range and performance class, buyers shouldn't expect too much from this feature.
And despite the Fire TV branding, this is a soundbar only. It does not feature built-in support for streaming video apps. The base model only includes a standard remote, but you can pay more for a package with an Alexa Voice Remote Pro.
Based on the specs and affordable $120 price tag, Amazon is positioning this as an entry-level soundbar for people who just want a simple, compact, and inexpensive upgrade for their TV's speakers.
But if you're looking for something with more oomph, check out our soundbar buying guides to see our top recommendations:
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Reviewed by mimisabreena
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Friday, August 16, 2024
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