cut the rope On cable is easier than ever, and Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks are a great way to do just that, giving you access to thousands of hours of content from your favorite streaming services. While most new TVs Smart TVs Nowadays, they don’t always update apps like dedicated streaming devices do. Rocco It offers some of our favorite products of the moment, but the company faces stiff competition from Amazon, as well as Google and Apple.
Amazon in particular has pushed aggressively into the streaming market by producing a range of Fire TV-branded streaming devices. We’ve reviewed them all, and found that we tend to like Roku’s products better for their ease of use and platform-based approach—Roku’s listings don’t favor one service (like Prime Video) over another. However, Amazon’s Fire TV devices are also highly capable, especially if you want to Alexa Audio integration.
Amazon’s lineup is robust and runs the full gamut from the basic Fire TV Stick Lite to the midrange Fire TV Stick 4K Max to the Fire TV Cube, plus a range of models in between. If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. Our guide to the best Fire TV streaming device will help you choose the right model for you.
Read more: The best 4K TV of 2023
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If you are looking for the best Fire Stick on the market, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is it. The Max is fast and loads apps almost instantly, and navigation around the system is quick and smooth. Even better, the Max supports Wi-Fi 6 and nearly all of the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. The downside to Max is the Fire TV platform with ads popping up prominently all the time. We don’t appreciate the TV becoming a giant revolving billboard of content or ads when it’s in screensaver mode. But this is a good choice for those looking for the best and fastest Amazon Fire TV.
Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review.
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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 good option for those who want to stream 4K without paying for the latest bells and whistles, namely Wi-Fi 6 and blazing fast speeds. The voice features are great and Echo and Dot owners can control them using Alexa. Its app and game selection is great and responses are still snappy, though not quite as fast as the Max’s. The remote control can control the volume and power of TVs and speakers. Ultimately, if the Fire TV Stick 4K’s price is close to the Max, we’d recommend passing this one up and getting a newer, faster Max.
Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K review.
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The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite streaming device, beating out the Roku Express. The Lite beats the Express in features for the money. The Fire TV’s biggest feature is a remote with built-in voice search and Alexa-powered control. The cheapest Roku with a remote is the Express Plus 4K, which uses Roku’s voice platform, not Alexa. The Fire Stick remote also doesn’t need line of sight in order to work. If you want to spend as little as possible on a streaming player, then Lite is your best bet.
Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review.
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We haven’t reviewed the latest 2022 Fire TV Cube, but it adds a few bells and whistles, including 4K upscaling and a faster processor, to keep it as a recommended addition to the living room for Alexa-focused households. The Cube is a combination of a Fire TV Stick and an Alexa speaker, allowing you to use your voice to search for shows, adjust volume and inputs on your TV, dim lights, make Zoom calls (audio only, unless you add a webcam), stream music and check out Weather – all hands-free, without using the remote control. It also features an octa-core processor and 2GB of memory for blazingly fast 4K streaming, as well as audio support for Dolby Atmos.
Read our Amazon Fire TV Cube review.
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Although the Lite is a better value, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is another good option for those still rocking regular HDTVs. The main difference between the Fire TV Stick and the cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite is the remote control. The Fire Stick remote has buttons for volume, mute, and power, allowing you to control those functions on your TV. Lite lacks these capabilities and is therefore slightly less expensive. If you have a 1080p TV and don’t mind paying more for a remote control that can control the volume on the TV, the Fire TV Stick is a good option for you.
Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick review.
How we test Fire TV devices
Each Fire TV Stick we review receives hours of hands-on testing. This usually involves installing the device on multiple TVs, evaluating the setup process, adding popular broadcast channels, and using the product as if it were our own. We use all the major features available and see how they stack up against other Fire TV models in the company’s lineup. To do this, we connected multiple Fire TV streaming devices to the same TV so we could easily switch back and forth to compare experiences.
The metrics we use to rate a device include hardware design, premium features that differentiate models, remote design capabilities, overall ease of use, effective layouts and designs, search capabilities, privacy settings, number and performance of apps and overall speed. and system reliability.
Fire TV FAQ
What is the difference between Fire TV and Fire TV?
The Fire TV, like the devices on this list, is a small stick or square piece of hardware that plugs into the HDMI port on the back of your TV. This gives your TV access to Amazon Fire TV programming and content, no matter what type of TV you own.
Amazon also makes Fire TVs, which are TVs that come with Fire TV software preinstalled. This means that your TV will automatically have access to the Fire TV interface without the need for an additional streaming device.
What streaming apps are on Fire TV?
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 more. However, Spectrum cable users cannot access the Spectrum app on Fire TV.
Do I need an Amazon Prime membership to use Fire TV?
No, although you will need a free Amazon account to set up the device. Although you do not need 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 platform, and a Prime membership makes it easy to check out everything Amazon has to offer.