There are loads of streaming devices on the market. From Android TV boxes to Roku media streamers and Apple TV set-top boxes, you’ve got plenty of choices to meet your streaming needs. And the Amazon Fire TV is one of the best streaming devices on the planet. It’s user-friendly, has a massive app library, and comes in a variety of packages.
The best Amazon Fire TV device overall is the Fire TV Cube. It’s the most powerful Fire TV media streamer available, which provides buttery smooth 4K video playback from apps like Netflix or Max. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) is a great choice for most people who just want to stream movies and TV shows or play the occasional game. On a budget, the 4K TV Stick 4K (2nd gen) is a solid choice that lacks a few power user features when compared to the 4K Max. Here are the best Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks and boxes on the market in 2024!
Best Amazon Fire TV Streaming Devices Overview
| Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) | Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd gen) | Fire TV Cube (2nd gen) | Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick Lite | |
| Category | Best Fire TV Stick Overall | Best Value Amazon Firestick | Most Powerful Amazon Fire TV | Best 1080p Amazon Fire TV Stick | Best Budget Fire TV Stick |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) | 4K UHD | 4K UHD | 1080p | 1080p |
| Supported HDR formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| Supported audio | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Audio |
| Onboard Storage | 16GB | 16GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB | 1GB | 1GB |
| Wi-Fi version | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Ethernet | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Remote | Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced | Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced | Alexa Voice Remote | Alexa Voice Remote | Alexa Voice Remote Lite |
| Live View Picture-in-Picture | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Hands-free Alexa | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Purchase now | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon |
Best Amazon Fire TV Device Overall – Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Second-gen
The all-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best Fire TV device on the market. As its name suggests, the 4K Max boasts 4K ultra-high-definition (UHD) 3840 x 2160 video output with high dynamic range (HDR). You’ll find HDR support for the Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+ high dynamic range standards. On the audio side, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max sports Dolby Atmos processing.
Under the hood, you’ll find 16GB of onboard storage mated to 2GB of RAM. There’s a quad-core 2GHz CPU which makes the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max great for gaming. Wi-Fi 6E comes standard with a significant internet speed increase over Wi-Fi 5 for smooth 4K streaming. When compared with its predecessor, the second-gen Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max features a beefier processor, twice the storage (16GB vs. 8GB), and Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 6.
Because of its Fire TV operating system (OS), the Fire Stick 4K Max features support for the Amazon Luna game streaming service. Simply pair the 4K Max with an Amazon Luna controller (or another gamepad of your choice) and you can stream a smattering of games to your TV or projector.
You’ll enjoy top-notch support for most popular streaming apps including Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and more. The 4K Max’s excellent remote offers dedicated buttons to launch Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. There’s also a built-in Alexa remote for using Amazon’s smart voice assistant.
Unfortunately, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max lacks Apple AirPlay and Chromecast support. However, you can still enable screen mirroring on the Amazon Fire TV. Additionally, its mere 16GB of onboard storage fills up quickly. Nevertheless, with an affordable price tag, fantastic 4K HDR support, and Wi-Fi 6E, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best Fire TV media streamer yet.
Pros:
- 4K UHD 3840×2160 video output
- HDR support with HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision compatibility
- Dolby Atmos audio support
- 16GB onboard storage, 2GB RAM
- 1.8GHz CPU, 750MHz GPU
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Excellent 4K streaming capabilities
- Great for gaming
- User-friendly
- Remote with Alexa, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video shortcut buttons
Cons:
- Only 8GB onboard storage
- Lacks Apple AirPlay and Chromecast support
Most Powerful Fire TV Device – Fire TV Cube Second-gen
The all-new Fire TV Cube is the most powerful Fire TV device on the market. Packing 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage space, the Fire TV Cube has plenty of room for all of your streaming apps and games. An octa-core CPU (2.2GHz quad-core and 2GHz quad-core) is paired with a beefy 800Mhz GPU. For native Fire TV OS games or Amazon Luna, the Cube is a great piece of kit.
Since the Fire TV Cube packs ample processing power, it’s able to competently pump out 4K UHD video. You’ll find HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision high dynamic range support. Amazon offers a lineup of smart speakers that come with its Alexa virtual assistant baked-in. The Fire TV Cube doubles as an Amazon Alexa device with hands-free Alexa functionality. A pair of far-field mics let you issue voice commands. As such, the Fire TV Cube doubles as smart speaker to control smart home devices, answer questions, check the weather, and more.
What’s more, the all-new Fire TV Cube now packs Wi-Fi 6E and an Ethernet for best-in-class streaming support, particularly for 4K HDR video content. Its support for high-end audio passthrough of DTS, DTS-HD, and Dolby TrueHD makes the Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd gen a great Plex client. Although there is a built-in speaker that lets the Cube communicate with Alexa, it’s not particularly loud. Nevertheless, if you want a beefy little streaming box, the Fire TV Cube is a great choice.
Pros:
- 4K UHD 3840×2160 video output
- HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision support)
- Dolby Atmos audio processing
- 16GB onboard storage, 2GB RAM
- Octa-core 2.2GHz +2GHz CPU, 800MHz GPU
- Wi-Fi 6E, Ethernet, Bluetooth
- Excellent for gaming and media streaming
- Hands-free Amazon Alexa compatibility – doubles as a sort of Echo
- Easy-to-use
- Tons of apps and games
Cons:
- Not the loudest or best quality speaker
Best Mid-range Fire TV Device – Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
If you don’t need Wi-Fi 6E you may consider the all-new Fire TV 4K (non-Max). It’s nearly identical to the 4K Max, but comes with Wi-Fi 6 instead of 6E. Additionally, the Fire TV Stick 4K 2nd gen packs a 1.7GHz CPU versus the 2GHz CPU in the 4K Max.
However, the Fire TV Stick 4K provides 4K UHD 3840×2160 video output with HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision support. For audio, the Fire Stick 4K can decode Dolby Atmos soundtracks on-device. You’ll enjoy 8GB of storage space for installing apps and games plus 2GB of RAM.
Altogether, we think the Fire TV 4K Max second-gen is a better value than the Fire TV Stick 4K 2nd gen. For just a little bit more cash, you get double the storage space for installing apps and games. For ultra-high-definition 4K video playback, the Max’s Wi-Fi 6E makes for a better experience, assuming you’ve got a Wi-Fi 6E router. Still, if you want to save a bit over the 4K Max, the Fire TV Stick 4K is an awesome streaming media player.
Pros:
- 4K UHD 3840×2160 video output
- HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision) support
- 8GB storage space, 2GB RAM
- Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
- 1.7GHz CPU
- Remote with Alexa, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video shortcut buttons
- Incredible value
- Excellent for 4K UHD video streaming
Cons:
- Lacks Wi-Fi 6E
- Slightly weaker CPU/GPU combo than the 4K Max
- Half the storage space of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Best Budget Fire TV Stick – Fire TV Stick
On a budget, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is an incredible value. It gives good bang-for-your-buck with 1080p streaming support. It’s powered by a 1.7GHz CPU and a 650Mhz GPU. You’ll get an 8GB storage capacity and 1GB of RAM.
Disappointingly, the Fire TV Stick lacks 4K ultra-high-definition video output. Accordingly, HDR support is absent. However, there is Dolby Atmos audio processing. Wi-Fi 6 isn’t available, but the Fire TV Stick’s Wi-Fi 5 should be fine for most users.
Despite its 1080p video out capabilities, the Fire TV Stick is a good, affordable streaming stick. It won’t break the bank but still nets you a solid streaming experience that even pumps out Dolby Atmos audio.
Pros:
- 1080p 1920×1080 full high definition (HD) video output
- Dolby Atmos audio processing
- 8GB storage space, 1GB RAM
- 1.7GHz CPU, 650MHz GPU
- Extremely affordable
- Great for streaming video and music
- Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth
- Remote with Alexa, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video shortcut buttons
Cons:
- Limited to 1080p (no 4K video output or HDR support)
- Only 1GB of RAM
- Limited to 8GB storage capacity
- Not ideal for gaming
Cheapest Fire TV Stick – Fire TV Stick Lite
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest Fire TV Stick available. It’s similar to the vanilla Fire TV Stick, but with a few key differences. You’ll enjoy full HD 1080p video output, but no 4K or HDR capabilities. There’s Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth for wireless communications. At its core, the Fire TV Stick Lite rocks a 1.7GHz CPU paired with a 650MHz GPU.
However, unlike the standard Fire TV Stick, the Lite iteration doesn’t include native Dolby Atmos audio handling. Instead, the Stick Lite has HDMI audio passthrough for Atmos, Dolby Digital, and other codecs. Thus, you can enjoy Atmos and other surround sound audio codecs if you’ve got a compatible receiver or soundbar. But the Stick Lite can’t natively decode Atmos. While the Fire TV Stick Lite lacks Atmos decoding, 4K video out, and HDR, with a typical retail price under $30 USD, it’s a fantastic cheap streaming solution.
Pros:
- Full HD 1080p 1920×1080 video output
- 1GB RAM, 8GB storage space
- Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth
- 1.7GHz CPU, 650MHz GPU
- HDMI audio passthrough for Dolby Atmos
- Super affordable
Cons:
- Only supports Dolby Atmos passthrough, no native Atmos decoding
- Limited to 1080p
- No HDR support
- Not great for gaming
Best Amazon Fire TV Televisions
Although Fire TV streaming sticks (or cubes) are the most common Fire TV OS media players available, you can find smart TVs that run the Fire TV OS. There are tons of options from the likes of Toshiba and Insignia. The Amazon Fire TV Omni series is a fantastic option that sports 4K UHD video with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG HDR support.
Toshiba offers a great lineup of Fire TV smart televisions that boast 4K ultra-high-definition video, Dolby Vision and HDR10, plus an Alexa voice remote. If you’re ok with 1080p, the Insignia NS-42F201NA22 is a solid budget-priced 42-inch 1080p panel. However, you’ve got plenty of choices in TVs that run Amazon Fire TV OS.
Best Audio Solution for the Amazon Fire TV – Amazon Fire TV Soundbar
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar is a great choice that pairs well with your Firestick. It’s only a soundbar, and doesn’t include Alexa onboard, nor does it feature an onboard streaming media operating system like Roku’s Streambar does.
However, the Fire TV Soundbar integrates with Amazon’s Fire TV media streamers and televisions. You’ll enjoy DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio plus HDMI ARC and eARC support. There’s even Bluetooth audio for connecting to phones, tablets, PCs, and other devices.
Unfortunately, the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar is simply a stereo 2.0 dual-channel audio device, not a surround sound device. Still, it’s a great budget solution that’s noticeably better than your onboard TV speakers. If you’re a Fire TV user still relying on your television or projector’s speakers, the Fire TV Soundbar is a fantastic option.
Pros:
- Budget-pricing
- Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual X support
- HDMI ARC/eARC
- Stereo audio
- Bluetooth onboard
Cons:
- Only 1 HDMI port
- Not surround sound
What to Look for in an Amazon Fire TV Device
When selecting an Amazon Fire TV device, there’s a lot to consider. From price and performance to form factor and video output support, here’s everything to look for when picking out a Fire TV streaming media player.
Price: First, consider your budget. You can find cheap Fire TV streaming sticks and premium offerings, although across the board pricing is incredibly reasonable.
Form factor: You’ll find Fire TV gadgets in three main form factors: streaming sticks, cubes/set-top-boxes, and televisions. Figure out which option you want and go from there. If you’ve already got a TV or projector, a Firestick or Fire TV Cube is the right choice. Alternatively, if need a television, you might consider a Fire OS smart TV.
Video output support: 4K UHD (3840×2160) is the industry standard. Most of Amazon’s Fire TV media players offer 4K video output, though a few of its budget streamers are limited to 1080p. You could snag a 1080p-capable streaming stick to save, or cop a 4K media player for future-proofing.
GPU/CPU: Streaming video generally isn’t too CPU or GPU-intensive. However, for gaming, you might need more horsepower.
Storage capacity/RAM: Think about how many apps you want to install. Typically, streaming video or music apps aren’t terribly large. But games can really fill up your device quickly. Although 16GB or even 8GB of onboard storage, for example, may sound like a lot (especially if you don’t plan on installing any games), that capacity holds the OS and your apps.
Connectivity: A strong Wi-Fi connection is crucial for a buttery-smooth streaming experience. If you’ve got a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router, or plan to upgrade, you might want Wi-Fi 6. Otherwise, Wi-Fi 5 should be fine for most people.
Best Fire TV Devices FAQs
Yes! Even the budget-priced Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite offer user-friendly streaming experiences at affordable price points. Fire TV devices are incredible, balancing price and performance wonderfully. Its premium offerings like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Stick 4K, and all-new Fire TV Cube are great for 4K video streaming. On a budget, the Fire Stick and Stick Lite are solid 1080p-capable options. And you’ll find several Fire TV smart TVs as well. Regardless of which Fire TV device you select, you’ll enjoy access to all of your favorite apps and games, including Amazon Luna for cloud gaming.
Amazon’s Fire TV OS is a fork of Android that runs on tablets, TVs, and streaming boxes. Fire OS is a fork of the Android operating system as found on phones, tablets, and streaming boxes. Fire OS runs on a variety of different hardware options including tablets, TVs, and media players.
The all-new Amazon Fire TV Cube is the most powerful Fire TV streaming box available. Its octa-core 2.2GHz and 2GHz quad-core CPUs are mated to an 800MHz GPU. Additionally, the Fire TV Cube yields 16GB of storage space and 2GB of RAM. There’s also Wi-Fi 6E alongside an Ethernet port for best-in-class wireless and wired networking. For 4K UHD video streaming, native Fire OS gaming, and Amazon Luna, the Fire TV Cube is your best choice.
The Fire TV Stick Lite is the cheapest Fire TV device on the market. Clocking in with a normal retail price of less than $30 USD (prices may vary), the Stick Lite delivers good bang-for-your-buck. While it lacks 4K video support, the Lite is a solid option for 1080p streaming on a budget.
Best Fire TV Device Final Thoughts – Which Fire TV Media Streamer is Right for You?
Overall, there are loads of Fire TV devices to pick from. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best option for most people with outstanding 4K UHD HDR video support and cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6E support. The all-new Fire TV Cube offers a beefy processor alongside a strong GPU/CPU combo. Amazon’s Fire Stick 4K offers most of the benefits of the 4K Max with a few minor concessions. On a budget, the 1080p-capable Fire TV Stick and Stick Lite are compelling, cheap choices. And for a smart TV, you can find a slew of televisions running Fire OS. To make the most of your streaming device, learn how to install Plex on Firestick.
Your turn: What Fire TV devices do YOU recommend for streaming?
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