Update February 13: We have updated this article with new versions of Fire TV and adjusted to its new prices.
Today we are no longer satisfied with watching the television channels available on DTT. Streaming video platforms such as Netflix, HBO, Prime Video or Disney+ have become an essential companion for millions of users.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a small device with the appearance and size of a flash drive that allows you to watch streaming content on your television in a matter of minutes.. It is extremely easy to install: just plug it into your TV, plug it in and connect to your home WiFi.
And this is not all: beyond the reproduction of streaming content, the Amazon Fire TV Stick also offers you other interesting functions. It comes with Alexa integrated and you have the possibility to control the devices of your Smart Home through the Amazon voice assistant.
ComputerHoy.com on Telegram
Follow us on Telegram
In addition, you have the possibility of listening to music through your favorite platform, such as Spotify, Amazon Music or TuneIn. If you like video games, You can also play the titles available in the Amazon store on the big screen. And if you want, you can also use it to view your photos on the big screen or browse the Internet from your television.
If you are determined to buy an amazon fire tv, it is possible that many doubts assail you. To give you a hand, in this buying guide we explain which models are currently on the market, the characteristics of each of them, their functions and their differences.
All Fire TV models
Amazon has a wide variety of Fire TV Stick models. But right now there are very new models that Amazon launched a few months ago.
The latest model is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, an evolution of the previous 4K version that has important internal innovations to make it faster.
The most affordable model is the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite, which is priced at 21.99 euros on sale, lower than the 24.99 euros that the standard model has. Although it has very similar features to the standard, its changes are in remote control with Alexa that dispenses with volume buttons. It has Full HD resolution and is an interesting model for those who want some basic features.
The other two models are more powerful, but before we get into them, let’s compare their different features.
| Fire TV Stick Lite | Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick 4K | Fire TV Stick 4K Max | Fire TV Cube | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | 1.7GHz Quad Core | 1.7GHz Quad Core | 1.7GHz Quad Core | 1.8GHz Quad Core | Octa-Core (4 x 2.2GHz, 4 x 2.0GHz) |
| GPUs | 650MHz | 650MHz | 650MHz | 750MHz | 800MHz |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 16 GB |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB | 1.5GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| Wifi | wifi 5 | wifi 5 | wifi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E | ethernet port |
| bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| voice support | Yes, with the Alexa voice control | Yes, with the Alexa voice control | Yes, with the Alexa voice control | Yes, with the Alexa voice control | Yes | 40mm speaker for Alexa |
| Audio formats and options | Stereo | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos | 7.1 sound | Two channel stereo | HDMI 5.1 |
| video formats | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| output resolution | 1080p 60fps | 1080p 60fps | 1080p 60fps | 4K, 1080p 60fps | 4K, 1080p 60fps |
| Dimensions and weight | 86 x 30 x 13mm | 32g | 86 x 30 x 13mm | 32g | 99 x 30 x 14mm | 53.6g | 99 x 30 x 14mm | 48.4g | 86 x 86 x 77mm | 513g |
| official price | €21.99 | €24.99 | €34.99 | €39.99 | €129.99 |
It can be verified that the the Fire TV Cube goes one step further Compared to what we knew so far, it has more RAM memory, a processor with more cores and a GPU that is the one that integrates the Helio G80 SoC. also adds double the storage (16 GB by 8 GB of the Stick 4K).
Both the Cube and the Fire Stick 4K support HDR 10, HDR 10+, HLG formats and content with the H.265, H.264 and VP9 codec, but there is a significant difference in price: Fire TV 4K costs 34, 99 euros at the moment, while the new Cube goes to 129.99 euros.
Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K Max: Features Comparison
amazon markets two models from the previous range: its Fire TV Stick streaming media player, which is the basic version, and the Fire TV Stick 4K, the more advanced model.
As its name suggests, the main difference between the two devices is that the simple model plays content in HD resolution, while the advanced version supports 4K Ultra HD resolution. However, there are also other features that differ, such as the processor or the compatible audio.
In the following table you can see at a glance the differences between the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick 4K:
| Characteristics | Fire TV Stick 2019 | Fire TV Stick 4K |
|---|---|---|
| Image quality | Up to 1080p | UltraHD 4K |
| HDR | No | Yes, HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10+ |
| Processor | MediaTek Quad-Core ARM 1.3GHz | Quad Core 1.7GHz |
| GPUs | Mali450 MP4 | IMG GE8300 |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB |
| connectivity | Dual-band, dual-antenna WiFi, supporting 2×2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band, dual-antenna WiFi, supporting 2×2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| bluetooth | 4.1 | BT4.2 and BLE |
| ports | HDMI output, micro USB (for charging only) | HDMI output, micro USB (for charging only) |
| Audio | Dolby Audio, 5.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo, and HDMI pass-through (up to 7.1.) | Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, 2-channel stereo, and HDMI pass-through (up to 5.1). Dolby Atmos is currently only available on select Prime Video titles. |
| Supported content formats | Video: H.264 1080p30, H.265 1080p30, Audio: AAC-LC, HE-AACv1 (AAC+), HE-AACv2 (eAAC+), AC3 (Dolby Digital), eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MIDI, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, AMR-NB, AMR -WB, Photos: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP |
Video: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264 and VP9. Audio: AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/Wave, Vorbis, and Dolby Atmos (EC3_JOC). Photos: JPEG, PNG, GIF and BMP. |
| Dimensions | 85.9 x 30 x 12.6mm | 99 x 30 x 14mm (case only), 108 x 30 x 14mm (with included connector). |
| Weight | 32g | 55.6g |
| Remote with Alexa included | Yeah | Yeah |
| Price | €39.99 | €59.99 |
Fire TV Stick Features
As far as functions are concerned, the models usually offer you the sameso in this section you will not find too many differences.
The two devices give you access to the catalog of apps from the Amazon store, so you have the possibility to install the same applications.
Both the basic and advanced variants allow you to watch series and movies on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, or YouTube, among other platforms. The difference is that the resolution of the content on the Fire TV Stick is HD, while on the Fire TV Stick 4K it is UHD, as long as the original content is in this quality and that the television supports this resolution.
Fire TV Sticks offer much more than streaming movies and series
Another of the functions of the Fire TV Stick is streaming music playback. You can install apps like Spotify, Amazon Prime Music or TuneIn and listen to your songs comfortably on your TV.
Playing video games is another thing you can do with the Fire TV Stick. In the Amazon application store you can find a wide catalog, and if you wish you can connect a Bluetooth controller to play more comfortably.
Join Disney and enjoy its new channel STAR
Register
Another use that you can give these devices is to view photos. In case you didn’t know, the e-commerce giant includes Amazon Photos, an unlimited photo storage service, in the Amazon Prime subscription. Save your images here and check out your albums on the big screen via Fire TV Stick.
Voice control with Alexa
Both models include the remote control with Alexa is included, so you can use the voice assistant to control compatible smart devices in your Smart Home.
The remote control has a button with a microphone icon, and you just have to press it to invoke Alexa. Touch it and ask what you want to control your smart devices. For example, you can view live video from the camera on your TV, control the lights or adjust the temperature, among other tasks.
Apart from managing your Smart Home, you can give Alexa any other instructions to control the device. In this way, if you wish, you do not need to touch anything: you just have to say the movie you want to see on Netflix so that the assistant will put it on your television.
How to install Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite
We have already seen that the functions of the Amazon Fire TV models are the same, but what about the installation?
The process to install the models is also the same, and it is also very simple. First of all, you have to connect the device to the HDMI port of your TV. Next, plug the power cable into the micro USB port on the side, then plug the cable into a power outlet.
The next step is to turn on the device and connect it to the home WiFi with its corresponding password. Once this is done, you can start using it with your Amazon account.
