Which Amazon Fire TV Stick should you get?
If you're looking for a great streaming device, we've ranked the best Amazon Fire TV Sticks that you can buy right now. A streaming stick is a great, low-cost option to bring all of the content you want into your living room, and there really isn't a better option than a Fire TV Stick. Even though it's a couple of years old at this point, we still believe that the best choice overall is the Fire TV Stick 4K. It comes with a handy Alexa Voice Remote and is the best all-around version of a Fire TV device.
Best overall Fire TV Stick: Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote
Let's not mince words here; this is the Fire TV stick that you want to get. Period. Yeah, the others work just about as well, but with the Fire TV Stick 4K, you are future-proofing yourself. As more and more video content is available in better formats like 4K, UHD, HDR 10+, and Dolby Vision, you're going to want to have a device that can support and stream that content, especially if and when you upgrade your TV to match.
This device is a bargain even at full price, but it is often offered at a discount, making it an incredible buy. For much less, you get almost all of the same high-end specs of more premium devices like the Fire TV Cube or Nebula Soundbar. With that savings, you can pick up an Echo Dot for hands-free Alexa control or subscribe to one of the fantastic Amazon Channels. And because this is a stick that plugs into the HDMI port behind your TV, it can hide out of sight and out of mind.
Pros:- Fantastic value with top-of-the-line specs
- Often discounted for an even better bargain
- Alexa access on voice remote is a killer feature
- Alexa is not hands-free
- Remote buttons don't glow in the dark
Stick to this one!
This stick comes close to matching Amazon's other top streamers like the Cube and Nebula Soundbar and is an incredible value.
Best Fire TV Stick for most people: Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) with Alexa Voice Remote (2021)
If the Fire TV Stick Lite is good, and the Fire TV Stick 4K is best, they should call this device the "better" Fire TV stick. The reason? For less than the price of a week's worth of lattes, you get a fantastic HD streaming device with built-in access to Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. Not too shabby!
This iteration is just the latest version of the original product released in 2016, but it is still one of the better HD streaming devices you can purchase. It supports content up to 1080p, which is considered high-definition. With access to all of the excellent streaming content on Fire TV, you'll never be bored. You can also connect an HD antenna, and a Fire TV Recast to be a true cord cutter.
The 2021 edition comes with 8GB of storage and a 50% more powerful processor than before while using less energy than ever (this is one of the first Amazon devices certified as Climate Pledge Friendly. It also now supports Dolby Atmos Audio.
Perhaps most importantly, because Alexa voice control is built-in to the remote, you can use this device to power and control your smart home devices, navigate the TV interface, and request content. And even better, this remote is Amazon's latest version which includes shortcut buttons to your favorite streaming services and a bright blue Alexa button so you never miss connecting with your favorite voice assistant. Of course, this new remote is compatible with all modern Fire TV devices, and you can even purchase Star Wars-themed bundles with a remote wrap in Bounty Blue or Grogu Green to satisfy your inner Mandalorian nerd.
Pros:- Same storage and processor as 4K stick for less money
- Alexa Voice Remote for easy Alexa access
- 50% faster than the previous generation
- Certified Climate Pledge Friendly
- Doesn't support 4K, UHD, or HDR 10
- Doesn't support Dolby Vision
A no-brainer
The Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote is 95% of the way to the top of the heap. If you won't miss 4K UHD, get this one.
Most powerful Fire TV Stick: Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Take all of the great things that you know about the Fire TV Stick 4K, add Wi-Fi 6 support, along with updated internals, and you get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. At first glance, this offers the same great experience as the regular TV Stick 4K. However, Amazon includes a faster processor, along with 2GB of RAM instead of just 1.5GB. You'll still enjoy Dolby Atmos audio support and some of the best picture quality possible.
Amazon claims the new processor will provide up to 40% better performance, which essentially equates to faster app starting and smoother navigation. And as we continue to see the rise in adoption of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max will be able to take advantage of those faster speeds. Plus, you'll be able to use Live View picture-in-picture to keep an eye on the front door or make sure that your little one is still enjoying their nap.
Pros:- Wi-Fi 6 support
- 40% faster performance
- Live View Picture-in-Picture enabled
- Faster GPU provides low-lag cloud gaming with Luna
- Alexa is not hands-free
- Not that much different from the Fire TV Stick 4K
The latest and greatest
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers everything you could want in a streaming dongle and then some.
Best value Fire TV Stick: Fire TV Stick Lite (2020)
The new Fire TV Stick Lite now takes the spot as the most affordable Fire TV device in Amazon's lineup. Of course, just because it's affordable doesn't mean that it's cheap. With this stick, you get everything that comes with the "regular" Fire TV Stick, including push-button access to Alexa. The only real difference? The Alexa Voice Remote can't control your TV like the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K remotes can. If that's not a big deal to you, then you might as well save the extra ten bucks and get this one.
Like the Fire TV Stick (2020), the Lite is also one of the first Amazon devices to be certified as Climate Pledge Friendly, and it uses less energy than any other Fire device before it. It's also Certified for Humans to be stress-free in its setup and use.
The Fire TV Stick Lite can support the same viewing experience as the Fire TV Stick and most of the same audio experience, though to get Dobly Atmos Audio, you'll need to go through an HDMI pass-through.
Pros:- Same storage and processor as 4K stick for less money
- Alexa Voice Remote for easy Alexa access
- Certified Climate Pledge Friendly
- Certified for Humans
- Doesn't support 4K, UHD, or HDR 10
- Doesn't support Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos Audio requires HDMI pass-through
- Alexa Voice Remote can't control TV
A no-brainer
The Fire TV Stick Line is a fantastic entry-level streaming device, perfect for any TV and any room.
Best international Fire TV Stick: Fire TV Stick Basic Edition
This was the first Fire TV Stick I ever owned, and even in 2014, I got a better deal on it than this via an exclusive offering for Prime members. Even though it doesn't compare to its siblings in terms of specs or performance, this is still a pretty decent little streamer. It can play video up to 1080p, and you can access just about all of the content you can on the other sticks, including Prime Video, Netflix, Amazon Channels, and even many of the Fire TV games. You can also get on the web through the Silk and Firefox browsers. The biggest downside, in my opinion, is that you do not have access to Alexa, as this comes with just a simple remote without voice control.
The Fire TV Stick Basic Edition is really mainly marketed to an international audience, but you can still get it in the U.S. However, I'd keep an eye on it to see if it goes on sale before you pick one up. At this price, it's more expensive than the much better versions and doesn't make sense for the U.S. market. But if you can find it for under twenty bucks, then I'd say go for it. My six-year-old Fire TV Stick Basic Edition still works great in the guest room!
Pros:- Easy to set up
- Access to all of Fire TV's great content
- Doesn't support above 1080p
- No voice control
- Lower specs than other sticks
Stripped-down stick
This was Amazon's first stick, and it's showing its age. While not bad, we don't recommend this device over the others.
Bottom lineAmazon makes some of the best streaming devices around. Its Fire TV operating system is beloved for its ease of use and hooks into Amazon's media ecosystem. Even though the lineup of streamers is not too confusing, there are still some choices to be made when distinguishing between these devices.
Our pick for the best Fire TV Stick is the Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote. It has all the specs of higher-end streaming boxes, but comes in a modest size at a fantastic price. The Fire TV Stick or Fire TV Stick Lite are also good options, but the price is so close to the 4K version that they only make sense right now if you don't have or plan to get a 4K enabled TV. Even though it is a perfectly functional streamer, we don't recommend the Fire TV Stick Basic Edition unless, for some reason, you don't have access to the other two models. To keep your connections safe, you can even use a VPN for your Fire TV Stick.
Another reason why you might want to consider picking up one of the best Amazon Fire TV Sticks has to do with the company's renewed focus on updates. Recently, Amazon announced that it is guaranteeing at least four years of security updates for Fire TV devices. And the best part is that this new update policy includes older streaming sticks like the original Fire TV Stick released in 2016.
If you do choose to pick one of these Fire TV Sticks up, we can guarantee you that you'll enjoy your streaming media experience!
Credits - The team that worked on this guide
Jeramy Johnson is proud to help to "Keep Austin Weird" and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he's not writing about Amazon products and services, he's defending his relationship with his side-chick Alexa to his family. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer at Android Central. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is collecting different headphones, even if they all end up in the same drawer.