At a glance
1. Best overall
2. Best for 1080p
3. Upgraded model
4. Best value
How to choose
If you're looking to replace your traditional cable setup with a streaming device, you really can't do better than one of the best Amazon Fire Sticks below.
A streaming stick is a cheap, easy-to-use device that brings you all of the content of a smart TV into your living room at a much lower cost.
While the best Fire Stick is dependent on a ton of factors, Amazon makes a large enough variety to make sure that any and everyone will be covered when looking to stream content from their TV.
At a glance
Best overall
The Fire TV Stick 4K supports 3840x2160 as well as HDR, has Alexa built into the remote and can control your TV itself. It has almost everything you want in a streaming stick at the right price.
Best for 1080p
The 2020 refresh of the original Amazon Fire TV Stick is exactly what you want if you're connecting it to a smaller 1080p television. It also has an Alexa-enabled remote that can control your TV.
The upgraded model
The 4K Max version of the Amazon Fire TV Stick has all of the options of the "standard" 4K stick paired with stronger internal hardware for a better picture and faster speeds. To top it off, there's a live picture-in-picture feature, too.
Best value
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite doesn't have all the features of some other models and doesn't support 4K. It's for people who just want the basics at the right price. It delivers!
Best overall
The Fire TV Stick 4K isn't the highest-end stick you can get from Amazon, but it comes with all of the most important features; starting, of course, with 4K. All of the Fire TV Sticks come with an Alexa-capable voice remote, but this model also supports TV controls so you can adjust your volume without finding a separate remote. You can search and start movies and TV shows with just a voice command, so there's no need to waste time looking for the right app. And as our Fire TV Stick 4K review points out, it pairs well with an Echo.
This stick supports an output resolution up to 3840x2160 as well as HDR, so you can make the most of streamed content and get the most out of a newer TV. While some folks won't need 4K just yet, if you think you might be upgrading your TV in the near future, the extra features will be nice to have. HDR support includes Dolby Vision and HDR10+, so you're not giving up an HDR quality even on something like an OLED TV.
Best for 1080p
The Fire TV Stick isn't the cheapest streaming stick from Amazon, but with a low price and a solid stack of features, it is without a doubt the best 1080p Fire TV Stick. This version has plenty of power thanks to 8GB of storage, and a powerful 1.7GHz CPU with 1GB of RAM. Our Fire TV Stick review found the loading times to be nice and quick. 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.
Despite its price tag, this streaming stick still packs in plenty of features like Dolby Atmos for audio. You also get the same Alexa Voice Remote as the 4K version with TV controls. With all that's included, the Fire TV Stick is one of the best options for adding a bit more functionality to a 1080p TV. Since you can change your TV volume and power from the remote, you don't need to turn over cushions looking for more than one controller.
Upgraded model
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 CPU, GPU, and 2GB of RAM instead of 1.5GB. Our Fire TV Stick 4K Max review points out this extra GPU power can come in handy for Luna game streaming. 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. That means less time waiting for your 4K HDR movie to start when you press play. 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.
Best value
The new Fire TV Stick Lite takes the spot as the most affordable Fire TV device in Amazon's lineup. Of course, just because it's affordable doesn't mean cheap quality. 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 Lite in the box can't control your TV like the one included with the other best Fire TV sticks. 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, 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 you don't get Dolby Atmos. Dolby passthrough is still available so if you have a TV, sound bar, or receiver that can decode Dolby, you're not stuck with stereo.
How to choose
Ultimately, the choice of which is the best Fire Stick will depend on a number of factors. What type of TV you have, whether or not you have a solid and strong internet connection, and what type of content you typically enjoy will all play a factor.
In general, the Fire TV Stick 4K is the best choice for most people, thanks to its high 4K resolution and support for HDR output with Dolby Vision. This Stick will be able to make the most of any TV on the market, possibly including your next one.
However, if you don't yet own a 4K TV or have a TV that can support HDR, then something like the standard Amazon Fire TV Stick or Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite might be for you due to their cheaper price and yet still solid performance.
Pick the right Stick for your TV
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Amazon 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 isn't too complex, 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. 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. 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. Amazon announced that it's 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.
