Best Fire TV Stick 2024: Pick the perfect Amazon media streamer for you
Amazon offers a range of Fire TV streaming sticks – read on to find out which one will suit your needs best
First off, for those of you who aren’t fully sure what a streaming stick is, let us fill you in. A streaming stick is basically exactly what it sounds like, an internet-connected device that plugs into your TV and allows you to stream TV series and movies from a variety of apps and services. Every model in Amazon’s Fire TV streaming stick range allows you to easily stream Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, NOW, Apple TV Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My 5 all in one place.
Also standard with the Fire TV Stick range is an included Alexa remote, which lets you search and browse your favourite streaming services with just your voice. As suggested by one of our Fire TV Stick reviewers, a handy ready-made upgrade for any Fire TV Stick is the addition of an Amazon smart speaker, such as the 4th generation Echo Dot (£90), which can be connected to the device for fully hands-free operation.
To get the low-down on the unique selling points and differences between the various Fire TV Stick models, keep reading and see our full roundup just below. If you’re interested in knowing what alternatives there are to Amazon’s streaming stick range, head on over to best streaming stick list, where you’ll find a couple of rival devices from Roku and Google.
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Best Fire TV Stick: At a glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best cheap Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick Lite (~£35) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best mid-range Fire TV Stick | Fire TV Stick 4K (~£60) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best Fire TV Stick | Fire TV 4K Max (~£65) | Check price at Amazon |
The best Fire TV Stick to buy in 2024
1. Fire TV Stick (3rd gen): Best entry-level Fire TV Stick
Price when reviewed: £45 | Check price at Amazon
The third iteration of the base Fire TV Stick, this model is fast, simple to use and generally perfect for anyone looking for a high-quality 1080p media streamer, as the Fire TV Stick supports streaming of up to 60fps in Full HD.
If you have an HDR TV (HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which is a method of delivering deeper, brighter and more true to life colours), you’ll be happy to know that this Fire Stick adds support for HDR formats HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, as well as support for audio formats Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital.
Also new in the third-gen model is a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, which helps to keep the Fire TV interface running smoothly.
Besides all that, this streamer includes access to all the standard Fire TV apps and an Alexa remote, the latest iteration of which adds the ability to control your TV’s power and volume settings from the remote itself.
Read our full Fire TV Stick review for more details
Key details – Streaming services: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Now, Apple TV Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My 5, YouTube; Resolution: Up to 1080p; HDR formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG; Wi-Fi: Dual-band 802.11ac; Audio support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus; Smart assistant: Amazon Alexa; Storage: 8GB; Operating system: Fire OS
2. Fire TV Stick Lite: Best cheap Fire TV Stick
Price when reviewed: £35 | Check price at Amazon
What separates the Fire TV Stick Lite from the standard model? The answer is: not much. The Lite model offers the same UI and apps, the same 60fps 1080p streaming, and the same HDR format support as the standard stick.
The major differences are that the Fire TV Stick Lite has less fully fledged Dolby Atmos support and remote control options. The Lite model only offers Dolby Atmos via HDMI passthrough, which means that if your TV or receiver cannot transcode multi-channel audio then you may be stuck with standard stereo. The Fire TV Stick Lite also lacks the ability to control your TV’s volume or power from the Alexa remote.
If you don’t care about the above features, then there’s no real reason not to plump for the Fire TV Stick Lite and save yourself £10 compared to the standard model.
Read our full Fire TV Stick Lite review for more details
Key details – Streaming services: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Now, Apple TV Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My 5, YouTube; Resolution: Up to 1080p; HDR formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG; Wi-Fi: Dual-band 802.11ac; Audio support: Dolby Atmos (HDMI passthrough only); Smart assistant: Amazon Alexa; Storage: N/A; Operating system: Fire OS
3. Fire TV Stick 4K: Best-value 4K Fire TV stick
Price when reviewed: £60 | Check price at Amazon
Fire TV interface and full stable of apps? Check. Alexa remote with TV power and volume controls? Check. HDR and Dolby Atmos support? Check. Yep, that sounds like an Amazon Fire TV Stick all right.
However, this model does have one obvious edge over lower-tier models, and that’s the ability to stream compatible titles in Ultra HD should you have a 4K TV.
The addition of Dolby Vision HDR support is also a big bonus for compatible TVs, and the upgraded Wi-Fi “antenna technology” promises to ensure stutter-free streaming of 4K HDR content.
Aside from the 4K upgrade, there’s little to get excited about, but there doesn’t really need to be as the price is so reasonable. All told, this is one of the best-priced and most capable 4K media streamers available.
Read our full Fire Stick 4K review for more details
Key details – Streaming services: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Now, Apple TV Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My 5, YouTube; Resolution: Up to 3,840 x 2,160p (4K) at up to 60fps; HDR formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG; Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; Audio support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus; Smart assistant: Amazon Alexa; Storage: 8GB; Operating system: Fire OS
4. Fire TV Stick 4K Max: Best Fire TV Stick overall
Price when reviewed: £65 | Check price at Amazon
If you’re someone who likes to get in at the top of the line, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, as the name would suggest, is the most complete media streamer Amazon has to offer. The Max has all the features of Amazon’s basic 4K streamer and adds a few bells and whistles to boot.
The brightest and boldest new feature of the Max is the addition of Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, which allows for better bandwidth and lower power consumption during 4K streaming. That is, if you have a Wi-Fi 6 capable setup – but even if you don’t, it’s still great futureproofing as the format will become the standard eventually.
You also get an upgraded quad-core processor and GPU, so the UI and apps are just that bit slicker and quicker than the cheaper models in the range, and this extra power means that you can also view live picture-in-picture feeds from devices such as your home security cameras.
Naturally, you can still connect to your Amazon smart speakers for immersive surround-sound playback.
Read our full Fire TV Stick 4K Max review for more details
Key details – Streaming services: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Now, Apple TV Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My 5, YouTube; Resolution: Up to 3,840 x 2,160p (4K) at 60fps; HDR formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG; Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6); Audio support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus; Smart assistant: Amazon Alexa; Storage: 8GB; Operating system: Fire OS
