Which Amazon Fire TV Stick and Television Is Best for You?

Amazon offers a wide range of Fire TV streaming devices, from compact Fire Sticks to full-fledged smart TVs. All provide access to popular video apps and include Alexa support. The best Fire TV players are also known for their speedy performance and excellent sale prices.

Entry-level Fire TV options, like the Fire TV Stick HD, deliver high-definition playback, while the best Fire TV devices, like the second-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max, support Ultra HD video and Dolby Vision for enhanced color and contrast. Amazon also sells smart TVs with the Fire TV operating system (OS) built in. Though their picture quality can’t compete with the industry’s top TVs, they’re decent budget options for fans of Amazon’s ecosystem.  

With so many different Fire TVs to consider, it’s important to know the key differences between each model. To help you pick the best Fire Stick or display for your setup, we’ve detailed all the ins and outs of each offering.

How to get a great deal on the best Fire TV devices

The best Fire Sticks and smart TVs get big deals during major sales events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, though other discounts pop up throughout the year. Right now, you can get the Fire TV Stick HD for only $18 with the coupon code NEWHDFTV and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for 50% off with the coupon code 4KTVMAX.

Fire TV Stick HD

The Fire TV Stick HD is Amazon’s most affordable streaming device. Like the company’s other sticks, this compact dongle plugs right into your TV’s HDMI port. Once powered on, you can use the included Alexa Voice Remote to navigate the stick’s interface and access all the best streaming services. 

The Fire TV Stick HD can stream videos at up to 1080p resolution, which makes it ideal for an HDTV. The device also supports high dynamic range (HDR) using the HDR10 and HDR10+ formats. This feature delivers enhanced colors and contrast when streaming HDR videos through apps like Disney Plus. That said, most TVs that support HDR are 4K models, and if you have a 4K TV, we highly recommend you pay a bit more for one of Amazon’s 4K sticks.

But if your TV doesn’t support 4K, the Fire TV Stick HD will suit your streaming needs just fine. This model replaces the now-discontinued Fire TV Stick Lite and standard Fire TV Stick, which offered nearly identical features.

Fire TV Stick 4K

As the name suggests, the Fire TV Stick 4K streams at a higher resolution than the Fire TV Stick HD. With 4K (Ultra HD) support, you get a sharper, more detailed image when watching 4K videos on a 4K TV. You can learn more about Ultra HD resolution in our 4K guide.

This model also has HDR playback and adds support for the more advanced Dolby Vision format, which is missing on the Fire TV Stick HD. Dolby Vision can give your TV more detailed guidance for displaying HDR images, but only when watching Dolby Vision content on a compatible display. Check out our HDR TV guide for more details about different HDR formats.

The latest version of the Fire TV Stick 4K was released in September 2023. It has a slightly tweaked design with rounded edges, more memory, and an improved processor. Amazon says it’s around 25% faster than the first-gen model. It also now supports WiFi 6 when used with a compatible router. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K is one of three Fire TV models with access to the Xbox app. With the Xbox app, a Game Pass Ultimate membership, and a Bluetooth controller, you can stream Xbox games to your Fire TV Stick 4K without a console.  

This model is a good fit for those with a 4K TV. However, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers slightly better performance.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one of our picks for the best streaming devices you can buy. It carries over everything you get with the regular Fire TV Stick 4K while offering a faster processor and GPU, as well as more storage. This makes navigation a little snappier and lets you save more apps and games.

Amazon released the latest version of its Fire TV Stick 4K Max in September 2023. Compared to the previous-generation edition, this new model has an upgraded processor, double the amount of storage, and support for WiFi 6E routers. It also has a revised design with rounded edges.

Unlike other Fire TV Sticks, the 4K Max supports Amazon’s Fire TV Ambient Experience, which lets you display art, photos, and widgets for things like the weather and your calendar. And like the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, it also supports the Xbox app for Game Pass streaming.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is typically just $10 more than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, so we think it’s the best Fire TV Stick for people with 4K TVs.

Fire TV Cube

The Fire TV Cube is the best Fire TV for pure processing power. It incorporates all of the key features of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max but has a beefier CPU and is meant to be a more traditional home theater device. Instead of a dongle that hangs out of your TV’s HDMI port, the Cube is a compact box that sits on your TV stand and plugs into your display with an HDMI cable. 

One of the Fire TV Cube’s biggest benefits is its support for hands-free Alexa voice control without a remote. In other words, the Cube can act like an Echo device. The newest model also has an HDMI passthrough port to control cable boxes, twice as much storage space as the stick models, 4K upscaling to make HD videos look better, and overall faster performance.

The Fire TV Cube is a premium streaming box designed to compete with devices like the Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra, and Google TV Streamer. It’s best suited for home theater enthusiasts who want the brand’s absolute best quality and fastest technology.

Fire TV 2-Series

Amazon also sells its own lineup of full-fledged smart TVs, which all use a built-in version of the Fire TV OS. This means you can stream your favorite apps without an extra device. Though Amazon’s displays don’t make our guide to the best TVs, they’re still worthwhile budget options if you’re a fan of the Fire TV ecosystem. The 2-Series is Amazon’s entry-level HDTV model designed for people who just want a basic smart TV for casual viewing. 

The 2-Series is available in a 32-inch 720p screen or a 40-inch 1080p screen. Both models support HDR processing using the standard HDR10 format, but the 2-Series can’t deliver the brightness or color needed to really take advantage of high-dynamic-range playback. For this reason, we only recommend this model for people who want a cheap TV that doesn’t take up too much space.

Fire TV 4-Series

The 4-Series steps things up from HD to Ultra HD with a 4K resolution screen. Models are available in 43-, 50-, and 55-inch sizes. 

Though it supports 4K playback, the 4-Series has subpar HDR performance and lacks advanced features like local dimming, wide color support, and Dolby Vision. It’s a decent TV for buyers who want a smaller, affordable 4K display for a bedroom, but it’s not suited for home theater use. 

Fire TV Omni Series

The Omni Series Fire TV adds support for hands-free Alexa voice control without using the remote. You can control power, volume, navigation, and search with spoken commands through the TV’s built-in microphones. And the TV can also serve as an Alexa smart home hub even when the display is off. 

The models range in size from 43 to 75 inches. Every model supports 4K resolution and HDR10, and the 65- and 75-inch models add support for Dolby Vision.

Unfortunately, the TV’s picture quality and navigation speed are underwhelming for its price. There are simply better-looking displays from brands like TCL, Hisense, and Roku that cost around the same or less. That said, the Omni is a decent buy when it’s on sale during deal events like Black Friday and Prime Day. We only recommend picking up the 65-inch model when you can snag it for under $500. 

Check out our Amazon Fire TV Omni review.

Fire TV Omni QLED Series

Amazon’s Omni QLED offers a big step up from the regular Omni Series. It carries over hands-free Alexa support while adding advanced picture features like quantum dots and local dimming. These features enable it to deliver much better color and contrast performance. 

The TV also has an ambient mode that can display art and widgets when it senses someone has walked into the room. Sizes range from 43 to 75 inches, but the 43-inch model does not include local dimming.

The 65-inch model’s list price of $720 is high for what you get, and the set doesn’t match the overall performance of the very best 4K TVs in this class. However, we’ve seen it drop to $450 during big sales events, offering much better value at that price. 

Check out our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review.

Fire TV Omni Mini LED Series

The Omni Mini LED Series is Amazon’s latest Fire TV display. It’s the best smart TV the brand has released so far, carrying over all the features of the Omni QLED while offering improved image quality. As its name implies, this model uses a Mini LED backlight, which enables more precise contrast control and a brighter image.

While the Omni QLED maxes out at around 500 nits of brightness, our reviewer measured a peak of around 1,400 nits on the Omni Mini LED. This increased brightness helps the Omni Mini LED deliver more impactful HDR performance and overcome glare in rooms with lots of windows. The Omni Mini LED also boasts up to a 144Hz refresh rate for smoother gaming, compared to the 60Hz rate you get on other Fire TV displays.

These features make the Omni Mini LED a worthy competitor to similar midrange Mini LED models from brands like TCL and Hisense. However, those competing TVs, like the TCL QM7K, have come down in price a lot over the last few months. As it stands, the Omni Mini LED is a little overpriced for what you get. It’s still a great smart TV option for buyers who want an Alexa-enabled TV, but we think most shoppers should wait until it’s discounted during one of Amazon’s sales.

Fire TV Omni Mini LED displays are available in 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches.

Check out our full Amazon Omni Mini LED TV review.

Fire TV Soundbar

The Fire TV soundbar is a compact 2.0-channel speaker designed to rest in front of your TV. It features an HDMI eARC and optical port for easy connection to most modern displays, and it also supports Bluetooth for wireless music playback from a mobile device.

At 24 inches wide, the soundbar is relatively small, which should make it easy to set up on most TV stands. Though it doesn’t include a subwoofer or offer advanced features like up-firing audio drivers with Dolby Atmos support, the Fire TV Soundbar does support DTS Virtual:X to simulate surround sound. That said, at this price range and performance class, buyers shouldn’t expect too much from this feature.  

And despite the Fire TV branding, this is a soundbar only. It does not feature built-in support for streaming video apps. The base model only includes a standard remote, but you can pay more for a package with an Alexa Voice Remote Pro. 

Based on the specs and affordable $120 price tag, Amazon is positioning this as an entry-level soundbar for people who just want a simple, compact, and inexpensive upgrade for their TV’s speakers.

Fire TV Soundbar Plus

This step-up soundbar model from Amazon is a bit larger than the standard Fire TV Soundbar, coming in at 37 inches rather than 24. Though less compact, its bigger size enables beefier audio performance with a built-in woofer for bass and a dedicated center channel for dialogue.

The Fire TV Soundbar Plus also adds support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding. However, it still lacks up-firing audio drivers, so it can’t fully take advantage of those formats’ main benefits.

Amazon also sells bundles that include the Fire TV Soundbar Plus with a wireless subwoofer or a wireless subwoofer and surround speakers. Again, these are decent entry-level audio options, but there are better soundbars available for the money. If you’re looking for something with more oomph, check out our top recommendations: