{"id":91633,"date":"2022-11-28T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.online-tech-tips.com\/?p=91633"},"modified":"2024-05-30T23:39:50","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T03:39:50","slug":"fire-stick-lite-vs-fire-tv-stick-which-should-you-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.online-tech-tips.com\/fire-stick-lite-vs-fire-tv-stick-which-should-you-buy\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire Stick Lite vs Fire TV Stick: Which Should You Buy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s no shortage of options for streaming sticks and boxes, and Amazon isn\u2019t making things any easier with its selection of cheap Fire Stick devices.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fire Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire Stick TV 4K Max all fall within a very narrow price range. So what does each product offer, and are the compromises of the cheaper models worth the difference in features?\n<\/p>\n\n\n

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Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite<\/a> – $29.99<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Fire Stick Lite is the most affordable option in Amazon\u2019s streaming stick range. It\u2019s 50% more powerful than the 2019 Fire Stick TV model and offers the same streaming services as the rest of the range. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lite is limited to 1080p output, so it\u2019s best to avoid this if you have a 4K TV, even if you don\u2019t currently have access to 4K content. This is so the Fire TV 4K devices can handle image scaling rather than your TV\u2019s internal scaler.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Lite version looks exactly like the standard Stick TV, their remotes differ. The Alexa<\/a> Voice Remote Lite doesn\u2019t have any TV controls. This means you\u2019ll have to keep your original TV remote handy for TV-specific functions. Not a huge deal, but an annoyance for sure.\n<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Lite and standard models have a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, although it\u2019s unclear whether they use the same chip or not. In either case, there\u2019s more than enough performance to run streaming apps.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lite offers Dolby Audio via pass-through HDMI. This means that you\u2019ll plug the Lite into your home theater system instead of your TV, using the video pass-through feature of your home theater. If your home theater doesn\u2019t have this feature, you\u2019ll need a TV that can pass Dolby audio to an attached soundbar or surround system.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The box contains 2x AAA batteries, an HDMI extender, a USB cable and power supply, and the Alexa Voice Remote Lite. The same as the standard model, just with the less capable remote.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all of the Fire Stick TVs we\u2019ll mention here, one of the best things about the Lite is that it\u2019s a stick rather than a box. This means you can plug it into the HDMI port on the back of your TV and just forget about it. You can even power it from a TV\u2019s USB port in many cases, so there won\u2019t be any visible cables going to the wall.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amazon Fire TV Stick<\/a> (2020) – $39.99<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The standard Fire TV Stick offers more or less the same streaming features as the Lite. You get 1080p Full HD output and support for HDR10, and although it promises more performance, that won\u2019t affect actual streaming. You may get a slightly smoother browsing experience or app responsiveness. Dolby Atmos audio, Dolby Digital, and the rest are included just as they are with the Lite, so what\u2019s the difference?\n<\/p>\n\n\n

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It all comes down to the voice control remote, which in the Fire TV Stick includes TV controls to change the TV\u2019s volume controls or mute it. That\u2019s really the only difference of consequence between these two products.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K<\/a> ($49.99) and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max<\/a> ($55)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amazon\u2019s two 4K Ultra HD sticks are where all the action is. Since 2019, 4K TV market<\/a> share has crossed the 50% mark, so it\u2019s no surprise that these higher-end sticks are getting all the best features. While they cost nearly twice as much as a Lite, unlike the Standard Fire TV Stick, you get a lot for that additional money.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The standard 4K model offers both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision<\/a>, so Samsung and non-Samsung TV customers are covered. You get a significantly faster CPU to drive those 4K visuals, translating into snappier app performance and content browsing performance. It also supports significantly more video and audio formats.\n<\/p>\n\n\n

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The 4K Max version offers everything the standard 4K model offers but has 40% more processing power, making things even snappier. It also comes with a new Wi-Fi 6 chip, so if you have a Wi-Fi 6 router or are likely to get one in the future, this will significantly improve 4K streaming performance.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Note On Pricing\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The prices we\u2019ve listed above are the recommended prices for these devices at the time of writing. However, Fire TV Sticks rarely show for their full listed prices. The 4K Max model has repeatedly been on sale for $35, while the Lite doesn\u2019t get such deep and frequent cuts.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re patient or happen to be reading this during one of these sales, it\u2019s best to simply buy the 4K Max model when it\u2019s in that $35 zone. You\u2019re getting all of the best features Amazon offers in its Fire TV Sticks, giving you some measure of future-proofing when you eventually upgrade to a 4K TV set. It\u2019s hard to justify the Lite model when the price difference with the 4K Max is only $5 rather than $25.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, don\u2019t forget that you can trade in some Fire TV, Roku, Apple, and Chromecast devices for a discount on a new Fire TV Stick.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire Stick Alternatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amazon\u2019s Fire TV Sticks are good products, and they offer a lot of bang for your buck. It\u2019s the cheapest way to get access to decent streaming hardware and the perfect way to turn an old \u201cdumb\u201d TV into a smart TV.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, we can\u2019t consider the Fire TV Sticks in isolation. There\u2019s a lot of competition in the streaming box market, and the cheapest products aren\u2019t necessarily the best value.\n<\/p>\n\n\n

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Apple\u2019s 3rd-generation Apple TV<\/a> has received a substantial price cut, starting at $129 for the 64GB version. That\u2019s four to five times as expensive as the Lite or just over twice as expensive as the 4K Max, but you get a lot for your money. This new model has the same specs as the iPhone 14, making it a powerful iOS gaming and streaming device. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also means that you probably won\u2019t have to buy a new streaming box for five years or longer, and you\u2019ll have a great experience. If you get the $149 128GB model, you also get Thread smart home hub functionality and an Ethernet port. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Google\u2019s Chromecast with Google TV<\/a> is also compelling at under $50 for the 4K model, without being stuck in Amazon\u2019s walled garden. Plus, let\u2019s not forget about the Roku streaming stick<\/a>!\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You shouldn\u2019t dismiss other brands of Android TV devices either. In particular, Xiaomi\u2019s Mi Box S<\/a> is a direct answer to Apple TV 4K devices at under $100, with the bonus of support for external storage and app side-loading.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Recommendations\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the correct Fire TV device for you depends on a few factors. Here\u2019s what we recommend:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n