![best-fire-tv-stick-for-2024:-fire-stick-4k,-lite-and-more-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/201486-best-fire-tv-stick-for-2024-fire-stick-4k-lite-and-more-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1)
Best Fire TV Stick for 2024: Fire Stick 4K, Lite and More [CNET]
Our Experts
Sarah Lord covers TVs and home entertainment. Prior to joining CNET, Sarah served as the tech and electronic reviews fellow at Insider, where she wrote about everything from smart watches and wearables to tablets and e-readers. She began her career by writing laptop reviews as an intern and subsequent freelancer at Tom’s Hardware. She is also a professional actor with many credits in theater, film and television.
- Member of Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association
What’s the best Fire TV Stick?
When looking at all the great options offered by the variety of Fire TV Sticks on the market, we have given our top spot to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It launches apps quickly, and navigating around feels fast and smooth, thanks to its robust processor. It also comes with Dolby Vision support and Wi-Fi 6 for faster streaming.
Amazon has pushed aggressively into the streaming market, producing an array of Fire TV-branded streaming devices. We’ve tested and reviewed them all — as well as others from Roku, Google, Apple and more — and found that we tend to like Roku products best for their easy use and their platform-agnostic approach. Roku’s menus don’t favor one streaming service (like, for example, Prime Video) over others. That said, Amazon’s Fire TV devices are highly capable too, especially if you want Alexa voice integration.
Amazon’s range is robust and runs the gamut from the basic Fire TV Stick Lite to the midrange Fire TV Stick 4K Max to the top-tier Fire TV Cube, as well as a bunch of models in between. If that sounds confusing, don’t worry. Our guide to the best Fire TV streaming device will help you pick out the right model for you.
Read more: Best 4K TV for 2023
Best Fire TV Sticks of 2024
” page-position linktext=”Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-review-speedy-app-delivery-isnt-everything/” like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer=”{“id”:”7ec0dc59-cb04-4c89-a1c9-4157b92be786″,”label”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max”,”slug”:”amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max”,”edition”:[“US”,”ES”],”imageId”:”f6432dbf-b2a6-409f-b706-fbfddeca447a”,”imgUrl”:”/content/image/redirect/f6432dbf-b2a6-409f-b706-fbfddeca447a/resize/75×56″,”typeLabel”:”Series”,”objectType”:”content_product_series”,”icon”:”type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small”}” techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”7ec0dc59-cb04-4c89-a1c9-4157b92be786″,”slug”:”amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max”,”name”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max”,”productType”:”SERIES”,”updateType”:”PRISM”,”mod”:1716926261312}” overridecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“uuid”:”1b3d414c-5e33-4eb3-b473-720359fa6b1d”,”alt”:”amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067″,”caption”:”
“,”credits”:”Sarah Tew/CNET”,”imageData”:{“id”:”1b3d414c-5e33-4eb3-b473-720359fa6b1d”,”filename”:”amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2fccfd740b240f5fb1a1f00772c7ee2439b8fee5/hub/2021/10/07/1b3d414c-5e33-4eb3-b473-720359fa6b1d/amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2021-10-07 02:51:19.000000″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageUrl”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2fccfd740b240f5fb1a1f00772c7ee2439b8fee5/hub/2021/10/07/1b3d414c-5e33-4eb3-b473-720359fa6b1d/amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”imageCaption”:”
“,”imageCredit”:”Sarah Tew/CNET”,”imageAltText”:”amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067″,”imageFilename”:”amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067.jpg”,”imageWidth”:4000,”imageHeight”:2667,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2021-10-07″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”nbjtjwuw6riex0d”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__56d97a29-3806-47e0-8915-50030e7c3e11″ index=”1″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” imagealttext=”amazon-fire-stick-4k-max-cnet-2021-review-067″>
If you’re looking for the best Fire Stick on the market, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is it. The Max is speedy and loads apps almost immediately, and navigating around the system is swift and smooth. Even better, the Max supports Wi-Fi 6 and nearly all the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. The downside to the Max is its Fire TV platform with ads featured prominently throughout. We just don’t appreciate the TV becoming a giant rotating billboard for content or ads when in screensaver mode. But this is a good choice for those looking for the best and fastest Amazon Fire TV stick.
Photo Gallery 1/1
” page-position linktext=”Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite-review/” like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer=”{“id”:”eadafd12-9692-45dd-b337-d994184e8cda”,”label”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite”,”slug”:”amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite”,”edition”:[“US”,”ES”],”imageId”:”36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718″,”imgUrl”:”/content/image/redirect/36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718/resize/75×56″,”typeLabel”:”Series”,”objectType”:”content_product_series”,”icon”:”type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small”}” techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”eadafd12-9692-45dd-b337-d994184e8cda”,”slug”:”amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite”,”name”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite”,”productType”:”SERIES”,”updateType”:”PRISM”,”mod”:1716926261572}” overridecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“uuid”:”36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718″,”alt”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick and remote”,”caption”:”
“,”credits”:”Sarah Tew/CNET”,”imageData”:{“id”:”36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718″,”filename”:”005-amazon-fire-stick-tv-and-fire-stick-lite-2020.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/a36e070572a69cf9a217137b9b0e9764da0860aa/hub/2020/10/05/36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718/005-amazon-fire-stick-tv-and-fire-stick-lite-2020.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2020-10-05 16:12:23.000000″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageUrl”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/a36e070572a69cf9a217137b9b0e9764da0860aa/hub/2020/10/05/36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718/005-amazon-fire-stick-tv-and-fire-stick-lite-2020.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”imageCaption”:”
“,”imageCredit”:”Sarah Tew/CNET”,”imageAltText”:”Amazon Fire TV Stick and remote”,”imageFilename”:”005-amazon-fire-stick-tv-and-fire-stick-lite-2020.jpg”,”imageWidth”:4000,”imageHeight”:2667,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2020-10-05″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”4w78mcviubgcqf2″,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__9feabfb4-ca2e-4e35-a12e-7d614d0d5787″ index=”3″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” imagealttext=”Amazon Fire TV Stick and remote”>
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite budget streaming device, besting the Roku Express. The Lite trounces the Express in features-for-the-money. This Fire TV’s biggest advantage is a remote with built-in voice search and control powered by Alexa. The cheapest Roku with a voice remote is the Express Plus 4K, which uses Roku’s more basic voice system, not Alexa. The Fire Stick’s remote also doesn’t need line of sight to work. If you want to spend as little as possible on a streaming player, the Lite is your best bet.
Every Fire TV Stick we review receives hours of hands-on testing. Typically, this involves installing the device on multiple TVs, evaluating the setup process, adding popular streaming channels and using the product as if it were our own. We use all of the major features available and note how they stack up against other Fire TV models in the company’s lineup. To do this, we hook up multiple Fire TV streaming devices to the same TV so we can switch back and forth easily to compare the experiences.
The metrics we use to rate a device include hardware design, distinctive features that differentiate models, remote capabilities and design, overall ease of use, effective layouts and design, search capabilities, privacy settings, the number of apps and their performance and the overall speed and reliability of the system.
Fire TV FAQs
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo overridecredit overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“imageData”:{},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”rwc41mzt8bvgnda”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__d6564047-811b-40c2-95ac-0d284177847b” index=”6″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit imagealttext>
A Fire TV device, like the ones in this list, is a small stick-shaped or square piece of hardware that plugs into an HDMI port at the back of your TV. This gives your TV access to Amazon Fire TV software and content, no matter what brand of TV you own.
Amazon also makes Fire TVs, which are televisions that come with Fire TV software preinstalled. This means that your TV will automatically have access to the Fire TV interface without the need for an additional streaming device.
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo overridecredit overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“imageData”:{},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”dw3xeuj1yl6jq0i”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__5437110f-7bb1-4a57-b88f-8bf58cb613aa” index=”7″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit imagealttext>
Fire TV offers a long list of streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount Plus, Peacock TV, Tubi, Pluto TV, Showtime, Discovery Plus and others. Spectrum cable users, however, do not have access to the Spectrum app on Fire TV.
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo overridecredit overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“imageData”:{},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”ba30pw4vo76yzab”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__fa8e8248-8c82-4f4b-83ad-07cd2806f11b” index=”8″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit imagealttext>
No, though you will need a free Amazon account in order to set up the device. While you don’t need to pay for a Prime membership to use Amazon Fire TV, it is useful and recommended. Membership comes with a selection of Prime Video content, including access to shows such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Expanse and Wheel of Time. These shows and other Amazon-branded content are heavily advertised in the Fire TV system and a Prime membership makes it easier to check out all that Amazon has to offer.
![best-juicers-of-2021:-breville,-hamilton-beach,-oster-and-more-–-cnet-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/18261/best-juicers-of-2021-breville-hamilton-beach-oster-and-more-cnet-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1)
![nvidia-geforce-now-rtx-3080-has-single-month-memberships-now-[venturebeat]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/54603-nvidia-geforce-now-rtx-3080-has-single-month-memberships-now-venturebeat.jpg?resize=390%2C205&ssl=1)
![removing-the-2021-ford-bronco’s-fenders-isn’t-hard-–-roadshow-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/23932-removing-the-2021-ford-broncos-fenders-isnt-hard-roadshow-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1)