Stream movies, watch live TV, listen to music, and so much more
While smart TVs are a great way to get easy access to your favorite streaming services, the price to upgrade from your old display may be a bit out of your budget. If that's the case, Amazon's line of standalone streaming devices are a great option if a new TV is out of the question. They offer loads of content to access, including streaming services and free live TV, they're super simple to set up and use right out of the box, and most importantly, they are some of the most affordable streaming devices on the market. That last part is even more true now that they're on sale, with a few options close to 40% off at the moment.
The most affordable of Amazon's streaming sticks, the Fire TV Stick Lite, offers the bare essentials when it comes to streaming devices. You'll be able to access streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, but you'll be doing so with basic Full HD support. This is great if you're hoping to get access to streaming services for an absolute bare minimum price tag, as it offers thousands of hours of movies, music, shows, and even free live TV, without breaking the bank.
That's not to say the Fire TV Stick Lite offers a cheap experience as a streaming device, however. It runs on a Quad-core 1.7GHz processor paired with a 650MHz GPU – the same hardware found in the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K – to deliver a smooth and premium feeling viewing experience.
The Fire TV Stick Lite offers the absolute basic essentials needed to stream Full HD content. It runs well overall, and turns any old dumb TV into a smart one by simply plugging into an HDMI port. For the price, it’s one of the cheapest ways to upgrade your TV without having to buy a new one.
For the price, it's hard to beat Amazon's flagship streaming device. It's the perfect option for those who just want to stream movies and shows, listen to music, or watch live TV with minimal hassle. Thanks to a simple plug-and-play design, the Fire TV Stick offers all the essentials for streaming in a dongle that plugs directly into your display's HDMI port. While this version may also be limited to streaming Full HD content only, the added features it comes loaded with more than make up for it.
The latest model, which received a decent upgrade in hardware, now runs on a Quad-core 1.7GHz processor paired with a 650MHz GPU to deliver a much more responsive interface. This means searching for shows or browsing through your favorite streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, is as snappy as ever and won't freeze up when sifting through content. It now also supports Dolby Atmos, so if you're a cinephile with a good home theater setup, this streaming stick will offer an immersive viewing experience with any content that supports it.
Amazon’s mid-range streaming dongle, the Fire TV Stick 3rd Gen, offers a great range of features for the price. While limited to streaming Full HD video, you still have access to thousands of hours of content through Prime Video and other streaming platforms. It’s the best option if you don’t have a smart TV or 4K capable display, but want a convenient way to access all of your favorite shows and music from one device.
The Fire TV Stick 4K features everything that makes the standard Fire TV Stick the perfect streaming device, just with the added benefit of being able to access 4K UHD content. It runs on the same internal hardware, but is upgraded with a slightly larger 1.5GB of RAM along with support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos tech. So while the user interface experience between the two is almost identical, the ability to access ultra-high definition movies and shows makes it a top choice for those looking to get the best viewing experience out of their UHD display.
The Fire TV Stick 4K also features a few nifty little features that the standard stick doesn't provide, including live view picture-in-picture, so if it's playoff season you can watch multiple games at once without missing your favorite teams.
The Fire TV Stick 4K offers the best features of the standard Fire TV Stick, with the added bonus of being able to access 4K content. While most of the experience using the Fire TV Stick 4K will be identical to its cheaper sibling, you’ll want to go with this option if you have a 4K capable display.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers all the best features of the Fire TV Stick 4K, plus a few welcome enhancements to hardware and performance. With a slightly more powerful Quad-core 1.8GHz processor and 750MHz GPU, the overall responsiveness of the user interface will be noticeable. It won't be a massive increase, however, but where you'll really notice the improvements is in the quality and speed at which 4K UHD content is streamed to the device.
With Wi-Fi 6 support, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers faster download speeds for smoother content playback. This does come with a caveat, though, as you'll need to have a router that supports Wi-Fi 6 to get the most out of this version. It is compatible with earlier wireless routers, but if you're home is set with a Wi-Fi 6 capable router, then the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the option to go with.
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers quite a bit more over the standard model, with an upgrade to high performance 4K streaming capabilities as well as a few other bells and whistles such as Wi-Fi 6 support. If you’ve got a 4K capable display and a proper router, then this option is what you’re after.
A streaming device is almost always more affordable than grabbing a new TV, and for the most part, offers essentially the same experience that a smart TV provides – minus the shiny new display in your living room. If you've got an older TV that you're hoping to hold onto, but want to enhance it further by being able to access streaming services and content, then one of Amazon's streaming sticks is a great way to do so on a budget.
Troy Fleming is a Deals Writer for Android Police who has worked in the eCommerce industry for over 10 years. In those years, he has gained extensive knowledge in how retailers think when it comes to sales and pricing, and has since redirected his focus towards writing to use his expertise to help others find great deals on everything from gaming gear to phones and all other forms of hardware.
When he’s not scouring the net for savings, Troy loves spending time with his wife and son, working on leather crafting, traveling and hiking around Colorado, practicing his archery skills, listening to his favorite music, or casually getting stomped in For Honor.
