Best Fire TV Stick for 2023: Fire Stick 4K, Lite and More
We've tested every Fire TV Stick based on performance, features and value. Whether you prioritize 4K streaming or voice control, here are the best ones.
Updated June 23, 2023 12:43 p.m. PT
Written by
Sarah Lord
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
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Sarah LordWriter
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.
ExpertiseTVs, Home Entertainment, Streaming, ComputersCredentials
Member of Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association
CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Read how we test products and services.
What to consider
Price
Prices start around $30, but the sweet spot is about $50, which gets you better audio and video quality and quicker loading speeds.
Connections
All of these streaming devices include HDMI and Wi-Fi. But if you have an older TV without HDMI, you may need a secondhand model like the Roku 1. The Fire TV Cube has an Ethernet connection, as well.
Audio and video
All of today’s streamers support 5.1 surround sound and HD video (1080p). For newer TVs, it’s worth paying a bit extra for features such as 4K resolution, HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.
Form factor
Most Fire TV devices are sticks which can hide behind a TV and use RF for control, so line-of-sight isn’t necessary. Meanwhile, the Fire TV Cube is a smart speaker-streamer hybrid and sits on a TV stand.
Remote and voice assistant
While all Fire TV streamers include Alexa voice control the more expensive models also include TV power controls which can come in handy if you lose the TV remote.
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The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) is far and away the best Fire TV Stick that Amazon makes. 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 6E 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.
Best Fire TV Sticks of 2023
Wi-Fi 6E and nearly all the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. Like all Fire TV products, ads feature prominently throughout the interface and the home screen is more crowded than ever, though these will be familiar if you already own one. Nevertheless, this streamer is a good choice for those looking for the best and fastest Amazon Fire TV stick." page-position="" linktext="Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-2023-review-amazons-best-streamer-learns-new-tricks/" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="{"id":"905645a5-773e-48b4-b045-fe36a0f84e93","label":"All-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max bundle with Blink Video Doorbell","slug":"all-new-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-bundle-with-blink-video-doorbell","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Series","objectType":"content_product_series","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"905645a5-773e-48b4-b045-fe36a0f84e93","name":"All-new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max bundle with Blink Video Doorbell","slug":"all-new-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-bundle-with-blink-video-doorbell","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1700000438069,"displayDate":"Tue Nov 14 2023 17:20:38 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time)"}" 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":"0e16ueqxvczxd74","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__56d97a29-3806-47e0-8915-50030e7c3e11" index="1" imagecredit="Sarah Tew/CNET" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
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. The Max supports Wi-Fi 6E and nearly all the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. Like all Fire TV products, ads feature prominently throughout the interface and the home screen is more crowded than ever, though these will be familiar if you already own one. Nevertheless, this streamer is a good choice for those looking for the best and fastest Amazon Fire TV stick.
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newer model (review shortly), it is still around today. While we generally think it's worth it to upgrade to the newest Max, the original Fire TV Stick 4K is still a good choice for those who want 4K streaming without paying for the latest bells and whistles, namely Wi-Fi 6 and blazing-fast speed. The voice features are impressive and Echo and Dot owners can control it with Alexa. Its app and game selection is superb and responses are still fast, though not as fast as on the Max. The remote can control volume and power on TVs and soundbars. Ultimately, if the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K is close to the Max, we recommend passing on this and getting the newer and faster Max." page-position="" linktext="Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-review/" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"57decf70-6e97-486c-b64e-5fc9707a8212","slug":"amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-2021","name":"Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2021)","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"EZMONEY","mod":1700000159759}" overridecredit="Sarah Tew/CNET" overridecaption="" imagegroup="{"uuid":"7b15339e-fd4a-41c4-aeee-f158320289e9","alt":"fire tv stick 4k","caption":"","credits":"Amazon/Screenshot by CNET","imageData":{"id":"7b15339e-fd4a-41c4-aeee-f158320289e9","filename":"screen-shot-2021-11-07-at-11-41-11-am.png","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2ecdcf92ed8d448004499ab1ba3bc2f3df0362c1/hub/2021/11/08/7b15339e-fd4a-41c4-aeee-f158320289e9/screen-shot-2021-11-07-at-11-41-11-am.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&height=500","dateCreated":{"date":"2021-11-08 22:53:03.000000","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2ecdcf92ed8d448004499ab1ba3bc2f3df0362c1/hub/2021/11/08/7b15339e-fd4a-41c4-aeee-f158320289e9/screen-shot-2021-11-07-at-11-41-11-am.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&height=500","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"Amazon/Screenshot by CNET","imageAltText":"fire tv stick 4k","imageFilename":"screen-shot-2021-11-07-at-11-41-11-am.png","imageWidth":987,"imageHeight":586,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2021-11-08","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" usepricing="true" ng-block="{"id":"q7gni74w4kmmf4u","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__061ea2a5-3e63-40bb-af8c-d6b81da7ad09" index="2" imagecredit="Sarah Tew/CNET" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K debuted in 2018 and, while it's been replaced by a newer model (review shortly), it is still around today. While we generally think it's worth it to upgrade to the newest Max, the original Fire TV Stick 4K is still a good choice for those who want 4K streaming without paying for the latest bells and whistles, namely Wi-Fi 6 and blazing-fast speed. The voice features are impressive and Echo and Dot owners can control it with Alexa. Its app and game selection is superb and responses are still fast, though not as fast as on the Max. The remote can control volume and power on TVs and soundbars. Ultimately, if the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K is close to the Max, we recommend passing on this and getting the newer and faster Max.
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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 Fire TV streamer, the Lite is your best bet." page-position="" linktext="Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite-review/" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="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/75x56","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":1700000160584}" 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":"9pxrufa9qtxykbk","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__9feabfb4-ca2e-4e35-a12e-7d614d0d5787" index="3" imagecredit="Sarah Tew/CNET" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite's biggest advantage is that the remote comes 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 Fire TV streamer, the Lite is your best bet.
The 2022 Fire TV Cube adds a handful of bells and whistles, including 4K upscaling and a faster processor, to a device that's been around for a while. The Cube has always been a mash-up of the Fire TV Stick and an Alexa speaker, allowing you to use your voice to search for shows and adjust the volume and inputs on your TV, dim lights, make Zoom calls (audio-only, unless you add a webcam), stream music and check the weather -- all hands-free, without using the remote. It also features an octa-core processor and 2GB of memory for lightning-fast streaming in 4K, as well as audio support for Dolby Atmos. That said, the latest version of the Cube has difficulty controlling devices connected to your TV -- especially if that TV happens to be a TCL -- and often misses the mark when integrating Alexa commands with your cable box.
Although the Lite is a better value, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is another good choice for those who are still rocking regular HD TVs. The main difference between the Fire TV Stick and the cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite lies in the remote control. Fire Stick's remote has buttons for volume, mute and power, allowing you to control those functions on your TV. The Lite lacks these capabilities and is therefore slightly less expensive. If you have a 1080p TV and don't mind paying a little more for a remote that can control the volume on your TV, the Fire TV Stick is a good choice for you.
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Factors to consider when choosing a Fire TV Stick
Price: At the end of the day, everyone wants to get the most bang for their buck, and the Fire TV sticks are some of the most affordable streamers out there. Prices start at $30 and top out at $60 (for the sticks) or $140 (TV Cube). As with other streamers, the real sweet spot is $50 (in this case, the Fire TV Stick 4K) as paying more than $30 gets you more features and a bit quicker loading speed.
Connections: All of these devices support HDMI and Wi-Fi. But the Fire TV Cube also allows you to connect Ethernet. This physical connection can help in homes with lots of Wi-Fi noise, such as in apartment buildings. If you have an older TV which lacks HDMI, you will either need to buy an HDMI-to-analogue adapter, or get a secondhand model from another brand such as the Roku 1.
Audio and video: By default, all Fire TV streamers support Dolby Digital (5.1 surround sound) and high-definition video (1080p). Stepping up into the next quality rung you get 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR 10, usually) and Dolby Atmos (which supports height effects). Some models also ask extra for Dolby Vision support, but this isn’t supported by Samsung TVs and is similar to HDR 10 anyway.
Form factor: There are two main types of Fire TV streamer: First sticks, which are essentially an extension of the HDMI cable. And secondly, set top boxes. Most Fire TVs are sticks, while the more expensive Fire TV Cube is a set-top. The advantage of the HDMI design is that these devices can hide behind the TV, whereas the Fire TV Cube is designed to be seen by the user. The Fire TV Cube also includes TV control and an integrated Alexa assistant.
Control: All Fire TVs come with remotes, though they will work with your TV remote as well (using HDMI CEC). The fancier models also include features like TV control and even voice assistance. The $30 Alexa Voice Remote Pro also offers a remote finder if you have another Alexa device within earshot. Lastly, if you misplace your remote, the Fire TV app lets you use your phone as a controller.
How we test Fire TV devices
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
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="" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="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":"n2kop0ssjb6dut9","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__d6564047-811b-40c2-95ac-0d284177847b" index="6" imagecredit="" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
What's the difference between a Fire TV device and a Fire TV television?
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.
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others. Spectrum cable users, however, do not have access to the Spectrum app on Fire TV." page-position="" linktext="" linkurl="" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="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":"mncx3s0koy2zueb","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__5437110f-7bb1-4a57-b88f-8bf58cb613aa" index="7" imagecredit="" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
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.
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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." page-position="" linktext="" linkurl="" can-collapse="true" collapse-on-page-load="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":"88l4xwtqmpozbtw","type":"listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cnetlisticle__fa8e8248-8c82-4f4b-83ad-07cd2806f11b" index="8" imagecredit="" tagslugs="hv90,amazon-prime-video,amazon" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
Do I need an Amazon Prime membership to use Fire TV?
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.
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