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.
