The best Amazon Fire TV device you should buy in 2023

When it comes to Amazon Fire TV and choosing which TV you should get, it really comes down to one question. However, it is not quite that simple.

What do you really want?

Because here’s the thing about Amazon Fire TV devices: Most of them are ridiculously cheap. You can get a Fire TV Stick for as little as $20. But you probably shouldn’t do this. We’ll explain more in a minute. Or you can spend more than $100 and get a device — actually a Cube — that directly pairs the Fire TV with an Amazon Echo speaker that hooks up to your TV to create a cool kind of hybrid device .

Or you can spend a few hundred dollars to get a television that’s powered by Amazon Fire TV as the built-in operating system, with all the bells and whistles you’ll find in other devices. However, none of these really answer the question. Which is the best Amazon Fire TV device you should buy?

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

best for all

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a great device, and we believe it’s the Fire TV Stick most people should get if you’re looking to spend under $100. It recently saw a hardware refresh in September 2023 which was actually a relatively minor spec bump. Fast processor. More RAM. Better Wi-Fi. It also supports Dolby Vision for HDR and Dolby Atmos for audio. Those are all good things that will help future-proof 4K Max (as we’ll call it for brevity) for a few years.

Aside from the Fire TV operating system (as all Fire TV devices do, of course), the 4K Max is currently the only Fire TV Stick to include Amazon’s surround experience. It’s a nice combination of screen saver and widgets that really gives you something on your TV that you’ll want to watch when you’re not watching anything else. If you’re a frequent user of Amazon products, you’ll find a good deal of usefulness in it beyond the background. And if none of those tickle your fancy, you can get your photos displayed in it.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max costs $60, but there’s a good chance you can get it for less. (As we write this, we see it on sale for a mere $45.) Given that, you’ll get a lot less with this device than the less-capable (and, yes, even less expensive) Fire TV Stick. How much more it gets, we will go ahead and get ready for it. It’s just as good without a lot of money.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

best for all

amazon fire tv cube

Step-Up Fire TV Device

The Fire TV Cube is a step up from the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Currently in its third version and last updated in September 2022, the Fire TV Cube is exactly what the name suggests. Take a Fire TV Stick and make it into the shape of a cube. Toss in a speaker and microphone array, and you now have a Fire TV device that allows you to control Alexa hands-free. It also supports 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision.

The latest Fire TV Cube lets you use Alexa to not only answer questions or play music or games or control the lights — it can now also control your television or other connected devices, thanks to a little protocol called CEC. Thank you. (This is what allows your TV and soundbar and other devices to play well with each other.)

That’s a few feet above the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. But it’s also more expensive, listed at $140. (Though the sale price will take it closer to $110.) Also note that it doesn’t yet have access to the ambient experience mentioned above.

amazon fire tv cube

Step-Up Fire TV Device

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED

tv options

If you’re in the market for a new television and of course want it to only run Amazon Fire TV so you don’t have to plug in anything else, you have plenty of options.

At the top of the heap is the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED series. They range from a 43-inch retailing for about $450 to a 75-inch retailing for $1,100. Once again, selling prices may be substantially lower.

The Omni Series QLED aren’t the best of the best when it comes to pure television technology, but they’re no worse than a TV either. Fully capable, with all the Fire TV and Alexa stuff you want. And they have the aforementioned ambient experience with an added twist. The Omni Series TVs have an optical sensor that can tell when the room is empty and turn the TV off – then turn it back on and start the ambient experience when it sees that you’re back in the room. very quiet.

We’re focusing on the best here, but it’s worth mentioning that there are many other lesser Fire TV models available for less money. With just very few features.

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED

tv options

So which one is best?

This is one of those times in which there isn’t a single, simple answer to which Fire TV device is best for you. It really depends on what you want and how you want to use it.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best of the low-cost sticks, and it’s actually the one we recommend. If you go here cheaply, you will get a very limited experience.

The Fire TV Cube is great if you want to pair an Amazon Echo speaker with the Fire TV experience. (Or you can get the $60 – or less! – 4K Max and pair it with an Echo Pop for even less and get almost the same experience.)

And the Fire TV Omni QLED is our favorite choice for the best Fire TV-powered television experience.

So you have a range of products at different prices for different uses. choose wisely.