Streaming services are now more popular than ever, but not everyone has a smart TV. That’s where media streaming devices like Amazon’s Fire TV lineup come in.
For Prime Day, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K is $29.99, a 40 percent discount. Select Prime member can also apply at checkout to get it for the can’t-beat price of $4.99.
The Fire TV Stick 4K runs Amazon’s customized FireOS software, which was developed specifically to enable easy access to streaming services. You will need a subscription to the streaming service you want to use, of course, but as long as you have that you can watch TV from Prime Video, HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+m and many others.
You can also use the Fire TV Stick 4K to watch free streaming content from sources including YouTube. Just install the app and start streaming.
The Fire TV Stick 4K ships with a remote control with a built-in microphone. This enables you to use voice commands to control the device. It can also be used with other Amazon Alexa-enabled devices such as the Echo Show or Echo Dot smart speakers.
As the product’s name suggests, a key feature of the Fire TV Stick 4K is the ability to stream content in 4K. This gives it an edge over Amazon’s regular Fire TV Stick, which is limited to 1080p.
Amazon does face tough competition from Roku; its Premiere and Streaming Stick+ are also able to stream 4K content. These Roku devices are also priced similarly to the Fire TV Stick 4K, and they have one key feature the Fire Sticks lack: private listening. This feature enables Roku devices to stream audio from a show to a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, where you can then listen to it using headphones. The idea here being the ability to watch TV without bothering others with the noise.
Overall, the best streaming stick for you comes down to a matter of personal taste. All are realistically enjoyable options for streaming content to your TV, but right now, the Fire TV Stick 4K is available with the biggest discount. The Roku Streaming Stick+ is currently on sale for $37, down from $49.99.
