Amazon's first streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick, is the Fire TV Stick. It competes with budget streamers like Roku and Google.
Fire OS is the same as Fire TV Stick Lite. It offers users access to a variety of streaming platforms, including Disney Plus, Now, and Netflix, as well (obviously), as Amazon Prime Video.
The device supports 1080p (FHD), and 60fps, and comes with three HDR formats: HDR10+, HDR10+, and HLG. This is quite advanced for such a low-cost device. The box also includes the main adapter and streaming stick. It also contains a basic remote control that can be used to voice search Amazon's Alexa smart assistant, which will help you quickly find and execute commands.
Amazon Firestick Features
Although the Fire TV Stick Lite has Dolby Atmos support, it is not as good as other Amazon streamers. It only supports passthrough over HDMI. This means that it can't transcode multichannel audio. If your TV or receiver is unable to decode the stream from your streaming service, you might hear stereo instead of Atmos or any other multichannel audio stream. It is also possible to stream your favorite content by using apps such as the Cinema HD v2 app on your Firestick device.
Below are some excellent features of the Firestick device:
Price and Competition
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Light costs PS30 less than the standard Amazon Fire TV Stick (2021). What is the difference? It's quite simple.
Both devices can play Full HD content at 60fps and offer the same apps and streaming platforms. They also support HDR formats and the same HDR formats. The remote for the PS40 Fire TV Stick lets you control the TV's volume and power functions, while the remote for the Fire TV Stick Light doesn't. Both support Dolby Atmos audio, but only the Fire TV Stick Lite supports it via HDMI passthrough.
You can get the PS50 Amazon Fire TV stick 4K for an extra PS20. It adds Dolby Vision support and 4K/UHD playback to the standard Fire TV Stick. It's obvious that you won't be able to use it with a 4K TV.
Consumers have a lot of options when it comes to non-Amazon products. The best choice for streaming services in the US is Roku. Its PS25 Full HD model, Roku Express undercuts Fire TV Stick Lite by PS5, while its PS40 Roku Express4K is the most affordable 4K streaming stick currently on the market. Although neither model has a voice-control remote control, the Roku app is free and allows you to control the Roku OS from your smartphone.
You could also get a Google Chromecast at PS30. Although it isn't your standard streamer, it does not have a physical remote or UI. However, it can be used with many apps and integrates well with other Google Home products.
Design and Setup
The Fire TV Stick Light is identical to Amazon's streaming sticks. It's small, rectangular, black, and made of plastic. The 3cm-wide and 8cm-long dongle fits into an HDMI port on your TV. It is powered by a mains charger and connects via a micro-USB cable to the Fire TV Stick.
My test TV's three HDMI ports were all very close together. I could not connect my soundbar, Fire TV Stick Light, and Xbox cables simultaneously due to the Amazon dongle's width. Amazon provides an HDMI extender to solve this problem.
However, the downside to using the extender is the fact that it pokes out of the TV's side in an unattractive manner. You could tape it or use Blu-Tack to fix it.
If you have an Amazon account, setup is easy. After you have plugged everything in and followed the instructions on the screen, select the HDMI source for your TV.
You'll be able to connect the device to your Wi-Fi network in no time (it supports dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi), and register to your Amazon account. You can then choose your apps and stream content from all of the platforms to which you subscribe.
Fire TV Interface
Fire TV Stick Lite runs the most recent version of Fire OS (version 7.2.4 at the time this article was written). The interface of the Fire TV Stick is quite user-friendly and slick, though it does rely on Amazon-produced content promotion.
The Home section contains a selection of recommended apps and content. It is divided into rows of tiles. It takes only three clicks to launch your last app. However, it is easy to be distracted by all the promoted content Amazon offers.
The Find section is located to the right of your Home panel. Here you can drill down further, filter by genre, browse your watchlist, or open your library of rentals, purchases, and more.
The Live section highlights all apps that allow you to watch live TV and what sporting events will be happening in the next 24hrs. The Live page has a row that displays your top apps. This list can be customized to your taste. The interface's far-right side displays the entire app's library and the settings menu.
You can use the microphone button on the Fire TV remote to summon Alexa and ask her to search for what you are looking for. This saves scrolling and is usually quite reliable in following orders. It can be a bit difficult to locate the app store section in Fire OS. It is hidden about three menus deep. I recommend asking Alexa to help you get to the point.
Content and Performance
Amazon's Fire OS can be used on almost any platform. While there is a strong focus on Amazon Prime Video content and all other major contenders, the Fire OS works with almost every platform.
You're covered for paid entertainment services with Netflix, Disney Plus, and Apple TV Plus. All UK catch-up services, including BBC iPlayer and My5, are included. Sports fans are also covered by BT Sport or Eurosport. You will need to pay for content on any premium platform.
Your TV will play the largest role in picture quality when it comes to playback. First, the resolution of the image is affected by the TV's upscaling capabilities. Your TV may not support HDR10, HDR10+, or HLG formats. The High Dynamic Range content can be ignored. Although it is possible to stream HDR content online in Full HD, only a few Full HD TVs actually support HDR.
The LGCX, FullHD Netflix, and Amazon content look great on the TV I am using. Although not as sharp or detailed as 4K, it is still quite good. HDR support is more important than TV's upscaling capabilities.
All I had to do to see the impact HDR has had on the Fire TV Stick Lite’s brightness and vividness was to temporarily disable HDR in Stick Lite's setting and then go back to the HDR content I was watching. It was like night and day. The color seemed to have disappeared from the screen, and details in the background were lost to shadow. The show looked amazing again after I turned HDR off. The Fire TV Stick is the best budget streaming device, surpassing the Roku Express or Google Chromecast.
Remember that HDR's impact is dependent upon the capabilities of your TV. The HDR content will not be as impressive if the TV's brightness or contrast levels are low.
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Review of Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite: Verdict
The Amazon Fire TV Stick, which costs less than PS30, is the best streamer package. It does not support 1080p at maximum resolution, but it is the same as any other streaming stick for this price.
It stands out among the budget streamer packs with its High Dynamic range support. This can make a huge difference when you watch HDR movies and shows. The Fire TV Stick Light is the ideal streaming stick if you have an HDTV that supports HDR.
There aren't many Full HD TVs available that can do that. However, with so many 4K HDR TVs at affordable prices, many have made the upgrade. The Roku Express 4K or the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, both 4K TV owners, are better options, even though they're a bit more expensive.
You can also make the case to buy the latest standard Fire TV Stick, which costs PS10 less than the Stick Lite but has TV controls and full Dolby Atmos support. There's nothing wrong with Fire TV Stick Lite. If Full HD HDR playback is important to you, and you want Alexa voice control for your TV, then you should look no further.