Stream all your favorite shows with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Easily turn your “dumb” TV into a powerful entertainment hub

Most people subscribe to at least one streaming service for binge-watching or weekly episodic content. You can easily log in to your service of choice on a desktop computer, mobile phone or tablet, but when it comes to TVs, the most convenient way is through a smart TV.

But what can you do if you don’t have the latest technology in your living room? That’s where Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K comes in. It connects to any TV that doesn’t have a Wi-Fi connection and turns it into a smart gadget.   

Testing the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K 

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K was tested on a Westinghouse Smart TV with built-in Roku. To compare menu navigation and ease of setup, the testing team drew on their knowledge of using Google Chromecast, Sony PlayStation 5 and three previous generations of Amazon Fire Sticks.

The BestReviews Testing Lab strives to investigate every claim the brand/manufacturer makes about the product. For this article, the tester used their vast knowledge of past streaming devices as a comparison.

What is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K?

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is a device, slightly bigger than a thumb drive, that connects to your TV through an HDMI port. Using the built-in Fire OS operating system (which is based on Android), it lets you connect to the internet to download streaming apps and watch all your favorite content.

It gives you the means to watch services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Peacock on your “dumb” TV without spending thousands of dollars on a new model. But it’s not just TV shows and movies; it’s compatible with audio services such as Spotify, too.

Inline Link: See how it compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best streaming devices.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K price and where to buy

The latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is available at Amazon for $39. There's also a Fire TV Stick 4K Max version with Wi-Fi 6 support for $54.  

How to use Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The Fire TV Stick 4K is relatively simple to use. You plug it into an available HDMI port on the back of your TV and change the input signal on your TV to the corresponding channel. The start-up menu helps you configure the Wi-Fi connection and walks you through how to create an Amazon account if you don’t have one. 

From there, you go through the options of downloading all the streaming services with which you have an account. Then, using the shortcuts on the home screen, navigate to the service you want to watch and sign in. It works similarly to other Android streaming boxes, as the operating system is essentially the same.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K benefits

The gadget can stream content of 4K resolution, but it’s only useful if you have a device with a 4K display. However, it includes Dolby Vision, HDR and HDR10+ to give you the best viewing experience. The Fire TV Stick 4K is also compatible with home theater systems that use Dolby Atmos audio.

The included Alexa Remote lets you search and launch content with your voice, and you can also use it to ask Alexa about the weather, dim the lights, view live camera feeds or stream music.

The testing team loved Amazon’s search engine. It tracks the movies you want and links to the service it’s on more easily than other smart TVs and streaming services. It also does a better job hunting down movies — you can search by actor. Alexa has always been the most reliable digital assistant for media, and you’ll appreciate how quickly you get results.

Operation after setup is a breeze, as the gadget boots up and switches to the channel with a simple button press. However, there are occasional glitches. The testing lab felt that sometimes switching between apps caused some chaos, but that’s to be expected, to an extent.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K drawbacks

BestReviews found that Amazon’s devices are too heavy on selling other Amazon products. While they didn't mind as much when it’s relevant to the device, they noted that it’s only gotten more shameless with time.

Additionally, the Fire TV Stick 4K required some color adjustments, as everything was too flat out of the box. It’s an easy fix for those in the know, but the initial visuals may frustrate people who don’t know what settings they want.

Should you get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K?

Regarding the streaming options and breadth of features, this is one of the best affordable options on the market. It connects to other Alexa devices and into your smart home (though being able to connect it to the Echo Dot was more tedious than it should be).

BestReviews recommends the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for people who already have Amazon products or use the Prime app for other subscriptions. Despite some cynical self-promotion, it inarguably does the job it advertises, and while it’s far from perfect, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive option on the market.