The video streaming market has become huge over the past 5 years or so. It has been even longer than that companies have been streaming movies to your computer. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. With all the streaming devices out there today how do you know which one is best? I have taken both the Ruku devices and Amazon Fire TV devices to the task at some point since I have started streaming. Here I want to talk about the Amazon Fire TV Stick and in another review, I will talk about the Amazon Fire TV box. Let us get started.
Design
The design of the Amazon Fire TV Stick is quite simple. It looks like an oversized flash drive. You simply plug it into an available HDMI port on your TV and then plug it into the wall, or TV USB if it supports it, and that is it. If you are able to get a USB cable that can power your device using the USB ports on your TV then do it! Having the ability for it to power down when you are not using it, very well could extend the life of your product and it will definitely prevent the every so often reset you will probably need to do.
The remote with mic is the way to go for any of your Fire devices. It is nice to be able to hold the mic button down and say what you want. My kids from 4 to 10 years old can simply say what they are looking for and off they go for some instant entertainment!
Software
The software that comes on the Fire Stick is pretty simple to navigate. It allows for you to download from their store if an app is available. The layout of the categories can get a little overwhelming to look at when you first start using it but once you get used to where things are it will seem a bit easy. Using the built-in mic on the remote will help with navigation.
The fact that most of your main channels, like Disney, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, and so on, have apps on Amazon store makes it nice if you have a paid cable/satellite provider. This will allow you to only have to pay for one box for the first TV then if you set these channel apps up with your providers account you can instantly watch all the latest shows on the device without having to access your provider’s box. Most of these apps even allow for the stream of Live TV.
If there isn’t an app on Amazon Store there is a chance you could sideload the app and then run it on the device. I won’t go into sideloading but this ability is nice for those out there who want more from the device than what it has to offer out of the box and from their store.
Gaming
If you are looking for a streaming device to also allow you the ability to game I wouldn’t really recommend the Amazon Fire Stick. I don’t believe it is fast enough for those needs, although, there are some games that will work with the stick. Look at the Fire TV Box instead.
Performance
The overall performance of the Amazon Fire TV Stick is truly great for the price of the device. At $40 and a lot of times $30 and on a few occasions $25 you can’t beat the performance you get from them. The stick responds pretty quick and normally stays that way for the life of the device. For people on a budget and don’t want to spend a lot the Fire TV stick is one to try out, especially if you have Amazon Prime.
Final Verdict
Pros: Low cost, great performance, Easy Setup
Cons: Not good for gaming, No 4K support
The overall experience with the Amazon Fire TV Stick is great. I have bought them to put on both smaller TV’s and HDMI computer monitors w/speakers in kids rooms and home offices. Setting them up is very easy to do and if you have Amazon Prime it makes it a must get streaming device to the other devices. You can easily sideload apps that don’t come on the store but can still run on the device and it allows you to set up most of your premium channels if you have a cable or satellite subscription already.