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There are a lot of different media streaming boxes and dongles out there.
But, if you're an Amazon Prime member, one group stands above the rest: Fire TV. Whether you're looking for a travel-friendly dongle, 4K streamer, light gaming console, or cord-cutting powerhouse, Amazon has you covered.
But all of those are different Fire TV configurations, and there is a bit of pro and con weighing between all of them. If you're looking to pick up a Fire TV, but want to know if one bundle would be better or worse for your needs, this guide is here to help.
The most basic member of Amazon's streaming hardware family, the Fire Stick is aimed at delivering the most content at the lowest price. Like other streaming dongles, the Fire stick plugs directly into your TV's HDMI port, and gets power through an included adapter.
On the content side, all the heavy hitters are there: Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now and video apps for single channels, like CNN and ESPN. For cable channel content you'll need a cable subscription, but if you buy one of these sticks instead of renting another cable box, it'll pay for itself quickly.
All Fire TV products have access to Amazon's Prime Video library, which is only available on Amazon's streaming boxes and the Roku. If you're a Prime member, this is a nice advantage. Unlike its older siblings, the Fire TV stick only displays in 1080P, so if you just got a brand new 4K TV, you won't get the most out of it using this. But, if you've got an older, dumb TV that you'd like to make smart and you like Amazon video, the Fire TV stick is a good option. Given its small size, the Fire Stick is also a good buy if you travel a lot and want to take a streaming device to use at hotels.
The Fire Stick comes with a stock remote, but, for an extra $10 you can buy it with the voice remote that comes with higher-end Fire TV products. It's not as sophisticated as its competitors voice-controlled remotes, but it'll make navigating around the Fire TV's interface a lot simpler.
Fire TV Stick, $39.99, available at Amazon
Fire TV Stick with Remote, $49.99, available at Amazon
We called the Fire TV the best media streaming device for Prime members, and we're sticking by that. Prime content is front and center, and while it has most of the video streaming apps you can think of and all of the heavy hitters we mentioned above, Prime Video gets prioritized.
Unlike the Fire Stick, the Fire TV can stream 4K content as long as your internet connection is quick enough and you've purchased your 4K TV in the past year or so. Like I mentioned earlier, the Fire TV comes with Amazon's voice remote as standard. So, you'll be spared a few clicks around this devices interface when looking for things to watch.
This is also a box, not a dongle, so while it won't take up a whole lot of space, it's less travel-friendly than its younger sibling. If you'd like our full thoughts on the Fire TV, we've already given it a thorough review. But, in a nutshell, if you're looking for a streaming box, have Amazon Prime, and care about 4K content, the Fire TV is a good buy.
Fire TV, $84.99 (normally $99.99), available on Amazon
While the primary reason you'll buy a media streaming box is to watch TV and movies, most good, modern boxes also have an app store. Apple's is the most robust, but Amazon's store has 4,000 apps, some of which are games.
It might not be for the hardcore gamer, but if you like casual games, or your kid wants a console and you want a media streaming box, this is an alright compromise. Popular games like Minecraft and ports of older console titles like entries from the Grand Theft Auto series are all available. Some games, like Minecraft, even require the controller to be played.
To be clear, if you're serious about playing games on your TV, the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Wii U are going to give you a way better experience. But this is a kill-two-bird-with-one-stone solution if different people in the house want different things. If you've already bought a Fire TV, don't worry, Amazon sells its controller separately. That said, it's expensive enough that if you could ever see yourself using the Fire TV for gaming, you should go with this bundle from the start.
Fire TV Gaming Edition, $124.99 (normally $139.99), available on Amazon
