流媒体棒和盒子的选择并不缺乏，亚马逊选择廉价的(Amazon)Fire Stick设备
并没有让事情变得更容易。
Fire Stick Lite、Fire TV Stick、Fire TV Stick 4K和Fire Stick TV 4K Max的价格范围都非常窄。那么每种产品提供什么，更便宜的型号的妥协是否值得功能差异？
Fire Stick Lite是亚马逊流媒体棒系列中最实惠的选择。它比 2019 年的Fire Stick TV(Fire Stick TV)型号强大 50% ，并提供与该系列其他产品相同的流媒体服务。
Lite仅限于 1080p 输出，因此如果您有 4K 电视，最好避免这种情况，即使您目前无法访问4K 内容(4K content)。这样Fire TV 4K 设备就可以处理图像缩放，而不是电视的内部缩放器。
虽然Lite版本看起来与标准Stick TV 完全一样，但它们的遥控器有所不同。Alexa Voice Remote Lite没有任何电视控件。这意味着您必须将原装电视遥控器放在手边才能使用电视特定功能。没什么大不了的，但肯定很烦人。
精简版(Lite)和标准版配备了 1.7 GHz四(GHz)核处理器(processor)，但尚不清楚它们是否使用相同的芯片。无论哪种情况，运行流媒体应用程序的性能都绰绰有余。
Lite通过直通HDMI提供杜比音效(Dolby Audio)。这意味着您将使用家庭影院的视频直通功能将Lite插入家庭影院系统而不是电视。(Lite)如果您的家庭影院没有此功能，您将需要一台可以将杜比(Dolby)音频传递到连接的条形音箱或环绕系统的电视。
盒子包含 2节AAA电池、HDMI延长器、USB 数据(USB)线和电源，以及Alexa Voice Remote Lite。与标准型号相同，只是遥控器功能较弱。
就像我们将在这里提到的所有Fire Stick 电视一样， (Fire Stick TVs)Lite最好的地方之一就是它是一根棍子而不是一个盒子。这意味着您可以将它插入电视背面的HDMI端口，然后就可以忘记它了。在许多情况下，您甚至可以从电视的USB端口为其供电，因此不会有任何可见的电缆连接到墙上。
亚马逊消防电视棒(Amazon Fire TV Stick) (2020) – 39.99 美元
标准的Fire TV Stick提供与(Stick)Lite大致相同的流媒体功能。您可以获得 1080p全高清(Full HD)输出和对HDR10的支持，尽管它承诺提供更高的性能，但这不会影响实际的流媒体。您可能会获得稍微流畅的浏览体验或应用程序响应。杜比全景声 (Dolby Atmos(Dolby Atmos) ) 音频、杜比数字 (Dolby Digital(Dolby Digital) ) 和其他音频与Lite一样包含在内，那么有什么区别呢？
这一切都归结为语音控制遥控器，在Fire TV Stick中，它包括电视控件，可以更改电视的音量控制或将其静音。这确实是这两种产品之间唯一的后果差异。
亚马逊的两个 4K超高清(Ultra HD)棒是所有动作的所在。自 2019 年以来，4K 电视市场(4K TV market)份额已突破 50%，因此这些高端电视棒拥有所有最佳功能也就不足为奇了。虽然它们的价格几乎是Lite(Lite)的两倍，但与Standard Fire TV Stick不同，您可以多花一些钱。
标准 4K 型号同时提供HDR10+和杜比视界(Dolby Vision)，因此三星(Samsung)和非三星(Samsung)电视客户都可以使用。您将获得更快的CPU来驱动这些 4K 视觉效果，从而转化为更敏捷的应用程序性能和内容浏览性能。它还支持更多的视频和音频格式。
4K Max版本提供标准 4K 型号提供的所有功能，但处理能力提高了 40%，使事情变得更加敏捷。它还配备了一个新的 Wi-Fi 6 芯片，所以如果你有一个 Wi-Fi 6 路由器或将来可能会得到一个，这将显着提高 4K 流媒体性能。
定价注意事项
我们上面列出的价格是在撰写本文时这些设备的建议价格。然而，Fire TV Sticks很少以其完整的标价显示。4K Max型号一再以 35 美元的价格出售，而Lite并没有如此频繁地降价。
如果您有耐心或恰好在其中一次销售期间阅读了这篇文章，最好在 4K Max型号处于 35 美元区域时购买它。您将获得亚马逊(Amazon)在其Fire TV Sticks中提供的所有最佳功能，在您最终升级到 4K 电视机时为您提供一些面向未来的措施。当与 4K Max的价格差异仅为 5 美元而不是 25 美元
时，很难证明Lite型号的合理性。(Lite)
另外，请不要忘记您可以用某些Fire TV、Roku、Apple和Chromecast设备以折扣价购买新的Fire TV Stick。
火棒替代品
亚马逊的Fire TV Sticks 是很好的产品，它们物有所值。这是访问像样的流媒体硬件的最便宜的方式，也是将旧的“哑”电视变成智能电视的完美方式。
也就是说，我们不能孤立地考虑Fire TV Sticks。流媒体盒市场竞争激烈，最便宜的产品不一定是最有价值的。
Apple 的第 3 代 Apple TV(Apple’s 3rd-generation Apple TV)大幅降价，64GB 版本起价 129 美元。这是Lite(Lite)的四到五倍，或者是 4K Max的两倍多，但物有所值。这款新机型具有与 iPhone 14 相同的规格，使其成为一款功能强大的 iOS 游戏和流媒体设备。
这也意味着您可能在五年或更长时间内不必购买新的流媒体盒，并且您将获得很棒的体验。如果您获得 149 美元的 128GB 型号，您还可以获得Thread智能家居集线器功能和一个以太网(Ethernet)端口。
谷歌Chromecast with Google TV的 4K 型号售价不到 50 美元，而且不会被困在亚马逊的围墙花园里。另外，别忘了Roku 流媒体棒(Roku streaming stick)！
您也不应拒绝其他品牌的Android TV设备。特别是，小米的 Mi Box S是对(Xiaomi’s Mi Box S)Apple TV 4K 设备的直接回应，价格低于 100 美元，并支持外部存储和应用程序侧载。
最终建议
最终，适合您的Fire TV 设备取决于几个因素。这是我们的建议：
- 如果您想使用 1080p 电视并且不关心Fire Stick遥控器上的电视控制，请购买 Lite(Lite)。
- 如果您看重更高级的遥控器并拥有 1080p 电视，请额外支付 10 美元并获得标准的 3rd-gen 2020 Fire TV Stick。
- 如果您有 4K超(UHD)高清电视，我们建议您跳过标准的Fire TV Stick 4K并购买 4K Max作为更好的长期投资。如果 4K Max以 35 美元的普通折扣价出售，那么无论您拥有什么电视，您都应该购买。
虽然Lite模型确实比标准模型节省了 25% 的价格，但从绝对意义上讲，这还不到(Lite)Netflix的一个月，所以很难想象有人会以 10 美元的价格交换它所具有的适度功能优势的情况在储蓄。
这就是流媒体的实际成本所在。像Fire Sticks这样的产品非常实惠，因为利润来自订阅费。亚马逊(Amazon)想出售亚马逊 Prime Video(Amazon Prime Video)电视节目。当您通过亚马逊购买(Amazon)迪士尼(Disney)或Hulu订阅时，他们会分得一杯羹。
购买Fire(Fire) TV Stick Lite与Fire TV Stick之间的争论似乎没有意义，考虑到它的一次性性质以及HBO Max或任何其他最佳流媒体服务为其内容收取多少费用。购买您能负担得起的最好的媒体播放器，然后在流媒体服务上省钱(save money on streaming services)以弥补差价，这更有意义。
Fire Stick Lite vs Fire TV Stick: Which Should You Buy?
There’s no shortage of options for streaming ѕtickѕ and boxes, and Amazon isn’t making thingѕ any easier with its selection of cheap Fire Ѕtiсk devices.
The Fire Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire Stick TV 4K Max all fall within a very narrow price range. So what does each product offer, and are the compromises of the cheaper models worth the difference in features?
The Fire Stick Lite is the most affordable option in Amazon’s streaming stick range. It’s 50% more powerful than the 2019 Fire Stick TV model and offers the same streaming services as the rest of the range.
The Lite is limited to 1080p output, so it’s best to avoid this if you have a 4K TV, even if you don’t currently have access to 4K content. This is so the Fire TV 4K devices can handle image scaling rather than your TV’s internal scaler.
While the Lite version looks exactly like the standard Stick TV, their remotes differ. The Alexa Voice Remote Lite doesn’t have any TV controls. This means you’ll have to keep your original TV remote handy for TV-specific functions. Not a huge deal, but an annoyance for sure.
The Lite and standard models have a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, although it’s unclear whether they use the same chip or not. In either case, there’s more than enough performance to run streaming apps.
The Lite offers Dolby Audio via pass-through HDMI. This means that you’ll plug the Lite into your home theater system instead of your TV, using the video pass-through feature of your home theater. If your home theater doesn’t have this feature, you’ll need a TV that can pass Dolby audio to an attached soundbar or surround system.
The box contains 2x AAA batteries, an HDMI extender, a USB cable and power supply, and the Alexa Voice Remote Lite. The same as the standard model, just with the less capable remote.
Like all of the Fire Stick TVs we’ll mention here, one of the best things about the Lite is that it’s a stick rather than a box. This means you can plug it into the HDMI port on the back of your TV and just forget about it. You can even power it from a TV’s USB port in many cases, so there won’t be any visible cables going to the wall.
The standard Fire TV Stick offers more or less the same streaming features as the Lite. You get 1080p Full HD output and support for HDR10, and although it promises more performance, that won’t affect actual streaming. You may get a slightly smoother browsing experience or app responsiveness. Dolby Atmos audio, Dolby Digital, and the rest are included just as they are with the Lite, so what’s the difference?
It all comes down to the voice control remote, which in the Fire TV Stick includes TV controls to change the TV’s volume controls or mute it. That’s really the only difference of consequence between these two products.
Amazon’s two 4K Ultra HD sticks are where all the action is. Since 2019, 4K TV market share has crossed the 50% mark, so it’s no surprise that these higher-end sticks are getting all the best features. While they cost nearly twice as much as a Lite, unlike the Standard Fire TV Stick, you get a lot for that additional money.
The standard 4K model offers both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so Samsung and non-Samsung TV customers are covered. You get a significantly faster CPU to drive those 4K visuals, translating into snappier app performance and content browsing performance. It also supports significantly more video and audio formats.
The 4K Max version offers everything the standard 4K model offers but has 40% more processing power, making things even snappier. It also comes with a new Wi-Fi 6 chip, so if you have a Wi-Fi 6 router or are likely to get one in the future, this will significantly improve 4K streaming performance.
A Note On Pricing
The prices we’ve listed above are the recommended prices for these devices at the time of writing. However, Fire TV Sticks rarely show for their full listed prices. The 4K Max model has repeatedly been on sale for $35, while the Lite doesn’t get such deep and frequent cuts.
If you’re patient or happen to be reading this during one of these sales, it’s best to simply buy the 4K Max model when it’s in that $35 zone. You’re getting all of the best features Amazon offers in its Fire TV Sticks, giving you some measure of future-proofing when you eventually upgrade to a 4K TV set. It’s hard to justify the Lite model when the price difference with the 4K Max is only $5 rather than $25.
Also, don’t forget that you can trade in some Fire TV, Roku, Apple, and Chromecast devices for a discount on a new Fire TV Stick.
Fire Stick Alternatives
Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks are good products, and they offer a lot of bang for your buck. It’s the cheapest way to get access to decent streaming hardware and the perfect way to turn an old “dumb” TV into a smart TV.
That said, we can’t consider the Fire TV Sticks in isolation. There’s a lot of competition in the streaming box market, and the cheapest products aren’t necessarily the best value.
Apple’s 3rd-generation Apple TV has received a substantial price cut, starting at $129 for the 64GB version. That’s four to five times as expensive as the Lite or just over twice as expensive as the 4K Max, but you get a lot for your money. This new model has the same specs as the iPhone 14, making it a powerful iOS gaming and streaming device.
It also means that you probably won’t have to buy a new streaming box for five years or longer, and you’ll have a great experience. If you get the $149 128GB model, you also get Thread smart home hub functionality and an Ethernet port.
Google’s Chromecast with Google TV is also compelling at under $50 for the 4K model, without being stuck in Amazon’s walled garden. Plus, let’s not forget about the Roku streaming stick!
You shouldn’t dismiss other brands of Android TV devices either. In particular, Xiaomi’s Mi Box S is a direct answer to Apple TV 4K devices at under $100, with the bonus of support for external storage and app side-loading.
Final Recommendations
Ultimately, the correct Fire TV device for you depends on a few factors. Here’s what we recommend:
- If you want to use a 1080p TV and don’t care about TV controls on the Fire Stick remote, get the Lite.
- If you value the more advanced remote control and have a 1080p TV, pay the extra $10 and get the standard 3rd-gen 2020 Fire TV Stick.
- If you have a 4K UHD TV, we recommend skipping the standard Fire TV Stick 4K and buying the 4K Max as the better long-term investment. If the 4K Max is on sale for its common discount price of $35, you should buy it regardless of what TV you have.
While the Lite model does represent a substantial 25% saving in price against the standard model, in absolute terms, that’s less than a month of Netflix, so it’s hard to think of a situation where anyone would trade the modest feature advantages it has for $10 in savings.
This is where the real cost of streaming comes into the picture. Products like the Fire Sticks are so affordable because the profit is in subscription fees. Amazon wants to sell Amazon Prime Video TV shows. When you buy a Disney or Hulu subscription through Amazon, they get a slice of the pie.
The debate between buying the Fire TV Stick Lite vs. Fire TV Stick seems a little pointless, considering its once-off nature and how much HBO Max or any of the other best streaming services charge for their content. It makes more sense to buy the best media player you can afford and then save money on streaming services to make up the difference.
