Amazon Fire TV Stick adds the much-needed TV controls, whereas Fire TV Stick Lite still enjoys the designation of being the most affordable media streaming device out there. Of course, there is more to it but a few “remote buttons” — are what disparates these two almost identical devices.
Read on to find more about Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick and their comparison. Eventually, you will ascertain which one is the most suitable option for your home.
What can Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick do?
Both of these devices, or any Fire TV device for that matter, are a media streaming tool that allows you to get the most of your TV. Simply put, you can:
- Stream content from online services like Netflix, www amazon com mytv Prime, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Access websites on the internet.
- Listen to music from audio streaming services.
- Connect a controller and play games (somewhat like Xbox).
- Mirror your phone screen.
- Voice search from your Amazon Fire TV .
Either of these devices will convert your ordinary TV into a smart one, giving you all that cable has to offer plus the benefits of the internet; Fire TV Stick opens a new world of streamable content. Besides having the flexibility over choosing the content, you will only have to pay for what you stream or prefer.
Moreover, you can install services like Stremio and Kodi by jailbreaking the Fire TV devices, i.e., allowing the installation of third-party applications; this way, you will have access to even more content (for free). All you have to do is enable sideloading and install any third-party application of your choice; note that, irrespective of the make and model, the FireStick jailbreak process remains the same.
Fire Tv Stick Lite Vs. Fire TV Stick
Now that you know what these devices do — let’s compare their features, design, performance, plus some other peculiarities and find out which one is the most appropriate choice for you.
The Design: identical
Both — Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick — share the same architecture and weight. Being identical, i.e., a USB stick-sized device having an HDMI connector on one side (that goes into the TV’s HDMI port) — it will be unreasonable to differentiate based on their design.
The Remote: the influential differentiating factor
Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick come Alexa enabled, though not hands-free, and have a button-pad for return, home, menu, power, and navigation.
However, the remote of the Amazon Fire TV Stick includes a few extra options — Volume (increase/decrease), Mute, and Power button enabling you to control all these features using only one remote. Fire TV Stick Lite’s remote, on the other hand, doesn’t have toggles for these, and you will have to switch to the TV’s remote to manage these functions. Still, there’s a catch; if you do not mind using the digital remote (Fire app), then even this difference negates.
Nonetheless, when it comes to the remote — Fire TV Stick stands out to the Fire TV Stick Lite.
The Performance: identical
Amazon claimed that the recent versions of the Fire TV device have become 50% faster and consume less power. And, that is true — both the devices, the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite, share the same hardware, i.e., Quad-Core 1.7 GHz processor, Bluetooth 5.0, and dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz) wifi channel.
Moreover, both share the equivalent resource — 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage for applications and files.
The Resolution and the audio: one key difference
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite as well as Fire TV Stick support full HD up to 1080p video output and play at 60fps. So, when it comes to the streaming quality — both offer the same essence.
However, Fire TV Stick stands out to Fire TV Stick when you compare them against their audio channels. Fire TV Stick Lite has HDMI Audio pass through, whereas Fire TV Stick has Dolby Atmos. And, it might not seem like it, but there is a significant difference between Atmos and Audio. Dolby Atmos creates multi-dimensional sounds which are more immersive rather than being loud. On the other hand, HDMI Audio is the usual sound system that you basically get with any TV now.
The Price:
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite costing 29.99USD is an excellent value for money; not only is the price budget-friendly, but it also includes a ton of features for that money.
Fire TV Stick, whereas, costs 39.99USD, i.e., Fire TV Stick Lite plus 10 USD. The additional $10 — for the four extra toggles and the Dolby Atmos audio — seems a little intimidating.
Still, both media streaming devices are the most affordable options in the market and worth buying.
In all, Fire TV Stick Lite Vs. Fire TV Stick:
| Fire TV Stick Lite | Fire TV Stick | |
| Streaming quality | Up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p) – 60Hz | Up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p) – 60Hz |
| Audio channel | Dolby Audio | HDMI Audio pass-through for Atmos, Digital, Digital+, etc. |
| Alexa Voice Remote | No hands-free Alexa, No TV Controls | No hands-free Alexa, TV controls for Power and Volume |
| CPU | Quad-Core 1.7GHz | Quad-Core 1.7GHz |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB |
| Price | 29.99USD | 39.99USD |
As you can see, both Fire TV Stick Lite and the Fire TV Stick are basically the same thing if not for fancy (state of the art though) audio and TV controls. Besides that, everything remains the same, the interface, the streamable content, or the speed.
Fire TV Stick Lite VS Fire TV Stick: Which one should you buy?
Of course, Amazon Fire TV Stick adds the essential TV controls — so, if the price factor is not your worry — then it should be the ideal choice for you. However, if you do not mind switching between remotes (TV and Fire TV) and only want a tool to enhance the capability of your ordinary TV — then Fire TV Stick Lite is a suitable media streaming device for you.
