The Amazon Fire TV Stick remains one of the most popular ranges of streaming sticks available. And with good cause – the devices offer decent spec and very good performance for a bargain price, especially in the Black Friday sale.
But which one should you choose? Amazon has chopped and changed its range a lot in recent years, which can make picking one confusing. But we're here to help.
We've broken down the range so you can see which model does what. Plus we've provided some sage buying advice to help you find your perfect streamer.
The range currently comprises four models: the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Stick 4K Select. You might also find the older Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick on sale refurbished, but as they're no longer part of the range, we've not included them here.
- Black Friday home cinema deals live: our experts’ picks of the best savings on TVs, Dolby Atmos soundbars, projectors and more
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) on Black Friday?
The second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K launched in 2023, and is 30 per cent faster than the old Fire TV Stick 4K (2018), and supports Wi-Fi 6. Like the previous version, it supports the major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10 and HDR10 Plus) and Dolby Atmos for more immersive audio with virtual height channels. And of course, as the name suggests, it's equipped for 4K visuals.
The Alexa Voice Remote means voice controls without touching a button, and it can control your TV, soundbar and AV receiver too.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) on Black Friday?
We haven't reviewed this model, but the previous model picked up a five-star review along with a What Hi-Fi? Award to boot. Considering the similarities to the old model, we would like to think the newer Fire TV Stick 4K could follow suit.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Without testing it, we couldn't say. But it certainly stands a good chance. The four-star Google TV Streamer is compelling, but given that it's £50 pricier than the Fire TV Stick 4K, and a whopping £70+ plus more expensive when the Fire Stick is discounted for Black Friday, the Amazon device is likely the better buy.
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) on Black Friday?
Besides the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, Amazon also launched a new version of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max in 2023. The Max is the biggest and most powerful Fire TV Stick that Amazon makes.
The latest model is even more powerful than the one it replaces, upping the processor to 2GHz, and supporting Wi-Fi 6E, which potentially means lower latency streaming and faster speeds (as long as you have a compatible router).
It's also the first Fire TV Stick with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which displays artwork, info from your calendar, sticky notes, and controls for your smart home devices and music streaming services, all when you're not watching TV. (Previously, this feature was only on Amazon's Fire TV Omni QLED Series of TVs.)
The Fire TV 4K Max supports the same HDR and Atmos formats as the standard 4K model, and has double the storage (16GB) of its predecessor. It too ships with an Alexa Voice Remote that can also control your soundbar and AV receiver as well as your TV.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) on Black Friday?
Yes! We gave the most recent model an Award for its detailed picture, comprehensive HDR support and great app selection. The sound still needs improvement, but given its price we can forgive it.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Most definitely. It's currently discounted to £40 for Black Friday – that's the same price as the Fire TV Stick HD. The Apple TV 4K is superior, but it's also nearly £100 pricier at present. Tough to swallow...
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD on Black Friday?
The Fire TV Stick HD launched in October 2024, and is the latest entry-level device in the Fire TV Stick family. It replaces both the standard Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite (both now retired).
What's new? Not a whole lot. There's an Alexa Voice Remote for barking commands at the virtual assistant, and you also get buttons for your TV's volume and power controls.
Other than that, it's business as usual, with HDR support, full HD picture quality, HDMI ARC compatibility and a 1.7GHz processor. It doesn't support Dolby Vision or Atmos – for those, you'll need the Fire TV Stick 4K.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick HD on Black Friday?
We haven't reviewed it yet, so can't say for definite. But at the moment, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the same price...
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Without reviewing it, we couldn't say. Stay tuned for a full review...
Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select on Black Friday?
In October 2025 Amazon announced yet another member of the Fire TV Stick family. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select brings you 4K visuals on a no-frills basis – there's no Dolby Vision or Atmos, though you do still get other formats of HDR.
Instead of Atmos, you get Dolby-encoded audio via HDMI passthrough. It has the same 8GB storage as the 4K and HD models of Fire TV Stick, and Wi-Fi 5.
It also lacks the more advanced features of the pricier models: live view picture-in-picture, hands-free with Alexa, the Fire TV Ambient experience and the ability to control other media devices like set-top boxes and games consoles.
It retails for £50 / $40 / AU$89, but is on sale for Black Friday for £24 / $20 / AU$44.
Should you buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Select on Black Friday?
We haven't reviewed, so can't say for definite. But if you want 4K without extras like Dolby Vision and Atmos, it looks like a tempting proposition, especially when it's on sale.
Is it the best streaming stick at its price?
Again, difficult to say. Its strongest competition is probably its stablemate, the Fire TV Stick 4K, which is only marginally more expensive. We would opt for the latter to futureproof our investment, but if money is tight and you want 4K, the Select could be for you.
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Black Friday quick links
- Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
- B&W speakers: save £200
- Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
- Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
- Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
- Denon AV receiver: save £500
- Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
- ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
- Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
- John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
- Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
- Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
- TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
