Amazon has just announced its most affordable 4K streaming device ever, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select. Although it’s undoubtedly a bargain, at under £50/$40, it is possible to nab the Fire TV Stick HD for even less.
To help you decide which Fire TV Stick will likely suit you best, we’ve compared the specs of each device below. Keep reading to learn what separates the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and Fire TV Stick HD to help you decide between the two.
Otherwise, we’ve put together a list of all the products announced at Amazon’s hardware launch event in September.
Price and Availability
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select is available for pre-order now, ahead of its official release from mid-October, and has an RRP of £49.99/$39.99.
Alternative the Fire TV Stick HD has been around for a few years now, and has seen a handful of upgrades during this time. While its official RRP is £39.99/$34.99, it’s typical to find a price cut for the Fire TV Stick HD. In fact, at the time of writing you can nab the device for just £19.99/$17.99.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select supports up to 4K picture
As its name gives away, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select supports up to 4K Ultra HD picture quality alongside HDR10+, which Amazon promises will help users “maximise every pixel” on screen. In comparison, the Fire TV Stick HD supports up to 1080p, Full HD picture instead.
Although we’re yet to test the Fire TV Stick 4K Select’s quality, it should provide a much more detailed and clear quality compared to the Fire TV HD. However, we’ll update this guide once we’ve reviewed the devices.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select runs Vega OS
The Fire TV Stick 4K, alongside the new Echo devices, is the first of its kind to run Vega OS rather than Amazon’s usual Fire OS. Essentially, Vega is a new operating system that’s built specifically for Amazon’s devices.
While we haven’t reviewed the operating system yet, Amazon explains that it’s “highly responsive with an efficient footprint, enabling fast app launches and smooth navigation”.
Otherwise, like other Fire TV devices, the Fire TV Stick HD runs on Fire OS. Overall, Fire OS is a fairly intuitive system to use, although it does have a tendency to prioritise Prime Video content over the likes of Netflix. Even so, you can download most popular streaming apps including Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITVX and others.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select supports Xbox Cloud Gaming
Coming soon to the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is Xbox Cloud Gaming support, which enables users to stream Xbox games directly onto your TV. This is a useful feature that means gamers can play a multitude of titles without even needing a games console.
The First TV Stick 4K Select also enables users to rejig their TV’s settings for an optimised gaming experience.
Both support Amazon Luna Gaming
Although the Fire TV Stick HD doesn’t support Xbox Cloud Gaming, it’s worth noting that both Fire TV Sticks do support Amazon Luna. Luna is Amazon’s own gaming system which enables users to download and play certain games directly from your TV, without needing any additional equipment.
While Prime users can stream certain games for free, users can sign up to Luna+ to benefit from unlimited access to over 100 games or can simply purchase a desired title too.
Early Verdict
A new OS aside, the biggest difference between the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and Fire TV Stick HD is that the former supports 4K picture. If you would prefer a higher resolution, want to experience the new Vega OS and Xbox Cloud Gaming, then the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is undoubtedly a better option.
However if you want a seriously cheap device for a secondary TV, perhaps in the kitchen or bedroom, then the Fire TV Stick HD remains a brilliant choice.
