When it comes to choosing a streaming device, many options are available on the market. Two of the most popular streaming devices are Apple TV Vs Fire Stick. These devices have unique benefits that make them appealing to different types of users. This article will compare the benefits of Apple TV and Fire Stick to help you decide which one is right for you.
Apple TV 4K
The new Apple TV 4K adds much-needed features like a functional remote, a faster interface, Spatial Audio, and Dolby Atmos support. The video is crisp and fast, you can access every channel and service, and the remote has a directional keypad that works well. The only problem with this remote is its high price.
Pros
- Snappy interface
- Remote greatly improved
- iPhone allows you to adjust the color balance
- Useful as a HomeKit hub
- Support for Wi-Fi 6
- Siri voice assistant
Cons
- Marginal update
- Expensive
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
The new Fire TV Stick 4K has a lot of great features. It’s lightweight, easy to use with Amazon Alexa, is portable, and won’t break the bank. The videos play well, the sound quality is excellent, and the experience is pleasant. Despite being a great little unit, this unit plays ads and does not support Vudu. It also doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6.
Pros
- Affordable
- Portable
- HDR10+
- Peppy
- Amazon Alexa voice assistant
- Remote control available in a new location
Cons
- Advertisement
- No Vudu support
- Ethernet adapter not included
- No Wi-Fi 6 support
There are more similarities between the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Apple TV 4K than differences. Both can play 60 frames per second, support HDR10 and Ultra HD 4K, and both have Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The Apple TV 4K includes Spatial Audio support and an Ethernet port. The Fire TV Stick 4K supports HDR10+ and is more affordable.
The Apple TV 4K is for you if you are a big fan of the Apple ecosystem, a regular user of Fitness+, and if you rent flicks from iTunes. Playback is seamless, media and devices sync via iCloud, and your iPhone can adjust the TV’s volume and color balance and even pick and choose which shows to view.
What’s the Difference Between Apple TV and Fire Stick
4K features
Two of the most popular streaming devices are the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Apple TV 4K. Both units include essential features such as Ultra HD 4K and HDR10, Dolby Vision (Dolby Atmos), Wi-Fi, voice control.
There are some critical differences between streamers if you dig deeper. Apple’s new Spatial Audio feature with Dolby Atmos can only be used on the Apple TV. Spacial Audio is a sound experience that includes movies, TV, and music. It takes you on an immersive theater-like journey.
Although the Fire Stick 4K supports HDR10+, it is only compatible with certain Samsung TVs. HDR10+ adjusts the brightness and color on a frame-by-frame basis, giving the picture a more natural look.
It’s difficult to resist the Amazon Fire TV 4K Stick’s low price. It can also be easily transported and packed. You can easily pack it in your backpack and store it on a TV stand. What else can you love about these devices? Other than that, they are portable and easy to store.
Price and value
Here is where the two streaming devices differ. The Fire TV Stick 4K costs $49.99 and is often available at a lower rate. However, the Apple TV 4K costs $179. This means that you can stream three TVs 4K with the Fire Stick for as much as it costs to buy one Apple TV 4K. That’s $30 more to spend on the best streaming services.
Each offers 4K UHD and HDR support and Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision.
Streaming quality
The 4K Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV offer crisp, ultra-high-def video. But it’s more than just the format they support. You won’t see The Boys or See as amazing if they aren’t presented with the perfect colors and sounds.
The good news is that both Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (and Apple TV 4K) support the most popular audio and video formats. Both support Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and HDR 10 for video. The Fire TV Stick 4K supports HDR10+.
What makes HDR10+ so special? It supports 4x the brightness of HDR10+ (rated at 4000 nits, compared to HDR 10’s 1000). HDR10+ uses dynamic metadata instead of static metadata. Translation? Translation?
While that’s a nice addition to Amazon’s portfolio, it’s not a major deal-breaker for not having HDR10+. Samsung and Panasonic TVs only support the format. Amazon Prime Video is the only major streaming service that supports HDR10+. According to consensus, Dolby Vision is the clear winner of this format war.
The Fire TV Stick’s audio support includes Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus7.1 surround sound. Both are available on the Apple TV, along with Dolby Digital5.1 support.
Amazon Fire TV Stick vs. Apple TV: Apps
What do video codecs mean if you cannot watch the content you want? 42matters, an app research firm, marks Apple’s TVOS as having 12,690 apps. Fire TV OS has 10,010 apps.
Both app stores still offer top names like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus.
Amazon Fire TV owners will be disappointed to learn that two popular apps are not available on their devices, Peacock and HBO Max. Both can be accessed on Apple TV.
I have noticed myself spending more time with my Apple TV as I know it has every app I need.
Design
The Fire TV Stick is hidden behind your TV, while the Apple TV is sleek and shiny with rounded edges. Each streamer fits seamlessly into my home theater setup. However, each has its advantages that will attract different users.
You can place the Fire TV Stick behind your TV, provided your HDMI ports are available. Then you can forget about it. The Fire TV Stick may be the best option if you have limited space.
However, the Apple TV 4K has an Ethernet port to provide better 4K streaming quality. This can be problematic in areas where your TV is not close enough.
Interface
You might not realize the problem with Fire TV OS if the Fire TV Stick serves as your primary streaming device or you are a member of a household that consumes everything Amazon.
To put it mildly, the home screen on the Fire TV Stick is where Amazon tells you to subscribe to Amazon Channels and watch Amazon Prime Video. Perhaps that’s why the streamer is so cheap: Amazon uses it to encourage people to watch Prime Video and make them more likely to retain their Prime membership.
You’ve probably used the Apple TV to see how user-friendly a streaming device interface is. The Apple TV gives you complete control over your home screen. Apple does promote Apple TV Plus shows. However, it does this within the TV app.
You can hide that folder and ignore it forever if desired. You can also move its apps around and arrange them as you like.
You have no control over the Fire TV home screen. Fire TV OS automates all of the Fire TV OS’s rows of programming and shows. Perhaps that’s okay for you. The Mandalorian suggests that it shouldn’t be.
Remotes
Even though I love Apple TV’s interface, I can’t say enough good things about the Siri remote.
The Apple TV Siri remote does not have buttons for navigation up, down, left, right, or fast forward, but instead, it has a tiny touchpad. Although it’s sensitive enough for some, it’s still not my favorite. It has volume buttons, which is the best I can tell you.
You can keep it simple with the Alexa-enabled remote, including Fire TV Stick. The basic buttons include navigation, play/pause, and fast forward. You can also control TV volume power and mute with the Fire TV Stick 4K remote. You can also activate the Alexa feature by pressing the Alexa button.
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FAQ
Is FireStick better than Apple TV?
Apple TV 4K includes Spatial Audio support and an Ethernet port. The Fire TV Stick 4K supports HDR10+ and is more affordable. The Apple TV 4K is for you if you are heavily invested in Apple’s ecosystem, a regular user of Fitness+, and if you rent flicks from iTunes.
What is better than a FireStick?
The Fire TV Cube is the best streaming device. The Fire Cube has built-in Alexa support so it can stream movies and TV and all the functions of an Amazon Echo Dot. The Fire TV Cube supports 4K video and HDR and Dolby Atmos, unlike the original Fire Stick.
Is Roku or Apple TV better?
Despite Apple winning the best features category, it is closer than you might think, considering the price difference. Both boxes offer the highest-quality 4K HDR streaming via compatible apps and Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos.
What is the difference between a fire stick and a fire TV?
The design is the main difference. The Stick uses a box, while the first use a box. However, the Stick can be plugged into the HDMI port with a stick. The 2nd generation Fire TV Stick is the most recent version. It has the same amount of movies and shows as Fire TV, but it’s 30% faster than the previous model. Both models also come with the Alexa Voice Remote.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to using an Apple TV over a Fire Stick. One of the biggest benefits is that Apple TV has access to more content than Fire Stick. This includes both popular streaming services and live television channels.
Apple TV also has a much faster processor, which results in smoother streaming and less buffering. Finally, Apple TV comes with remote control, while Fire Stick does not.