All products and promotions are independently selected by our experts. To help us provide free impartial advice, we will earn an affiliate commission if you buy something. Click here to learn more
Amazon debuted its new Fire TV Stick 4K Select among a slew of new devices announced at a packed keynote earlier this month. This £49.99 gadget, which arrived without support for a VPN — a first for a Fire TV Stick, is now available to buy alongside the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and Fire TV Cube.
Confused yet? You're not the only one.
Amazon clearly agrees that its newest addition to the Fire TV Stick lineup sounds a little too much like its existing Fire TV Stick 4K, making it tough to tell the two of them apart.
To remedy this, the US retailer is changing the name of the Fire TV Stick 4K to Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. Given there are some pretty substantial differences between these two models, that change could be much needed.
- Trade-in your existing Fire TV Stick to unlock 20% off all-new Fire TV Stick 4K Select
- Or trade-in your existing kit for a 20% discount on Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
If you're not familiar, the Fire TV Stick range is built and distributed by Amazon as an affordable way to bring popular games, social media apps, and many of the biggest streaming services on the planet, like Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and ITVX, to any television with an HDMI port.
These lightweight dongles support chatty AI assistant Alexa, which can control smart lighting, internet-connected thermostats, Ring video doorbells, and other smart home devices. So, what are the key differences you can expect between these two devices?
Fire TV Stick 4K Select launched this month at £49.99. It's the first device in Amazon's portfolio to run its new Vega OS operating system | AMAZON PRESS OFFICE First up, Fire TV Stick 4K Select delivers 4K Ultra HD picture quality with HDR10+ support for under £50.
You're getting Amazon's brand-new Vega operating system here, built from scratch to be incredibly "responsive and highly efficient," the company says. That extra efficiency has allowed Amazon to include just 1GB of RAM, which is around half what previous models included.
Despite this, the lightweight Vega OS ensures apps launch faster than ever. Amazon is so confident in the performance of its new custom-designed operating system that it'll add support for experiences that were previously reserved for its more powerful Fire TV Stick 4K Max, like the ability to stream console-quality video games from Xbox onto the big screen.
Confused between these two Fire TV Sticks? Despite the similar names, there are some pretty stark differences between these two streaming devices
|AMAZON | GB NEWS
Its own Luna game-streaming service will be coming soon, too.
Of course, you'll also have access to all your favourite streaming services, like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Apple TV+, to name just a few. The enhanced Alexa+ integration means you can ask more complex questions about what you're watching, get tailored recommendations based on your viewing habits, and even jump to specific scenes just by asking.
Buy the all new Fire TV Stick 4K Select from Amazon
The brand new Fire TV Stick 4K Select offers 4K Ultra HD streaming with HDR10+ support, providing vibrant picture quality. It features a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and 8GB internal storage, ensuring smooth performance. The device includes dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and an Alexa Voice Remote for easy navigation. It also supports cloud gaming platforms like Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming, enhancing its versatility.
Trade-in your ageing Fire TV Stick to unlock an extra 20% off too,
Fire TV Stick 4K Select
$49.99
On the other hand, the second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K Plus was unveiled last year, with support for Wi-Fi 6 for improved wireless streaming, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos picture and sound quality, and a 25% speed boost, thanks to the new chipset and 2GB of RAM.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The Select includes half the RAM as the Plus, so it may be slower when you go to navigate between menus or switch to different apps
| GettySimilar to the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, the streaming experience supports 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio.
It features a quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for smooth streaming. The included Alexa Voice Remote allows for voice control and smart home integration. With access to over 1.5 million movies and TV episodes, it provides a vast library of content. The device also supports free and live TV options, enhancing its versatility.
It's worth noting that the Select includes half the RAM as the Plus, so it may be slower when you go to navigate between menus or switch to different apps.
Still unsure about the best Fire TV Stick for your needs?
- If you want Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos, pick the Fire TV Stick 4K
- If price and basic 4K HDR10+/HDR10 are the priority, the 4K Select is the better value
More From GB News