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Firestick 4K Max vs Apple TV 4K – Which one’s for you?

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In the era of streaming sticks, the battle of the flagship sticks, that is, Apple TV 4K vs Amazon Firestick 4K Max, continues. Nobody knows whether the Apple TV 4K or the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the better option. Both can turn a regular TV into a smart TV and give you some control over your smart home. However, the greatest streaming device is determined by more than just a few features. Some of your favourite programmes can be Livestreamed via Apple TV 4K and the Amazon Fire Stick. The greatest solution for you, though, will depend on the ecology you’re most interested in as well as your particular preferences.

Additionally, both devices are simple to set up and have user-friendly interfaces, allowing you to start viewing Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services immediately. However, despite their many similarities, the Apple TV and Fire Stick differ in a few key ways. With Apple TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Stick, two of the most popular options, you may wonder which is best for you. Keep reading to find out.

Overall Summary

 
Our Pick
$68.26
$34.99
Description:

The new Apple TV 4K looks like the same as the previous model, but with a few more buttons and a click pad. The original remote's trackpad has been changed by a circular clickpad that resembles the iPod wheel. It's a lot more gratifying and less fussy way of doing things than previously. The Apple TV 4K includes a new controller and a speedier CPU. It now supports up to 4K HDR at 60fps, up from 30fps in the previous generation. However, it does not come with an HDMI cable, which is disappointing, given how much more expensive it is. Apple added support for spatial audio using AirPods Pro and Max headphones for both Apple TV 4K boxes with the release of tvOS 15. This implies that you can now watch a Dolby Atmos movie using headphones. Stereo audio formats supported include MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC, WAV, and surround formats up to Dolby Atmos. Since its debut, HDR10+ has also been introduced.

Description:

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max costs $54.99 and is often discounted to lower rates on limited deals days down to $34.99. Amazon's cloud-based Luna service offers a greater selection of top-tier AAA games. It supports all premium formats like HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. Also, it comes with Dolby Atmos support which delivers an immersive audio experience. The Fire TV Stick 4K is larger than the standard Fire TV Stick, measuring 3.9 by 1.2 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighing around 48 grams. Amazon's cloud-based Luna service offers a greater selection of top-tier AAA games. Video streaming has come a long way in recent years. However, some of the most basic devices continue to create images with a computer-like appearance, with sloppy use of contrast and color and irregular pixelation. Despite its low price, the Firestick 4K Max is a capable performer. Rich, realistic, & muted colors are used to create a clear and detailed image. The image's brightest and darkest portions suffer minimal pixel loss during processing, but the contrast is good, resulting in a vibrant presentation. Also, Firestick 4K Max comes with Dolby Atmos support which delivers a crip & immersive audio experience.

Pros:
  • The picture and sound are both excellent.
  • An abundance of apps with excellent usability
  • Apple Fitness and Apple Arcade games
  • New, improved remote
Pros:
  • Improved CPU, Wi-Fi, and a new remote control
  • Still very reasonable
  • Access to Amazon Luna
  • Dolby Vision / Atmos / HDR10+
  • Voice remote with Alexa
Cons:
  • Priced more than others
  • No HDMI cable included
  • Not noticeably better than first-gen
Cons:
  • Based on an out-of-date version of Android
  • Too many sponsored advertisements
  • Homescreen previews are low-resolution.
  • Search might yet be improved.
  • Luna may be volatile.
$68.26
Description:

The new Apple TV 4K looks like the same as the previous model, but with a few more buttons and a click pad. The original remote's trackpad has been changed by a circular clickpad that resembles the iPod wheel. It's a lot more gratifying and less fussy way of doing things than previously. The Apple TV 4K includes a new controller and a speedier CPU. It now supports up to 4K HDR at 60fps, up from 30fps in the previous generation. However, it does not come with an HDMI cable, which is disappointing, given how much more expensive it is. Apple added support for spatial audio using AirPods Pro and Max headphones for both Apple TV 4K boxes with the release of tvOS 15. This implies that you can now watch a Dolby Atmos movie using headphones. Stereo audio formats supported include MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC, WAV, and surround formats up to Dolby Atmos. Since its debut, HDR10+ has also been introduced.

Pros:
  • The picture and sound are both excellent.
  • An abundance of apps with excellent usability
  • Apple Fitness and Apple Arcade games
  • New, improved remote
Cons:
  • Priced more than others
  • No HDMI cable included
  • Not noticeably better than first-gen
Our Pick
$34.99
Description:

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max costs $54.99 and is often discounted to lower rates on limited deals days down to $34.99. Amazon's cloud-based Luna service offers a greater selection of top-tier AAA games. It supports all premium formats like HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. Also, it comes with Dolby Atmos support which delivers an immersive audio experience. The Fire TV Stick 4K is larger than the standard Fire TV Stick, measuring 3.9 by 1.2 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighing around 48 grams. Amazon's cloud-based Luna service offers a greater selection of top-tier AAA games. Video streaming has come a long way in recent years. However, some of the most basic devices continue to create images with a computer-like appearance, with sloppy use of contrast and color and irregular pixelation. Despite its low price, the Firestick 4K Max is a capable performer. Rich, realistic, & muted colors are used to create a clear and detailed image. The image's brightest and darkest portions suffer minimal pixel loss during processing, but the contrast is good, resulting in a vibrant presentation. Also, Firestick 4K Max comes with Dolby Atmos support which delivers a crip & immersive audio experience.

Pros:
  • Improved CPU, Wi-Fi, and a new remote control
  • Still very reasonable
  • Access to Amazon Luna
  • Dolby Vision / Atmos / HDR10+
  • Voice remote with Alexa
Cons:
  • Based on an out-of-date version of Android
  • Too many sponsored advertisements
  • Homescreen previews are low-resolution.
  • Search might yet be improved.
  • Luna may be volatile.
03/19/2023 03:58 pm GMT

Price And Availability

Starting from the price in the Firestick 4K Max competition vs Apple TV 4K, there’s a significant difference between both streaming sticks. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max costs $54.99 and is often discounted to lower rates on limited deals days down to $34.99. However, you don’t get any storage option in the Firestick 4K Max. You can only buy Stick 4K Max for 8GB of storage.

On the hand, the Apple TV costs $179. That means you can buy three Firestick 4K Max streaming sticks for the price of how much it takes to buy one Apple TV. And that with $30 to spend on some of the best streaming services.

Apple offers two different storage options for its streaming box. The 64GB Apple TV 4K costs $179. You’re looking at around $150 if you want the Apple TV 4K 32 GB option. Searching for a used Apple TV from a prior model is more cost-effective.

Design & Build Quality

The Fire TV Stick 4K is larger than the standard Fire TV Stick, measuring 3.9 by 1.2 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighing around 48 grams. It is a simple, rectangular black plastic bar with a micro USB port and an HDMI connector over one edge. Thanks to a short, versatile HDMI extender, you may move it at a different angle if it’s just a little bit too wide to fit properly in a TV port.

The Apple TV features a tiny, boxy design with a matte black gloss on the outside. Because it has a more compact and smaller plug-and-play architecture than the Firestick 4K Max, it seems dated and uncomfortable in contrast. However, the Apple TV box will droop around your TV or another shell while in use, taking up visible space. In that aspect, the Firestick 4K Max is more compact and practical. The Apple TV box is likewise compact, measuring 10 cm square by 3.5 cm tall & 1.22 inches thick, which weighs around 208 grams for Wifi only variant & the Wifi + Ethernet variant weighs around 214 grams. A voice-activated remote is also available, which eliminates the need to point the remote at the set-top box.

Features

In terms of functionality, both Apple TV 4K and Firestick 4K Max prioritize video streaming, but they also provide a variety of additional features that allow them to serve as one-stop shops for all forms of multimedia material. Both systems place a strong focus on gaming and enable Bluetooth controllers. Apple delivers every game imaginable, which is unappreciated. Apart from games, Apple TV and Firestick 4K Max provide all media services. However, Amazon‘s cloud-based Luna service offers a greater selection of top-tier AAA games. Despite the fact that subscriptions are required, the Apple TV is a device that may meet all of your entertainment demands owing to services such as Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music.

Regarding HDR support, the Amazon Firestick 4K Max wins against the older Apple TV 4K since it supports all premium formats like HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. The thing to take into consideration is that Firestick 4K max offers these premium features at the price of under $50, which is quite impressive. Furthermore, both systems include voice assistants, allowing you to connect and operate a number of smart home devices. In the end, the two devices have similar functionality, so your choice will likely be based on whether you like Apple’s or Amazon‘s environments.

Firestick 4K Max vs Apple TV 4K – Audio & Video Quality