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Amazon's Fire TV software powers a wealth of immensely-popular streaming dongles and Smart TVs, unlocking access to dozens of video on-demand apps and games. The operating system, which offers personalised recommendations based on your viewing history and shortcuts to jump back into shows you're already watching, is built on top of Android. As you might expect from the open-source software, this means users can enjoy some flexibility with the platform.
If you're looking for the cheapest way to unlock the Fire TV experience, the Stick Lite is the model for you. This entry-level Fire TV plugs directly into the HDMI port and offers access to Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and dozens more in High Definition.
Streaming Quality: 1080p HD | HDR Support: No | Voice Control: Yes | Control Your TV With Alexa Remote: No | Dolby Vision: No | Hands-free Alexa Controls: No
While the Fire TV Stick tops-out at the same 1080p High Definition max resolution as the Fire TV Stick Lite, it does offer Dolby Atmos audio – perfect if you've invested in a soundbar. It also has universal controls for power and volume, so you'll only need to pick-up a single remote to control the television and the Fire TV streaming experience!
Streaming Quality: 1080p HD | HDR Support: No | Voice Control: Yes | Control Your TV With Alexa Remote: Yes | Dolby Vision: No | Hands-free Alexa Controls: No
If you're playing to binge boxsets on a 4K television, you should discount the above Fire TV Sticks and look to this model at a minimum. As the name suggests, Fire TV Stick 4K arrives with support for 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos to boost your next movie night.
Streaming Quality: 4K Ultra HD | HDR Support: Yes | Voice Control: Yes | Control Your TV With Alexa Remote: Yes | Dolby Vision: Yes | Hands-free Alexa Controls: No
Want a little more speed? If you're willing to spend a little bit more, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is all about power. Amazon describes as its "most powerful streaming stick" and claims the Max is 40 percent more powerful than Fire TV Stick 4K, offers faster app starts, and more fluid navigation. It's also the only Fire TV Stick model with support for the speedier Wi-Fi 6 standard.
Streaming Quality: 4K Ultra HD | HDR Support: Yes | Voice Control: Yes | Control Your TV With Alexa Remote: Yes | Dolby Vision: Yes | Hands-free Alexa Controls: No
The flagship Fire TV is part-Fire TV Stick part-Echo Dot as it can function as an Alexa-powered smart speaker when your telly is switched off – answering questions about the latest forecast, commute conditions, and switching on smart lightbulbs. When you're watching television, you can bark orders at Alexa to control the volume, change channels, open streaming apps, and more ...all without touching the remote, thanks to the far-field microphone array built-in.
Streaming Quality: 4K Ultra HD | HDR Support: Yes | Voice Control: Yes | Control Your TV With Alexa Remote: Yes | Dolby Vision: Yes | Hands-free Alexa Controls: Yes
However, Fire TV is about to get much, much more rigid as Amazon seems to be stamping out some of that trademark customisation. With its latest software update, the online retailer appears to have started blocking third-party launchers. These apps replace the Fire TV homescreen wholesale and enable users to customise the design on-screen.
Some of these launchers are designed to remove the high-resolution artwork and trailers that populate the Fire TV homescreen, replacing them with a simple grid of app icons to jump into content as quickly as possible. These replacements also wipe-out the advertisements that Amazon displays as part of Fire TV interface. And it seems that its these advertisements that Amazon wants to preserve on the millions of Fire TV gadgets in circulation at the moment.
While it's possible that Amazon has accidentally broken the compatibility with third-party launchers on Fire TV, there's one key reason that this seems a little unlikely. That's because the Seattle-based company has released a slew of new software updates for a range of hardware, including Fire TV OS 7.2.7.3 for the Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire TV Stick (third-generation), and Fire TV Cube (second-generation), Fire TV OS 6.2.8.7 for Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV (third-generation), and Fire TV Cube (first generation) and Fire TV OS 5.2.8.7 for Fire TV Stick (first- and second-generation) as well as second-generation Fire TV. And all of these updates break the ability for users to replace the Fire TV homescreen with their own option, courtesy of third-party launchers.
Given that all of these updates bust compatibility with third-party launchers ...it seems unlikely that it's a mistake.
Of course, Amazon isn't the first company to take this action. Huawei, which previously relied open-source Android to power its streaming set-top boxes, has locked down the ability to replace its software with a third-party alternative. Google's own Chromecast with Google TV also limits how effective these launchers can be – leaving viewers with no choice but to use the default homescreen created by the designers inside Google.
So, Amazon really isn't doing anything out of the ordinary here.
For our money, Fire TV remains one of the best looking streaming platforms on the market. It seamlessly brings together recommendations from streaming services like Prime Video, Apple TV+, BBC iPlayer and Netflix into the main menu. The interface is filled with high-resolution artwork for the boxsets, sports fixtures and movies that you're browsing and pausing on a title for a few seconds will trigger a trailer to give you a taste of the action – without leaving the main menu. Amazon has also tied its own IMDb service tightly with Fire TV, so viewers will be able to see the latest ratings from the community when browsing through titles.
Fire TV also supports separate user profiles, so each member of the household can receive different suggestions based on their viewing habits ...and your late-night horror movie marathons won't see gruesome films suggested to younger viewers who rely on the Fire TV to watch Peppa Pig each morning.
All this to say, the fact that users will now be stuck with Fire TV going forward is no bad thing. Of course, if you're not keen on the Fire TV interface and had hoped to buy one of these low-cost streaming devices from Amazon in order to customise the software, there are a number of other options available on the market, including Roku, Nvidia and Google.
However, all of these devices have their own drawbacks too. For example, while Roku has a dizzying number of streaming services available and its own Roku Channel, which broadcasts boxsets and movies for free, it does not have native support for VPN, something that's possible with Fire TV devices.
NordVPN is our favourite VPN on the market right now. And with a beautifully-designed app for Fire TV ready to install from Amazon's App Store, it's an ideal companion for any streamer. NordVPN strikes a great balance between price and features. And with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can be confident in your purchase
24/7 Customer Support: Yes | One-Month, One-Year, and Two-Year Plans Available | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Yes
ExpressVPN could've easily secured the coveted top spot in our ranking – it has a great application for the Fire TV Stick and a brilliant array of features. It's a little pricier than some of its closest competitors, but you can secure a sizeable discount if you sign-up for a longer subscription plan. And with Klarna integration, you can spread the cost of a two-year subscription
24/7 Customer Support: Yes | One-Month, Six-Months, and One-Year Plans Available | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Yes
Like the other two top picks in our list, CyberGhost has a gorgeously-designed application for the Fire TV Stick that can be installed directly from Amazon's App Store. With a few clicks, you'll be able to shield all of the traffic from your Fire TV Stick and change your IP address to unlock streaming catalogues from across the globe. And CyberGhost is so confident about its offering that it offers an unmatched 45-day money-back guarantee
24/7 Customer Support: Yes | One-Month, One-Year, Two-Years, and Three-Year Plans Available | 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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