Should I buy Amazon's Fire Stick 4K or 4K Max in Prime Day sales? How they differ

We're in the throes of Amazon Prime Day 2024 and while looking over the best deals available in the sales, official data from Amazon tells me that the company's own Fire TV Sticks are selling like crazy. And I'm not surprised – as they've never been cheaper.

Check out the Amazon Fire Stick 4K deal here | And Fire Stick 4K Max deal here

But how the heck do these two smiliarly-named products differ and which should you buy – if either? I've had both products at one time or another, as it's part of my job as T3's Tech Editor (and similar elsewhere in previous roles) to review the latest consumer technology kit. Below I'll explain the key difference between the two:

Amazon Fire Stick 4K: was £59.99, now £32.99 on Amazon

This Fire TV plugs into the back of your telly using an HDMI socket and acts as a streaming hub that you can access through your TV – ideal if you don't have a smart TV. It offers access to Amazon's streaming app but plenty more too – including Netflix, Disney+ and much more. Content can stream in Ultra-HD 4K where available. That's the long and the short of it – and this is a great 4K-capable dongle. 

View Deal

Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max: was £69.99, now £39.99 on Amazon

Meanwhile this Amazon Fire Stick does everything the 4K model featured above can do – but sometimes a little quicker. That's because it's got a faster processor, Wi-Fi 6E compatibility, so expect less delay with the interface and accessing your content (if you've got a suitable router at home). But that's literally it – there's no difference in picture quality or sound quality at all. The remote also differs, as it's a newer Alexa-enabled handset. 

View Deal

So when it comes to selecting your best streaming device pick the differences are minimal. Given that Amazon is pushing both at a very similar price, I'd suggest opting for the future-proofing of the Max to benefit from a marginally better user experience – the one-off £7 extra seems worth that to me. 

That said, you could save that little extra cash and put it towards something else. And it's worth pointing out here that you won't want to buy either the Fire Stick 4K or 4K Max if your TV isn't beyond Full HD (1080p) capable. You'll need a UHD/4K/2160p TV to benefit from the fullest resolution – although the Stick will still function just fine, but it's overkill when what you ought to buy is the basic Amazon Fire Stick instead (it's even cheaper again, at just £22.99). 

So there you have it: whether you're buying the Fire Stick 4K or opting for the marginally better user experience of the Fire Stick 4K Max, both are great options for 4K TV users. Don't overpay for the 4K aspect if your TV can't handle it and you're onto a winner whichever you choose to pick.