As with most recent years, one of the big sellers in the Amazon Black Friday sale is its Fire TV Stick 4K. I can see why. The simple device is 58% off, taking the price down to just £24.99 ($24.99 in the US). For that, it plugs into the back of any TV with an HDMI port and turns it into a fully fledged smart TV – with 4K streaming, if your TV supports it.
It's difficult to argue with the logic behind buying this Fire TV Stick, especially at such a reduced price. But If you're going to invest in a streaming box, you can do better – especially right now with the Black Friday sale on. While it may cost you a little bit more at the outset, you will thank me later.
Firstly, if your TV is too old to feature smart TV functionality in its own operating system, you might want to consider upgrading your TV. Not only will you then benefit from a better picture and sound, but you will get all of the smart TV features built in, so there's no need to buy a Fire TV Stick at all.
Then there are more advanced streaming boxes to consider, such as the Apple TV 4K 3rd generation, or one of the latest Freely boxes, like the 4K Pleio Streaming Device, which runs the Freely! Stream for all of your free channels and Catch-up services.
If you really do want an Amazon Fire TV Stick, however, look to the flagship Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is currently 43% off, so only £15 more than the 4K model ($34.99 in the US). This model offers you double the storage, faster WiFi 6E connectivity, and the new Fire TV Ambient experience to allow your screen to run more like a smart home device.
Until recently Amazon's top-tier TV (a 2024 model has since been revealed), the 'Omni QLED' part mean it's got the same Quantum Dot LED technology as you'll find in Samsung's premium sets. That means ultra-wide colours and lots of brightness. Fire TV, meanwhile, means built-in catch-up services, so it's brilliantly easy to use.
As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.
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