It’s sort of funny sometimes to be so deep into the weeds of some things, because if you go up to somebody and tell them that their old Fire TV Stick from five years ago could actually be worth more than their new one, they probably wouldn’t believe you. Fire TV Sticks last a long time, but as the years go by, they run into more and more problems. Some of these issues are easy to fix while others just aren’t worth the hassle. Fire TV Sticks cost a few bucks in the grand scheme of things, so it’s easy to go out and replace one if you have trouble.
Nobody doing will think their new Fire TV Stick will perform worse than their old one, and that’s a fair assumption. I’m not saying that your older Fire TV Stick is better, but I’m saying that some people will find more value in it. This is because Amazon made the switch to the Vega OS, a Linux-based operating system. This is a departure from the previous Fire OS, which was based on Android. For a lot of people, this doesn’t mean much of anything. For people who like to tinker or have total control over their devices, it means a lot more. If none of this makes any sense to you, then you’re perfectly fine with your current Fire TV Stick, whether it’s a new one or an old one.
- Resolution
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4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10
- RAM/storage
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2GB RAM/8GB storage
- Operating System
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Fire OS
- Ports
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HDMI
- Connectivity
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Wi-Fi 6
Don’t get rid of your old Fire TV Stick
It’s still very valuable
Streaming sticks might be super cheap, but that doesn’t mean they can’t punch above their weight. The nice thing about the Android operating system is that there’s so much customization that’s available with it. Android allows you to sideload apps via APKs, and you can do things you didn’t think were possible. I took an Android phone, installed a new frontend on it, and now it feels like a handheld gaming console. That’s doable with a Fire TV Stick as well, as long as it’s running the older Fire OS and if you’re only limiting yourself to older systems such as PS1 or SNES. The new Vega OS put an end to this.
The point is that your old stick has a lot more versatility than Amazon’s new locked-down ecosystem. It makes sense because I know quite a few people in real life who talk about using hacked Fire TV Sticks to watch things for free, and Amazon likely wanted to put an end to that. On the other hand, you can look at something like an Apple TV 4K and do a lot of the same things. The Apple TV uses the App Store, and that means you can download RetroArch or Steam Link and play games, just like you would with an Android Fire TV Stick. The difference is that the Apple TV has to go through official channels, while you can circumvent that on the Fire TV Stick. It’s easy to see why this would become a problem for a company like Amazon, but it’s disappointing for consumers.
Now, I don’t really envision a world where people are going to suddenly be hoarding Fire TV Sticks because there are plenty of other choices out there to accomplish the same thing. All I’m saying is that if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to keep these old Fire TV Sticks around for when you inevitably tinker with them. I’m glad I’ve kept a lot of my old tech around for this purpose. I’ve had a Raspberry Pi 4 for years for some reason, and it wasn’t until the past year or so that I started finding ways to use it. With the price of just about everything going up, I’m glad I had a device like that to play around with.
The limiting factor of a Fire TV Stick will be its power, and it’s unfair to expect a small streaming stick to be capable of big things. As long as your expectations are in check, there’s a lot of fun to be had with an Android-based Fire TV Stick. Game emulation is the big thing it’s good at, but you can even add a custom home screen if you’d like. At that point, it’ll start to feel a lot less like a Fire TV Stick, but if you already have a new one that you’re using, there’s no problem with that.
Quiz
Fire TV Stick history
Trivia challenge
From its 2014 debut to 4K streaming dominance — how well do you really know Amazon’s Fire TV Stick?
HistoryHardwareStreamingFeaturesAmazon
In what year did Amazon first release the original Fire TV Stick?
Correct! Amazon launched the original Fire TV Stick in November 2014, initially as an invitation-only product before making it widely available. It was designed as a budget-friendly alternative to the full Fire TV box released earlier that same year.
Not quite. Amazon launched the Fire TV Stick in November 2014, following the debut of the larger Fire TV set-top box earlier that year. It quickly became one of the best-selling streaming devices on the market.
Which port does the Fire TV Stick plug into on your television?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick connects directly into an HDMI port on your TV, making it incredibly simple to set up. A separate USB cable is also included to provide power to the device.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick uses an HDMI connection to plug directly into your television. This design keeps the device compact and ensures compatibility with virtually any modern TV.
Which Fire TV Stick model was the first to support 4K Ultra HD streaming?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick 4K, released in October 2018, was the first stick-form-factor Fire TV device to support 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. It was a significant upgrade over the standard stick lineup.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick 4K, launched in 2018, was the first in the stick lineup to offer 4K Ultra HD support along with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos audio. Earlier stick models were capped at 1080p Full HD.
What is the name of Amazon’s voice assistant built into the Fire TV Stick remote?
Correct! Amazon’s own voice assistant, Alexa, is integrated into the Fire TV Stick remote, allowing users to search for content, control smart home devices, check the weather, and more using just their voice.
Not quite. Amazon built its own voice assistant, Alexa, into the Fire TV Stick remote. Alexa lets you search for content hands-free, control compatible smart home devices, and access a wide range of skills beyond just streaming.
What is the name of Amazon’s own free streaming service that comes pre-installed on Fire TV Sticks?
Correct! Amazon Freevee (previously known as IMDb TV) is Amazon’s free, ad-supported streaming service that comes pre-loaded on Fire TV devices. It offers a wide library of movies and TV shows at no subscription cost.
Not quite. Amazon Freevee, formerly called IMDb TV, is Amazon’s free ad-supported streaming service that comes built into Fire TV Sticks. While Prime Video requires a subscription, Freevee is completely free to watch with ads.
Which budget-focused Fire TV Stick model was introduced in 2020, featuring a simplified remote without TV controls?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick Lite launched in 2020 as Amazon’s most affordable streaming stick. Its remote omits the dedicated TV power and volume buttons found on standard Fire TV remotes, keeping costs down for budget-conscious buyers.
Not quite. Amazon introduced the Fire TV Stick Lite in 2020 as its entry-level streaming stick. The Lite version’s remote drops the TV control buttons to reduce the price, making it an attractive option for first-time streamers.
Before being rebranded, what was the original name of the Fire TV Stick’s operating system?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick runs Fire OS, Amazon’s own operating system that is based on Android but heavily customised with Amazon’s own apps, services, and interface. It has been the backbone of all Fire TV devices since launch.
Not quite. Fire TV Sticks have always run Fire OS, Amazon’s forked version of Android that replaces Google’s services with Amazon’s own ecosystem. Despite its Android roots, Fire OS looks and behaves quite differently from standard Android TV.
Which connectivity standard did the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen, 2021) introduce to the Fire TV Stick lineup for the first time?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick 4K Max launched in 2021 as the first Fire TV Stick to support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), offering faster and more reliable wireless connectivity compared to previous models. It also featured a more powerful processor than the standard 4K stick.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, released in 2021, made history as the first Fire TV Stick to include Wi-Fi 6 support. This newer wireless standard delivers improved speeds and better performance in homes with many connected devices.
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A replacement has already arrived
Plus, it’s very cheap
If you’ve walked around a Walmart or searched for a new streaming box lately, you’ve likely come across the Onn brand. While it doesn’t have the household name recognition that Amazon has, these streaming devices are no slouch. Onn has effectively become the best budget brand available. The problem is that people haven’t heard of it, but if you’re looking for bang for your buck, it’s an excellent option.
Onn is an in-house Walmart brand, but all of the devices run on Android. That means if you’re somebody who liked what these older Fire TV sticks offered, you can find it readily available with Onn. These devices are very budget-friendly, just like Fire TV Sticks, so you don’t have to break the bank to pick one up. Unlike Fire TV Sticks, you can even find some higher-end models that compete with the Roku Ultra models of the world.
For what it’s worth, I’m a big fan of a new competitor on the market because that only means good news for consumers. Competition is very important because it drives other companies to get better. Something I’ve been annoyed with for years is the Apple TV 4K. It’s the most expensive streaming box by a good margin, and there are still things it can’t do that cheaper boxes can. The Roku Ultra has audio passthrough and a USB port, two things the more expensive Apple TV box doesn’t have. Why this is the case is beyond me, and it’s just so frustrating to see. I hope more competition, something the Onn Pro can provide, will push Apple to do more. I love my Apple TV 4K, but my next streaming box might not be an Apple TV 4K if changes as simple as this don’t happen.
The Onn box provides a lot of value, and with it essentially filling the void left behind by Amazon, I can see a lot of people gravitating toward this brand in the future. Of course, Onn will have to make sure the value stays there, because this is still a niche we’re talking about at the end of the day. Not everybody cares about the operating system on their device. Most people are just concerned about what streaming apps it can play, so Onn will need to remain competitive with speeds and performance as well.
