Fire TV Stick 4K Max Media Player (2023) VS Apple TV 4K: Features, Differences and Price

Most TVs on sale today are “smart.” They have operating systems capable of accessing content on the Internet for entertainment purposes. However, the experience between brands can be very different.

Not all manufacturers pay equal attention to update support, and not all operating systems are compatible with the same applications. However, This can be easily fixed with an external media player.

The Apple TV 4K is one of the most remarkable and complete proposals on the market, especially for users immersed in the brand’s ecosystem. But there are also other, much cheaper alternatives that perform the same function, even if they do not have exactly the same characteristics.

A good opponent would be the Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd generation, which is the stick the most powerful on Amazon. We put these two devices face to face to know in depth their specifications, their differences and their prices..

Includes Apple TV 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd generation

• Processor: The Apple TV 4K (2022) features the A15 Bionic chip, while the Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd generation integrates a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor.
• RAM and storage: Apple’s media player includes 4 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. The one from Amazon has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage.
• Quality– Both devices can play content in high-resolution 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio.
• Operating system: tvOS 17 on Apple TV and Fire OS on Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023).
• Connectivity: The Amazon alternative supports WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, IR control, HDMI ARC and micro-USB (power). The Apple one has HDMI 2.1 (CEC), WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, IR receiver and there is a higher model with Gigabit Ethernet and Thread support.
• Others– Apple TV features Siri, frame rate matching and native dynamic range, game controller support, and HomeKit standard. The Fire TV Stick leverages Alexa, frame rate matching, game controller support, Amazon Luna, and ambient background.
• Précio: The Apple TV starts at 169 dollars and the Fire TV Stick 4K is available at 79.99 dollars.

Apple TV 4K (2022) VS Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023), which media player to buy?

The 3rd generation Apple TV 4K is one of the most advanced and comprehensive media players on the market. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd generation is the stick the most powerful on Amazon. Both devices perform the same function: providing access to streaming content and entertainment, but They do not have the same characteristics.

If you have any doubts about whether to buy the Apple proposal or the Amazon one, we will do so below comment on the most positive and weakest points of each, with the aim of dispelling possible doubts.

Strengths and weaknesses of the Apple TV 4K

• + Very powerful (same chip as iPhone 14)
• + 4K resolution
• + Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
• + Lots of RAM and internal storage
• + WiFi 6 and HDMI 2.1
• + Frame rate matching
• + Integration with the Apple ecosystem
• + In “video console” with Apple Arcade
• + Good update support
• – It is one of the most expensive media players on the market
• – The tvOS operating system is quite limited

Strengths and weaknesses of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)

• + Reaches 4K resolution
• + Can play Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos content
• + Has WiFi 6E connectivity
• + It’s Amazon’s most powerful Fire TV Stick
• + You can usually find it on sale much cheaper
• + Integration with Alexa and compatible home automation accessories
• + It’s hidden behind the TV, not like Apple TV
• + Can be combined with Echo speakers to create an audio system
• – The operating system displays a lot of advertisements or “recommendations”
• – Although it is based on Android, it does not have the Play Store and is not officially compatible with important applications such as HBO Max, SkyShowtime or Kodi

Applications

The Apple TV 4K (2022) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) both have app issues. Yes OK Apple’s media player integrates HBO Max and SkyShowtimeapps that are not officially available on Fire TV, Kodi is not in the App Store.

The apps mentioned above cannot be installed on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd Gen from the App Store, but They are quite easy to install with their respective .APK files (although there may be compatibility issues and proper operation is not guaranteed). Loading apps on Apple TV is much more complicated, although possible.

The price

The Apple TV 4K starts at 169 dollars, with a higher version costing 189 dollars and which includes Gigabit Ethernet and Thread compatibility. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd generation has a recommended retail price of 79 dollars, which is about half of the bitten apple media center.

However, The Amazon device can usually be found on sale much cheaper, around 45 dollars, while Apple’s is hardly possible to buy at a reduced price. It’s something to keep in mind, but users immersed in Apple’s ecosystem might find it worth paying the price.

The operating system

iPhone or iPad users will find tvOS, the Apple TV operating system, simple enough to use as is very intuitive and its interface is quite simple/simple.

While the Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd Gen UI isn’t unpleasant, it does have one big problem: lots of publicity and endorsements which blur the experience and become unpleasant. With the Apple TV 4K, for the moment, we don’t find that issue.

You can be up to date and informed at all times about all the news from the Apple world and Applesfera Selección offers in our profiles. TwitterFacebook and Telegram

Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a financial benefit to Applesfera. In case of unavailability, offers may vary.

pictures | Apple, Amazon, Applesfera and Xataka

In Applesfera | It’s that simple, you can watch Apple TV+ for free until 2024 (applesfera.com)

In the selection Applesfera | Apple TV 4K media player VS Xiaomi TV Stick 4K: features, differences and price