The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is a compelling device that has earned PC Magazine’s coveted “Best Value” award and holds an “Excellent” rating as of August 2022.
The mobile viewer
With the price of smart TVs reaching unbelievably low prices in recent years, it may be tempting to skip investing in a hub that does what nearly every new television set does out of the box. But is that representative of modern viewers?
Consumers typically purchase televisions once every four years. Given that technology only makes truly significant gains every 18-36 months or so, most viewers won’t miss out on much regarding a modern viewing experience.
However, televisions are not mobile. When packing up for that trip to Maui this summer, we highly doubt you’ll be throwing the living room set in with the rest of your carry-ons. And with Netflix rolling out its new Extra Home Fee to prevent viewing on multiple set tops at separate locations, having a mobile streaming hub to bring your library with you anywhere is at the very least a handy amenity.
But before we walk through the benefits of having an Amazon TV Fire Stick Lite, what it does, and its features, let’s talk about what the Fire Stick Lite is not.
What the Fire TV Stick Lite is not
The Fire TV Stick Lite is not a replacement for your entertainment system. While offering many of the same features as your current systems – such as high-definition streaming, a streaming subscription hub, and almost endless content, the device does have limits.
For example, due to its compact nature, the Fire TV Stick Lite does not support some Prime features like gaming and 4K viewing because it does not have the necessary hardware to do so.
But those limitations are also why the device is such an essential piece of any serious streamer’s viewing experience.
All your favorite services, with you all the time
Want to take your TV with you on the road? The Fire Stick Lite is compact, easy to use and install, and fits in your front pocket. This means that the next Airbnb you book won’t leave you talking with friends and family about a movie they need to watch when they get home – just plug your Fire Stick in and start streaming.
In its most basic use, the Fire TV Stick Lite is an incredibly well-built digital keychain that keeps your favorites with you all the time.
Want to hop on Twitch to check out what your favorite streamer is up to? The Fire TV Stick Lite offers access to all major streaming platforms – which means endless channels and over 1 million titles.
Features
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite runs Fire OS, which allows users to access all of their favorite streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more, but what may be most impressive is the support the device regularly receives for free streaming services like Pluto and Tubi, two essentials we’ve identified to escape subscription hell.
Fire TV Stick Lite also supports resolutions of up to 1080p (FHD) at 60 frames per second and supports a package of three HDR formats:
- HDR10
- HDR10 +
- HLG
Along high-definition viewing, the Fire TV Stick Lite remote comes with an voice-activated search button to help you find content and execute commands quickly using Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant.
Audio support
The Fire TV Stick Lite also supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, and Dolby Atmos via HDMI pass-through. This generally means multichannel audio cannot be transcoded, only passed through. So in situations where multichannel audio must be transcoded, you’ll default to stereo audio-only streams or other multichannel forms of audio instead of Dolby – but what can be expected from your pocket hub?
Design
The Fire TV Stick Lite looks similar to its higher-end cousins with the same compact black design and lightweight frame.
The 3cm wide and 8cm long dongle plugs directly into any HDMI port on your television and is powered by a charger connected to the Fire TV Stick Lite via a micro-USB cable.
Summary
If you want an inexpensive portable streaming hub, you cannot go wrong with the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite. The Fire Stick Lite includes an Alexa-powered voice recognition remote and the ability to stream HDR10 and HDR10+ content on the go or from your living room.
The Fire TV Stick Lite’s affordability, crisp and clear picture and portability offer viewers access to their favorite content in any location where a Wifi connection is available.
Pros
- Alexa Voice Remote
- Amazon’s cheapest streaming device
- Supports the latest HDR 10+ and HLG
Cons
- Limited to 1080p
- Pass through Dolby support
Not interested in a pocket hub? Check out the next step up in Amazon Fire TV Stick’s lineup, the Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.