So sánh fire tv stick 4k vs google chromecast 3 năm 2024
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The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) brings an upgraded processor, Wi-Fi 6E support, and increased storage to deliver even better 4K streaming with HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. Show Pros
Cons
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) and the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) are two of the best streaming sticks on the market. Both offer 4K streaming, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos support, among key features. But which of the two makes more sense for you? Let’s find out. Price, availability, and specificationsAmazon has priced the Fire TV Stick 4K Max at $60, but like the company’s other offerings, it’s often found with promotional pricing. You can buy it for as low as $40 during these promotions. The Chromecast with Google TV (4K) carries a list price of $50. It’s also often discounted, with the price tag going as low as $40. Both devices are readily available and can be ordered from the likes of Amazon and Best Buy.
Design and hardwareSource: Amazon Although the Chromecast with Google TV and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max are essentially dongles, the two look quite different. While the Chromecast has a softer oval shape with a permanently attached tiny flat cable with an HDMI connector, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a palm-sized rectangular gadget with rounded edges and an HDMI connector protruding from one end. Both devices are accompanied by USB cables and wall adapters in the box. But unfortunately, the Amazon offering still relies on a microUSB port for power. Fortunately, Google has made the jump to USB-C. Amazon also includes an HDMI extender in the box for when it becomes tricky to plug in the Fire TV Stick due to space issues, or you are dealing with connectivity problems. In other highlights, the Google remote has a clean design with spaced-out buttons. The Amazon remote, on the other hand, seems cluttered and has a lot going on compared to the Chromecast remote. But on the positive side, the Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced included with the Amazon offering has dedicated power, volume, and channel buttons to control compatible TVs, soundbars, and AV receivers. So you won’t have to frequently fiddle with two or more remotes. Video output, HDR support, and connectivityYou get the same video and HDR capabilities on Amazon and Google streamers. Both can stream content in up to 4K resolution and have support to decode Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. So, as long as your TV can support these resolutions and HDR formats, you will get an identical experience in this respect. But where the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max pips the Google streamer is connectivity. The Fire TV Stick supports Wi-Fi 6E, allowing it to enjoy faster Wi-Fi and generally better data performance if you have a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router. However, the Chromecast is limited to Wi-Fi 5. If you still use a Wi-Fi 5 router, The Fire TV Stick’s Wi-Fi 6E support doesn’t matter. Processor and performanceAlthough Google doesn’t officially list the processor and RAM details of the Chromecast, it’s said to pack a 1.9GHz Amlogic S905D3 processor with four ARM Cortex-A55 cores and 2GB of DDR3L RAM. It’s a 2019/2020 processor, so it’s a bit dated in 2023. But it’s still sufficient for the needs of a media streamer. That said, its presence means that there is no AV1 codec support on the Chromecast, something that you get on the Amazon device because of its relatively newer chip. The Amazon offering uses a MediaTek chip, which is not a whole lot different but, as mentioned, newer than the Amlogic chip on Google’s streamer. The Mediatek MT8696T processor in the Fire TV 4K Max is clocked at 2GHz and packs four Cortex-A55 cores. It also houses 2GB LPDDR4 RAM. Apart from a slightly higher clock speed and faster RAM on the Amazon streamer, the two devices are pretty similarly powered. This also shows in their performance. Both deliver a relatively snappy performance with occasional sluggishness or slowdown, but nothing that will bother most people. In other highlights, you get double the amount of storage (16GB) on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. While it won’t matter to many people, people who like to install many apps and games will be better served by the Amazon streaming stick. There is also DTS and DTS-HD pass-through support on the Fire TV Stick, which is extremely rare to find. None of the current crop of popular streaming services offer DTS audio at this point, but if you have a collection of ripped DVDs or Blu-rays that you watch through Plex or Jellyfin, this will be useful. SoftwareSource: Amazon Software is the biggest differentiator between the two streaming devices, as each uses a different platform. While the Chromecast runs on Android TV with Google TV overlay, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max runs on Fire OS. Although Fire OS is currently based on Android, Amazon reportedly plans to ditch it in favor of its own Linux-based Vega operating system. But for now, you will get Android-based Fire OS. The Chromecast with Google TV interface puts content front and center, with recommendations capturing a large part of the “For You” screen. You can also reach favorite apps directly, but you will need a couple of button taps to navigate to the “Your apps” section or the Apps page unless you use Google Assistant to open an app. Recommendations are mostly useful and collated from the various streaming apps you have installed. Plus, you can download thousands of available apps from the Google Play store, set up profiles for different family members, control smart home devices, and use Google Assistant. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max also has a content-heavy homepage, but it’s busier than Google TV's homepage, and Amazon properties like Prime Video and Freevee get featured more often than other services. Like Chromecast, thousands of apps are available via the Amazon App Store on the Fire TV Stick. You get the popular streaming services, games, and more. Alexa performs the voice assistant duties, and apart from helping you find content and navigate around the streamer, it can also control your smart home and get you answers about the weather, general trivia, and much more. Plus, you get support for profiles. The casting support is the one significant omission in the Fire TV 4K Max. While it supports Miracast, you don’t get anything as seamless and straightforward as Chromecast support on its namesake streamer. Which is right for you?With a similar set of features and performance, deciding between Chromecast and Fire TV Stick 4K Max comes down to your platform choice. Are you already a part of the Google ecosystem? Do you like Google Assistant over Alexa? If the answer to these questions is yes, then the Chromecast makes perfect sense. Sure, it’s a bit old, considering its launch in 2020, but it’s still a great little streamer that won’t disappoint you. Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)Solid streamer Trusted Google device The Chromecast with Google TV continues to be among the best media streamers on the market. It delivers a good experience, has a solid app library, and comes with built-in cast support. But if you are already invested in the Amazon ecosystem and use Alexa as a part of your smart speakers, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a competent media streaming device. Some people aren’t fans of its software, but Amazon is constantly improving it, and hopefully, Amazon’s Vega implementation will take things a step up. You will also benefit from Wi-Fi 6E support with improved connectivity and larger built-in storage. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen)Impressive alternative Amazon's latest & greatest The latest generation of Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the most powerful standalone streamer in Amazon’s portfolio. It offers a vast app library, Alexa voice assistant, and 16GB of storage. |
