Is Firestick better than smart TV?

Firestick is one of the most popular streaming devices today and many people are asking if Firestick is better than a smart TV. They both strive to simplify the process of watching content on your television through connecting it to the internet and streaming services. Still, there are certain differences between the two, which might be crucial when choosing the best option for home cinema.

However one major factor that can be deemed as disadvantageous is cost. The Amazon Firestick is a relatively cheap product, which costs approximately $40. Not even the newer 4K Firestick model costs more than $50, and we know how powerful they are. When compared to the price of purchasing a new smart TV which starts from $500 and may even go higher depending on the brand and quality of the device, the Firestick is definitely a more economical device to incorporate streaming services to a user’s old and dumb TV. If you have a perfectly good television set but it is not a smart TV, then a Firestick can be a very convenient and much cheaper solution than buying a new television set.

Accessibility is another area that Firestick outperforms many smart TV systems – setup and ease of use. It features a very basic and easy to use interface to switch between applications and content. The included Alexa voice remote enables you to start programs, including shows and movies, with your voice. There are occasions where some smart TV systems from manufacturers such as LG, Samsung, and Sony, have complicated menu arrangements and controls which complicate streaming. Thanks to its simplistic user interface with just a home and back button to navigate to the firestick app to streaming services, many consider it very easy to use.

Firestick also gets the better of smart TVs in terms of the most sought app and services including movies, shows, music and the likes. It provides for streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV, Spotify, and other streaming services like SlingTV. Smart TVs are not capable of supporting some major streaming apps with some models not supporting Prime Video or some missing Disney+. Firestick enables you to have most of the streaming services available in the market today at your fingertips. This makes it a more flexible platform for all your entertainment related requirements than what some smart TV OS offer in the form of applications.

When it comes to performance and streaming, Firestick also does not fall behind in comparison to smart TVs. The basic 1080p model offers smooth loading of high definition videos and no buffering or lagging is felt. The 4K model provides the option of ultra HD 2160p resolution playback for better picture quality. Clarity is not an issue with pictures and audio coming in clean and clear. For instance, cheaper smart TVs may come with underpowered processors that may have a hard time with streaming large 4K video files. Thus, the dedicated streaming hardware of the Firestick may provide a faster and higher quality streaming experience.

Smart TVs have a unique advantage over any other streaming device in terms of Home Automation and Internet of Things. High end models enable you to interact with other smart home gadgets such as security cameras, video door bells and lights via the TV. While Firestick can only stream content for TVs, it does not boast of the smart home system integration that some new TVs have.

In terms of selecting a streaming service to view all your popular television programs, movies, and other online content, Firestick performs remarkably well against smart TV platforms. It provides an inexpensive entry-level streaming ticket; simple interface; excellent performance for seamless streaming; compatibility with enhanced 4K Ultra HD resolution. The primary advantage of smart TVs over Firestick is that smart TVs can control other smart devices in your home. But just for streaming shows, watching movies, listening to playlists, and all sorts of online entertainment, the Firestick is a more than viable option that outperforms a lot of smart TV systems on the market. Given the fact that it is considerably cheaper than purchasing an entirely new TV, Firestick is excellent value and performance for any TV that isn’t smart.