With the ever-increasing advancement in the field of technology, streaming your favorite movies and shows on your TV has become way too easier now. There are thousands of products available out there enabling people to turn their usual television into a smart TV.
Among the several popular names, Android TV box and Amazon firestick TV are two common names that pop-up in our mind when we talk about converting our TV into a smart one.
However, as always, making the right choice between two available alternatives seems to be a daunting task. It creates a lot of confusion in our minds as to which one to pick. You must also be thinking about which is better- the Android TV box or Amazon firestick.
Don’t worry, friends! In this article, I am going to share a comparison guide between the Android TV box and Amazon firestick to help you make an informed decision as to which one is best for you.
Content Overview
Android TV Box and Amazon Firestick
Before jumping to the compassion between the two, let us understand the essential difference between the Android TV box and Amazon firestick.
Android TV box
In simple words, an Android TV box is any device that can be connected to a television that runs on the Android operating system. It comes in different shapes and sizes, such as MXQ Box and NVIDIA SHIELD. They are mainly used popularly for streaming the latest movies and shows from online content services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Amazon Firestick
On the other hand, Amazon Firestick is the first streaming service provided by popular Amazon Company in 2014. As its name implies, it looks like a USB stick that can be inserted easily into the HDMI port of your TV. Like the Android TV box, you can use it to watch movies, play games, and for other purposes.
Comparison between Android TV Box and Firestick
We are sharing comparison between Android TV Box and Firestick on the basis of different factors. Let’s learn about them….
1# Ease of Use
In terms of setup and installation, Amazon firestick is extremely easy to use. Amazon has made sure that users would not face any problem using its streaming devices by providing a setup wizard that guides you step by step to set up any device. In addition to this, you can seamlessly stream your loved shows and apps with just a few clicks. Though you can access all the app from the Amazon app store, there are some like Kodi, which is not available directly to use on Amazon firestick.
In comparison to Firestick, it is often complicated to set up an Android TV box. However, manufacturers are working hard to make significant improvements in new Android boxes that are user-friendly and come with a setup guide. Moreover, accessing Kodi is way too simpler in the case of the Android TV box as you can quickly get it through the Google Play store and install it easily.
So, if you are looking to operate multiple devices on your TV, then Firestick is an ideal choice as it allows you to stream your favorite apps and provides access to Google assistant through Bluetooth remote control. However, there are only a limited number of TV optimized apps in the Android TV box that can you can run through.
2# Flexibility
Android TV boxes are more flexible in nature than Amazon firestick. There’s no doubt that Firestick offers an intuitive interface, but there aren’t many options to tweak it as per your convenience.
However, in android TV boxes, you can get various flexibility options, especially in stock android, which can be customized easily according to the user’s choice. Though the user only adds app shortcuts to the screen for fast accessibility, you can also change the entire user interface of android TV boxes for a completely new experience using Android TV Box Launchers.
For instance, you can install customer ROMS to your android TV boxes to get more new features and fix bugs instantly. In addition to this, you can also install different Android operating systems to your boxes for playing games and streaming movies.
As you know, the Amazon firestick looks more like a USB stick which you can easily carry along without any hindrance. On the other hand, an android TV box comes in different sizes and is roughly 15 times larger than that of Firestick. Moreover, it is not just a box; it comes with various accessories like cables, wires, a TV remote, and a USB keyboard.
Now you can understand, carrying an android TV box is not easy and bulky because you would have to carry its complete set. So, if you are someone who watches television at various locations, then you should go for Amazon firestick as it is small and handy.
4# Kodi Support
In the case of Kodi support, Android TV boxes are clearly the winner.
Kodi is open-source software for people who love entertainment like sports, movies, and shows. Nowadays, anyone can customize Kodi software and install add-ons on it for a better streaming experience. So, Kodi is must software when we talk about converting your TV into a smart TV as it let users’ stream files from the web, home network, and local storage easily.
As stated above, Amazon does not offer a separate app for Kodi at its Amazon app store, so you would always have to sideload it, which is itself a cumbersome task. For instance, you can download the MrMC app to operate Kodi on Amazon.
On the other hand, in the android TV box, you can efficiently run a Kodi-like experience by downloading and installing the app from Google Play Store.
5# Hardware specifications
Considering the hardware of both the Android TV box and Amazon firestick, there are the following differences:
RAM:
The first generation of Firestick offers 1 GB RAM combined with 8 GB storage, the second generation has some memory specification, and the third generation comes with 2 GB RAM. At the same time, the android TV boxes offer 3 GB RAM along with a fast and seamless Kodi experience.
Video output:
Both firestick and android TV boxes provide 4K video quality. However, Firestick is easy to insert in your TV’s HDMI port and is independent of the manufacturer. So, in terms of video output, Firestick is a go-to choice.
Processor:
Android TV boxes are better than Amazon Firestick as it runs on either Broadcom BCM28145 Dual Core or Mediatek 8127 Quad-core ARM 1.3 GHz processor. Along with this, android TV boxes come with remote control and additional storage to store more data. So, regarding the processor, android TV boxes win over Amazon firestick.
Pricing:
Talking about pricing, Amazon Firestick costs around $49, whereas the price of android TV boxes varies from $100 to $200. So, clearly, there is a massive difference in the prices of both Firestick and Android TV boxes.
Which one is a winner- Android TV box or Amazon Firestick?
To make a wise choice between android TV boxes and Amazon firestick, the main factor to consider is the purpose you want to use it for.
Amazon firestick is a small, easy-to-carry device that offers the best video streaming experience within a limited and affordable budget. It supports many streaming services with dedicated TV-optimized apps and is perfect for one who wants just that.
Coming to Android TV boxes, it promotes a smooth Kodi-like experience, offers greater flexibility, and the latest processor to make your streaming experience more enjoyable and hassle-free. So, if you got a reasonable budget, then we’d recommend you to go for Android TV boxes.
