Amazon makes two distinct types of Fire TV streaming devices: the Fire TV Stick (a compact dongle) and the Fire TV Cube (a standalone box). Here's how they compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Fire TV Stick 4K Max | Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Compact HDMI dongle | Standalone cube-shaped box |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra HD | 4K Ultra HD |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Ethernet | Not supported | Supported (via adapter) |
| Storage | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Alexa | Remote button | Far-field (hands-free) |
| HDMI input | None | Yes — for external devices |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
Why Choose the Fire TV Stick?
- Lower cost — good value for 4K streaming
- Compact and portable — easy to move between TVs or take travelling
- Sufficient for most streaming use cases including IPTV
- Wi-Fi 6E on the 4K Max provides excellent wireless performance
Why Choose the Fire TV Cube?
- Ethernet support for the most stable possible connection
- Far-field Alexa — control your TV by voice without pressing any buttons
- HDMI input — connect your cable box or other device and control it with Alexa
- Fastest Fire TV processing — best performance
IPTV Performance Comparison
Both the 4K Max Stick and Fire TV Cube handle IPTV well. The Cube's ethernet support gives it an advantage for connection stability, which translates to fewer buffering interruptions during live streaming. For most home setups with good Wi-Fi, the 4K Max Stick performs equally well.
Both are available as part of FirestickHub packages with 1-Year IPTV included.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose the Fire TV Stick 4K Max if: you want 4K performance at a lower price, you don't need ethernet, or you want portability. Choose the Fire TV Cube if: you want the absolute best performance, you need ethernet, or you want hands-free Alexa control.
For a full model overview, see our Firestick models guide and our buying guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Cube is a standalone box with ethernet, far-field Alexa, and an HDMI input. The Stick is a compact dongle. Both stream 4K at the top spec.
If you want ethernet, hands-free Alexa, or the ability to control cable boxes, yes. For most streaming-only uses, the 4K Max Stick is sufficient.
Yes — like all Fire TV devices, the Cube fully supports IPTV apps.