Fire Stick vs Fire Box –Which Media Streamer Performs Better?

Theatres are slowly being rendered irrelevant since we no longer have to wait for them to premiere the latest blockbuster movies before we get access to them thanks to the various media streaming devices.

The best tv times are now spent at home with family and friends binge-watching the latest movies on Netflix among other reality shows. Both the Fire Stick and Fire Box offer enhanced viewership, the streamers are, however, just a few among the many devices released to the market by reputable companies most of which have incorporated advanced features that make the media players more effective.

Innovation has gradually introduced more compact but highly efficient media streamers the likes of the Amazon Firestick that come equipped with the same benefits as the previous model say for the more mainstream design. The excerpt below will, therefore, break down the features of the Fire Stick and the Fire Box to find out which of the two media players performs better.

What are the differences between the Firestick and the FireBox?

Model	Fire Stick	Fire Box
RAM	1GB	2GB
Processor	Quad-core ARM 1.3 GHz	Quadcore processor
Ports	HDMI output, Micro USB for power only	HDMI, DC output, USB 2.0, and a micro SD Slot
Throughput speed	5-10mbps for HD 3mbps for SD	156-160Mbps WIFI on  5ghz 95-96Mbps When wired
Storage Capacity	8 GB internal	8GB internal
Availability	Check Price Here	Check Price Here

Fire Stick vs Fire Box – How do they compare?

Build and Design

Though attractive the FireBox features a rather traditional design that is somehow bulky meaning that there might be placement and positioning issues when compared to the Fire Stick which is more slim and easy to attach to a tv set that has been hung on the wall. So while you might experience hiccups with the placement of the Firebox, it might also interest you to know that the Firebox has incorporated more ports, which makes it more functional.

You will, therefore, get a micro SD slot meaning that you have the option of expanding the internal memory up to 200GB; the unit has also incorporated a USB 2.0 meaning that you have the option of streaming content from other external sources, be it music, music or photos. For the Fire Stick, you only get the HDMI port and USB port that is not very relevant because you can only use it to charge the unit. With the above in mind, the FireBox has the best design and build mainly because it has incorporated other significant functional ports meant to enhance the unit’s performance.

Storage

Amazon’s Fire Stick and the Fire Box have both been equipped with the same amount of storage space, but here is the catch, for the Fire Stick the internal memory is not expandable users, therefore, have the option of adding a USB thumb drive, which can be used for the installation of more applications. The Amazon Fire Box, on the other hand, is considered as one of the most powerful generations of the set-top boxes that have not only incorporated up to 2 GB memory but is additionally expandable.

So, a large storage space will give you room to play around with the various channels, applications, and even games, but do you know that you will also enjoy the best streaming resolution of up to 4K Ultra HD. An additional and rather interesting feature is that this device is somehow intelligent in that it will quickly learn the type of movies and shows that you love to watch and line them up for you. So, besides being equipped with the same storage space, the FireBox is the better performer because it has incorporated an expandable internal memory.

Processing Power

When it comes to a media players processing power there is enough room for confusion and here is why, the first generation Fire Stick was equipped with the dual-core processor known to give the unit twice the processing power of a single processor, however, the performance was a bit strained because of the inability to completely take over the two processors with the software being used playing a major role in the issue.

Enter Quad Core and users are furnished with up to 75% more processing power at least when compared to the dual-core, we then have the Quad-core Mediatek processor that has been determined to be more powerful than the dual-core processor. Overall, therefore, the 1.3GHz processor incorporated in the Firestick is slow as it takes longer to load programs and perform tasks, which then leaves the Fire Box as the best performing unit with a fast processor.

Fire Stick vs Fire Box – a comparison overview

Fire Stick

Amazon is quite innovative and this we can see by the gradual introduction of new and improved networking products. The company offers a stiff competition to the likes of Roku and Apple as it constantly ensures that the media streaming players are edgy and able to contend with the ever-expanding and evolving service providers such as Netflix.

The Amazon Firestick is, therefore, a hands-free unit for those who wish to use their voice and have Alexa do the hard work of finding the best show or movie from the incorporated 500,000+ content. We also cannot fail to note that users get up to 8GB storage, which means that they can store more channels, applications, and games.

Pros

• Has a large storage space
• Easy to set up and use
• Has a hands free option
• Integrates with your smart home devices

Cons

• The interface pushes a lot of the Amazon products
• The Alexa voice feature is not very effective

View Price on Amazon

Fire Box  

If you are thinking of investing in the Fire Box and you have your TV on the wall, you might want to re-think that because this unit has been designed to sit besides your TV. Remember that you also get a couple of peripherals at the back and for you to gain their full advantage then positioning is a primary factor.

The FireBox has thus been established to be a great gaming unit, and you can also stream some good music from Vevo, TuneIn, or Amazon music. Another amazing feature that comes with the Firebox is the ability of users to upload photos or videos to the Amazon cloud drive where they will appear on the HDTV.

Pros

• Can be used either at home or on the go
• The private listening function is enabled
• Allows screen sharing and display mirroring
• Has large internal and expandable storage

Cons

• Price is on the higher side

View price Here

Conclusion

The FireBox has been replaced recently with the Fire Tv Stick and which comes out as a budget-friendly option capable f supporting 4K media streaming.

Final Verdict – so which is better? Fire Stick or Fire Box

The FireBox is the better unit because it has a larger expandable storage capacity, a powerful processor, and offers the best throughput speeds.

FAQ’s

1. Can I get Netflix for free on the Fire Stick?

May be through the third-party applications that stream free content, otherwise, you will have to pay for the subscription but the installation is free.

2. What is the Shelf life of my Amazon Firebox?

The Amazon Fire Box will give you a service of up to 10years and you can always restore the factory settings in case it develops issues.