Last Updated on 2 years by Amelia Johansson
Are you stuck on which streaming device you should purchase? If so then here is a complete review of Google Chromecast Vs Firestick 4K. In this article, we are going to talk about each feature that we get along with these devices and also compare them with each other.
However, at the end of this guide, I will also share with you the winner of this best streaming device battle. This is why it is highly recommended to read this article until the end. It is because I am going to discuss some of the important things that you should probably need to know before choosing.
Furthermore, I will also compare the prices and will tell you which one of these is worth your money. But before moving to the comparison there are a few things that you need to know. For this, you simply need to read out the given below guide and after that, we will just move towards the battle.
Things To Know Before Choosing
However, before we move towards the comparison there are a few things that we should need to know before choosing your streaming devices. The list that I provide might not suit all of you but still, these should be considered at the time of buying any streaming device online or from a local shop.
So these are a few things that you should consider before buying:
- Is a Streaming device worth money?
- Can I use it with my Home Devices?
- Does it come with any warranty?
- Does a device support 4K, or UHD resolution?
- Can I watch my favourite channels or live TV?
- Is it compatible with my TV?
- Can I carry it along while travelling?
- Is it possible to play games with that device?
- A number of application choices that we can download?
- Does it come with a remote and offers a voice command feature?
So these are a few things that I personally consider and check whenever I have to buy any streaming devices. It is because I use some smart Home devices that’s why I need a voice command remote. Nowadays most devices come with voice commands like Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri etc but yet some devices don’t offer these features.
This is the reason why I list these things as you get an idea about which device is more useful to you not only in features but using it with other devices too. Now after you have understood this I am sure after reading this whole article you will easily get the best choice for you without even checking the winner section.
Chromecast vs Firestick
After reading the above section you may get an idea of what things you should need in a streaming device. If that’s the case and now you are ready to find the suitable device for you then here is a complete comparison between Chromecast vs Firestick. I would simply recommend you read about each device.
Other than this after reading the comparison at the end of this article I will share my suggestion with you. But first, you should read this section as it helps you understand everything regarding these devices. First of all, we are going to talk about Google Chromecast and after this, we will learn about Firestick.
Google Chromecast
Google Chromecast is the best device to cast your mobile or laptop screen to your TV. This device was first launched in the year 2013 in the month of July. After getting a response from various customers they launched the 2nd generation in 2015 and after this their 3rd Generation Chromecast was released in 2018.
Unlike most streaming devices, Google Chromecast doesn’t have its own internal storage, Operating System neither RAM etc. However, it is only used to cast another device screen to the TV by using the screen mirroring technology. There are various apps that support casting features including Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Google Movies and so on.
Furthermore, it can be also used to cast to Google Chrome where a user can surf Facebook or other social media websites on a bigger screen. It is also best suitable to watch your family photos directly from your mobile device and is helpful in playing offline or downloading movies or TV Shows from a mobile phone or laptop.
Chromecast has a simple and better design as compared to FireTV Stick and also offers playback of 4K resolution (only with Chromecast Ultra). Furthermore, this device doesn’t offer any remote as it can be operated using your phone or laptop. However, you can also use the voice command feature only if you own a Google Home device.
The best part of having this device is that it works with almost every application and almost every website. Unlike FireTV most apps are not supported like Sky Go, Disney+, YouTube and several others. This is why if you want an unrestricted device then this is the best choice to have but sadly it requires a laptop or mobile.
Key Features
- Chromecast works with most of the Apps.
- You can watch your Photos, Videos on a bigger screen.
- Downloaded Movies or TV Shows can be watched without any issue.
- A user can watch YouTube Videos, Facebook feeds with Chromecast.
- It works great with Google Home for voice commanding.
- Comes with a built-in WiFi feature.
- A user can watch up to 4K resolution (requires Ultra version).
- The setup process is way easier and it took only a few minutes.
- Supports Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube etc.
- It has a beautiful design and comes with several colour options.
- Chromecast doesn’t come with limited storage.
- It comes with the support of the Ethernet connection.
- The price is also affordable even for the Ultra version.
- Can be carried anywhere while on vacation.
Cons
- It has a limited number of channels as compared to FireTV.
- Requires Setup after using it on a different TV.
- Watching the large size of Movies may be laggy (suggested by some users).
- Videos from Gallery won’t work (it requires Google Chrome or need a player that supports Chromecast).
- It doesn’t come with a remote (as it can be operated using a phone or tablet).
Pricing
Now when we talk about the price range of Google Chromecast then the 3rd Generation of the device will cost you around $29.99 which supports 1080p resolution. While on the other hand, you get an option to watch in 4K and which is known as Chromecast ultra. So, the price of the Ultra version is around $109 which is way expensive as compared to other 4K devices like FireTV, and Roku.
Amazon FireStick 4K
FireTV Stick is yet another cool device for streaming that completely change your normal TV into an Android TV. The first device was released back in 2014 along with the FireTV. This device was rectangular in shape and comes with a remote control having 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.
The device that we are going to talk about is Amazon Firestick 4K it was released in 2018 and is also known as FireTV Stick 3rd Generation. It has the same old design but it is a little bit larger as compared to others and the colour you get is only Black no matter which generation you are going to buy.
This new stick comes with a brand new remote control as well that has a mic button used for Alexa voice commands. With the help of this, a user can open any App, watch the movie, fast forward, backward and can perform several other functions. Instead of this Alexa can be used along with other Smart Home devices like LEDs, Google Home and so on.
As the name suggests FireTV Stick 4K supports media playback up to 4K @60 fps and comes with 1.5GB of DDR4 RAM and the same 8GB of internal storage. Talking about the advanced features than it supports the latest HDR10+ and also comes with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technology.
It has the Fire Operating System that is based on the Android OS that supports almost all android apps. There are plenty of applications available that can be downloaded from the Amazon App Store. Other than this it also supports sideloading by means you can even use 3rd-party apps as well.
Unlike Chromecast, FireTV has its own Home Screen layout and it requires setup for the first time after this, you can carry it with you and use it anywhere you want. Even though FireTV also supports the screen mirroring feature and also uses Chromecast technology that means even you can share a mobile or laptop screen on a TV.
Key Features
- FireTV Stick supports 4K resolution @60 frames per second.
- It has a remote control that supports Alexa voice commands.
- The new remote of Firestick comes with dedicated Volume keys and a mute button.
- Based on the Android Operating System means thousands of apps are already available.
- It supports all apps including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max etc.
- Apps that are not available can be sideloaded easily.
- FireTV supports Chromecast and screen sharing features too.
- It has 1.5GB of DDR4 RAM which makes the task much smoother and faster.
- This device also supports the latest Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technology.
- You don’t need to set up it each time while using another TV.
- It can be used with Google Home or other Smart Home devices.
- Supports plenty of apps for free streaming.
Cons
- Since it is an Amazon product then you will see too many ads for Prime video on Home Screen.
- It doesn’t support Ethernet internet (you need to purchase Ethernet Adapter separately).
- 8GB of internal storage is not enough for many people.
- After using it for several hours it overheats a lot.
Pricing
Talking about the price then I love this device very much as provides various options for all users. The second generation of FireTV Stick comes for $29.99 that supports HD up to 1080p streaming. While on the other hand, Firestick 4K costs you around $49.99 and we have talked about everything about it in the above section.
But instead of this they recently released two more FireTV devices and named them FireTV Stick 3rd Generation and Firestick Lite. So, the 3rd Generation comes at the same price as of 2nd (that means the 2nd is now discontinued) while the Lite version costs only $19.99.
This is the best choice for those who don’t have enough money and just want a simple and affordable device. By having so many choices anyone can get this device for themselves according to their user. However, I personally love the 4K edition as you will get advanced features just by investing a little more money.
Fire Stick VS Chromecast Data Usage
Data Usage is almost the same on both devices and it depends on what you are watching and the quality of a Movie or TV Show. So, let’s first take an example of Netflix as it offers several qualities like Standard (SD), High Definition (HD, Ultra HD or 4K resolution.
In this way when a user watches a movie or a web series of 1 hour in SD quality then it consumes around 0.7 GB per hour. Similarly, for HD users it consumes 3 GB per hour and for 4K streaming it will use 7 GB per hour. This is why data usage is dependent on the quality of your streaming content.
Other than this Firestick may use more data as compared to Chromecast as with Chromecast you can only stream through the app that you are mirroring. In this way, FireTV Stick comes with its own Home Screen and it contains too many advertisements that use your data too.
Even though it shows featured content at the top of the Home Screen that plays automatically when you stay on that screen for a few seconds. But the best part is you have complete control over these things like you can stop auto-playing featured content, hide interest-based advertisements and so on.
Google Chromecast vs Roku vs Amazon Firestick
Now as we learnt the difference between these two amazing devices now let’s have a quick look at Google Chromecast vs Roku vs Amazon Firestick. It is because Roku is also a well-known streaming device that offers a variety of features like 4K streaming and many more.
However, I have written a complete comparison guide between Roku vs Firestick that you should probably gonna check. As you will get an idea which one is best to choose as you will get every information there.
If you love reading comparisons and reviews then you may also like:
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Chromecast
Chromecast is a screen-sharing device that only works with your laptop or mobile phone. It doesn’t have its own Home Screen or internal Storage neither RAM etc. Even though you won’t get any remote with it and all you can do is just use your phone to change episodes, open a new app etc.
However, the best part is that you will get be able to use the ethernet connection as the port is available in the power adapter. Chromecast is now supported by almost every application including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and some websites too. It is quite fun to use it as you can even watch downloaded movies or TV shows.
Roku
Just like FireTV, this device also comes with different variants for all sorts of users including their flagship device Roku Premier Plus which supports 4K streaming. The best thing that I love about Roku Premier is you will get a remote having a headphone jack that enables private watching at night.
However, it is based on its own Operating System known as RokuOS which is based on the Linux operating system. In this way, a user might not be able to get all their favourite apps as most of them are still in development.
Despite this Roku offers some free channels to watch movies or TV Shows. Roku streaming stick also supports various apps like YouTube TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Discovery Go and so on.
Amazon Firestick
Now talking about the Firestick then this is quite an amazing device that can support almost all sorts of TVs. It has an Alexa-enabled remote control to launch apps instantly. Alexa is also used with Google devices and other smart home devices and it works great when you have an Echo Dot at your home.
Instead of this it comes with 1.5GB of RAM and has a total of 8GB of internal storage to download various apps. It also supports many free games like Flappy Bird, and Subway Surfer that can be played with a remote directly. Because of having 1.5GB RAM, you won’t be able to play high graphics games but it is still good to enjoy some free games on a bigger screen.
The Winner
Both of these devices are best in their own way as the Chromecast is used to screencast mobile screen or laptop screen to play Movie or TV Show. It doesn’t even have its own interface but yet it is powerful as you can watch HD movies without any problem. However it can be used as a digital frame, and you can do several other things with this, but it lacks several things like it has no remote control, requires set up each time, and some apps don’t support casting feature.
In this way, today’s winner is probably Firestick 4K since it has its own User-Interface and supports almost all apps. Also, apps that are not available in the Amazon Store can be sideloaded within a few minutes. Alexa voice assistant makes several tasks easier like fast-forwarding, opening any app and controlling Smart Home devices. So, for just $50 you are getting an advanced level of streaming device that supports 4K resolution.