93.5
Best for home theater enthusiasts and power users who prefer a physical ethernet connection
- Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet connectivity
- Rechargeable Voice Remote Pro
- Dolby Vision and Atmos support
$91
Head to head · Electronics
Fire TV Stick HD, free and live TV vs Echo Dot (newest model)
Ravvy scores Fire TV Stick HD, free and live TV at 89.86 and Echo Dot (newest model) at 89.98. Echo Dot (newest model) takes the overall pick, best for small to medium rooms needing a mix of smart control and background music..
89.9
$35
This is a perfect budget choice for secondary TVs or travelers who need reliable smart features but are comfortable sacrificing ultra-high resolution for affordability.
Ravvy pick
Amazon
Echo Dot (newest model)
90.0
$50
The Echo Dot 5th Gen is the best budget smart speaker for those deeply integrated into the Alexa ecosystem who value smart home automation sensors over high-fidelity audio.
How they score
| Factor | Fire TV Stick HD, free and live TV | Echo Dot (newest model) |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 90 | – |
| Portability | 95 | – |
| App ecosystem | 91 | – |
| Image quality | 68 | – |
| Value for money | 94.5 | 91.2 |
| Voice integration | 89 | – |
| Setup ease | – | 96 |
| Audio quality | – | 72.4 |
| Network utility | – | 85.5 |
| Privacy features | – | 82 |
| Smart home integration | – | 94.8 |
Fire TV Stick HD, free and live TV
What owners praise
- Affordable entry point for smart TV features
- Reliable Alexa voice search integration
- Supports HDR10+ for improved color depth
- Compact design is great for travel
- Extensive library of free ad supported apps
What to know first
- Limited to 1080p resolution
- 8GB storage fills up quickly with large apps
- Interface contains heavy promotional content
Skip it if 4k home theater owners
Echo Dot (newest model)
What owners praise
- Improved bass and vocal clarity from the 1.6 inch driver
- Built-in eero wifi extender adds up to 1,000 sq. ft. of coverage
- Integrated temperature and motion sensors for advanced automation
- Matter protocol support ensures broad smart home compatibility
- Physical microphone kill switch for privacy assurance
What to know first
- Removal of the 3.5mm auxiliary audio output jack
- Wifi extension requires an existing eero mesh network
- Small size naturally limits maximum volume and soundstage
Skip it if audiophiles or users requiring a 3.5mm wired audio output
Specs side by side
| Spec | Fire TV Stick HD, free and live TV | Echo Dot (newest model) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 38.68 mm x 141.3 mm x 17.6 mm | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100mm x 100mm x 89 mm) |
| Wifi | Dual-band, dual-antenna wifi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard wifi. Supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac wifi networks. | – |
| Ports | HDMI output, micro-USB for power only. | – |
| Weight | 45g (without batteries) | 10.7 oz (304g) Actual size and weight may vary by manufacturing process |
| Storage | 8 GB internal | – |
| Batteries | 2 AAA (included) | – |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy. Pair with compatible Bluetooth speakers, headphones, video game controllers, and more. | – |
| Processor | Quad-core 1.7 GHz | – |
| Technology | Bluetooth | – |
| Audio support | HDMI pass-through of Dolby-encoded audio (AC-3 and E-AC-3). | – |
| Cloud storage | Free cloud storage for digital content purchased from Amazon. | – |
| Compatibility | Fire TV Stick 4K (1st Gen and later), Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen and later), Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen), Fire TV Stick HD | – |
Other options in this category
93.5
Amazon
Echo Dot (newest model)
Best for entry-level smart home setups and small room audio.
- 1.6-inch full range front-firing speaker
- Built-in eero mesh wifi capability
- Integrated indoor temperature sensor
$50
90.4
Best for smart home enthusiasts who want premium sound without the bulk of a full-sized speaker
- 3x Bass vs 2022 Echo Dot
- Wifi 6E & eero Built-in
- Matter & Zigbee Smart Hub
$100