What is the difference between Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick? Amazon's streaming devices are very similar and almost identical.

The relatively new streaming stick boasts power, a simple design, and great features, making it a contender for our Best Streaming Devices list. It should get even better once Amazon rolls out the new Fire TV OS to all users. The new Fire TV interface finally includes individual user profiles and a redesigned home screen.

Oddly enough, each of these devices is not much different inside the actual stick than the included remote control.

Let's take a closer look at the differences between the Fire TV Stick Lite and the Fire TV Stick.

This is easy: the Fire TV Stick Lite is lite because its price doesn't weigh that heavily against your budget. Yes, if you thought the $40 Fire TV Stick was too expensive, you might want to check out the $30 Fire TV Stick Lite.

While the Fire TV Stick Lite sacrifices some features to save $10, it is still comparable and a strong value pick.

Winner: Fire TV Stick Lite

You may need to squint here; the Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick have the same 3.4 x 1.2 x 0.5-inch design and both weigh 1.1 ounces.

The Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick 2020 connect to the TV via the same built-in HDMI port, but if you have difficulty connecting to the port on the back of your TV, Amazon includes an HDMI extender.

Both also feature a 100% recycled die-cast aluminum housing as part of Amazon's "Climate Pledge Friendly" project. This initiative is part of Amazon's declared "goal of zero carbon across its entire business by 2040."

Winner: tie

The biggest difference between the Fire TV Stick Lite and the regular Fire TV Stick is in the remote control: the Fire TV Stick Lite's Alexa Remote Lite is a more sophisticated version of the regular Alexa remote on the Fire TV It does not feature some of the buttons that make the Fire TV's normal Alexa remote control more functional.

Specifically, the regular Alexa remote has TV controls for power (upper right corner) and volume (up, down, mute, below all other buttons); the button missing on the Alexa Remote Lite is a guide button that opens the Live TV Guide.

This may be annoying for those who prefer to use only one remote control instead of two remotes, one for the TV and one for Alexa Remote Lite. However, it may not be an issue for those who want to use the Amazon Fire app on their phone as a digital remote control. Alexa can also perform these functions, but I don't always want to talk to the remote when I'm watching TV, and I don't think I'm alone.

Winner Fire TV Stick 2020

Both the Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick 2020 offer one of the most important features when it comes to TV streaming: full HD 1080p video output. Both sticks also support HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, and HLG video standards.

Where they differ is in audio: the Fire TV Stick 2020 has Dolby Atmos Audio, while the Fire TV Stick Lite only has Dolby Audio, and only via pass-through HDMI.

The difference between the two lies in the immersive sound; with Dolby Atmos, the audio is sent through the TV or AV device in a specific way, creating a three-dimensional effect. In Dolby's words, it is "an incredibly articulate, multi-dimensional sound that envelops you. We are convinced that multi-channel home stereo owners are more likely to experience the difference.

Dolby Audio is less impressive and more focused on delivering rich, powerful sound quality. This also works with surround sound equipment, but Dolby does not aim for the same immersive experience.

Winner Fire TV Stick 2020

Neither the Fire TV Stick Lite nor the Fire TV Stick have been tested yet, but we feel they are already tied in this category. Amazon rates these sticks with the same performance and energy savings: 50% faster speed and 50% less power consumption (both compared to the previous Fire TV Stick). [This makes sense since both are running on a quad-core 1.7GHz processor (apparently the same chip found in the Fire TV Stick 4K). Both also have 8GB of storage.

If either Fire Stick is surprisingly faster than the other, we will update this matchup accordingly.

Winner: tie

On paper, the Fire TV Stick Lite is probably the best for most people. Those who want to limit the number of remotes in their living room or get the best sound quality may disagree, but the Lite's $10 cheaper price makes it more accessible to consumers (we wouldn't be surprised if it's even cheaper this holiday season).

Personally, I prefer the Fire TV Stick's TV volume and power button, but I can't say it's worth $10. If both Fire TV Sticks have the same processor, storage, and video quality, it is not surprising that many people would save their money and choose the less expensive Fire TV Stick.

Once we test the Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick, we will update this article accordingly and bring you a definitive conclusion to this matchup.