Streaming Devices / Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) vs Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) vs Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Fire TV's flagship box — HDMI input, built-in ethernet and hands-free Alexa.
Wins overall by 0.2 points
Quick Verdict
Too close to call on score alone: 0.2 points separate them. Fire TV's flagship box — HDMI input, built-in ethernet and hands-free Alexa. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) answers with a different set of strengths, so let the categories below decide it.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) are both closely matched streaming Device models, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) is $80 cheaper than the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) ($59.99 vs $139.99). On Smart Home, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) leads (8.5 vs 5.0/10) — matter, Thread, and built-in voice assistant capability. On Value, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) leads (7.8 vs 5.5/10) — features and performance relative to price. On Speed & Performance, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) leads (9.0 vs 8.0/10) — processor, RAM, and how quickly menus and apps respond. Overall, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores 7.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 7.6/10 for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) | Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99 | $139.99 |
| Release Year | 2023 | 2022 |
| Max Resolution | 4K (3840x2160) at 60fps | 4K (3840x2160) at 60fps |
| HDR Formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| Dolby Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Processor | MediaTek MT8696T — quad-core Cortex-A55 at 2.0GHz | Amlogic POP1-G — octa-core, 4x Cortex-A73 at 2.2GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 at 2.0GHz |
| RAM (GB) | 2 | 2 |
| Storage (GB) | 16 | 16 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Ethernet | Adapter only (10/100, sold separately) | Built in (10/100) |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 + BLE | 5.0 + BLE |
| Operating System | Fire OS 8 (Android 11) | Fire OS 7 (Android 9) |
| Remote | Voice, TV power/volume/channel, Recent and Settings shortcuts; no backlight; no remote finder | Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced; hands-free far-field voice on the device itself; no backlight; no remote finder |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Black |
Category Scores
Speed & Performance
The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-point margin on processor, RAM, and how quickly menus and apps respond. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Video Quality
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) are level here, at 8.5/10 each. maximum resolution and which HDR formats are supported is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Audio Support
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-point margin on dolby Atmos and DTS handling, and whether audio is decoded or only passed through. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Platform & Apps
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-point margin on operating system, app catalogue, and how advertising-led the interface is. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.5 — a 1.0-point margin on Wi-Fi standard, ethernet, Bluetooth, and expansion ports. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Remote
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) are level here, at 6.5/10 each. voice control, backlighting, rechargeability, and remote-finder features is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Smart Home
The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.0 — a 3.5-point margin on matter, Thread, and built-in voice assistant capability. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) leads clearly here, 7.8 against 5.5 — a 2.3-point margin on features and performance relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) scores 7.8/10 here (features and performance relative to price).
- • Platform & Apps matters most to you — the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) scores 7.5/10 here (operating system, app catalogue, and how advertising-led the interface is).
- • You want to spend less — it's $80 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is 4k-hdr.
Choose the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) if…
- • Smart Home matters most to you — the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores 8.5/10 here (matter, Thread, and built-in voice assistant capability).
- • Speed & Performance matters most to you — the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores 9.0/10 here (processor, RAM, and how quickly menus and apps respond).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores 9.5/10 here (Wi-Fi standard, ethernet, Bluetooth, and expansion ports).
- • Your main use case is smart-home.
Pros & Cons
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen)
Pros
- +Fastest Fire TV stick, and the only one with Wi-Fi 6E
- +16GB of storage leaves real room for apps and games
- +Best Fire TV stick for cloud gaming
- +Ambient Experience turns an idle TV into an art frame
Cons
- −Three years old with no 2026 refresh
- −Ethernet still requires a dongle
- −Costs $10 more than the 4K Plus for the same Dolby Vision and Atmos support
- −Ad-heavy Fire TV home screen
- −Likely the last Android-based Fire TV stick, which is a plus for sideloading today and a risk for app support later
Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Pros
- +By far the fastest Fire TV device, roughly twice the 4K Max
- +Built-in ethernet and an HDMI input are unique in the Fire TV line
- +Hands-free Alexa without needing a separate Echo
- +Super Resolution Upscaling genuinely helps older HD content
Cons
- −No hardware refresh since 2022 — the oldest device in the Fire TV line
- −Still on Fire OS 7 (Android 9), while the sticks have moved to Fire OS 8
- −Ethernet is 10/100, not gigabit
- −Roughly double the price of the 4K Max for the same Dolby Vision and Atmos support
- −Reviewers report it sometimes fails to switch into Dolby Vision automatically
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) or Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Smart Home, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) or the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores higher on Smart Home (8.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — matter, Thread, and built-in voice assistant capability.
Which is better for Value, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) or the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) scores higher on Value (7.8/10 vs 5.5/10) — features and performance relative to price.
Which is better for Speed & Performance, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) or the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) scores higher on Speed & Performance (9.0/10 vs 8.0/10) — processor, RAM, and how quickly menus and apps respond.
Which is better for Platform & Apps, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) or the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) scores higher on Platform & Apps (7.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — operating system, app catalogue, and how advertising-led the interface is.
Is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) worth the price difference over the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) is the cheaper option at $59.99 versus $139.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Smart Home.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) is the better fit if you mainly care about 4k-hdr. The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) is the better fit for smart-home.
What's the warranty on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) vs the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)?+
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
onn. 4K Pro (2026) — $59.98
Premium Option
Roku Ultra (2024) — $149.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.