The best streaming device in my living room used to be my PlayStation 5. But it has become a hindrance recently, inexplicably buffering all the time and loading shows at low quality. I swapped it for Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max and wasn’t expecting much, but, well, it’s now been a few weeks since I last used my PS5. This capable streaming gadget is currently available for almost half off from Amazon, costing $34.99 when you use the offer code 4KFTVGAME at checkout.
It wasn’t particularly important to me why the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is running circles around my PS5, just that it is. However, I think I know the answers. First off, Amazon’s stick can connect to Wi-Fi 6E routers (like the PS5 Pro, but not the standard PS5), giving it plenty of 6 GHz bandwidth to stream without other devices in the crowded 5 GHz band interfering. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is Amazon’s fastest streaming device in the stick form factor, and its upgraded processor over the cheaper model likely gives it a leg up when it comes to quickly loading content. Either way, I’m smitten.
If you’re looking for other reasons to buy one, trying out the Xbox app isn’t a bad reason. If you have a great internet connection and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can play dozens of Xbox games with only a controller paired up to the streaming device. It’s impressive, but don’t confuse it with gaming on a console when it comes to picture quality and input latency.
