Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd Gen Vs 1st Gen Differences: Is It Worth The Upgrade?

Amazon has released its new Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) streaming device, and it's a pretty solid little thingamadoo you can plug into your TV to access most (possibly all) of your favorite streaming services. And also various kinds of live TV, music, etc. And as the name implies this is the second iteration of the 4K Max, which means there's already a 1st Gen on the market. One that's been on the market since 2021, in fact.

While it might not be a tough decision between the brand new or older model when you're new to the world of Fire TV Sticks (or at least the 4K versions), it might be a bit trickier to figure out what you want to do if you already own the original 4K Max. There are differences between the two, to be sure, as well as a few marked improvements, but are they enough to justify buying and setting up a new device?

What separates the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) from the 1st Gen boils down to what could best be described as incremental upgrades. Though many of the core specs and features remain the same, with both versions supporting Dolby Atmos, HDR, and Dolby Vision, up to 4K Ultra HD picture quality, and Alexa Home Theater integration.

Beyond the shared features, the 2nd Gen model includes FireOS 8 (as opposed to the previous version's FireOS 7), and can support Wi-Fi 6E (while the older Fire TV Stick cannot). Amazon has also been touting the Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced, which only comes with the 2nd Gen 4K stick, but all that means is that you have four dedicated buttons for immediately opening four specific streaming apps. A handy shortcut, sure, but not entirely necessary when you can just use the Alexa Voice button to tell the Fire TV Stick which app you want to load.

There are a handful of hardware improvements with the newest model as well. The 4K Max 2nd Gen now uses a 2.0GHz CPU (up from the 1st Gen's 1,8GHz), and an 850MHz GPU (over the older model's 750MHz), which isn't a game-changer but does mean overall video performance may be less susceptible to issues. But the most notable upgrade is the internal storage space, which has been doubled from 8 GB in the 1st Gen to 16 GB, giving you a lot more space for more apps (and potentially games).

Switching from the 1st Gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max to the new 2nd Gen model is, objectively, an upgrade. While many of the same features and specifications carry over, there are definitely some that have been enhanced or improved. Plus the 2nd Gen offers the "Fire TV Ambient Experience" so you can leave it turned on to display a photo slideshow along with a handful of customizable widgets for at-a-glance looks at local weather, notes for other people in your home, Amazon delivery statuses, and more.

Conversely, what's actually new between the two Fire TV Sticks (specific app shortcut buttons, faster CPU and GPU speeds, and Wi-Fi 6E compatibility) may or may not be enough of a benefit for you depending on your situation. If you suspect your 1st Gen stick needs a bit more oomph or you want to connect to a stronger signal for smoother streaming, then it's probably worth a purchase.

Similarly, if you've been hurting for more storage space so you can keep more games or streaming apps on deck without having to swap anything around, the 2nd Gen is your answer. But if you're happy with your 1st Gen right now, and the handful of legitimate improvements don't wow you, you probably don't need to spend the $59.99 on a 2nd Gen just yet.