The Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast represent the latest ways to enjoy multimedia content.
These streaming devices bring a range of content like sports and movies to your high definition television. However, they are quite different in the way they achieve this multimedia supremacy.
The Amazon Fire TV is one of the latest entrants into the market after having been launched only a few months ago. This device is very much similar to the Apple TV or Roku in terms of its design, since it is boxy in nature. The Chromecast, meanwhile, looks like a USB thumb drive and is extremely easy on the pocket. Because it is a steaming stick, Chromecast does not require external power, as it takes all of its requirements from the USB port. Hence, it becomes a much more flexible device than the Fire TV that requires an external power source like most electronic products.
Performance
Since it is the new kid on the block, it is not surprising to see Fire TV with the most impressive specifications. It will come with a quad core processor that is supported by 2 GB of RAM. These specifications make it one of the fastest in the market today. Performance is not an issue with Chromecast, since it loads most apps quickly and it should not be forgotten that it is a streaming stick.
A major difference between the Fire TV and the Chromecast is the remote control. It is present on the Fire TV whereas the Chromecast – being essentially a stick – does not come with one. The Chromecast can be controlled only through an app, which is available on the Play Store and can be downloaded on your Android phone. The presence of a proper physical remote could shift the balance in favour of the Fire TV.
Content
Support for content is a major element of any steaming device. Despite being relatively new to this segment, Fire TV offers support to major content apps. However, some of the conspicuous absentees on the device include Vudu and Spotify. Chromecast is slightly inferior in this regard since it does not accommodate content from some apps, but it does offer support to popular apps like Netflix and Hulu.
Even though Chromecast covers various genres, it misses out on sports apps right now. Fire TV supports the likes of ESPN and NBA League Pass.
A major advantage of Chromecast is its price, which at just $35 is significantly lower than the $99 price demanded by the Fire TV. Even though Fire TV offers a full-fledged remote, it is likely to play in the minds of buyers.
Streaming
The Fire TV offers excellent support to Amazon devices like Kindle. Content can be streamed directly to Kindle. Chromecast benefits usually because of its association with Google. It offers all major proprietary apps from Google like Play Store, Play Music, and Movies. Since they host a wide variety of content, it is possible to take advantage of this feature.
It is possible to take advantage of the game features in the Fire TV, but an additional controller has to be purchased for around $40. Chromecast does not support games.
Related ItemsAmazon Fire TVChromecast
