Amazon has quietly rolled out a name change for one of its most popular streaming sticks in the UK this week, with the Fire TV Stick 4K now officially called the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus.
Before you get excited – this isn’t a new model. Nothing about the hardware has changed. You’re getting the exact same streaming stick that launched back in late 2023, just with different words printed on the box.
In fact, Amazon has confirmed that some customers might still receive packaging with the old “Fire TV Stick 4K” branding, whilst others will get the new “Fire TV Stick 4K Plus” version – it might be completely random depending on what’s left in the warehouse.
But the rebrand does show Amazon’s struggles with its increasingly cluttered Fire TV lineup and how it’s trying to address them.
Why The Name Change?
The rebrand first happened in the US back in October, shortly after Amazon launched the Fire TV Stick 4K Select – a cheaper 4K streaming stick running Amazon’s brand new Vega operating system.
The problem was immediately obvious: if you’ve got a “Fire TV Stick 4K” and a “Fire TV Stick 4K Select”, which one’s better? The names alone don’t tell you anything useful.
Is “4K” superior to “4K Select” because it’s simpler? Or is “Select” somehow more premium? It’s the sort of naming that requires you to actually read the specifications, which defeats the entire point of having clear product names in the first place.
Amazon’s solution? Slap “Plus” on the existing 4K stick and hope that makes things clearer.
To be fair, it does help a bit. “Plus” sitting between “Select” and “Max” creates a more logical hierarchy. You can now look at the three 4K models – Select, Plus, Max – and have a rough idea of where each sits in the pecking order.
But it doesn’t solve Amazon’s bigger problem, which is that it’s now selling three 4K streaming sticks that look identical and are priced within a tenner of each other (when they’re not discounted). That’s still confusing, regardless of what they’re called.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select Problem
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select (see my review) launched in mid-October at £49.99 as Amazon’s most affordable 4K streaming device. But it came with significant caveats.
It’s the first Fire TV device to run Vega OS, Amazon’s new operating system built directly on Linux rather than Android. Because it’s a completely different platform, every single app needs to be rebuilt from scratch to work on it.
That creates a chicken-and-egg problem. Developers won’t invest time building Vega OS apps unless there’s a big enough user base, but customers won’t buy a device with limited app availability.
At launch, the Select supported around 900 apps compared to over 30,000 on the Android-based Fire TV sticks. Whilst all the major UK streaming services are available – BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, Channel 5, NOW, Netflix, Disney+ – less mainstream apps are often missing.
The Select also doesn’t support sideloading at all. You can only install apps from the Amazon Appstore, full stop. For enthusiasts who’ve relied on sideloaded apps for years, that’s a dealbreaker.
There’s also no Dolby Vision support (only HDR10+), WiFi 5 instead of WiFi 6, and just 1GB of RAM instead of 2GB.
One piece of good news arrived in late November when VPN support finally launched on the Select, nearly two months after the device shipped. NordVPN and IPVanish are now both available, though other VPN providers haven’t confirmed their plans yet.
Amazon’s strategy with the Select appears to be pricing it so aggressively that people buy it anyway. It launched at £49.99, dropped to £19.99 during Black Friday, and is currently back at that price for the Christmas sale (until December 31).
At twenty quid, the Select becomesmore tempting – especially as a second or third streaming stick for a bedroom or kitchen TV. But even at that price, it’s difficult to recommend over the regular 4K stick when there’s only a fiver difference during sales.
What Actually Changed With The ‘Plus’
Let’s be crystal clear again: absolutely nothing has changed with the hardware.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is identical to the Fire TV Stick 4K in every measurable way. Same processor, same RAM, same storage, same remote, same connectivity, same everything.
You’re still getting 4K streaming up to 60fps, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, WiFi 6, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and the standard Alexa Voice Remote with TV controls.
It still runs the Android-based Fire OS (not Vega OS), so you’ve got access to the full app library of over 30,000 apps, plus the ability to sideload legitimate apps if needed.
If you bought a Fire TV Stick 4K last week, you don’t need to upgrade. You already own the “Plus” – you’ve just got an old box sitting in your drawer.
The only thing that’s changed is what’s written on the packaging and how the product appears in Amazon’s listings. That’s it.
Amazon has even confirmed that some customers might still receive packaging with the old “Fire TV Stick 4K” branding:
“Due to a recent name update from the Fire TV Stick 4K to the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, packaging appearance, including product name, may vary,” Amazon states. “Device functionality remains the same.”
The delay in bringing the new name to the UK was likely because Amazon still had warehouses full of the old packaging.
How Does This Compare To Roku’s Changes?
It’s worth noting that Amazon isn’t the only streaming device manufacturer mucking about with product names this year.
Back in June, Roku launched two new streaming sticks in the UK – the Roku Streaming Stick (HD) and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus (4K) – to replace the old Roku Express and Roku Express 4K.
But here’s the big difference: those were actually new products. Roku completely redesigned its entry-level streamers, shifting from small boxes to true stick formats that plug directly into your TV’s HDMI port.
They added voice remotes as standard on both models, included USB-C for power, and made them small enough to be powered directly from your TV’s USB port.
The hardware genuinely changed. The new names reflected actual product updates.
Amazon’s just… changed the name.
But Roku’s lineup is admittedly also confusing now – you can choose between the Roku Streaming Stick (HD), Roku Streaming Stick Plus (4K), and the older Roku Streaming Stick 4K. Only one of those is actually called “4K”, but two of them support 4K streaming.
Oh, and to add to the confusion, Roku used to sell a model called the ‘Roku Streaming Stick+’ several years ago – which you might still find from some third-party sellers.
The Current Fire TV Lineup
So where does this leave Amazon’s streaming stick range? Here’s what’s currently available in the UK:
Fire TV Stick HD (£39.99, currently £19.99):
Entry-level stick with 1080p streaming, WiFi 5, 1GB RAM. Runs Android-based Fire OS with full app support.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select (£49.99, currently £19.99):
Budget 4K stick running Vega OS. HDR10+ (no Dolby Vision), WiFi 5, 1GB RAM, limited app selection (around 900), no sideloading, VPN support now available.
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (£59.99, currently £24.99):
Mid-range 4K stick with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, WiFi 6, 2GB RAM. Runs Android-based Fire OS with full app support and sideloading capability.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (£69.99, currently £39.99):
Premium 4K stick with WiFi 6E, 16GB storage (double the others), faster processor. Includes Enhanced Alexa Voice Remote with Recent and Settings buttons.
At current sale prices (running until December 31), the hierarchy makes reasonable sense. You’re paying £5 increments for meaningful upgrades, which is fair enough – but the HD stick becomes all but obsolete at these discounted prices.
For a full breakdown of how these devices compare, see my Fire TV specs comparison.
Which Fire TV Should You Actually Buy?
Despite all the naming chaos, my recommendation hasn’t changed.
For most people, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus at £24.99 (on sale until December 31) remains the best choice.
You’re getting proper 4K streaming with Dolby Vision support, WiFi 6 for stable connectivity, 2GB of RAM for smooth performance, and access to the full Fire TV app ecosystem.
There are no questions about app availability, you can sideload legitimate apps if needed, and VPN support has been rock-solid for years rather than arriving months late.
The extra £5 over the Select buys you a significantly more capable device with none of the uncertainty.
If you want the absolute best performance and you’re willing to spend £39.99, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is worth the upgrade. You get noticeably faster speeds, WiFi 6E for future-proofing, double the storage, and the Enhanced remote with its handy additional buttons.
But the Plus at £24.99 offers better value for most people. The Max is for enthusiasts who want the best – it’s not essential.
As for the Select at £19.99? It’s harder to justify even at that aggressive price point. The £5 difference to get the Plus is worth it for Dolby Vision alone, let alone the doubled RAM, better WiFi, full app support, and no restrictions on sideloading.
The Select makes sense as a second or third stick for a bedroom TV where you’ll only use mainstream services. But as your primary streaming device? Get the Plus.
Oh, and if you’ve got an old Fire TV device gathering dust, don’t forget about Amazon’s trade-in programme.
You can get an extra 20% off any of these sticks plus a £3-£6 gift card by sending your old device back. That brings the Plus down to just £19.99 with the trade-in discount – the same price as the Select without any compromises.
The deals run until December 31, so you’ve got a bit of time to decide.
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I have an old Fire TV stick LITE which works better than my 2nd Gen Fire TV Cube which is very “buggie” What happened to the LITE model? It never gets a mention. Amazon has lost its way.
My brother no longer wants to buy anymore because poor didn’t work Amazon picture hot too much be careful your TV.
I suggest you never buy a fire stick go for Xiaomi Stick instead ..no more restrictions on VPN no Amazon account needed far better pice of hardware.