Which One to Buy – Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast? Check out the Complete Features, Pricing, UI and Variants of the Two Devices and Which One Works Better for Which Application (2021)

The basic difference between a smart TV and the usual TV is that a smart TV is connected to the internet, just like your smartphone. Now, media streaming devices are gadgets that can convert your old TV into a smart TV, i.e. a media streaming player connects your TV to the internet and allows you to stream movies and music from various online app services. These are very basic devices that need only a few connections, including video (HDMI or composite), audio (RCA or Digital), and ethernet networking jacks. These devices come with built-in Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity and a remote control to carry out various operations.

You're simply asked to connect the streaming device to your TV, and then you can enjoy various features, including streaming movies, TV shows, music, and you can also view your photos, check weather reports, and much more. They also offer a variety of additional apps, including YouTube and Twitter.

In order to set up a media streaming device with your TV, all you need is a High Definition (HD) TV, a broadband internet connection and a home network. After this, you can subscribe to your favourite services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Go, etc. and enjoy the best content in the comfort of your home. Some of the best media streaming devices available in India are Roku Player, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Nvidia Shield TV.

If you're looking for a media streaming stick, the 2 most preferred options for you to choose from are – Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Chromecast. Though both the devices are sticks that stream video on your TV, they're quite different functionally. Here are a few points for you to consider before you go ahead and buy one for yourself:

Google Chromecast lacks any interface, and it's just a conduit for the video. You open the app on your Android or iOS device and choose the cast option inside the app in order to connect to the TV. Here, your smartphone works as a remote. Also, you can mirror your device's display, which allows you to view your pictures and saved videos or open an app to stream whatever you like. Chromecast doesn't allow you to do anything on your TV screen and all the navigation and selection takes place on your device (phone, tablet or PC).

Amazon Fire TV Stick, on the other hand, offers an interface and is a device in itself. It comes with a Bluetooth remote, and it allows you to install several apps in its internal memory. This product by Amazon is more convenient to use as it shows the "Recent" tab on the home screen to show you the recent apps streamed. Also, it allows you to simply play or resume the video using the remote, which needs to be done with the help of a smartphone in the case of the Google Chromecast, i.e. there's no need for your smartphone; all you need is a TV and the Amazon Fire TV Stick dongle.

Hence, Amazon Fire TV Stick is a lot easier to use if you want an independent device, while if you're looking for a device that can do both screen-mirroring and providing a handful of apps that you can stream, then Chromecast provides you with a bit more flexibility.

Google Chromecast is a small media streaming device, and it works once plugged into the HDMI port on your TV. You can use your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, tablet, Mac, and Windows laptop to cast movies, shows or games to your TV.

Amazon Fire TV Stick works for any TV with HD or UHD and an HDMI port along with a wireless internet connection. Also, you must have a regular Amazon account to enjoy the benefits of the device. You can also connect it to other smart home devices for added voice functionality.

Most of you are going to use either of the devices to stream videos on your TV, and both the devices can stream for services including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Spotify, etc. However, there's a bit of a difference in the features offered by these devices.

Amazon Fire TV Stick comes with Amazon's exclusive voice control assistant – Alexa, through which you can also control the Fire TV Stick through simple voice commands; Chromecast, on the other hand, doesn't have any such functionality, and you'll have to get Google's smart speaker – Google Home if you want to access your TV via voice control.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick comes in two variants – the basic version, which supports video quality up to 1080p, and is available on Amazon for ₹ 2,999.00 and the 4K variant, which, as the name suggests, can play up to 4K resolutions. It can be bought on Amazon for ₹ 5,999.00.

The same is the case with Chromecast, which is available in two variants – Chromecast, available for ₹ 3,499.00 on Flipkart, and the Chromecast Ultra, which is available for ₹ 6,850.00 on IndiaMART.

Since both the devices are absolutely amazing, it becomes a little tricky when it comes to choosing one. However, the choice isn't really that difficult. If you stream a lot of videos online, then the Amazon Fire TV Stick is definitely a better option for you because it offers many apps itself, which makes it easy to use without a smartphone (and, of course, with a convenient remote).

If you don't care much about streaming or Amazon Prime services and spend most of the time with your phone, Google Chromecast would be a better option as it makes it easy to stream your device's display to your TV and it supports audio streaming from your device.

In other words, if you are buying your first streaming device, it makes sense to buy Amazon Fire TV Stick only, as it is basically plug-and-play, and its user interface is as simple as it can be, while Chromecast is suitable for a bit advanced users, who want to explore more technical stuff with this Google's smart streaming device!