dongle

Although it is true that 4K dominates marketing, HD streaming is still the king of the second homes, bedrooms and old TVs who refuse to die. If you want to convert a standard television into smartwith a simple dongle you can achieve it and for less than 50 euros. Today, there are two devices of this type that are leaders: the Fire TV Stick HD and the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen). We confront both throughout this post so that you can choose one of them to give a second life to an old television that you have at home. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD (latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi TV Stick HD 2nd Gen The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Technical data sheet of the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) and the Fire TV Stick HD Xiaomi tv stick hd (2nd gen) fire tv stick hd Maximum resolution 1080p (Full HD) at 60 fps 1080p (Full HD) at 60 fps processor Quad-core Cortex-A55 Quad-core 1.7 GHz (Optimized) ram memory 1GB LPDDR4 1GB DDR4 Storage 8GB eMMC 8GB operating system Google TV (based on Android 14) Fire OS (Amazon Ecosystem) video codecs AV1, VP9, ​​H.265 (HEVC) AV1, H.265 (HEVC), H.264 hdr HDR10, HDRO10+, HLG HDR10, HDRO10+, HLG audio Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Dolby Atmos (passthrough), Dolby Digital Connectivity Wi-Fi 5 (Dual Band), Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 6 (Basic Support), Bluetooth 5.3 Ports HDMI (built-in), Micro-USB (Charging) HDMI (built-in), USB-C (Charging) voice assistant Google Assistant Alexa extra features Chromecast built-in Support for Ring/Echo cameras remote control Bluetooth with direct access to YouTube Bluetooth with TV channel buttons price from 59.99 euros (only for sale at Powerplanet) 49.99 euros (not yet for sale) At first glance, in this comparison table you can already see how these are similar and what they are not. dongles. But so that you are clearer about the best option for your TV (and your own tastes and needs), we are going to delve into their differences. Software and philosophy: customization or recommendation? This is the main difference between both models, since you are not buying just hardware but you are choosing the operating system that you will see every time you turn on the screen. The Xiaomi device works under the latest version of Google TV. One of its great advantages is neutrality, since Google recommends content based on what you seewithout aggressively prioritizing its own platform. In addition, having Chromecast integrated is a lifesaver, since you can send content from your mobile directly, with just one touch. Instead, the Fire TV Stick HD uses Fire OS. Here, you could say that Amazon is the owner and this shows. The interface is fluid, but designed for you to consume Prime Video content. One of its strong points in 2026 is its integration with home automation. So if you have a smart home with the Alexa ecosystemyou can see who is knocking at your door (if you have a Ring video doorbell) or ask the voice assistant to turn off the lights in the living room, for example. Of course, you have to be prepared to see banners of advertising for their own series on the home screen, something that not everyone likes. The controller: the physical connection with the content Both controls They work via Bluetooth (which prevents you from having to point them directly at the TV); The sensations of use are different. Xiaomi bets on the extreme minimalism. Its buttons are very quiet and have dedicated shortcuts. Of course, Google’s voice assistant delivers, but sometimes it may seem a little slower, especially when processing complex requests. On the contrary, Amazon’s command is already a reference. Is ergonomic, robust and the button intended for Alexa works instantly. Voice search allows natural commands and the system gets it right. Performance and memory management On paper, both devices are entry-level, although there are some differences in performance. Don’t be fooled by the RAM numbers, which are still frozen at 1 GB in both models. The secret of this renewal (in the case of Xiaomi) is purely hardware: the processor makes the leap in architecture A53 to A55while the graphic section is modernized from a Mali-450 to Mali-G31 MP2. How does this show up on a day-to-day basis? It doesn’t change the number of apps you can keep in the background, but rather the pure speed at which the stick responds. Both models, on the other hand, decode the AV1 codecsomething vital in 2026. This means that it allows you to watch HD streaming with superior image quality while consuming 30% less data. If your connection is unstable or you use your mobile as a hotspot, AV1 can significantly reduce interruptions during playback In this section we would also have to talk about connectivity. Here the Amazon Fire TV Stick stick out his chest with his WiFi 6 compatibility (compared to WiFi 5 of the Xiaomi model). If you have a modern router at home, the connection is stronger and has less latency, something you will notice a lot, especially if you use cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Amazon Luna. Why buy the Xiaomi Stick HD (2nd Gen)? Although still It is not officially for sale in Spain (at the moment we have only found it on Powerplanet for 59.99 euros), if you want to wait to get it dongle from the Chinese manufacturer in other stores, these are the reasons why it would be worth waiting to buy it. You send a lot of content from the mobilelsince the built-in Chromecast is much more stable than Amazon’s mirroring system. It’s perfect if you project photos from your gallery, videos from social networks or Chrome tabs to your TV. Do you like to enjoy a Clean interface without intrusive ads. Want customize your home screen to the millimeteruse apps that are not in official stores or you want full access to the Google … Read more