The vast majority of the best TVs use a dedicated OS, complete with access to the full gamut of video streaming apps. However, if you've found yourself struggling with your TV's native interface — be that due to its age, or because it's from a niche/no-frills TV brand and doesn't have the fastest processor — then a dedicated streaming device can often breathe new life into an old TV.The Amazon Fire TV Stick range is a perfect example. They couldn’t be simpler to install — just plug one into an HDMI port on your TV — or use. They can speed up navigating through menus by using dedicated processors that often outperform the built-in chips found in cheaper TVs — they’re literally built for one task — while also adding more functionality.I’ve broken down the benefits of using a dedicated streaming device compared to sticking with your TV’s own operating system.Faster navigation: Budget TV manufacturers often prioritise the display technology and tend to skimp on the processor to save on manufacturing costs. In these cases, a dedicated streaming stick with a more powerful chipset allows them to better handle both menu transitions and running apps.Longer lifespan - TV manufacturers eventually stop updating the built-in OS as your TV gets older, so a newer streaming device is a great way to bypass the OS altogether. The newest devices from Amazon and Apple also support Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which both can deliver speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, whereas most TVs over 2 years old only support the slower Wi-Fi 5 (3.5Gbps) standard.Smart home integration - While some of the bigger TV brands have built-in smart home support, Amazon, Google and Apple’s dedicated streamers are all designed to serve as central hubs for their respective smart home ecosystems (Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit). That means if you have other smart home devices, you can control them all from the comfort of your sofa.Of course, Apple and Google's latest dedicated streamers cost around AU$400 and AU$160 respectively, so they're not exactly cheap – which is where Amazon's Fire TV Sticks come in as a better option, with RRPs starting as low as $79.What’s more, this pre-Prime Day deal on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (the middle option of the family) sees it hitting an all-time low price, making that value proposition even more apparent — especially if you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the pricier Apple and Google offerings (and don’t mind a bit of integrated advertising).This Plus model is a refreshed version of the Fire TV Stick 4K, with its new name differentiating it from the lower-specced Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which has less RAM, no Dolby Vision support and only Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. The Select also isn’t discounted, making the Plus AU$5 cheaper than the latter with this deal. Don’t have a 4K TV? The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD runs on 1080p resolution and is also discounted to just AU$39.View DealStill not convinced? Here’s how the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus compares with the Apple TV 4K and the Google TV Streamer:Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K PlusApple TV 4KGoogle TV StreamerRRPAU$99AU$299AU$159Processor MediaTek MT8696D (1.7GHz Quad-core)Apple A15 Bionic (6-core CPU / 5-core GPU)MediaTek MT8696 (2.0GHz Quad-core)RAM2 GB4 GB4GBStorage8 GB64 GB (Wi-Fi) or 128 GB (Ethernet)32 GBWireless ConnectivityWi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.2Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.0Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth 5.1OSFire OS 8 (Android-based)Apple tvOSGoogle TV (Android 14)