Best Streaming Stick for LG Smart TV (2026)
An LG smart TV already runs webOS on its own apps. A streaming stick is a second HDMI input, not a replacement for that system. LG calls HDMI-CEC Simplink. With Simplink on, the stick’s remote can turn the TV on and change the volume. It does not open webOS apps, and it should not occupy the HDMI port labeled eARC if a soundbar is using that port. Dolby Vision is the HDR format on LG OLEDs and on the LG sets that list it. HDR10+ from a stick stays HDR10+.
Use the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen). Amazon’s sheet for the 2nd Gen, build AFTKRT, lists 4K at 60 fps, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Atmos. Wi-Fi is 6E across 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz. Storage is 16 GB, with external storage supported. The 6 GHz band needs a Wi-Fi 6E router. A TV that does not list Dolby Vision will not display that mode.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Reviewed October 2026 · Specs checked against the manufacturer pages named below
2nd Gen, AFTKRT. Dolby Vision, Atmos, Wi-Fi 6E, 16 GB.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓2025 model, AFTMA08C15. Dolby Vision and Atmos, on Wi-Fi 6, with 8 GB.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Model 3830R. About 2.5 W from the TV. HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. Dolby Vision is not on this sheet.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
How We Tested
Picture formats, Wi-Fi bands, storage, and power figures come from Amazon’s Fire TV device specifications and from Roku’s Streaming Stick Plus page plus Roku’s developer hardware table. HDMI-CEC on an LG set is the control LG names Simplink. This page does not add its own playback test.
The streaming sticks
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) View on Amazon
| Model | 2nd Gen, 2023. Build AFTKRT |
|---|---|
| Picture | 4K at 60 fps. Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos. HDMI 2.1 output, with ARC listed on the port |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz. Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Storage | 16 GB, 2 GB RAM. External storage is supported |
Amazon lists this stick as HDMI 2.1 out, with ARC on that port, 4K at 60 fps, and Dolby Vision profiles alongside HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. Dolby Atmos is in the audio section. RAM is 2 GB. The remote adds channel buttons next to power and volume, which is the Simplink path for the TV, not a way to browse webOS.
Put it in an HDMI port that is not the eARC port. The picture format still depends on the TV: an LG that lists Dolby Vision can use that line, and an LG that only lists HDR10 will show HDR10. Wi-Fi 6E’s 6 GHz band is there when the router has it. On a 5 GHz router the stick still connects. Nothing on this sheet is a 120 Hz mode.
- Dolby Vision is on the spec sheet, which is the HDR format LG OLEDs use
- Wi-Fi 6E adds a 6 GHz band when the router has one
- 16 GB, and Amazon says this generation supports external storage
- The remote has power, volume, and channel buttons for a compatible TV
- The 6 GHz band needs a Wi-Fi 6E router
- HDR10+ on the stick does not turn into Dolby Vision
- 4K on this sheet is 60 fps, not a 120 Hz game mode
- It is a second interface. webOS stays on its own HDMI input
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus View on Amazon
| Model | 2025. Build AFTMA08C15. Fire OS 8 |
|---|---|
| Picture | 4K at 60 fps. Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos. HDMI 2.1 output, with ARC listed on the port |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Storage | 8 GB, 2 GB RAM. Amazon’s help page says no external storage |
Amazon’s 2025 sheet gives the Plus the same picture list as the Max: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and 4K at 60 fps, plus Dolby Atmos. Wi-Fi 6 is 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz only. Storage is 8 GB, and Amazon’s identification page says external storage is not available on this one. RAM is still 2 GB. The processor line tops out at 1.7 GHz, against 2.0 GHz on the Max.
Choose it when the router has no 6 GHz radio and 8 GB is enough for the apps you install. The HDMI port advice is the same: leave eARC for the soundbar, and leave Simplink on if the remote should power the LG and set its volume. webOS remains the other input.
- The same Dolby Vision and Atmos lines as the Max
- Wi-Fi 6 is enough on a 5 GHz router
- Still an HDMI stick, not a separate box
- Power and volume buttons are on the remote
- No 6 GHz radio
- 8 GB, and the help page says external storage is not available
- The CPU on Amazon’s sheet tops out at 1.7 GHz, under the Max
- HDR10+ still is not LG’s Dolby Vision mode
Roku Streaming Stick Plus View on Amazon
| Model | 3830R. Roku’s developer sheet lists it as 3830X, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Picture | 4K at 60 fps. HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG |
| Power | About 2.5 W. 5V at 1A. Roku says the TV can power it |
| Wireless | Dual-band Wi-Fi, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz |
| Size | 3.7 × 0.80 × 0.45 inches, 26 g. USB-C power cable in the box |
Roku’s product page rates the Plus at about 2.5 W while streaming 4K, with a 5V, 1A input, and says the TV can power it. The box includes a USB-C to USB-A cable. The body is 3.7 × 0.80 × 0.45 inches and 26 g. The developer hardware table for this 2025 stick lists HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. Dolby Vision is not on that row. On an LG OLED, a Dolby Vision stream from this stick does not get a Dolby Vision flag the set can switch into.
4K at 60 fps needs an HDMI port that supports HDCP 2.2, which is Roku’s own requirement. Dual-band Wi-Fi is 2.4 and 5 GHz. The voice remote’s power and volume buttons are the Simplink controls. If the TV’s USB port cannot hold 5V at 1A, that power note no longer applies and the stick needs a supply that can.
- Roku says it can take power from the TV, at about 2.5 W
- The remote’s power and volume buttons work with most TVs
- 4K60 and HDR10 are on the sheet
- AirPlay is listed, along with Alexa and Google Home
- Dolby Vision is not on Roku’s hardware sheet for this stick
- HDR10+ is a format many LG sets do not switch into
- No Wi-Fi 6E
- The TV’s USB port has to supply 5V at 1A
Dolby Vision is the LG format. The eARC port stays with the soundbar.
Comparison Table
| Stick | Dolby Vision | Wireless | Power note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K Max, AFTKRT | Listed | Wi-Fi 6E, including 6 GHz | 16 GB, external storage supported |
| 4K Plus, AFTMA08C15 | Listed | Wi-Fi 6, 2.4 and 5 GHz | 8 GB, no external storage on Amazon’s help page |
| Roku Plus, 3830R | Not on the developer sheet | 2.4 and 5 GHz | About 2.5 W, 5V at 1A, from the TV |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the stick replace webOS?
No. It is another HDMI input. webOS and its apps stay on the TV. Change inputs to go back.
Will HDR10+ play as Dolby Vision on an LG?
No. Dolby Vision has to be listed on the stick and on that LG model. The Roku Plus sheet lists HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG.
Which HDMI port should it use?
A port that is not marked eARC, when a soundbar is using eARC. Simplink is what lets the stick remote power the set and change volume.
Does the stick make the panel sharper?
It sends 4K at 60 fps and the HDR format both sides list. It does not change the panel.
Final Verdict
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, 2nd Gen, is the stick whose sheet lists Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6E, and 16 GB for an LG set that can show Dolby Vision. The 4K Plus keeps that Dolby Vision list on Wi-Fi 6, with 8 GB and no external storage. The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is the one Roku says the TV can power, and its HDR list stops at HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG.