There are an overwhelming number of ways to watch online content on your TV. Your television might have built-in apps, for instance. Or you might own a Blu-ray player or gaming console with built-in streaming services. If neither case applies, or if your streaming device doesn’t offer the exact features you want, you can always buy a dedicated media streaming hub for well under $100 (and the options that cost more than that have their own unique appeal)..
Here are our top picks for media streamers, along with what you should know about each platform.
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More About Our Picks
Best for Alexa Users
Bottom Line:
With 4K HDR, Amazon Alexa, and very peppy performance, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is the best media streamer you can buy for under $50.
Pros
- Affordable
- Supports 4K with HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- Amazon Alexa
- Quick Wi-Fi streaming and menu navigation
Cons
- Ethernet adapter not included
Why We Picked It
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is one of two competing media streamers that offer incredible value for just $50. The Amazon streaming stick is loaded with features, including the Amazon Alexa voice assistant (you can talk directly into the remote or pair the device with an Echo smart speaker for hands-free voice control). It streams at ultra high-definition (4K) resolution with support for high dynamic range (HDR) content in both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, plus covers all major streaming services, including Crunchyroll and Twitch.
Who It’s For
This is the media streamer to get if you subscribe to Amazon Prime and use Alexa-compatible smart devices at home. Prime Video offers tons of content and the Fire TV interface sorts through it quite nicely (as well as aggregating many other, non-Amazon services). If you already have an Echo and use Alexa to control your lights, a Fire TV media hub carries that flexibility over into the remote. And if you have a Ring security camera or video doorbell, you can bring up its feed on your TV through the stick.
Chromecast With Google TV (4K)
Best for Google Assistant Users
Bottom Line:
The Chromecast With Google TV finally adds a remote and on-screen interface with a new and simple menu system to the popular media streamer.
Pros
- Attractive, accessible new Google TV interface
- 4K with HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- Useful Google Assistant and Cast features
- Affordable
Cons
- Live TV tab only supports YouTube TV
Why We Picked It
This is the other excellent $50 media hub to consider. Google TV is Google’s take on the media-streaming and smart TV platform, and it’s every bit as polished and feature-filled as Fire TV, if not more so. The big difference is that it uses Google Assistant instead of Amazon Alexa, as well as supports Google Cast streaming from your Android phone or Chrome tab. Fire TV supports WiDi/Miracast, while Google Cast is much easier to use for Android users (iPhone and iPad users should consider a Roku device with Apple AirPlay 2 support instead). Besides that, it has all of the same big streaming names, and streams 4K content in HDR10 or Dolby Vision. It’s a lot of media for a little back-of-TV dongle.
Who It’s For
Dedicated Android users who like Google Assistant will get the most out of the Chromecast With Google TV (4K). If you haven’t committed to a voice assistant or smart home ecosystem yet, you can try both with the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant apps and get a feel for which one you prefer.
Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Best for Hands-Free Alexa Voice Control
Bottom Line:
The Amazon Fire TV Cube remains one of the most capable media streamers on the market thanks to its hands-free Alexa voice control, and the third-generation model adds Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI pass-through.
Pros
- Hands-free Alexa voice assistance
- HDMI pass-through with Alexa overlay
- Supports Wi-Fi 6E
- Fast performance
Cons
- Expensive
- Wi-Fi 6E doesn’t necessarily offer video benefits
Why We Picked It
The Fire TV Cube remains the most powerful Fire TV media streamer available. It has one big advantage and a few small ones over the cheaper Fire TV Stick 4K that helps justify its much higher price. First, it has far-field microphones that let you interact with Amazon’s Alexa assistant hands-free, which is much more convenient than picking up the remote, holding the voice button, and speaking into it. It’s effectively an Echo speaker and a Fire TV Stick 4K mashed into one device. It also now has HDMI pass-through, so you can get Alexa visual information on your TV while you use your set-top box or game console. Finally, it supports Wi-Fi 6E, though anything over Wi-Fi 5 is a bit overkill for the bandwidth 4K HDR content requires.
Who It’s For
Like the Fire TV Stick 4K, this is best for dedicated Amazon users. Even if you aren’t already deep in Amazon’s device ecosystem, this is an excellent starting point to go hands-free with your home theater and begin using smart home devices. Neither Apple nor Google offers a media streamer with far-field microphones, though some televisions with the Google TV platform on board have hands-free Google Assistant.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021)
Best for Affordable AirPlay
Bottom Line:
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a powerful media streamer for watching 4K HDR content from many streaming apps, and AirPlay support lets you easily mirror Apple devices.
Pros
- Fast, responsive performance
- Sleek, small design
- Supports Apple AirPlay and Dolby Vision
Cons
- Voice features still lag those of Amazon Fire TV and Google TV
- No Twitch app available
- 5GHz Wi-Fi hiccup in testing
Why We Picked It
Amazon Fire TV and Google TV have a bit more whole-home power because of their fully functional voice assistants, but Roku is still an excellent platform purely for media streaming. And the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is an ideal choice in the lineup. It’s another $50 media hub that plugs into the back of your TV and offers 4K media streaming with support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision with a big benefit Fire TV and Google TV lack: Apple AirPlay support. That integration lets iPhone, iPad, and Mac users stream their screens to the TV via the Streaming Stick 4K.
Because the Roku interface is so focused on media and doesn’t have many non-media features like smart home control or voice assistants, it’s also much more accessible to users who don’t want to build their home theater into a hub for everything in their home.
Who It’s For
Apple users should get plenty of use out of the Streaming Stick 4K because of its AirPlay support (at a quarter of the cost of an Apple TV 4K). Its simple interface should also appeal to less tech-savvy users who want to stream their favorite shows without dealing with extraneous features.
Best Remote
Bottom Line:
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ bundles the company’s Streaming Stick 4K and Voice Remote Pro into one compelling package for hands-free 4K media streaming.
Pros
- Plenty of apps and services
- Hands-free voice control
- Headphone jack on remote
- Apple AirPlay support
Cons
- Voice search feature still lags behind Alexa and Google Assistant
- No Twitch
Why We Picked It
This is the same media streamer as the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, but with an upgraded remote. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ features the Roku Voice Remote Pro instead of the standard Voice Remote. Both remotes let you search for content by speaking into their microphones and can control your TV volume, but the Voice Remote Pro goes further. It has a mid-field microphone that lets you control the Streaming Stick 4K+ and your TV hands-free, along with a headphone jack for private listening. Both are nice bonuses on top of an already solid media streamer.
Who It’s For
The Voice Remote Pro is a solid upgrade over the standard Voice Remote. If the idea of controlling media playback and adjusting volume with only your voice appeals to you (and you don’t mind the lack of smart home and informational features a full voice assistant like Amazon Alexa would provide), this is a good pick. Even if you don’t care about hands-free control, the headphone jack on the remote is extremely useful for listening to whatever you’re watching without disturbing anyone next to you, which makes the Streaming Stick 4K+ an ideal media hub for a bedroom TV.
Best Connection Options
Bottom Line:
The 2022 edition of the Roku Ultra remains a compelling media streamer, especially now that it comes with a Voice Remote Pro for hands-free voice control.
Pros
- Voice Remote Pro features hands-free voice control, a headphone jack, and remote finder function
- Supports Apple AirPlay 2
- Strong media app selection
Cons
- Voice features still lag behind Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- No Twitch app
Why We Picked It
The Roku Ultra is Roku’s top-of-the-line media streamer and has all of the features of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+, including the Voice Remote Pro. Its larger size means you should tuck it under your TV instead of plugging it in the back, but that adds a few advantages you won’t get with behind-the-TV streaming sticks. For instance, a button on the device lets you activate the remote finder function (it chirps so you can find it under the couch cushions). It also has a full-size USB-A port for connecting local storage, plus an Ethernet port for a wired network connection.
Who It’s For
If you want to play any media stored locally on a USB drive and your TV doesn’t already support that option (or you don’t want to deal with your TVs native interface), the Roku Ultra is your best bet. It’s also worth considering if you keep misplacing your remote.
Best for HomeKit Control
Bottom Line:
The second-generation Apple TV 4K is overpriced, but it remains an excellent media streamer, especially if you use the company’s other products and services.
Pros
- Improved remote
- Plenty of useful features including AirPlay, HomeKit, and Siri
- Dolby Vision support
- Comes with a free year of Apple TV+
Cons
- Expensive
- Interface and remote tend to funnel you into the Apple TV app
Why We Picked It
Let’s be completely honest. The Apple TV 4K is an overpriced media streamer that has gotten less relevant as both Apple AirPlay and the Apple TV app have become available on other media streamers and TVs. This doesn’t mean it’s completely useless, though. It’s still a capable media streamer and can serve as an Apple HomeKit hub if you prefer that ecosystem for your smart home devices. Of course, the HomePod Mini smart speaker can also function as your HomeKit hub and offers hands-free Siri for half the price, even if it doesn’t stream video.
Who It’s For
This is for dedicated Apple users. If you have an iPhone, an iPad, a Mac (or more than one of any of them), and all your smart light, lock, and thermostats support HomeKit, this will tie them together in your living room. It’s too expensive for non-hardcore Apple fans, though.
What Does Amazon Fire TV Do?
Amazon’s Fire TV platform is a modified version of Android that puts Amazon’s Prime content right at your fingertips, including Prime Video and Music Prime. Plenty of other content services are available through the Fire TV platform as individual apps, such as Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube.
Amazon equips Fire TV devices with Alexa, the same voice assistant in the company’s Echo smart speakers. It’s a handy tool to use with the voice remote that current Fire TV Sticks include. And, if you want hands-free Alexa with your Fire TV, the Fire TV Cube features a far-field microphone array that can pick up your commands just like a standalone speaker.
Video Streaming Services: What You Should Know
What Does Google TV Do?
Android TV was Google’s dedicated Android-based media streamer menu system, which is different from the heavily modified version of Android that Amazon’s Fire TV products use. It was capable and is still available on the TiVo Stream 4K, but Google TV is slowly replacing it.
Google TV is an updated, streamlined version of Android TV. It offers all of the same apps and services, plus Google Assistant for voice control and Google Cast for local streaming. It first arrived on the Chromecast With Google TV in 2020, plus features on all of Sony’s latest TVs and some TCL TVs. The system offers all of the benefits of the outgoing Android TV platform, but with a more intuitive and useful interface complete with better content suggestions.
It covers all of the streaming media bases that Fire TV does (including Amazon Prime Video), with Google Assistant instead of Amazon Alexa. Google Cast is also a useful benefit for Android phone users.
What Does Roku Do?
Roku calls the services and apps available on its devices Channels and currently offers thousands of choices in the Roku Channel Store. All of the big streaming media names are available, including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and Sling TV, along with many smaller, niche apps and services for movies, sports, weather, news, and international content. It also has Apple AirPlay support.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K, Streaming Stick 4K+, and Ultra all stand out as top choices. Each offers 4K video with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. The Streaming Stick 4K+ and Ultra feature Roku’s Voice Remote Pro, which boasts hands-free voice control, a remote finder function, and a headphone jack for private listening. The Ultra is the most expensive, but it’s the only model with Ethernet (for wired network connections) and USB ports (for playing media directly from a USB drive).
On top of dedicated media streamers, Roku also offers a soundbar with media streaming functions, the Roku Streambar Pro ($179.99). It’s expensive as a media hub, but that price is more than reasonable for a modest stereo soundbar with the additional benefit of streaming 4K video.
If you’re looking for a smaller package that still has all of the features (but not the audio power) of the Streambar Pro, check out the Roku Streambar. You can pair either device with the Roku TV Wireless Speakers for surround sound and the Roku Wireless Subwoofer for more rumble.
Roku has also established itself as one of the biggest companies for smart TV platforms with Roku TV. The company doesn’t make TVs but offers its technology to manufacturers to incorporate into their screens. A dozen companies including Hisense and TCL use it on their TVs, for instance. Roku TVs work just like Roku media streamers, except that they are built directly into the sets. The majority of Roku TVs now are 4K and support HDR, as well.
Is an Apple TV Worth Buying?
Apple’s content and AirPlay 2 support are available on many smart TVs and media streamers, but the company still sells the Apple TV 4K, the latest iteration of which includes a faster CPU and a new remote. It also offers the ability to Color Balance your TV with a compatible iPhone. Still, it seems less and less necessary, in light of its high price and Apple’s continual expansion of services.
Recommended by Our Editors
If you simply want to access iTunes content on your TV and already have an iPhone or iPad, your TV might be able to do that without a media streamer. All TVs that use Roku TV, along with LG, Samsung, and Vizio’s TVs, support Apple AirPlay 2. AirPlay lets you stream media from your iOS device directly to your TV over Apple’s platform, which is part of the big appeal of Apple TV in the first place.
The Apple TV app also provides access to most Apple-purchased movies and shows, including Apple TV+ content, on other devices. It’s available on LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices, Google TV devices, Roku devices, and even PlayStation and Xbox game consoles, which basically covers every major smart TV platform.
Apple TV is expensive compared with alternatives, but it still offers some benefits for dedicated Apple users: It functions as an Apple HomeKit hub and includes a remote that lets you talk to Siri. Those are the only real advantages of the Apple TV device over the Apple TV app, however. For the same price, you could get an Apple HomePod Mini and another media streamer on this list.
Can I Stream 8K?
What about 8K, you might be wondering? Don’t worry about it. Seriously, there’s no consumer 8K streaming service or even consumer 8K media, available. 8K TVs have begun to trickle out, but they won’t be much more than novelties for at least a few more years.
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