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Why You Need a Streaming Device
Your Built-In TV Apps Are Awful
Best Overall
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Plus
For Google TV or Phone Streaming
Chromecast With Google TV
For Amazon Lovers
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)
You probably stream most, if not all, of your content. A good streaming device makes that process easier. If you’ve purchased a new TV recently, it may have its own streaming interface. Some of these are fine, but a stand-alone streaming device can offer a better experience. We’ve tried them all—from Roku, Apple, Google, Amazon, and even a cheap Walmart-owned brand—so you don’t have to, and we’ve separated each of our favorites by what they do best.
Be sure to check out all our guides, especially for picking the Best Roku and the Best Streaming Services, as well as the Best TVs, Best Soundbars, and Best Smart Speakers.
Updated October 2023: We’ve added the new Amazon Fire TV 4K Max and a note about the newest Walmart Onn device.
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Photograph: Juan Moyano/Getty Images
Why You Need a Streaming Device
Your Built-In TV Apps Are Awful
If you just bought a smart TV, you may be wondering: Why pay extra for a streaming device? TV makers are far better at manufacturing beautiful screens than they are at building good software. So unless that TV was a Roku TV, Google TV, or a Vizio, you should consider an external streaming device. Chances are high that your TV’s house-made apps are slow, poorly designed, and out of date—and that’s if it has the apps you want at all.
The streaming apps for Roku, Google TV, Fire TV, and Apple TV are typically the best you’ll find, and if they’re broken they get fixed very quickly. LG, Samsung, and any number of other TVs come with their own interfaces, but we advise you to ignore them.
Which TV OS Should You Choose?
- Roku is our favorite streaming OS because it has just about every streaming app there is, and the setup is hassle-free. You don’t have to be technologically savvy to figure it out. Roku also isn’t made by one of the major tech companies. Even though it’s moved to include home security in its lineup, the company survives on how well its streaming device platform performs.
- Chromecast used to eschew an interface altogether (and older models still hold true to this), but the newest version has Google TV built-in. Though that’s no longer its main draw, it has the added benefit of letting you send web pages or other content directly from your smartphone (it’s easiest on an Android Phone), which is quite handy. You can also do this with Apple TV’s Airplay 2 functionality, but you need an iOS or macOS device.
- Google TV, formerly called Android TV, is Google’s latest streaming OS. It’s been around for years, but it just recently (in 2020) nailed the experience. With its newest Chromecast, we stopped seeing the bugs and problems that used to plague the platform, and it includes basically every streaming app out there, as well as YouTube and Spotify. The only problem is that these don’t manage storage quite as well and can be a little laggy.
- Amazon Fire TV is geared toward those who really enjoy Amazon’s ecosystem, and it will quickly point you to its content. It also has a great voice interface. Unfortunately, it sometimes feels like an ad for Amazon stuff more than a diverse ecosystem of apps and content. If you buy or rent a lot of movies from Amazon and subscribe to Prime, the Fire TV is appealing. If not, go with a Roku.
- Apple TV has a slick interface and Apple’s usual gloss. It wasn’t updating its models or its interface all that often, but recently we’ve seen improvements. If you have a house full of Apple stuff and enjoy AirPlay, you may as well complete your collection.
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Photograph: Roku
Best Overall
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Plus
Roku’s interface is the easiest to navigate, and all the major streaming services are there. There are several options, but the Streaming Sticks have held our top spot for years, and the most recent version is the 4K Plus. We think most people will like the stick—it’s affordable, and the 4K Plus is faster and comes with a longer-range wireless receiver; it also plugs right into your TV’s HDMI port, so you won’t see it dangling.
It has a hands-free remote. There’s a slider on the side of the remote that, if pushed to the on position, allows you to talk to your remote from anywhere in the room. Say “Hey Roku, play Succession on Max” without lifting a finger (yep, Roku now supports Max!). Remote lost in the couch cushions? Just ask Roku where it is to activate a beep. You’ll have to charge the remote, which I don’t particularly love having to remember, but you do save money on replacing batteries.
★ Another Streaming Stick: The Streaming Stick 4K ($50) is a little cheaper, and its remote doesn’t have hands-free voice control. Roku products are frequently discounted too.
Roku connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Google
For Google TV or Phone Streaming
Chromecast With Google TV
This Chromecast (8/10, WIRED recommends) is a great streaming device. It adds a remote—a much-needed companion that Chromecast used to lack—plus built-in Google TV (formerly Android TV), so you don’t ever have to touch your phone to watch TV if you don’t want to. Google TV got an upgrade too, and its interface is now nicer than Roku’s. You can browse and search across platforms, so you can find where a specific title is streaming or look for something broader, like comedies. It makes finding something to watch a faster and easier process. Plus you can search with your voice via Google Assistant, which can also control your smart home devices or answer questions.
The only downside? Despite having more storage than the Roku, with 8 gigs, several people, including one of our testers, found that it ran out of room quickly. You may have to regularly clear the cache yourself, which is annoying.
★ HD alternative: Google released an HD version for just $30. It streams in 1080p HDR and includes all the features we love about Google TV, like its excellent search. However, I find it disconnects from my Wi-Fi frequently, even when my actual TV is connected and working.
Google TV connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Best Buy
For Amazon Lovers
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)
The 2nd-generation Fire Stick 4K Max is the device you should get if you primarily watch Amazon Prime shows and movies. You can access any of the major streaming apps, but it’s obviously tailored to Prime content. It has 16 gigabytes of storage compared to the last version’s 8 GB, supports Wi-Fi 6E, and it’s fast and easy to set up and use.
Like the last 4K Max, there’s picture-in-picture for pulling up security camera feeds or controlling other smart home devices. Alexa is built in to the remote too. There’s a new “Ambient Experience” feature that displays and cycles through art or nature scenes when you aren’t streaming, and there’s a large selection of collections to choose from. Wondering what that painting is? Just ask Alexa to tell you more about it.
★ 4K alternative: The latest version of the Fire Stick 4K ($50) is fine too, but it’s worth spending the extra $10. When we tried both side by side, the standard 4K model was noticeably slower.
Fire TV connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Apple
For Apple Purists
Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation)
Apple TVs are expensive, but they’re worth the extra cash if you own an iPhone and buy movies and shows from Apple’s library (or subscribe to Apple TV Plus). This 2022 model (9/10, WIRED Recommends) has a sleek interface and some seriously dope features, like the ability to play sounds on two pairs of AirPods with no sound in the room or to watch movies together with a friend over FaceTime. The latest model also gets HDR10+, which means the most vivid color possible.
The included remote control also now comes with USB-C charging, which makes it even easier to juice up every few months. There are two models to choose from: one with Wi-Fi and 64 gigs of memory, and one with Ethernet and 128 gigs of memory for $20 more. I’d spring for the bigger one, but that’s just me.
Apple TV connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Roku
For Late-Night Streamers
Roku Ultra (2022)
If you’re sensing a theme: Yes, we’re big Roku fans. The Ultra has the strongest dual-band Wi-Fi of Roku’s devices, plus there’s an Ethernet port for wired connections if necessary. It can stream in Dolby Vision, and this 2022 version supports HDR10+, a feature we noted was lacking in its predecessor.
It has a headphone jack for private listening when the rest of the house is asleep—and surprisingly nice headphones. Plus there’s a remote finder. It’s not as easy as the voice option on the Streaming Stick 4K Plus, but it will beep once you’ve activated this feature on the TV.
Roku connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Roku
If You Don’t Own a Soundbar
Roku Streambar
A good soundbar will seriously improve your TV-watching experience. A soundbar with streaming capabilities built in is even better for those of us who don’t want an excess of devices. Roku no longer sells our favorite from its lineup, but there are still two options: the Streambar ($130) and Streambar Pro ($180).
Both have Night Listening Mode, quieting explosive sounds so you won’t annoy your family. The former is just 14 inches long, so it should work with smaller TVs and TV stands. The Pro, which we have yet to try, is 32 inches long and has four 2.5-inch full-range drivers compared to the Streambar’s four 1.9-inch drivers. Despite having not tested it in person yet, we’re confident it’s a quality product based on the dozens of other Rokus we’ve tried—including the other soundbars. For the absolute best sound possible, you might want to go with one of our other recommendations.
Roku connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Tivo
If None of Those Appeal to You
TiVo Stream 4K
Yep, TiVo does streaming now. The Stream 4K uses Android TV, an older version of Google TV. Android TV categorizes recommendations by streaming service, and TiVo has its own menu too, which sorts recommendations based on genre rather than service. You can also search across all services. When we tried it, both Sling and YouTube TV could be integrated into the live TV guide, but now only the latter works. You can still use the Sling app directly though.
There’s a Google Assistant button but no voice-to-text for filling in long emails and passwords. I like the remote, but my finger kept going to the TiVo button instead of the selection button, so while trying to pause a movie I kept sending myself back to the main menu. That might just be me. If you really hate Roku, it’s not bad for the price.
Android TV connects to all major streaming services.
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Photograph: Walmart
The Cheapest Option
Onn FHD Streaming Device
If you just need “a device” and want to spend less than $30, Walmart’s Onn brand is affordable. There are better options on this list, but Onn works. Setup is easy, and it comes with an HDMI extender if the stick doesn’t fit into your TV. It also has Google Assistant, and you can cast from your phone. The included remote controls both your volume and power. This streaming device is HD, but not 4K.
★ 4K alternative: This has been out of stock, and there’s a new Onn 4K streaming box available for $20. We haven’t tried this one yet, but it seems comparable, with the added upgrade of streaming in 4K instead of HD. When we tested the HD stick, it was running Android TV, but this 2023 box uses Google TV.
Google TV connects to all major streaming services.
