The Best Media Streaming Devices for 2024

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We've been reviewing media hubs since Roku released its first "Netflix Player" 15 years ago, and since then, we've tested every major Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, and Roku device to come out. We've seen these media streamers evolve from bulky set-top boxes to tiny sticks you can plug into your TV's HDMI port and followed their growth from SD to HD to 4K. With a 4.5-star rating and an Editors' Choice award, the 4K version of the Amazon Fire TV Stick is our top pick, and its 1080p counterpart is a top affordable alternative. If Amazon doesn't appeal to you, our list of the best media streamers includes highly rated options for all budgets and streaming platforms.

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.

What Does Google TV Do?

Android TV was Google's dedicated Android-based media streamer menu system, which differs from the heavily modified version of Android that Amazon's Fire TV products use. The capable platform 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's available on most Hisense, Sony, and TCL TVs, along with the Google TV Streamer. 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), but with Google Assistant instead of Amazon Alexa. Google Cast is also useful 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).

In addition to dedicated media streamers, Roku also offers a soundbar with media streaming functions, the Roku Streambar ($129.99). It's expensive as a media hub, but that price is reasonable for a modest stereo soundbar with the additional benefit of streaming 4K video. You can pair it 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 both makes its own TVs and offers its technology to manufacturers to incorporate into their screens. A dozen companies, including Hisense, use it on some of their TVs. Roku TVs work just like Roku media streamers, except that they are built directly into the sets.

Is an Apple TV Worth Buying?

Apple's content and AirPlay 2 support are available on many smart TVs and media streamers. However, 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, in light of its high price and Apple's continual expansion of services, it seems less and less necessary.

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 Hisense, LG, Samsung, TCL, and Vizio 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 all major smart TVs and media hubs, and even PlayStation and Xbox game consoles.

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. You could get an Apple HomePod mini and another media streamer on this list for the same price.

Can I Stream 8K?

What about 8K, you might be wondering? Don't worry about it. Seriously, no consumer 8K streaming service or even consumer 8K media is available yet. 8K TVs have begun to trickle out, but they won't be much more than novelties for at least a few more years.