This guide will help you find the best device that connects to your TV and streams videos – something you will likely use everyday for several hours at a time to watch movies and TV. We looked at all of the major smart TV systems and all of the major diffusion multimedia devices currently on the market, including Roku, Amazon, Chromecast and Apple TV. With the exception of TVs that actually run Roku or Amazon software, TV streaming devices have more applications, better search, simpler remote controls and more frequent updates than the intelligences integrated into your set.
So if your current multimedia streaming device is taking a long time, or if you are looking for the best streaming device to accompany this new one 4K HDR TV, chances are you are more than happy with one of them.
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Roku is our favorite streaming system, with the most streaming apps, the simplest interface, the best search, and a content-independent platform that doesn’t push any media streaming provider like Amazon Prime Video or iTunes , on another. Plus is one of the cheapest streaming TV options with 4K HDR, and even if your current TV doesn’t support these formats, your next one probably will. Its focus on practical features, like a remote control that can control the volume and power of your TV, seals the case.
Read our review of Roku Streaming Stick Plus.
Read more: Best live TV streaming services for cable cutters in 2020
The perfect movie for the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, the Apple TV costs over $ 100 more, but is the best choice for people who can appreciate its benefits. These include compatibility with Dolby Vision HDR, flexible upconversion, superior voice control features, better remote control and a smoother and smoother user interface. Apple TV 4K is so good for media streaming, it even makes sense if you are not an “Apple person”.
Read our Apple TV 4K review.
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With Alexa, Amazon has done more than any other company to integrate voice commands into the way we consume media. The Fire TV Stick 4K cooks Alexa directly in the remote control, and you can use voice control to search for Gremlins or light your Christmas tree. Or both at the same time. Add a massive selection of content with an easy-to-use menu, and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is great value for money in media streaming.
Read our review of Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.
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For the price of a Blu-ray movie disc, you can get a full media streamer, which contains lots of free content. The Express offers all the qualities of the Roku platform, and it includes a remote control, an HDMI cable and a small sticker to hold it in place.
Read our review of Roku Express (2019).
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Chromecast is one of the cheapest ways to stream videos to your TV, but unlike the other streamers here, it doesn’t come with a remote control. Instead, it works in combination with a phone or the Google Assistant for voice control and voice search. The latter method is ideal for calling shows on Netflix or Disney Plus.
Read our review on Google Chromecast 2018.
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Soundbars with on-board streaming may be a relatively recent development, but Roku’s intelligent soundbar is completely formed from the door. With great sound, users of the Roku interface know and love and at an affordable price, this is a great option for a media streamer in a bedroom or vacation home.
Read CNET’s advice on the smart Roku soundbar.
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At $ 100, it’s the most expensive Roku, but if you have to have it all, the Roku Ultra has a lot to offer. While image quality and operating system are no different from Streaming Stick Plus, the Ultra is especially handy for the forgotten. The Ultra offers both a remote viewfinder and two additional customizable shortcut buttons for your favorite services.
Read our review of Roku Ultra (2019).
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