Our editors’ favorite streaming devices for binging the latest shows and movies
Streaming devices can be faster and more up-to-date than apps built into your TV, according to experts.
Apple TV 4K (128GB)
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$149.99
We spoke with electronics and retail experts to better understand how streaming devices are different from what’s built into your TV. Combining their advice with our personal experience we selected streaming devices by keeping the following in mind:
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Our favorite streaming devices come from the biggest brands on the market: Apple, Amazon, Google and Roku.
I find Roku to be the easiest streaming platform to use. I have set up Roku devices for friends and family, and it has never taken me more than 10 minutes to start watching shows. Roku is also compatible with Apple, Amazon and Google smart homes devices — most competitors are only compatible with one.
Multiple NBC Select staffers love this Roku streaming stick. I use it to watch TV shows on apps like Netflix, Apple TV+, Peacock, Youtube and more. I love how small and portable it is — you can easily plug it into a different TV if needed. The remote can be a little finicky though, buttons can sometimes take a few presses to register after a few years of wear and tear. NBC Select commerce editor Jordan Bowman owns the Roku Express 4K+, which is almost identical to the Streaming Stick 4K. It connects via HDMI cable instead of plugging directly into your television. He loves how responsive Roku’s controls are and the 4K streaming quality.
Resolution: up to 4K | Supports: HDR10+, Dolby Vision | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 | Remote features: voice controls | Smart home compatibility: Roku, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home
This is Roku’s premium streaming device, with a few extra features compared to the traditional streaming stick. It can be physically plugged into your Wi-Fi router with an ethernet cable, ensuring the fastest speed possible. The remote is improved too — it’s rechargeable and has a headphone jack if you want to watch your shows without disturbing others.
Resolution: up to 4K | Supports: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos | Connectivity: Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6 | Remote features: voice controls, headphone jack, rechargeable | Smart home compatibility: Roku, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home
Google Chromecast was one of the first streaming devices on the market — it let you easily share what was on your phone, tablet or laptop onto your TV. Now, the latest Google TV Streamer is a fully-featured streaming device like any other. It syncs easily to the Google Home app and uses Google voice assistant, and it is relatively easy to use and navigate, in my experience.
NBC Select video producer Josh Rios has been using Google streaming devices for over a decade — he’s used this latest Google TV Streamer for over a month since the brand sent us one to test. Unlike previous models which plugged and hung from the back of your TV, this version is a small wedge-shaped streamer, which you place near your TV, similar to an Apple TV. Rios uses it to stream shows from apps like Max, YouTube and Paramount+. Still, his favorite feature is casting, which allows him to project content from his phone or laptop onto the TV.
Two big improvements from previous models are the ethernet port for faster connectivity and a larger remote that’s harder to lose in the couch, says Rios. (If you do lose it, click the button on the back of the streaming box: the remote will ring, making it easier to find.)
Resolution: up to 4K | Supports: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 | Remote features: voice controls | Smart home compatibility: Google Home
Apple TV streaming devices are some of the most premium on the market. The rechargeable remote is one of the best, made with a sleek aluminum case and solid buttons that stand the test of time, in our experience. We like that you can also control it by swiping on the directional touchpad instead of clicking. Apple TV devices also support and sync to Apple apps like Music, Photos, Facetime, Fitness+, Apple Arcade and more.
While Apple does make the slightly cheaper Apple TV 4K (64GB), we recommend this 128GB model instead. It has double the storage space for apps, photos and games, plus ethernet support for fast, wired connectivity. It also acts as a smart hub, with Thread networking inside (learn more in our guide to smart home hubs). New users get three months of Apple TV+, the brand’s content streaming service, included with purchase (a $30 value).
Resolution: up to 4K | Supports: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos | Connectivity: Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6 | Remote features: voice controls, rechargeable | Smart home compatibility: Apple Home
If your smart doorbell, plugs, and speakers are all powered by Amazon Alexa, consider an Amazon Fire TV device. When synced with a compatible device, you’ll be able to control it through the TV, according to the brand. The streaming sticks are also frequently on sale and heavily discounted during events like Prime Day and Black Friday.
This is Amazon’s most-responsive streaming stick. It’s still small, and stays hidden behind your TV, but it has the fastest performance for streaming and browsing compared to the TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick HD.
Before buying a Fire TV (with streaming built-in), NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin used a Fire TV stick to watch her favorite shows. She loved using Alexa voice controls to play movies, and she liked that it could sync with her Amazon account to deliver notifications on things like upcoming deliveries.
Resolution: up to 4K | Supports: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E | Remote features: voice controls | Smart home compatibility: Amazon Alexa
Most modern TVs come with a smart operating system that has apps like Netflix, Peacock, Max, Apple TV+ and Paramount+ available. But streaming sticks are generally faster than these built-in operating systems, says Carl Prouty, a product specialist in consumer electronics sales at Abt, a national retailer based in Glenview, Illinois. (Since Abt sells streaming devices, we only spoke with Prouty about technical shopping guidance, and did not ask for specific product recommendations.) When you press a button on a streaming remote, there is little to no lag in the response on the screen. Many TV operating systems, by comparison, struggle with this lag, says Prouty.
Streaming devices also have features that many TVs do not. Roku Ultra and Apple TV 4K, for example, can use an ethernet cable to get faster and more stable speeds. Depending on where your home Wi-Fi router is, this can be the best way to connect, says Mark Steinberg, the senior technologist at B&H Photo & Video. (Since B&H sells streaming devices, we only spoke with Steinberg about general shopping guidance, and did not ask for specific product recommendations.)
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including guides to smartwatches, over-ear headphones and more. For this piece, I spoke with electronics experts to better understand the technical differences between the most popular streaming devices. I also leveraged my experience and the experience of the NBC Select team using streaming devices over the years.
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