Home › Buying Guides › Streaming Device
The Best Streaming Devices Right Now
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the right choice for most people. It is quick, easy to navigate and supports Dolby Vision without the premium price of a set-top box.
Spend more if you want better home-theater performance, hands-free Alexa or smart-home features. The honest trade-off is that several $100-plus streamers offer only modest benefits over cheaper sticks.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Reviewers agree that it delivers snappy 4K streaming, broad app support and a clean interface at a sensible price. Voice-assistant support is limited, but Roku remains easier and more neutral than Fire TV for most shoppers.
Positive Read the full Roku Streaming Stick 4K roundup →
Apple TV 4K (2022, 3rd generation)
Critics report exceptionally fast performance plus strong picture and sound, making this the standout choice for Apple users and serious home theaters. It costs more than rival sticks, and Ethernet and Thread require the 128GB model.
Positive Read the full Apple TV 4K (2022, 3rd generation) roundup →
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Reviewers agree that it is fast, format-rich and well suited to Prime Video and Alexa households. The Fire TV home screen is cluttered with ads and Amazon promotions, so shoppers wanting a neutral interface should choose Roku instead.
Positive Read the full Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max roundup →
Google TV Streamer
Critics praise its polished interface, casting support and useful Ethernet, Matter and Thread connectivity. Its roughly $100 price is difficult to justify, and reviewers found its picture and sound less impressive than the premium suggests.
Positive Read the full Google TV Streamer roundup →
Roku Ultra (2024)
Critics report fast, straightforward 4K HDR playback, with a backlit USB-C remote, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth adding convenience. At $99, it is harder to recommend over Roku's cheaper stick, especially for owners of the previous Ultra.
Mixed Read the full Roku Ultra (2024) roundup →
Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation)
The Cube combines quick streaming, hands-free Alexa, Wi-Fi 6E and an HDMI input for connected equipment. Critics also report unreliable equipment control and little picture or sound improvement over the cheaper Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
Positive Read the full Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation) roundup →Quick comparison
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K | Apple TV 4K (2022, 3rd generation) | Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max | Google TV Streamer | Roku Ultra (2024) | Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $129 / £149 / AU$219 | $54.99 / £54.99 / AU$99 for the 2021 model | $99-$100 | $99, or $79 on sale according to Tom's Guide | — |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG | — | Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | — | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG |
| Wireless | 802.11ac MIMO dual-band Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 on the 2021 model; Wi-Fi 6E on the 2023 second generation | — | — | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 + LE |
| Remote | Roku Voice Remote with TV power and volume controls | Siri Remote with USB-C charging | — | — | Backlit and rechargeable by USB-C | — |
| Connectivity | — | HDMI 2.1; Gigabit Ethernet and Thread on the 128GB model | — | Ethernet, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth | — |
| Consensus | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive | Mixed | Positive |
How we picked
We ranked these devices by comparing the consensus across independent professional reviews, focusing on performance, app support, picture and sound, interface quality, features and value. RightWei summarizes other publications' hands-on testing and does not test review units in its own lab.
Every pick above links to our full roundup for that product, where the professional reviews we relied on are cited directly. RightWei aggregates the critics’ consensus — we don’t run a test lab.