Whether you’re a cord-cutter or someone who just wants more content to watch, the easiest way to get more content onto your television is with a stream media device. Some TVs may come with smart TV features to let you stream the basics like Netflix and YouTube, but you’ll want a stand-alone streaming device if you want more choices and features.

But which one should you get? There are a ton of options available and many offer the same features but in different prices and form factors. To make it easy to choose, I’ve chosen the best stream media boxes for you here.

Best media streamer for most people
Chromecast 2 ($35)


When the Chromecast first debuted in 2013, people loved it for its simplicity and low price. At $35, it was tough to beat. This year, the company refreshed the Chromecast with some minor improvements like dual-band Wi-Fi and a new hockey puck form factor. If you have an original Chromecast, there’s no need to upgrade. But if you’ve been having wireless connection issues or just want a slight performance increase, spending $35 on the new Chromecast 2 won’t break the bank.

So why is the Chromecast 2 the best media streamer for most people? Beyond the price, the Chromecast 2 is great because of its simplicity. You control content via your phone or tablet by tapping on the cast button in supported apps. And there are a ton of supported apps so finding something to watch won’t be a problem. Big players like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Google Play Music, Spotify, and Soundcloud are all here. If you can’t find a Roku app for a service you use, you can still cast media to the Roku. If an app support the Chromecast, it’ll support casting to the Roku as well.

Amazon doesn’t support the Chromecast at the moment, which is a real bummer, but you can get your Amazon content to your TV by casting from the Chrome browser on your laptop. It’s not an elegant solution but it works.

The biggest knock against the Chromecast 2 is that browsing for content is still a chore. The Chromecast app has been updated to become a hub for video content you can cast, but it doesn’t have everything, nor does it support music apps. If you want to sit back and browse for content using a remote, you’re better off checking out the alternatives below.

Get this if: you’re on a budget or just want a simple way to get content from your phone or tablet onto your TV.

Don’t get this if: you want to watch Amazon video or want to browse for content on your TV.

Best media streamer for video
Roku 4 ($129)


Roku 4 media streamer

If all you want is to get as much video from as many sources as possible, the Roku 4 is an excellent choice. While the Roku’s interface feels dated compared to the competition, it’s still usable and fast. Content loads quickly and the interface never lagged when jumping in and out of apps.

The Roku 4 also support 4K content, which offers four times the pixels of full HD (1080p). If you’re upgrading your television to a set with 4K resolution, you’ll want to make sure you can access 4K content. Roku’s got you covered here with a dedicated hub for all the crispy 4K videos available. It’s still early days for 4K so there’s not much content right now, but as 4K takes off, your Roku 4 will be ready. If you don’t need 4K, then check out Roku’s cheaper boxes.

A great content library and streaming performance are just a couple of things that make the Roku great. On the hardware side, the Roku 4 comes with a remote with quick access buttons to services like Netflix, Amazon, Sling, and Rdio. Sadly, these shortcut buttons can’t be changed, which is a real bummer since Rdio is shutting down and its button will be useless in the future.

Losing the remote is no fun so Roku built in a speaker on the remote to help you find it. There’s a remote finder button on top of the Roku 4 which sounds the alarm on the remote, and it gets LOUD.

If you want more features beyond streaming video, you’re better off with other media streamers. Roku’s game library is extremely limited and most of the games available aren’t worth playing. The Roku 4 does include voice search, but it’s quite limited compared to the competition.

Get this if: you want 4K and watch a ton of video.

Don’t get this if: you want gaming features or want a modern interface.


Best media streamer for gamers
NVIDIA Shield TV ($199)



NVIDIA Shield TV with remotes

Gamers should look no further than the NVIDIA Shield TV. Although expensive, this streaming media box has more features than you can shake a stick at. For media, it runs Android TV so you can get all of your favorite apps on the TV, including Android games. If you have an existing gaming PC with a NVIDIA graphics card, you can stream games from your computer to your TV using GameStream. Last but not least, you can sign up for the GeForce Now game streaming service for $8 per month to play unlimited games, although its library is quite limited at the moment.

Hardware wise, the Shield TV is a good size and can be laid flat or stood up vertically with the optional $30 stand. It also ships with a wireless and rechargeable gamepad, though you can connect your own controllers and accessories to its USB 3.0 ports. You can also buy the optional $50 remote, which is better for watching video and includes a headphone jack for private listening.

Like the Roku 4, the Shield TV supports 4K and has powerful hardware to keep things running smoothly. It also works like Google Chromecast, allowing you to cast media to the device if you want to get content quickly from your phone to your TV.

As you can see, the Shield TV is quite expensive, especially when you factor in the price of its accessories. If you’re on a budget, you’d better look elsewhere.

Be sure to check out our full review of the NVIDIA Shield TV.

Get this if: you want to future proof your set top box and are a serious gamer.

Don’t get this if: you’re on a budget or don’t want gaming features.

Best media streamer for iTunes fans
Apple TV ($149)



If you buy a lot of content from Apple’s iTunes store, the fourth generation Apple TV is the media streamer to get. It’s the best Apple TV by far and introduces tvOS, which is basically iOS built for the TV. This means you can download apps and games to the new Apple TV.

The killer feature of the Apple TV is Siri. Although she’s not as powerful as she is on your iPhone, she does make searching for media super easy. She understands natrual language as well, so you can ask her questions like, “Who is that actor?” and she’ll pull up information about who’s on screen. When Siri works, it’s amazing. But it’s also extreme frustrating when she doesn’t work.

Hardware wise, the Apple TV is packing Apple’s A8 processor found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It’s not the latest processor but still more than capable of running the device. Apps and games load quickly and the interface rarely stutters. The Apple TV also comes with a completely redesigned Siri remote, which features a glass trackpad up top and a dedicated Siri button for voice search. It works great, but gamers will want to pick up a gamepad.

In terms of app availability, the Apple TV is good and growing everyday. Popular services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Showtime are all here, but you won’t be able to watch Amazon or Google Play Movies & TV content here. You can AirPlay these services to the Apple TV as a work around.