12 Best Streaming TV Devices (Review) In 2020

We’re kicking off this product review with our Best Choice recommendation, the all-new and enhanced NVIDIA Shield TV Pro. It’s difficult to know where to start as there is just so much to talk about. So we will summarise by saying that this an incredibly complete media streamer. While it’s not the cheapest around, it features impressive functions, including [email protected] playback with AI-based upscaling technology, which can make even 360p content look super crisp and sharp.

It also comes complete with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, which sport Amazon Prime video, Google Assistant support, and also Netflix. There’s also access to AAA gaming via GEForce Now. It’s faster, smarter, and more intelligent than ever before and really will transform your television experience turning into a full-on cinematic experience. With built-in Chromecast 4k, you can also cast all your favorite apps, photos, and videos from your mobile to your TV. It’s a truly excellent streaming device offering one of the most complete audio-visual experience on the market right now.

Our next option is our Best Value recommendation and comes from Roku. Unlike the NVIDIA shield, which features a box design, this small and portable device is a stick design and, as such, is also simple and straightforward to set up and comes with a high-speed HDMI cable. It plugs directly into the back of your TV rather than having to sit underneath it, which makes it a discreet option. This Roku streaming stick is a hugely popular device that features intuitive navigation and offers tons of popular streaming services rights at your fingertips. We’re talking Netflix, Prime Video, HBO NOW as well as Showtime and ESPN. It also comes complete with a free Roku mobile app to deliver private listening.

It’s a great little option that delivers 4K video, and while it’s small, it’s certainly not lacking in features, including upgraded wireless connectivity, smooth overall performance, and decent remote control that’s easy to operate. As we already mentioned, there are more content channels than you could possibly ever require or handle! With simple set up and that incredibly portable design, it’s ideal to take with you on your travels, be that business or vacation. It can stream content up to 2160p at 60fps and can also upscale 720p to 1080p.

Unsurprisingly, we’ve picked out the latest Apple TV 4K as our Premium Pick. With ultra-fast graphics and performance as well as gorgeous good looking design detailing, this streaming device presents 4K high dynamic range with Dolby Vision and HDR10. What that means is you’re guaranteed both a stunning, crisp and clear picture, alongside superb surround sound. Apple calls the experience truly cinematic, and we have to agree. It delivers a completely immersive home experience, and thanks to Siri, you can control all the functionality with nothing more than your voice. The HDR picture is realistic, with true colors and beautiful sharp details.

Apple TV 4K is combined with a Dolby Atmos compatible sound system for three-dimensional audio that sounds true to life, enhancing that cinematic experience even further. Joining forces with some of the world’s largest TV networks, you’ll be able to access all your favorite shows and films as well as plenty of live sporting content too. You’ll also gain access to the Apple TV App which allows you to browse content on over 100 different video services and seamlessly access via your iPhone or iPad too. Not only that, but you can also view and play your photos, video, and music on the big screen with AirPlay. By connecting your Apple TV to your iPhone, you can also conveniently turn your iPhone into a TV remote. It’s currently available in two sizes, 32GB or 64GB.

We’re back again looking at what else Roku has to offer with their extensive range of streaming TV devices. America’s #1 TV streaming platform based on hours streamed in 2029; they know a thing or two about streaming devices. With the Roku Ultra, you can stream free, live as well as premium TV over the internet to your 4K TV. Featuring a quad-core processor, dual-band wireless as well as an Ethernet port for wired streaming, it’s ideal for heavy streaming in HD, 4K, and HDR. It delivers a brilliant, crisp, and clear picture with stunning depth and clarity.

The Roku Ultra is fully loaded with all the bells and whistles you could wish for, delivering endless entertainment options. You can use your voice to create personal shortcuts and also enjoy private listening with the Premium JBL headphones provided with your purchase. There’s also an easy to use remote control that features favorite channel shortcuts to access Netflix, ESPC, Hulu, and Sling instantly. Set up is a cinch; you simply connect to the internet to begin streaming over 500,000 movies and TV episodes. Simple! It’s easy to see why this is such a popular choice.

We’re sticking with Roku again for our next best-streaming TV device. This time we’re taking a look at the 4K streaming stick that comes with voice contour and is super simple and straightforward to set up. The stick design makes it highly portable, yet it’s also powerful too. With this version, Roku has added long-range wireless access alongside all the other great features you’ve come to expect from the brand. It’s a seriously popular device that brings all your favorite services together in one place. You can literally stream thousands of hit movies, and TV shows any time, any place, making it the ideal solution for any frequent travelers.

It may well be small and portable, but this Roku Streaming Stick provides excellent 4K HDR video with smooth performance, alongside crisp visuals and clear audio. That’s thanks to the Dolby surround sound system. There’s no need to worry about juggling remotes either. With this device, you can power up your TV and perform a whole host of functions simply by using your voice or with the one remote control. Set up once again couldn’t be simpler. Plug in, connect to the internet, and that’s it. You are ready to start streaming all your favorite entertainment.

If you want to do streaming the simple way, then how about taking a look at the Roku Premiere model, which comes equipped with a premium HDMI cable. As with the other Roku devices we’ve already discovered, the Premiere does not disappoint when it comes to picture quality. It delivers an incredibly crisp and clear image with sharp prolusion and plenty of vivid colors for a totally immersive home cinema experience.

Featuring a simple remote as well as easy setup, this is a fuss-free solution to home streaming, providing access to literally endless entertainment options. Benefit from access to free Roku software updates plus use with the free Roku mobile app for private listening on your mobile. It has to be one of the easiest solutions around for automatically streaming all the entertainment you love from your TV. Using a high-speed HDMI cable, all you need is an internet connection and wireless router. Delivering high-quality digital surround sound, your family is in for a real treat thanks to the Roku Premiere system.

There’s a Roku player out there just for you, and maybe this is the one? If you’re looking for the portability of a stick and prefer to have something highly compact and discreet, then you should appreciate the design god this power-packed steaming device from the brand’s impressive collection. Providing instant and convenient access to over 500,000 plus movies and TV episodes, take your stick on the road with you so that you need never miss your favorite entertainment ever again. Roku Portable Streaming Stick is such a simple and straightforward little device but one which can provide hours of fun. 

Operate basic controls using your voice or with the easy to use remote provided. Navigation is intuitive, making it easier than ever before to search and find your favorite shows. You’ll also have access to the free Roku app, delivering private listening, voice search, and so much more besides. It’s fully compatible with HD TV’s up to 1080p and is also able to upscale from 720p. The only thing you need to be aware of is that your TV must feature an HDMI cable input that supports HDCP 2.2 for this particular device to be compatible.

We’re taking a quick break from Roku for a minute to see what VANKYO has on offer with their latest set-top box, the Android 9.0 TV box. Simply plug your device into the HDMI 2.1 port, connect to the internet, and you are ready to start streaming thousands of channels with seemingly endless access to a host of entertainment and apps. This powerful streaming device features Amlogic’s latest generation 64 bit quad-core processor with state of the art GPU to ensure maximum processing but ultra-low power consumption. It’s Bluetooth 4.2 compatible, enabling you to connect even more devices than ever before. It also supports dual-band WiFi for a convenient and stable connection.

Equipped with one USB 3.0 port as well as a further USB 2.0 port, it’s fast, efficient and enables you to play videos and music on your TV from another device. Equipped with 4GB and 32G, there’s ample space to run your favorite games and movies without running out of space. It also supports Airplay and DLNA so that you can mirror your phone onto the big screen for a truly cinematic 4K experience.

If you recall, we picked out the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is our Best Choice, but there’s still a lot to be said for the NVIDIA Shield TV, which has to be on the most powerful Android TV box available today. If you’re looking to experience that full cinematic experience from home with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound, then you really can’t go wrong with this all-new design from NVIDIA. It’s sleek, compact, and stealth looking, designed to slip right in and disappoint behind your entertainment center. It’s a powerful and feature-packed device that performs every bit as beautiful as it looks.

With Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band AC WiFi, built-in power supply, and a microSD card slot for additional storage, there’s plenty to rave about. It also comes with an all-new remote control featuring backlit buttons as well as offering user customization. You can also control via your voice as Google Assistant is built-in to follow your commands. With the addition of Chromecast 4K, you can also view and access all your favorite phone apps, videos, and photos. To experience a truly transformative television viewing experience, you need to get your hands on the NVIDIA Shield TV.

One final product recommendation from the Roku range, and this is the most inexpensive so far. If you have an older style TV that you’d like to turn into a Smart TV, then the Roku Express might just do the ideal job for you. It works for TVs with either HDMI’s or composite cable. Set up is a cinch and really couldn’t be simpler, and once you’re installed and ready to stream, you can look forward to accessing up to 350,000+ movies and TV episodes across 3500 paid and free to air channels. Sure, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the other models, but if you are looking for a simple and portable device, then this is ideal.

Our next best streaming TV device is from TiVo and is their Bolt OTA model for Antenna. It’s the ideal solution for anyone wanting to enjoy a premium entertainment service at home and features a simple, fun, easy to operate, and intuitive interface. With this all-in-one design, you can watch, record, and stream all your favorite shows and apps without having to juggle separate remotes.

Just connect to an HD antenna (sold separately) to begin streaming and recording to your heart’s content. There are no cables required or complicated set up to worry about. It comes with TiVo favorite features, including SkipMode, to bypass those ads and QuickMode, which lets you find your favorite shows faster, then zoom in and slow down the action. With just one search, you can scroll simultaneously through all your favorite services, including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and YouTube, to quickly find the show or movie you are looking for. With a recording capacity of up to 150 hours, this is one smart device that’s even voice search enabled. For more great products like this, check out our selection of the best wireless HDMI transmitters.

Equipped with the latest Android 9.0 OS, this streaming box from Pendoo is faster, safer, and more energy-efficient than ever before. Featuring both Dual Antenna and Dual WiFi, it should work up to 4 times faster than any non-Antenna TV box. It features H.265 decoding for smooth play with less bandwidth requirements. It also delivers a realistic and true audio and video experience and is capable of delivering a 4K picture @60fps for a full-on cinematic feast for the senses. Movies and games should quickly load without buffering thanks to the power provided by that Allwinner H6 Quad core correct A-53 procession and ultra-high frequency CPU.

Pendoo Android 9.0 TV Box isn’t just powerful, it’s also relatively compact plus it’s easy to install and set up. Simply plug the device into a power source, connect the android box via the HDMI cable to your WiFi or ethernet and sit back and watch the big-screen entertainment. The pricier quality is true to life, and there’s plenty of memory and storage space for all your favorite shows.