The Best Streaming Devices of 2026
We tested the current lineup from Roku, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Nvidia to find the best pick for every kind of household — budget-focused, Apple-locked, gamers, and everyone in between.
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Note: Google discontinued Chromecast and replaced it with the Google TV Streamer. We’ve used the current device below.
Best Overall: Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Why it wins: It’s fast, the interface is genuinely the easiest to use out of every device we tested, and it doesn’t push you toward one streaming service over another. For most households — especially ones juggling multiple streaming subscriptions — this is the safest, simplest pick.
Supports 4K HDR and Dolby Vision
Plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port
Neutral home screen, not biased toward any one service
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Best Budget Pick: Roku Express
If you don’t need 4K and just want a reliable, cheap way to add streaming apps to an older TV, the Roku Express is the obvious choice. Same easy interface as the Streaming Stick 4K, just without 4K/HDR support.
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Best for Amazon Prime Households: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
If you’re already paying for Prime and use Alexa devices around the house, the Fire TV ecosystem just makes more sense day to day — deep Alexa integration, tight Prime Video integration, and the 4K Max is the fastest stick Amazon makes.
Full Alexa voice control, including smart home commands
Strong app-switching speed for a stick-format device
Best value in the Fire TV lineup
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Best for Apple Users: Apple TV 4K
If your household runs on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, Apple TV 4K is worth the higher price. It’s the fastest, smoothest device we tested, with seamless AirPlay and an interface that feels genuinely premium rather than just functional.
Fastest app loading and menu navigation of any device tested
Seamless AirPlay from iPhone/iPad/Mac
Includes an Ethernet port on every model
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Best Smart Home Hub: Google TV Streamer
Replacing the Chromecast line, the Google TV Streamer doubles as a Google Home/Matter smart home hub — useful if you’re already running Google Home devices, Nest cameras, or smart lights. Its AI-curated recommendations also do a genuinely good job of surfacing what to watch across all your subscriptions in one place.
Functions as a Google Home/Matter smart home hub
AI-powered content recommendations across your subscriptions
Ethernet port included
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Best for Gamers: Nvidia Shield TV Pro
The only device on this list built with gaming in mind. GeForce NOW cloud gaming support and Android gaming compatibility set it apart, and it also handles Plex media server duties better than anything else here — worth the higher price if either of those matters to you.
GeForce NOW cloud gaming built in
Best-in-class for hosting a Plex media server
Most powerful hardware of any device tested — but priced accordingly
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Best Streaming Soundbar: Roku Streambar
Not a traditional streaming device, but worth knowing about — it combines a 4K streaming player with genuinely decent built-in speakers, solving two problems (weak TV audio, no streaming apps) in one box. A smart pick for a bedroom or secondary TV setup.
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How We Chose These
Every device on this list was evaluated on:
Interface speed — how fast menus load and apps switch, not just spec sheets
Remote and voice control quality — responsiveness, not just feature lists
Value at current pricing — what you’re actually getting for the money
Ecosystem fit — whether it plays well with the other devices/services you likely already own
This list is reviewed and updated as new devices launch. Check our Comparisons page for detailed head-to-head breakdowns, or our Deals page for current pricing.