Best TV streaming devices 2018 (2024)

Best TV streaming devices 2018 (1)

A revolution is happening in TV - but what exactly does it mean for you?

A TV streaming device is a device that connects to the Internet and allows you to watch TV shows and films from streaming apps and online streaming websites. If you like watching films, television shows or videos and you want to have access to lots of websites and apps that can give you current, old and varied content, a TV streaming device will broaden your viewing options and streamline the entire experience.

When deciding which TV streaming device is best for you, think about what you want from the device. What kinds of TV shows and films do you enjoy watching? How much do you want to spend? Are you likely to be watching a lot of 4K HD content? And do you want to take your TV streaming device out and about with you?

All these questions will help you find the best TV streaming device for you. We’ve narrowed down the options out there to these 10 best TV streaming devices, but first we take you through some of the most commonly asked questions.

How do I use a TV streaming device?

TV streaming devices are very easy to set up. Most involve connecting a special cable to a HDMI input on your television. Some also require you to insert a cable into the USB port. You also need an internet connection, which can be wireless or cabled (internet speeds will vary). After that, you’re away! Turn on the TV and start watching.

If I have a smart TV, is there any point buying a TV streaming device?

Even if you have a smart TV, you may also want a TV streaming device as it will probably give you more choice than your smart TV has in terms of apps. For example, some smart TVs are able to access BBC iPlayer, but they may not be able to access Netflix. With a good TV streaming device, you’ll be able to access hundreds of these sorts of apps all in one place.

What types of TV streaming devices are available?

There are two main types of TV streaming devices. They are TV streaming sticks and TV streaming boxes.

What is a TV streaming stick?

A TV streaming stick is a small, portable TV streaming device that is a little bit bigger than a USB stick. It plugs directly into the back of your TV through an HDMI port.

What is a TV streaming box?

A TV streaming box is larger than a TV streaming stick. It is usually small enough to fit under your TV and is a bit bigger than an external hard drive. A TV streaming box is bulkier than a streaming stick, so it is better suited to being used with just one TV.

Will my TV work with TV streaming devices?

Probably, because most modern TVs come with at least one HDMI port and a USB port. You can check whether your TV is compatible with a TV streaming device by going on the manufacturer’s website.

Roku Streaming Stick +

Best for: 4K Ultra HD streaming

This is the souped-up relative to Roku’s Express, packing high-performance 4K Ultra HD streaming up to four times further away from the wireless router. This means you can sit in the garden and stream effortlessly from your indoor Wi-Fi, or stream from the internet box in the basement while watching TV in the attic room.

Many great features of the Express remain: the Roku Search function, the quick-hop channel shortcut buttons, the clean connections between the stick and the TV and the library of content you can access. However, for the extra cash an upgrade will give you incredible streaming quality, voice control options for the remote (you don’t even need to push a button) and the ability to change the TV power status and volume without needing a second separate TV remote. It’s a seriously good stick, and probably a big source of inspiration for the new Fire TV Stick 4K.

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£59.99 | Currys | Buy it now *On sale now from £79.99

Roku Express

Best for: Pro streaming at a budget

Roku are the godfathers of streaming, having released devices well before the likes of Alexa were born. Their current range is streamlined into just to products, this one being the better option for simple yet superior streaming. Perfect for first-time streamers or gifting to a friend, the Roku Express is a bargain considering it has 1080p HD picture quality and access to over 150,000 films and TV episodes across just about every paid for and free streaming channel.

The device is very easy to use; just attach one end of the stick to the HDMI port on your TV and the other end to the USB port, then connect it to the Wi-Fi. From there, the Roku remote will kick into play. On it are handy channel shortcut buttons to popular streaming channels, which, along with the Roku Search function that trawls content by title, actor, or director, makes the Roku Express slick.

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£29.99 | Currys | Buy it now

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Best for: Alexa-governed smart homes

This is the cheapest option from Amazon’s own range of Fire TV sticks, and for a shade under £40 you get a good deal. It streams from all major streaming outlets and websites (via browsers) up to 1080p resolution, much like the Roku Express, but it has the added bonus of being an Amazon product.

If you’ve got an Echo device, you can pair it with your Fire TV stick to control your TV via Alexa. Using the built-in Alexa Voice Remote, search for films, control playback options and launch Alexa’s Skills and apps to enhance your couch-based living. You can even watch live streams from your home security cameras if you have the right apps on the go. For what it lacks by not having quick-access channel buttons, it balances itself out with Prime-ready Alexa-enhanced viewing that can be set up in seconds.

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£39.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Fire TV Stick 4K Ultra HD with All-New Alexa Voice Remote

Best for: Alexa fans who want top cinematic experiences

Dubbed the most powerful streaming media stick, the new Fire TV stick with 4K Ultra HD streaming quality is ready to make waves. It has an improved Wi-Fi antenna that can allow for very high-quality streaming and immersive sound, plus there are the Alexa capabilities to bolster its offering, which are built into the voice remote.

Like the more advanced Roku Streaming Stick +’s remote, it has dedicated power and volume buttons to control your TV, but because it’s built by a much bigger company with an array of smart home products, it is compatible with other Amazon devices including the Echo Dot. On the most basic level, it’s worth buying over the normal Fire Stick if you love Amazon devices and 4K streaming quality but hate using two remotes.

£49.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Ultra HD with Echo Dot

Best for: The ultimate Alexa TV bundle

If you’re yet to get on board with smart home devices but want to make an entry, this bundle will give you a decent diving board to jump in from. It includes the previously described Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Ultra HD and the latest incarnation of the popular Echo Dot, which together will allow you to enjoy hands-free voice control over your Fire TV via Alexa. Tell her to find a certain show, to rewind, to skip ahead or to pause and she will oblige.

The Echo Dot is in itself a powerful little number that can help join different Echo and Alexa-enabled devices together. Give it commands for Alexa smart home devices, stream music through the 1.6” speaker, make audio calls between other Echo devices or ask it to get you vital information, such as weather forecasts. As a bundle, you’re saving between £20 and £30 compared to buying the products separately.

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£78.98 | Amazon | Buy it now

NOW TV Smart Box with 4K and Voice Search plus one-month pass bundle

Best for: Turning your TV into a smart TV

Take one look at the NOW TV Smart Box remote and you might recognise something. Yes, that is the Roku Streaming Stick + remote with NOW TV’s logo and brand colours on it. The TV streaming and internet-providing company have teamed up with Roku to bring customers all the content that comes with a NOW TV subscription and the high spec of the Roku hardware.

With the box alone costing £45, you might as well pay an extra fiver to get a month’s access to NOW TV’s entertainment content, films on Sky Cinema, kids’ shows and a Sky Sports Day Pass – something to keep each of the family members quiet! Also installed on the box are apps for Netflix, BBC iPlayer, All 4 and similar, so gone are the days of hating your non-smart TV. After the trial expires, there’s no commitment to NOW TV as they operate on a contract-free opt-in basis, and you can still use the apps.

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£49.99 | NOW TV | Buy it now

Now TV Smart Stick

Best for: Portable, quick access to Sky shows and NOW TV

Whereas the NOW TV box is ideal for using with the same TV every day, this is the same thing in a mini portable version. So, if you’d like to watch the content available through a NOW TV box at various locations – such as your friends’ houses or in different rooms of your house – this stick-sized device is much less cumbersome to carry around than the box. There’s little else to it than that; it’s a matter of how transportable you want your NOW TV pack to be.

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£14.99 | NOW TV | Buy it now

Apple TV 4K HDR

Best for: Apple devotees wanting crystal clear viewing

Here’s Apple’s attempt at a TV streaming device, with its own hefty price tag. Once connected to your Apple ID, you can stream music through your iTunes account, beam photos on your iPhone to your TV screen and use typical streaming apps (BBC iPlayer, NOW TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ITV Hub etc.). There’s also a Siri remote to navigate the interface, answer questions or find you something to watch.

Image-wise, the Apple TV 4K HDR does exactly what you’d assume, i.e. it transmits any 4K HDR content wonderfully and everything else well. It’s a speedy device that, if you like Apple, will be a fun way to integrate content from all of your connected Apple devices onto your TV. You’re paying a lot for that fruity icon to be on the box, though.

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£179 (32GB), £199 (64GB) | Apple | Buy it now

Apple TV

Best for: Apple devotees on a budget

Take the Apple TV 4K HDR, strip it of its zooming streaming speeds and polished image quality then cap the capacity at 32GB. Boom! You have the Apple TV. If you’re unsure which iteration of the Apple TV to opt for, ask yourself what capacity you want, how much you want to pay and how concerned you are about having 4K capabilities. That should point you to one device or the other.

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£149 | Apple | Buy it now

Google Chromecast Ultra

Best for: Affordable smart TV options controlled through your phone

When you’ve got technology in your pocket anyway, who needs remotes? The Google Chromecast Ultra is a fairly priced, easy to use and compact device that plugs into any modern TV via the HDMI port. There’s hardly any buffering, so you can stream content from your Android device, iPhone, iPad or laptop through literally thousands of Chromecast-enabled apps.

It is highly portable, so it’s great if you want to move your top-end viewing around with you, from TV to TV. And, without needing a remote, that’s one less bulky item or piece of clutter to worry about. It’s worth noting that if you don’t have a 4K TV or aren’t bothered about streaming in ultra-high quality, you could save yourself £40 and opt for the Chromecast – a basic but reliable younger sibling to this clever clogs.

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£69.99 | John Lewis | Buy it now

Verdict

Not only is the Roku Streaming Stick a great all-rounder with a huge choice of content available, it is a trusted, affordable and smart little stick that can revolutionise your telly habits.

Best TV streaming devices 2018 (2024)
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