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Streaming Device Recommendations
Best All Around Device
Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation
This Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation is the proper replacement to the 2nd Generation Box. This is on the expensive side of boxes at $120, but there’s a lot to like here. You get Fire OS which is a nice on-screen layout and easy to use. It gets bonus points if you want an Alexa in the home as this comes with it. If you’re familiar with a 4k Fire Stick Max and want a better device but don’t want to pay up for an Nvidia Shield (see below), this is the one you should try and snag.
Best Budget Device
As of September 2023, Amazon released a new verison of the Firestick 4k Max and it’s quite amazing. This new version still has 2GB of RAM, but now has 16GB of storage! There are many naysayers when it comes to Amazon’s fire stick, and Amazon has fixed a majority of those issues with the all new Amazon Fire Stick 4k Max. The Fire OS is one of the best for an android streaming device. You can add wonderful apps easily even if they aren’t in the Amazon app store. While the older Firesticks were under-powered and the Wi-Fi hardware was horrible, the 4k Fire Stick Max addresses those issues with actual Wi-Fi antennas, and extra 1/2GB of RAM and more heat sinks to dissipate heat. This is a hard to beat the value at $60, especially if you’re just trying to cut the cord and not sure if this is your way forward. This is one of those instances where, the extra $10 over the regular Fire Stick 4k is worth the investment, but see below for more info on that.
The Grand Daddy of Them All
There is a reason why this device is regularly priced at $200. It has a better processor, better graphics chip, more storage and the list goes on. For basic streaming, this box is over-the-top, but that isn’t a reason to not buy one. It’s a nice gaming machine if you’re a gamer and smooth streaming will never be an issue. The price can be off-putting, but these devices are known for their longevity, customer support and rock steady reliability. There are folks with 5 year old Shields that love them still. It runs Android TV, which is a less cluttered experience to Fire OS as far as layout is concerned and a huge improvement over stock Android. There is no downside to the Nvidia Shield TV Pro.
Grandchild of the Grand-daddy
This is a newer entry into the streaming device market and it’s quickly becoming a fan favorite. This is a direct competitor for the Fire Stick 4k Max using official Android TV. This will allow side-loading of any android app you’d like with a similar user interface to the Nvidia Shield Pro. The remote on this device is quite good. It’s on par or better than the Amazon Fire Devices remote with it’s responsive touches and quick ability to control your tv as well as the Tivo Stream 4k. Like the Shield it has a fully integrated Google Assistant with voice control. Storage is expandable with external components since the 8GB of storage isn’t a ton, but it’s still on par with the Fire Stick 4k Max. Wifi speeds on this device are equal to or better than the Fire Stick 4k Max as well. It was quite impressive in the Wifi speeds it pulled grabbing a full 200mbps on the network we tested. If you wanted official Android TVos without the Nvidia Shield Pro price tag, then the Tivo Stream 4k is the device for you.
Honorable Mention
If you want to save $10 or the Firestick 4k is on sale and the Firestick 4k Max is not on sale, take the discount and grab this guy. This is close in specs to the previous 4k Max stick (2GB RAM, 8GB Storage) which was a great device. So while it’s not as good as the new 4k Max, it’s still a heck of a device to grab at a good price (at the moment of writing this, the retail price is $50). I will say this, if you’re buying devices to outfit your home and grabbing 3 or 4 at one time, then take the $10 discount on each and save yourself the $30 to $40 by getting this one. Like I said, it’s extremely close to the previous version of the Firestick 4k Max and that was a great device.
Other Notes
Something very important to note are the devices we have not mentioned here. The three major devices we don’t mention here are the new Google Chromecast with Google TV, Apple TV or Roku. The latter devices cannot be modified if you’re looking to take advantage of “free” sources of entertainment. In technical terms, Apple and Roku have closed ecosystems which make it hard for developers to create “more interesting” software/apps. The new Chromecast with Google TV initial review is that it’s an ok device, but not better than the Tivo Stream 4k or Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4k Max. I’m sure each device has it’s own fans, but for me, the Google Chromecast with Google TV just doesn’t do anything better than the other devices listed here.
Another thing to note is there are quite a few generic Android TV boxes. These boxes have many drawbacks. They do not have manufacturer support. They will not play 4k Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. The remote controls that come with them are generally poor quality. Even if you can save $10 from a 4k Fire Stick Max, don’t buy one. Just get the 4k Fire Stick Max (or Tivo Stream 4k). These are also the same boxes that you see for sale from fully loaded box sellers. They simply just put their logo on the box and try to charge HUNDREDS of dollars for something that cost them $30.