Exploring the market to find the best TV Streaming Stick? Your search ends here at the Reviewed Best and here are the top 8 best online TV streaming devices reviews with pros, cons, and buying guide.
An Intro TV Streaming Device
In this digital age of a large number of streaming services, binge-watching is at an all-time high. There are a number of streaming services that have web series and movies on their platform, which the viewers can view online.
This phenomenon has also brought about certain lifestyle changes. Gone are the days of your traditional cable TV. Though people still use it to view certain channels like that of news, they usually prefer to watch the shows and movies on their subscribed streaming platform.
That’s all with the basic introduction. Let’s now start exploring the top 10 best TV Streaming Stick tested reviews with pros, cons, and buying guides.
Top 8 Best TV Streaming Stick Reviews
#8. Nvidia Tv Streaming Stick
Nvidia is a very well-known and popular name, especially in the gaming industry. The streaming experience with Nvidia is on another level. Shield TV is super fast and is powered by an Nvidia Tegra X1+ processor and gives a good overall experience to the user.
The Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound deliver ultra-vivid pictures and audio. You get real-time 4K video with crisp visuals using the next-generation AI upscaling. You have a dedicated button just for streaming Netflix directly. The new SHIELD TV is compact, stealth, and fits into smaller places without being much noticeable.
The new remote is pretty advanced in its field with motion-activated, backlit buttons, voice control, Bluetooth, IR control for TV, and a built-in lost remote locator. You can watch Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Vudu, Youtube, and much more in 4K resolution.
You can also stream from your phone with built-in Chromecast 4K. With Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band AC Wi-Fi, a built-in power supply, and a microSD card slot for storage expansion, it is powerful, feature-packed, and built for behind-the-scenes brilliance. If you are a gamer, you can connect any game controller and play games like Fortnite with GeForce. It is also compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Echo.
#7. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
You get a huge range of free channels, subscription channels, and rental options to choose from. The streaming stick can be operated using two AAA batteries. There are shortcut buttons on the remote and you also get a high-speed HDMI cable, USB power cable, and a power adapter.
You get access to free channels on Roku without having to pay extra separately allowing you to watch free shows and movies, all the popular ones at that. Also, it comes in a neat and aesthetically designed package which is very easy to use.
To use this device, you will need broadband internet, a wireless router, and a TV with an HDMI port. The setup is pretty simple and is easy to navigate and use. You can choose from 500,000+ tv shows and movies from a wide range of channels as well. The video quality is high definition and is super fast. You only pay for what you want to watch and while few channels require payments, a few might vary from region to region.
#6. Amazon Renewed Tv Streaming Stick
Amazon is again a very big name when it comes to the digital space and online streaming platforms. Using this renewed and improved digital stick from Amazon, you can easily stream your favourite videos in full HD/4K/HDR quality without any hassle.
The remote is very easy to use and has intuitive navigation. It also comes with a high-speed HDMI cable. You can choose from 500,00+ movies and TV shows and also get voice search across 000+ top channels.
You can also view popular movies and shows without paying any fee or subscription on the Roku channel. You can stream Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos, HBO Now, and other cable channels like Sling TV or Youtube.
It is also a good way to view live sports and news. The Roku mobile app is free and you can use it to listen privately and voice search and do a lot more on the app. It has wifi services built-in as well. It is also compatible with Google Assistant.
#5. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
Another product from Roku, but now with the crisp resolution, you can now stream your videos in 4K/HD/HDR quality as well. The colors are vivid and the audio makes the streaming experience even better. You also get voice remote buttons for increasing or decreasing volume and on or off the power. The installation process is quite simple and easy to do. You do get a high-speed HDMI cable.
The streaming process is as simple as it gets. All you need is a broadband internet connection, a wireless router, and an HD TV that has an HDMI port. For streaming it in 4K/HDR you will need a compatible TV and also an HDCP 2.2 HDMI port. The tv stick operates with batteries, two AAA batteries. You get a 30-day free trial of Showtime, Starz, and Epix.
#4. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
Roku has been very widely used when it comes to digital sticks. Using this digital stick from Roku, you can stream Disney and Apple TV on Roku devices. You can stream free, live, and premium shows and view it in 4k resolution. The media player is powered by a quad-core processor and is wireless. It can support dual-band wireless or you can also use the Ethernet port to stream shows and movies.
You can also stream Prime Video, Netflix, Disney, The Roku Channel, HBO, Showtime, and Google Play to cable alternatives like Hulu with Live TV. The remote comes with voice customization so that you can use your voice to set personal shortcuts for one-touch control and search channels, captions on/off, volume, and much more. For private listening, there are premium JBL headphones included and TV controls as well.
#3. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
You can stream your favorites with ease, from movies and series on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Netflix, to cable alternatives like Sling. There are thousands of channels to choose from and you can sit at home and enjoy the most talked-about TV with the ease of a press of a button. No matter what time of television you might have, you can easily plug in this digital stick and start watching your favourite content with ease.
The power input is 5V to 1A and now you can stream Disney+ and Apple TV too. Your streaming experience has never been better before but now it will be with 4k sharp resolution and vivid colors. The setup can be done in a few minutes. All you have to do and need is an HDMI cable, connect it to the internet and that is all.
#2. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
The streaming process is as simple as it gets. All you need is a broadband internet connection, a wireless router, and an HD TV that has an HDMI port. You get a huge range of free channels, subscription channels, and rental options to choose from. Thus, you have the access to a wide variety of shows and movies using just a single device. With crisp resolution, you can now stream your videos in 4K/HD/HDR quality without any hassle. The colors are vivid and the audio makes the streaming experience even better.
You can also stream Prime Video, Netflix, Disney, The Roku Channel, HBO, Showtime, and Google Play to cable alternatives like Hulu with Live TV. you do not have to pay any monthly equipment fee and can access free TV on a wide variety of channels. The remote features shortcut buttons to popular streaming channels.
#1. Roku Tv Streaming Stick
There is no need to use any cables with this streaming stick. It gives HD resolution picture quality. You do not have to pay any monthly fee and is pretty reasonable budget-wise compared to other streaming services. You can turn any TV in your house into a smart TV.
You get access to features like an easy-to-use remote, simple navigation, and unbiased search across top channels. Easy access to 450,000+ movies and TV episodes across 4,500+ paid or free channels, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Google Play, and more. There is a free mobile app for iOS and Android which includes a voice search and also contains private listening.
Online TV Streaming Device Buying Guide
What Is A Digital TV Streaming Stick?
The digital stick is a device that can come in extremely handy while viewing your favorite tv show or movie on the big screen of your TV. TV brands are constantly upgrading their products, making them smarter than ever so that they can support numerous functions.
While right now, they cannot possibly incorporate everything according to your viewing requirement, a great option would be to just use a digital stick that can be plugged into your television set. Using a digital stick, you can watch your favourite web series, movies, and documentaries in high video quality while also listening to songs with improved sound characteristics.
The digital sticks are produced for an enhanced output to improve your viewing experience. They are multifunctional and can double the enjoyment levels of streaming. Not only do they have a much bigger base for app selection, but also come with faster and more affordable hardware.
What Features To Look For In The Best TV Streaming Device?
In case you are highly impressed with the multi-functionality and capabilities of a digital stick, have seen it live at a friend’s house, and have decided to buy it, then congrats. You have come to the right place.
We know how essential it is to really know about a product before you buy it so that you are not duped with your hard-earned money. Hence, we have compiled a list of certain features to look out for while buying a digital stick. This will not only help you buy the best stick according to your needs but also the most affordable one for your pockets.
1. Performance
With all the talks about how important a role digit sticks can play in enhancing the viewing experience, the importance of the performance factor becomes pretty imperative.
Normally, when you go out to buy a product, you don’t look for the cheapest available or just pick up the first product that you see. The first thing that you always look for in a product is its performance, i.e. how well does it work. The same is the case with digital sticks where you first and foremost need to go for the high-performance ones.
Generally, it is seen that the set-top boxes that are often installed along with your TV set work faster than anything else. But they lack the much-needed diversity of viewing options and have a very limited scope. Hence you need to go for a digital stick that can if not exactly, then approximately match the speed given by a set-top box.
Generally, in the market, the higher you spend, the better streaming stick you will get. Also, the higher-end digital sticks will have greater loading speeds and will give a smoother streaming experience than the other sticks.
In case you can’t possibly go for a high-end one, then you need to choose from the available options. If you have a price cap, then you need to select the one which gives the best speeds and audio/video quality in the given price range.
2. Playback Quality And Resolution
It’s amazing how the video quality has been enhanced over such a short period of time. Not a long time ago, we were viewing videos at 480p, or if we had the HD option, then 1080p at max. But nowadays, HD has become the new normal. Now you can view videos in 4k or 4k HDR where you can see each and every detail, and that too in crisp colours.
Television sets have also evolved with the changing video qualities. Almost all television sets nowadays support HD video quality, and the high-end ones even have the option of supporting 4k and 4k HDR videos.
Hence, in case you have a television set that can support video resolutions as high as 4k, then you would want to buy a digital stick that can take full advantage of this fact. It would be a waste if you have a television set that can support high-end video resolutions but still have to stream at lower qualities. Hence, it becomes essential to go for a digital stick that can support streaming at such high resolutions.
Even if you have a television set with lower HD resolutions, you can easily get a TV stick. Generally, all Digital sticks can stream comfortably at 720p or 1080p. Also, these sticks might be a bit cheaper than the ones which support high video resolutions. So choose accordingly.
3. App Selection
Among all the other factors, one factor which we should never forget is the number of apps the digital stick can support. Usually, different digital sticks can support different sets of apps. Hence, it becomes very important to choose the one which contains apps of your liking.
For example- In case you want to use the Apple apps, then you can only access them via the Apple TV. In case you need to watch shows using Prime video, then Amazon’s Firestick is the best option available. Google’s Chromecast or Android TV can support all of Google’s apps like video and music services. If you want to go for a more neutral option, then you have Roku that can support both prime video and google services. While Roku might seem to combine the best of both worlds, it lacks a personal assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home which makes it a bit less multifunctional.
4. Content Discovery And Remote Control Features
If you are using a digital stick to view content, it doesn’t mean that you only watch a fixed number of shows, movies or documentaries that have been installed. Since all the streaming services are cloud-based, they continuously keep on getting updated with newer content. You can automatically view this content on your home screen. This means that you will always have access to the latest shows and movies.
While these sticks and apps can show you the latest arrivals, they can also help you keep a track of the viewed content and can keep on discovering and recommending new content according to your preferences.
Many of these digital sticks also come with a remote control that has a number of options such as pause, fast forward, rewind, etc. Hence you can easily pause the video, skip over the content which you don’t want to see, or even backtrack in time to watch that one amazing scene once again. In the case of sticks such as Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, a remote can be used to give voice commands, so that you can easily view the content without having to press any buttons.
5. Privacy
Not always would you want to listen to the content blasting from the speakers of your television set? For this, digital sticks support the option of using wired or Bluetooth headphones, so that you can view the content in peace and privacy without disturbing others.
Some sticks also come with their own apps. Hence, by using Bluetooth or wired headphones, you can connect to these apps and control the various aspects such as volume, pause, and play the video as well as audio.
6. Portal Support
Captive portal is something that is not really prevalent in all the digital sticks. Suppose you are going on a road trip and take your viewing device with you without proper network coverage. In such cases, captive portal support can come to your rescue, so that you can enjoy uninterrupted streaming while on the go.
7. Connectivity Features
There might be times where you want to connect a USB cable or an AUX cable. Hence, you need to look out for the streaming setups that offer you such support.
Final Word
Binge-watching is all the rage nowadays. With the increase in this trend, people are not only looking for better streaming services, but also for better devices and supporting equipment to view that content in high quality.
Digital sticks thus become an important piece of equipment in this whole system. Not only do they provide a huge base of apps and viewing options to choose from but also play a very vital role in viewing that content in high definition, so that you can get the ultimate experience.
So now that you know all the important features that you should look out for while going to buy a digital stick, we hope that you will be in a much better position to buy the ultimate stick of your choice and start viewing your shows and movies with ease. Thanks for reading the Best TV Streaming Stick reviews and buying guide here at reviewedbest.com.
James is an expert level researcher and product hunter from New York, United States Of America. When not researching and testing products, he spends his time playing video games, eating junk foods, and sleeping.