Naijatechnews | All images and videos are copyrighted to their respective owners
Even if you’ve discovered a good streaming service, possibly one of the numerous free options available, the next step is to select a dependable streaming device to watch your favorite shows, whether on Netflix or elsewhere.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube is the clear winner among all options. It’s not just a powerful media streamer that can play any major video or audio format; it’s also a fantastic intelligent home and home theater hub that lets you control practically every connected device you own.
We believe the Amazon Fire TV Cube is an excellent streaming device for everyone, but if you’re still not convinced, we have choices for every budget.
Roku Ultra
The last Roku Ultra generation was our pick for the best premium streamer, and the new 2021 version reaffirms that honor.
Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos now have compatibility with the Ultra (2024), which can be compatible with both the Fire TV Cube and the Apple TV 4K with media support, in addition to supporting 4K, HDR10, and HLG.
The Ultra, like the Fire TV Cube, has an Ethernet port, but you’ll never need it because Roku’s latest Ultra-powerful 802-11ac MIMO dual-band Wi-Fi is now available. It also features a USB port, allowing you to access content from any compatible device.
The box also contains a “lost remote” button, which can play a sound from the remote (despite the fact that we all know it’s under the sofa). The remote contains a headset sleeve for private listening and power/volume controls, which, depending on the model, will alter the TV volume.
Amazon Fire TV Cube
It took a lot to knock a Roku device from our top spot, but the Fire TV Cube has taken the throne of the streaming device kingdom. This may come as a surprise, given that the product was previously marketed as the first Fire TV box with Alexa solo capability – no additional Echo speaker necessary. In reality, it is packed with strong technologies and features that will allow you to operate almost everything in your entertainment center with just a few remotes.
With HDMI CEC and HDMI ARC ports, as well as IR blasters, you may use voice commands to power on your TV, switch between programs, and change inputs on other connected devices such as game consoles, A/V receptors, and Blu-ray players. Instruct Alexa to do things like “play weirder things,” and the cube will turn on the TV and sound system and instantly open the Netflix video – all without the use of a remote control. It’s like chatting to the Enterprise computer from your living room.
Alexa requires certain vocal cues from the package, but artificial intelligence (A.I. A assistance can learn to comprehend your feedback style. Amazon has pledged to continually enhance Alexa’s voices and adjust the helpers to meet the demands of users, guaranteeing that clear and even ambiguous speech can be detected as more people use it.
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite
With the arrival of Roku’s $30 Express, it appears that our greatest budget range is a no-brainer. However, development is relentless, and when Amazon announced the Fire TV Stick Lite, we understood the Roku Express had met its match.
The Fire TV StickLite offers HDR compatibility (HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG), Dolby Atmos passthrough (great if you have a TV, speaker, or A/V receiver that supports it), and remote control with Alexa voice control for the same price as the Express.
Like most streaming sticks, it gives 1080p full HD video that is still amazing (especially in HDR), and you can cover the entire thing from your TV with no visible wiring.
It’s difficult to identify flaws with the Fire TV Stick, but if we had to pick one, we’d say there are no power, volume, or mute buttons on the remote, so you have to keep your TV remote mobile, and the new Amazon Luna subscription gaming service is not supported on the fire TV.
Apple TV 4K
With a slew of fascinating features that seem to emerge every year, it’s a great alternative for Apple fans and a powerful (though pricey) competitor for Roku, Amazon, and Google’s high-end offerings.
The Apple TV 4K has a few tricks up its sleeve, beginning with its powerful A10X Fusion CPU. To put it another way, your internet connection is the only one that can easily transport this unit.
There’s also a nice feature that encourages users to copy login data from iPhones, iPads directly, and Apple Macs to Apple TV, reducing the amount of time they waste inputting passwords significantly. Furthermore, if you have an Apple TV from the third or fourth generation, it automatically syncs your prior tvOS layout to make life easier. If you’ve ever downloaded iTunes movies or TV shows, they’re all available, and Apple will upgrade them to 4K HDR versions for free when and if they become available in that format.
Instead of focusing on boring language, you can use Siri to search for content across all of Apple’s membership platforms with simple questions and remarks like “Show me 4K films on Netflix.” While Apple’s app library is not as wide as Roku’s, it does include all of the major firms such as Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, and Amazon Premium Video.
Shield TV Pro by Nvidia
The majority of the devices on this list are entirely focused on streaming video, but the Nvidia Shield TV Pro takes a different approach, as seen by the word “TV” in its name. The platform, which is based on Android TV, has 4K resolution and HDR streaming capability, but the Shield TV Pro is designed specifically for games.
Furthermore, over 200 games are available on Android TV, many of which are exclusive to Shield TV. If you’re a computer player, the ability to download PC games on your Shield TV while lounging on the couch makes it even more appealing. It contains 16GB of storage, a lighted, voice-capable remote control with dedicated media buttons (which the previous version lacked), and Google Assistant and Chromecast. At the moment, the Shield TV is the only video streamer to which Disney+ content can be streamed.
The Tegra X1+ CPU is 25% quicker than the previous Tegra X1 Shield TV Pro, providing even better gaming performance. Nvidia’s wireless game controller is available for purchase, but it is no longer included in the bundle. Rather, Nvidia anticipates that the majority of Shield TV Pro buyers will choose to utilize an existing Bluetooth controller, such as the DualShock 4 or Xbox One controllers, which are both compatible with the Shield TV Pro.
READ NEXT
For more such interesting article like this, app/softwares, games, Gadget Reviews, comparisons, troubleshooting guides, listicles, and tips & tricks related to Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS, follow us on Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.