Streaming boxes are small devices designed to be hooked up to a TV and are used to stream media to a television. They are superior to smart TVs because streaming media is the only thing they were designed to do, as opposed to an add-on built into a TV. These are dedicated streaming machines, the best at what they do. But the options, oh the options; do you want this, that, or the other thing? There are many things to consider and while each big name streaming device has it’s perks, it will also have its downsides as well. So since all the big names are releasing new boxes I am compiling a chart of the top four to help you see what device has what options. So without further ado here is the Apple TV, the Chromecast, the Amazon Fire TV, and the Roku 4.
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| Netflix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Youtube | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spotify | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pandora | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iTunes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Amazon Video | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| VUDU | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| HBO Go | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plex | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Search | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Remote | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Apple AirPlay | Yes | No | No | No |
| Wireless | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
| Ethernet Port | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $149 (32GB) or $199 (64GB) | $35 | $99 | $129 |
- Apple TV – The best option if you are already a heavy Apple user as it works best with iTunes and Airplay.
- Chromecast – The price. That’s all you really need to consider, it does allow you to stream from Chrome Browser, and it is missing an actual remote, but the biggest factor to consider is just how much cheaper it is than all the other choices.
- Fire TV – Amazon’s Fire TV works incredibly well with Amazon’s apps. The Fire TV also has voice search, but it really only works in the Amazon apps. It does do gaming better than the others, so if that is something that interests you then this may be your best bet.
- Roku 4 – With voice search and a headphone jack on the remote as well as the biggest selection of apps, The Roku is the best all around device and my personal recommendation.
