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<div id="b2914052-c6c8-465d-9dc4-4ecf47e6c7ea" data-cy="shortcodeListicle" data-id="listicle-b2914052-c6c8-465d-9dc4-4ecf47e6c7ea" data-location="LIST" data-position="4" edition="us" superlative="Best streaming device with HD" imagegroup="{"alt":"Chromecast with Google TV HD","caption":"

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” overridecredit=”Sarah Lord/CNET” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__b2914052-c6c8-465d-9dc4-4ecf47e6c7ea” position=”4″ contenttype=”Product Advice” filtershortcodetypes=”” totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Best List – Precap” showdetails=”true” suppressautoplay=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>

Chromecast with Google TV HD

Sarah Lord/CNET

Chromecast with Google TV HD is far and away the best HD-only, entry-level streaming device you can find. If you’re looking for a cheap streamer for your HD TV, this is the one to get. It’s speedy and offers the same design and remote as the Chromecast with Google 4K, which means that it doesn’t need line-of-sight to work and can seamlessly control your TV’s power, volume and inputs. It also comes with a built-in button to access Google Assistant.

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” overridecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” linktext=”Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite-review/” offer=”{"id":"eadafd12-9692-45dd-b337-d994184e8cda","slug":"amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite","label":"Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite","edition":["US","ES"],"imageId":"36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718","imgWidth":4000,"imgHeight":2667,"objectType":"content_product_series","typeLabel":"Series","imgUrl":"/content/image/redirect/36bc565a-c112-46bd-a544-828887975718/resize/75×56","icon":"type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small"}” usepricing=”false” data-key=”cnetlisticle__190d4b9b-1ceb-4937-a3e1-0e39379c07b0″ position=”5″ contenttype=”Product Advice” filtershortcodetypes=”” totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Best List – Precap” showdetails=”true” suppressautoplay=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>

Amazon Fire TV Stick and remote

Sarah Tew/CNET

Let’s get this out of the way first: If you prefer the simplicity of Roku’s app-based menus, you might like the Roku Express better. But the Lite trounces the Express in terms of features for the money. This Fire TV Stick’s biggest advantage is a remote with built-in voice search and control (the cheapest Roku with a voice remote is the Express 4K Plus), thanks to Alexa. The Fire Stick’s remote also doesn’t need line of sight to work. If you’re looking for a cheaper gift, the Lite is your best streaming device bet.

Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review.

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” overridecredit=”David Katzmaier/CNET” linktext=”Read our Apple TV 4K review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-tv-4k-2021-review-new-remote-cant-make-up-for-high-price/” offer=”{"id":"52628677-cbbf-43bc-990a-17951029ad7c","slug":"apple-tv-4k-2-second-generation","label":"Apple TV 4K 2 (Second Generation)","edition":["US","ES"],"imageId":"bf23de48-af58-47e5-903a-2ea974d9c0ba","imgWidth":550,"imgHeight":518,"objectType":"content_product_series","typeLabel":"Series","imgUrl":"/content/image/redirect/bf23de48-af58-47e5-903a-2ea974d9c0ba/resize/75×56","icon":"type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small"}” usepricing=”false” data-key=”cnetlisticle__6650ad1a-bc75-4a71-be8f-b164b3f13398″ position=”6″ contenttype=”Product Advice” filtershortcodetypes=”” totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Best List – Precap” showdetails=”true” suppressautoplay=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>

Apple TV 4K streaming box

David Katzmaier/CNET

The perfect foil to the affordable 4K streamers above, the newest Apple TV 4K costs a lot, but is a good choice for people who want to check every feature box — or who just want an Apple device to use Apple Arcade for gaming or take full advantage of their Apple One subscription bundles. Video purists will appreciate its flexible media streamer HDR and TV calibration feature

For most people, however, Apple’s venerable remote control streamer just isn’t worth the money, especially now that Roku has nearly all the major apps and AirPlay. If you really want Dolby Vision, you can find that on Roku, Google and Amazon devices at less than half the price.

Read our Apple TV 4K review.

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The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

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The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

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The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

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The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

” overridecredit=”Amazon” linktext=”Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-review-speedy-app-delivery-isnt-everything/” offer=”{"id":"7ec0dc59-cb04-4c89-a1c9-4157b92be786","slug":"amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max","label":"Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max","edition":["US","ES"],"imageId":"f6432dbf-b2a6-409f-b706-fbfddeca447a","imgWidth":330,"imgHeight":640,"objectType":"content_product_series","typeLabel":"Series","imgUrl":"/content/image/redirect/f6432dbf-b2a6-409f-b706-fbfddeca447a/resize/75×56","icon":"type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small"}” usepricing=”false” data-key=”cnetlisticle__d09ab74f-ae94-4037-af1e-3ff108a14af4″ position=”7″ contenttype=”Product Advice” filtershortcodetypes=”” totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Best List – Precap” showdetails=”true” suppressautoplay=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>

The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon

If you’re looking for a speedy device, look no further than the newest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The upgraded 4K Max includes a 2Ghz quad-core processor, support for Wi-Fi 6E connections and 16GB of internal storage. The Max loads 4K content apps almost immediately, and navigating around the system is swift and smooth. The downside to the Max is its Fire TV platform and the fact that ads are featured prominently throughout. We just don’t appreciate the TV becoming a giant rotating billboard for content or ads when in screensaver mode. But this is a good choice for the Amazon lover on your list. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best Fire Stick on the market today, and it’s worth the extra money over the standard Fire TV Stick 4K.

Read our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review.

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” overridecredit=”Sarah Tew/CNET” linktext=”Read our Nvidia Shield TV review” linkurl=”https://www.cnet.com/reviews/nvidia-shield-tv-review/” offer=”{"id":"884d02e4-8c79-4133-93a2-83801bfa75f2","slug":"nvidia-shield-tv","label":"Nvidia Shield TV","edition":["US","ES"],"imageId":"b33f9d2d-9f08-483c-a24f-e812985eb706","imgWidth":null,"imgHeight":null,"objectType":"content_product_series","typeLabel":"Series","imgUrl":"/content/image/redirect/b33f9d2d-9f08-483c-a24f-e812985eb706/resize/75×56","icon":"type-icon ct-cmg-tech-product-series ct-small"}” usepricing=”false” data-key=”cnetlisticle__fb186a96-927e-4cca-a7ba-9533a02e89e6″ position=”8″ contenttype=”Product Advice” filtershortcodetypes=”” totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Best List – Precap” showdetails=”true” suppressautoplay=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-shortcodeListicle g-border-thin-light-top g-inner-spacing-bottom-medium g-inner-spacing-left-large g-inner-spacing-right-large g-inner-spacing-bottom-xlarge g-outer-spacing-bottom-large g-border-thin-light-bottom g-border-thin-light-right g-border-thin-light-left”>

nivdia shield tv

Sarah Tew/CNET

Sure, it’s an expensive media streamer with a list price of $150 — and that’s before adding a game controller — but if you want a jack-of-all-trades video streaming player, the Shield is it. In addition to a streaming media player with 4K streaming and HDR, it offers a robust library of games, both console-level and Android, Steam Link, built-in Google Assistant complete with smart home control, NAS access, Plex server capability, HDHomeRun integration and much more.

Read our Nvidia Shield TV review.

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