Top Streaming Stick
Based on community reviews & Amazon ratings
Apple TV
fastest device; best UI; no ads; expensive; audio passthrough limits
Nvidia Shield
best for Plex; supports all audio codecs; powerful AI upscaling; old hardware; expensive
Roku
simple interface; great for non-tech users; affordable; ads on home screen; weaker hardware on sticks
Fire Stick
very cheap; good for travel; sideloading capable; cluttered ad-filled UI; gets slow and buggy
Chromecast with Google TV
great value; good UI; "Apps only mode" cleans UI; can be laggy; remote is tiny
Onn 4K Streaming Box
amazing value; best bang for buck; fast performance; "Apps only mode"; US/Walmart exclusive
Roku Ultra
fastest Roku; ethernet port; reliable; feature-rich; still has ads
Fire TV Cube
fast processor; more storage; ethernet port; still has Amazon ads; good Fire TV option
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
good value; strong wifi; Dolby Vision; better than Express models
Roku Express
very cheap; simple; good for basic use; slow/underpowered; not durable