NVIDIA, Amazon, Roku Headline List of Consumer Reports’ Top 10 4K Streaming Devices
If you’re researching a new streaming device, Consumer Reports has compiled a list of the best according to buyers like you.
It can be really difficult to know when shopping online how good a product is. Of course, every site offers customer reviews of the item in question, but cynical shoppers know that some of these reviews can be nothing more than bot-generated blurbs that are used to prop up its star rating. That’s why independent evaluators like Consumer Reports are so critical for buyers to use, even when trying to do something as simple as find a new streaming device. CR has gone to great lengths to compile a list of the top 10 Ultra-High-Definition 4K streaming players on the market, and I’ll break down the list for you below if you’re looking to potentially snag a new streaming device to watch streamers like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and all your other favorites.
Consumer Reports’ Top 10 Streaming Devices:
No.1: NVIDIA Shield Pro
Coming in first with an overall customer score of 82, the NVIDIA Shield Pro is the best 4K streaming player on the market per Consumer Reports. Customers love the overall ease of use of the device, and features like voice control, GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming support, AI upscaling, and of course Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for high-quality picture and sound make the NVIDIA Shield Pro very popular. It’s a bit pricier than some of the other options on this list at $199.99, but viewers who want quality are getting what they pay for with the NVIDIA Shield Pro.
No. 2: NVIDIA Shield
The NVIDIA Shield Pro’s sibling player downgrades storage and RAM somewhat, but it’s still lightning fast and offers many of the same features as its more powerful counterpart. The NVIDIA Shield still offers GeForce Now Cloud Gaming, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision, a remote that allows for voice searches, and a compact design that will fit in any living room. Its Consumer Reports score is 77, and it can be had for just $149.99 at various retailers.
No. 3: Amazon Fire TV Cube
The Amazon Fire TV Cube has an overall score of 75, and it’s easy to see how it climbed so high on the list. The Fire TV Cube features an octa-core processor, so navigation is easy and fast. It comes with Wi-Fi 6E support so you can say goodbye to buffering, and don’t forget Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision! The Fire TV Cube also has hands-free Alexa built-in, so viewers don’t even need a voice remote to control their devices from across the room. The Fire TV Cube retails for $139.99, but once again customers are getting the quality they pay for with this player.
No. 4: Roku Ultra
Roku is a trusted streaming player company for a reason, and its Roku Ultra model is the most powerful in its lineup. It scores a 73 from Consumer Reports and features many of the capabilities of the players listed above it, including Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, as well as hands-free voice controls and the ability to connect wired or wireless headphones for private listening. You can even use the Roku remote to control TV functions like power and volume, so you no longer have to keep track of multiple remotes to operate your setup. The Roku Ultra normally retails for $99.99, but it’s on sale now for $89.99.
No. 5: Roku Streaming Stick 4K
The next player on the list also comes from Roku and registers a Consumer Reports score of 68. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a great choice for shoppers who want a high-quality device, but also want to save a little money. Like the Roku Ultra, it comes with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, a remote that controls the TV as well as the player, voice search, and a long-range so viewers won’t have to worry it will not get enough Wi-Fi signal. All of this and unlimited on-demand streaming from top streamers are available at a price of just $39.99, $10 off the normal $49.99 cost of the stick.
No. 6: Chromecast with Google TV 4K
The next grouping of Consumer Reports devices all have nearly identical scores, starting with the Chromecast with Google TV 4K. This model gets a 67 from CR, and the most frequent comment from customers is how easy the product is to use. Viewers get access to all of their favorite streaming services, plus hundreds of free channels through the Google TV interface. Customers can cast video or photos from their mobile device to the Chromecast with no effort, and the device comes with a voice remote for hassle-free searches. It’s even priced to move, retailing for just $49.98.
No. 7: Roku Express 4K with Voice Remote Pro
“Just how many 4K streaming players does Roku need?” you might well be wondering. But the Roku Express 4K is a good middle ground between the Streaming Stick 4K and the Roku Ultra, with a plug-in headphones mode and powerful remote, as well as hands-free voice search. It also boosts storage from the 16GB on the Roku Streaming Stick 4K all the way to 256GB, so you’ll never have to worry about the device telling you to delete apps because you ran out of storage space. It’s only $10 more than the Streaming Stick 4K at $49.99, and comes with a CR score of 67.
No. 8: Apple TV 4K 128GB
The Apple TV 4K is a great choice for any browser and also boasts a 67 score on Consumer Reports. Apple fans will especially love the device, with its FaceTime and AirPlay compatibility, and its ability to pair with HomePods for hands-free Siri control. Viewers can access Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Music. You can even get three months of Apple TV+ free when you buy one from an authorized outlet! The Apple TV 4K (128GB) model retails for $151.99 currently.
No. 9: Apple TV 4K 64GB
The Apple TV 4K 64GB has all the features of its 128GB sibling but trades less storage space for a slightly cheaper price. There’s not as much incentive to downgrade to the 64GB model at present, however, as it’s currently retailing for around $146.19. It’s probably best to stick with the 128GB model since the price isn’t much cheaper, but the 64GB model is an excellent overall device nonetheless.
No. 10: TiVo Stream 4K
Coming in with a score of 62 from Consumer Reports is the TiVo Stream 4K. Like its competitors on this list, it comes with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos capability, and its recommendations row compiles titles from across multiple streaming services, so you don’t have to go between apps to find something new to watch. It’s also the cheapest device on this list, normally retailing for $39.99 but on sale now for only $21.99. If you’re looking for a great combo of value and streaming power, this is it!