Your TV probably already has all the apps you need to stream all your shows and movies. But you need not settle. Here are the best streaming devices for 2024.
If you’ve just purchased yourself a fancy new TV or a nice projector, you probably fit into one of two types of people: those who use whatever is built into their TV or projector to access all their streaming services, and those who know there’s almost certainly something better out there.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the former group of people. Smart TVs come with built-in operating systems like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Google TV running the show, in which case you’re well-covered. And bespoke TV operating systems — like LG’s webOS, Samsung’s Tizen, or even Vizio’s Home Screen/Smartcast — have gotten better in recent years.
But there’s still a reason to consider an external streaming device, be it a stick or a box or a puck. (The form factor doesn’t really matter all that much; we just need something to call it.) Maybe you have an older TV, but want more up-to-date features and apps. Or maybe you want more-current security, which perhaps is even more important. Or maybe you’re just unhappy with what’s built in to your TV. Maybe you want all the extra bells and whistles, like Apple’s native AirPlay feature or Google’s Chromecast. Then there’s the fact that both of those operating systems almost certainly have a better on-screen keyboard.
Or maybe you just want to have „the best“ option. That’s subjective, of course, but we get paid to make tough choices. So here’s what we think are the best external streaming devices going into 2024. Some are newer than others. Some will be replaced in the months to come. All will serve you well.
But, yes, we do have a favorite.
Apple TV 4K (Late 2022)The best overall streaming device
It’s still the simplest, most consistent experience you can get, with a relatively open-ended shelf life, and the late 2022 model has gotten that much better. And those in the Apple ecosystem can make use of some of the extra features, it’s not just for those with iPhones and iPads. In the world of $50 streaming sticks that absolutely can get the job done and get it done well, it’s perhaps a little hard to recommend something that costs three or four or five times as much. And to be clear, Apple TV 4K doesn’t do three or four or five times as much as its competitors. In fact, you can make the argument that it does a little less. More on that in a second. But what it does do, it tends to do better — and with fewer headaches.
What you get for that extra money is hardware that should darn near last forever. (Just ask anyone who’s still happily using the original Apple TV 4K, released in 2017.)
It’s tempting to say that the third-generation model is nearly identical to what was released with Gen 2 in 2021. And that’s mostly true, insofar as what the end user sees. The box itself is a little smaller, having gotten rid of the fan that you probably never heard anyway. And the internals have been spruced up, too. It’s now powered by the A15 Bionic processor, which provides plenty of headroom. And there’s now support for HDR 10+, which is important if you own a Samsung TV. (Samsung doesn’t support Dolby Vision.)
There also now are two models from which to choose. One has 32GB of storage and only uses Wi-Fi for connectivity. You do not want this model. Probably.
What you should really look at is the one that costs $20 more and includes Ethernet (of the super-fast Gigabit variety), as well as support for Thread and Matter. Those latter bits are new standards for smart-home connectivity, which allow devices to talk to each other directly. You might not care about that now, but it’s the future of smart home tech. Between that it having double the on-board storage capacity (and to be fair, 64GB is almost certainly too much, but nobody ever regretted having too much storage), this is the model you should consider.
And that’s all followed up by software updates that will span years in the future. The fourth-generation Apple TV — the last to top out at HD resolution and which is now referred to only as „Apple TV HD“ — released in 2015 is still supported on tvOS. So there’s plenty of reason to believe that an Apple TV 4K purchased today should last at least five years, insofar as the software is concerned.
Apple’s tvOS is even more simple than its current phone and tablet software. The home screen is app icons, and that’s it. No real recommendations of shows or movies or live channels. No advertising. Nothing that overwhelms. That simplicity in and of itself may well be worth the extra money.
Those who are all-in with Apple’s ecosystem also will get the added bonus of things like AirPlay 2 and HomeKit — as well as ridiculously slick integration of using your iPhone or iPad for the on-screen keyboard. But even if you’re not, you’ll still be able to snag all the apps you could possibly need for your home viewing experience. And they’re all done in accordance with Apple’s developer standards, which are decidedly higher than other platforms on this list.
Apple TV 4K isn’t inexpensive. But it’s still the best.
Is an update coming soon? This model is more than a year old going into 2024, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see a new one in the coming year. But the late-2022 model will remain supported for years. If you want one now, buy one now.
Nvidia Shield (2019)The next-best streaming device
The best hardware that’s not Apple, plus a great option for gamers, the Shield (also often referred to as „Shield TV“) has a history dating back to 2015. That ancient hardware, running Nvidia’s Tegra X1 processor, was overpowered for the time and keeps that original box running just fine today.
The most recent Shield, released in 2019, comes in two flavors. Both add Dolby Vision into the mix, in addition to Dolby Atmos decoding. The non-Pro model comes in a cylindrical body for some reason. The Pro has more RAM and doubles the onboard storage to 16GB (both models still allow for external storage) and is meant for gaming via Nvidia’s G-Force Now system. And the Tegra X1+ processor is as good now as it was at release. Additionally, Nvidia does a great job at ensuring even more longevity to its devices with frequent updates that bring additional features and capabilities to the box.
