If you can swing the price and want the best streamer available today, get the Apple TV 4K.
With its simple design and focus on features you'll actually use, Roku's most affordable 4K HDR streamer is one you should get.
Hulu with Live TV is a capable premium cord-cutting service that's well-suited to existing Hulu fans.
NBC's new streaming service has tons to watch, but many missing features. The option to watch lots of content for free makes up for a lot, though.
It flogs Amazon content too much to beat Roku, but for Alexa fans or 4K HDR TV owners who insist on Dolby Vision, the Fire TV 4K Stick is a great value.
The 2019 Roku Ultra (2019) is a very good 4K streaming box that puts convenience at the fore, but lack of Dolby Vision and a high price compared to other Rokus hold it back.
The newest version of Google Chromecast is basically identical to the old one and falls short of the budget competition from Amazon and Roku.
The Roku Express 2019 is an excellent streamer. It's easy to use and offers the cheapest access to Roku's superb operating system.
The Nvidia Shield TV combines powerful streaming and gaming features, but for most users it's not worth the high price.
While it's a step behind the Roku and less cutting-edge than the 2015 Apple box, the older Apple TV remains an excellent streaming box, especially for those invested in Apple hardware and the iTunes ecosystem.
Apple TV Plus has made strides in the last year and will continue to improve in the future, perhaps as soon as October when Apple is expected to hold another event. But until it adds a catalog of familiar shows or a buzzy original (Foundation in 2021, perhaps?) it will remain a secondary streaming choice at best for most people.
Google's $35 Chromecast stick is a cheap and easy way to add streaming video and music to your TV, but it still isn't as fully featured as similarly priced Roku boxes.
The $50 TiVo Stream 4K is an affordable option with some kinks that still need straightening out.
Amazon's cheap Alexa-powered stick is better than ever with a TV-control remote, but Roku's simple menus make it a better choice.
The AirTV 2 is a nifty local TV streamer that is especially useful to Sling TV subscribers, but the lack of live TV pause limits its appeal.
HBO's new streaming service has tons to watch, but it suffers from fewer features and a higher price than Netflix and Disney Plus.
If you own a 4K TV and an AV receiver or sound bar that doesn't pass 4K HDR signals, the Roku Ultra is a great 4K streaming choice.
The latest version of Google's tiny streamer, dubbed Chromecast Ultra, can deliver 4K resolution streams from Netflix and others, complete with high dynamic range, for an affordable price.
