Which device should I buy?
The ranked, honest, slightly unhinged guide to streaming hardware. Plus: what apps actually work where.
Can't decide which device to buy?
Bought a new Smart TV only to realise it can't run Emby or Plex with collections this big? Want to take advantage of all the custom Android apps? We've got you covered. Here are your options, ranked with love.
This list partially stolen from elsewhere. You know who you are.
Actual devices, ranked
Best in Class
Nvidia Shield TV Pro
Still the gold standard in 2026. Direct plays basically everything you throw at it - 4K HEVC, HDR10, Dolby Vision, TrueHD Atmos, PGS subtitles without forcing a transcode. Has been receiving software updates since 2015. Nothing else matches this combination.
What's good
- +Direct plays every codec and container
- +TrueHD / Atmos audio passthrough
- +Dolby Vision Profile 7 support
- +AI upscaling for 1080p content
- +9+ years of software support
What's not
- −Expensive
- −No recent hardware refresh
- −Remote is fine, not great
Best Budget Pick
Onn 4K Streaming Box (Google TV)
Walmart's own-brand Android TV box. Absurdly cheap and surprisingly capable. Runs the full Google TV app ecosystem including TiviMate, Smarters, Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin. Not as polished as the Shield but you're paying a quarter of the price.
What's good
- +Native Android TV
- +Full access to Play Store and sideloading
- +Cheap enough to buy one per room
- +4K HDR support
- +HEVC playback works
What's not
- −Build quality feels the price
- −Remote is basic
- −No Dolby Vision
- −Limited official availability outside the US
Gets the Job Done
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K / Max (pre-Vega)
The workhorse of streaming. Cheap, everywhere, runs all the main IPTV apps. Make sure you get a pre-Vega chipset model - Amazon's newer in-house chip has compatibility issues with several IPTV apps. Check before you buy.
What's good
- +Cheapest way to run almost any IPTV app
- +Side-loading still works (for now)
- +Wi-Fi 6E on the 4K Max
- +Amazon ecosystem integration
What's not
- −Heavy Amazon advertising
- −Only 8 GB storage
- −Lock-in to Fire OS
- −Power from TV USB often insufficient - use the wall adapter
Acceptable
Roku (Ultra / Streaming Stick 4K)
Clean interface, stable, no-nonsense. The problem: Roku's app store is closed and curated. You get Plex (good app, actually), some Emby and Jellyfin via unofficial channels, but TiviMate is not happening. Good for people who don't want to fiddle.
What's good
- +Very stable and reliable
- +Good Plex app
- +Simple remote
- +Minimal ads compared to Fire TV
What's not
- −Closed app store - no sideloading
- −Limited IPTV app options
- −No TiviMate
- −HEVC support varies by model
Limited but Fine
Smart TV (built-in apps)
If you already have a Smart TV, the built-in Plex/Emby/Jellyfin apps are... OK. They work for basic streaming but hit walls with HEVC, HDR, lossless audio, and big libraries. Most IPTV apps are unavailable. Don't buy a Smart TV for streaming - buy a decent panel and add a proper streaming box. Platform-specific guides below.
What's good
- +No extra hardware to buy if you have one
- +One remote for everything
- +Always on when TV is on
What's not
- −Closed app stores vary wildly by brand
- −Smart TV CPUs age fast, apps slow down
- −LG WebOS force-transcodes with many subtitles
- −Limited codec support
- −Almost no IPTV app options
Smart TV by brand
Different brands have different platforms. Sony uses Google TV (best for media server users - real Play Store). Samsung uses Tizen (closed, decent codec support, no Dolby Vision). LG uses WebOS (closed, good OLED panels, notorious subtitle bug). See platform-specific guides:
Avoid
Amazon Fire TV (Vega chipset)
Amazon's newer in-house chipset. Breaks compatibility with sideloaded IPTV apps, changes the app model, and removes features from older Fire OS. If you already own one, fine. Don't buy one new.
What's not
- −Breaks sideloaded apps
- −Locked-down Fire OS variant
- −Fewer IPTV options
- −Amazon pushing this as the default - check model numbers carefully
What apps work on what
Before you buy, check the app you want is actually available on the device. Closed app stores (Roku, Samsung, LG, Apple) don't let you sideload - if an app isn't in their store, you can't have it.
| Plex | Emby | Jellyfin | TiviMate | Smarters | XCIPTV | Stremio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nvidia Shield Android TV | |||||||
Onn 4K Box Google TV | |||||||
Fire TV (pre-Vega) Fire OS | sideload | sideload | |||||
Fire TV (Vega) new Amazon chip | limited | ||||||
Apple TV 4K tvOS | |||||||
Roku Roku OS | unofficial | unofficial | browser only | ||||
Samsung Smart TV Tizen | unofficial | limited | |||||
LG Smart TV WebOS | unofficial | limited | |||||
Chromecast with Google TV Google TV | |||||||
Xbox / PlayStation console | browser only |
Tip
"Sideload" means you install the APK manually from outside the device's official store. Works on Android TV, Fire TV (pre-Vega), and Google TV. Doesn't work on Roku, Apple TV, Samsung, or LG.
Getting creative territory
When you've exhausted the actual options and still need to watch something, get inventive.
Creative
Laptop with an HDMI cable plugged into the back of the TV
Like it's 2009. Still works. Arguably more capable than half the devices above. Downside: you have a laptop hanging off your TV.
Creative
DVD / Blu-Ray player with a physical disc
Remember those? Actual objects made of plastic containing a film. You put the object in the machine and the film plays. No buffering. No EPG. No Amazon ads.
Creative
VHS Tape
If you can still find a working VCR. Image quality of a potato. Tracking issues. Need to rewind afterwards. But the opening tape-hiss is unbeatable ASMR.
Creative
Cam recording at the cinema
Shot on a Nokia 3310 in 2004. Silhouettes of people getting popcorn. Distant crunching. Subtitle: three rows of "[STATIC]".
Total desperation zone
Beyond creative. Beyond technology. Pure determination.
Desperate
Two tin cans and a string
For the ultimate streaming latency experience. Buffer indicator: a child pulling on the string. 5.1 surround sound: tin cans placed around the room.
Desperate
Read the book (if there is one)
Same story, longer runtime, better character development, no ads. Drawback: requires sustained attention and ambient light.
Desperate
Have a friend explain the whole show to you in excruciating detail
They've seen it three times. They're thrilled. They will not skip. Episode 2's dream sequence is getting its own 20-minute tangent. You're in this now.
Desperate
Just imagine what it would have been like
Use your brain. It's free, unmetered, offline by default, and the graphics are whatever you want them to be.
Desperate
Don't watch it at all, then lie about it at every dinner party
Wait for someone else to give you the plot. Nod knowingly. "Oh yeah, that bit where..." Keep the head nods vague enough to fit multiple shows. Nobody checks.
The bottom of the list
Only if
Apple TV
But only if you have completely given up on life, joy, and the concept of value for money. The irony: it's actually a very capable device with great Plex/Emby/Jellyfin apps, excellent Dolby Vision support, and reliable software. Apple just prices it like a luxury item while locking out the IPTV apps most people actually want. A beautiful prison.
What's good
- +Best Plex app on any platform (genuinely)
- +Reliable software, regular updates
- +Good Dolby Vision support
- +No ads in the interface
What's not
- −Price. Honestly, the price.
- −No TiviMate, no Smarters, no XCIPTV
- −No sideloading
- −Locked tvOS app store
- −Remote is controversial
Final word
There's no single right answer. The right device is whichever one plays the content you actually own, on the network you actually have, with the remote you can actually find at 11pm in a dark living room. Start cheap, upgrade only when you hit a real limitation.
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