Top 10 Best Streaming Media Players, TV Box & TV Stick

Tech-savvy people are always looking for the latest TV technology to upgrade their current setup. Streaming media players are a popular choice, as they allow you to watch content from your favorite web services on your television using your existing internet connection. For those of us who love new electronics and enjoy watching our favorite TV shows on the big screen, here is a list of the top 10 best-selling streaming media players, TV boxes, and TV sticks on Amazon.

There is no denying that there are many options for streaming media players on the market now, so it can be difficult to pick the best one. However, if you are looking to buy yourself a new streaming media player this holiday season, these are some of the top available options.

This list is updated daily, so you will always get the current updated rank & market report. Each listing displays the ‘Product name’, ‘Product image’, ‘Current ranking’, ‘Average customer rating’, ‘Buy now price’, ‘Last updated time’ as well as the ‘Buy now button’ to purchase the product from Amazon.

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*Are you new to Streaming Media Players? Please visit the wiki page. Looking for headphones? Check here.

10 things to consider before choosing your perfect streaming media player

With the increase in on-demand streaming services, the demand for Streaming Media Players and TV sticks is also increasing. TV stick and TV box allow you to directly stream TV shows and HD movies from the internet onto your TV. But before you ditch your cable guy, and subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription plan, there are a few things you should keep in mind. So below are 10 things to consider before choosing your perfect Streaming Media Player, TV Box, or TV Stick.

1. 4K HDR

Most streaming services today offer 4K videos with HDR movies and television shows. You get more movies and more shows in 4K, and for that, you need a good internet connection too, possibly WiFi, with 25 Mbps speed or even more. With 4K, you can set up your home theatre.

2. Audio

Immersive audio enriches your viewing and makes it even more enjoyable. Make sure that you have a streaming service Dolby audio. You may have to pair extra speakers for it so that the 4K movies that you watch have rich audio sound.

3. Built-in WiFi

Check if your Streaming Media Player supports WiFi or not. Most streaming media devices have a built-in WiFi or are connected by a router or Ethernet Jack. Most devices have HDMI input, and some have a USB port. Check whether your WiFi is compatible with the wireless router.

4. Remote control

When choosing your TV stick, or a Streaming Media Player, check whether you can search TV shows and movies through your voice. That way, you will have to just say which TV show you want, and won’t have to type on the onscreen keyboard. You can also have to install an app that allows you to control the streaming device.

5. Simple to set up

Check whether your TV stick or Streaming Media Player can be set up using a few steps or not. You can once set a password and then whenever you are switching it on, it won’t again prompt you to insert the password.

6. WiFi speed

See whether you have WiFi with a minimum 25 Mbps speed so that you can stream 4K movies that demand such high-speed connectivity. Streaming HD content demands more high-speed broadband speed so that you can watch your favorite TV show without any lags and buffering activity.

7. Type of content available

Check which types of content your Streaming Media Player can show you. Some streaming media devices only offer support to some streaming services, and it is also possible that your device may not have the required storage to stream your desired content. So, check the storage and also see what OTT platforms you want to watch.

8. Support for games

Check whether the Streaming Media Player offers games or not. You will be then able to play games through your remotes and enjoy gaming on your Streaming Media Player. While Apple TV offers iOS games, Google TV and Amazon Fire TV offer many Android games with voice commands and app support also.

9. Computer streaming

While buying your TV stick, or Streaming Media Player, check whether it can display your computer screen to your TV. Displaying or casting your computer to your TV allows greater flexibility, so you do not miss out on accessing your computer while you are watching your favorite web series. Amazon supports Miracast, and your computer should also support it.

10. Headphone support

Your TV stick or Streaming Media Player should be able to support Bluetooth connectivity so that you can plug in your Bluetooth headphones and listen to your favorite Hollywood movie without disturbing others. Some players support wired headphones also. Roku has an app that lets you install it and control playback with headsets.

You may like: Top 10 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers.

Top 10 bestselling streaming media players, TV boxes & TV sticks

*This list is updated daily. So if you wish to watch the market trends about how the product ranking is changing, just bookmark this page and check this page time-to-time to get the latest ranking report.

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You may also like: Netflix or YouTube – Which One is the Best Streaming Service?

Things you should know about streaming media players

Ever since Netflix started to stream select movies to audiences, streaming media players have gained immense popularity worldwide. It has redefined home entertainment and has increased the demand for streaming video content. People can buy a TV stick or a TV Box to stream and control their streaming content. But it is also a thing that brings so many factors into play. You cannot just blindly subscribe to any streaming platform and buy a TV Stick. You should do some careful thinking as to the various technical aspects and practical considerations before you buy one. So here go the top 7 factors that you should know about Streaming Media Players.

Service vs. device

There is a great void when it comes to choosing the device for viewing streaming content. You should consider what exactly you are going to watch when you buy a Streaming Media device. And whether, your Streaming Media Player can let you stream that content. All devices do not support all types of streaming services. You have to do some research into what you want to watch, and which device should you buy to watch that. For example, Chromecast users do not have access to certain streaming platforms. It also lacks navigation buttons, and that means you cannot control the streaming content through Chromecast devices.

What features do you want?

You will want an app that you can control for streaming content onto your TV. Viewing movies and live TV shows is just one aspect to consider when buying a Streaming Media Player or TV Stick. People want that TV Stick to do so much more like playing games or viewing personal photos and videos. For example, Apple TV and Amazon Fire will let you install and play games on your TV. Users would also like to listen to Spotify playlists on their TV. In this regard, Chromecast is best suited for this purpose. Apple TV includes a shopping app that lets users shop for recommended brands across major retail chains.

What about customization?

Rooting a device has its advantages and so it is with Streaming Media Players. Rooting an Android device is easy nowadays, but so is with Chromecast. You can then have an access to lots of additional features like loading custom ROMs, changing the DNS of your device, managing your firmware, etc. Amazon Fire also lets you root it directly in Kodi. You can then access Google Play, play around with themes, and increase storage with additional network drives. But you cannot say the same thing about the Roku streaming stick. It has almost zero functions after rooting it. So, whether or not you can root your device is also a major consideration when buying a Streaming Media Player or a TV Stick.

Does your device have a long life?

Long durability and regular updates are also so very important when you go on and buy a Streaming Media Player. Some models of Chromebook, for example, do not have regular updates. It also does not have a long lifespan. Let’s say you can expect it to run for 2-3 years. Chromecast is the best choice as it can handle installing many apps, works with high memory, and received regular updates. Roku also has launched so many devices and has a wide variety of models to choose from.

Is your Streaming Media Player simple to navigate?

Navigation panels on a Streaming Media Player are so important when you want to switch channels, play a song from Spotify, or go through a long playlist of music files. So users always look for simple navigation in a TV stick where they can find buttons and dials easily. Sometimes an app will also do, but it should also have to be structured and designed to be user-friendly. Does your app or TV Stick have the ability for shortcuts? Does it have a memory to store favorite channels and TV programs1? All this goes into consideration also.

Does your TV Stick come with a smartphone/ tablet app?

Some Streaming Media Players support a smartphone app. It is convenient to control the streaming media through the smartphone, and you do not have to reach out to the TV Stick for use. Smartphone apps are immensely useful as then you can download them free on your smartphone and be able to control what you see. Some don’t support a smartphone app, and you have to depend on the physical device to watch. TV Stick also is prone to damage, and it can ruin your entire experience of watching live TV channels.

What about different formats?

What if, you want to listen to Spotify music offline on your TV? Does your Streaming Media Player support that? What about the lossless format or MKV format? So, when you buy your TV Stick the next time, or zero in on your preferred Streaming Media Player, you should consider these things. It has a lot to do with how the media is processed in the first place. Are you watching your favorite TV show in MKV format or another format? So, the next time, you go on and buy your TV Stick you should be able to decide if you can play music or watch movies offline or not, and that too, in which format?

Final Words

So, if you have not decided on which TV Stick to buy, then it is time you think about the above things. They can be crucial to your buying preferences. Even after buying a Streaming Media Player, you can try a hands-on approach and adjust the settings to see which device your TV Stick support. It is also recommended that you research various available devices and streaming services and what your subscription offers you.

Choosing the ‘perfect’ Streaming Media Player is going to be easy, once you consider what content you want to watch, what is your budget, what hardware will you need, and are you getting what you paid for. Then you should review the above points and buy the one which is best suitable for you.

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