5 Cheaper Streaming Devices To Try Instead Of The Apple TV 4K

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The Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices you can buy, but it is not the only option, since there are different cheaper models you could try instead. Apple's ecosystem is great, since it offers ad-free navigation and smooth performance thanks to its chip, which helps justify the price. However, you do not need to invest that much to get good quality. Several brands have also created many streaming devices in recent years that offer an extremely capable user experience, but for a lower price than the Apple TV 4K. Companies like Google, Amazon, or Roku have launched their own models that deliver features like 4K streaming and Dolby Vision. In addition, many of these devices bring smart integrations, which help anyone who likes a smart home.

If you want to save money or just buy a new device without making the same investment as you would with one from Apple, there are different major streaming devices that work as good alternatives today. Even if they do not deliver the full experience, they give you exactly what you need to watch your movies smoothly.

For anyone who wants to equip a secondary TV without spending much, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K delivers the essentials with ease. It works directly through the HDMI port, without extra cables or boxes taking up space on the furniture, and the TV itself powers it, making it a great alternative you can buy for a fraction of the Apple TV 4K price.

Native support for AirPlay and HomeKit is this model's biggest strength. You can mirror content from your iPhone or Mac directly to the TV and still control the device through Apple's Home app, something rare among competitors in this price range and that brings the experience close to the iOS ecosystem without costing much. At the same time, you can still access the best streaming services in the same way.

The limitations appear in the hardware. Wi-Fi 5 falls behind the newer standard found in rival models, as there's no Ethernet port for anyone who needs a wired connection. Dolby Atmos audio only passes through to the TV, without its own processing. Still, for secondary use, these missing features matter little in daily life.

The Walmart Onn 4K Pro proves that a low price does not mean a bad experience. For only $59, it delivers Wi-Fi 6, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage, specs that beat many competitors in the same price range and make the gap to the Apple TV 4K much smaller than the price suggests at first.

The main advantage of the Onn 4K Pro is the built-in long-range microphone, which turns the device into a voice command hub without needing the remote, something even the Apple TV 4K does not offer natively. Add the Ethernet port and the backlit remote to that, and it is easy to understand why it became a good option for anyone looking for streaming devices on a better budget.

On the other hand, to reach this reduced price, Walmart also had to make several trade-offs, mainly in the device's build. It has a plastic finish that sits far from what you can find from Apple, and its performance, while solid for the price, doesn't quite match a premium streaming box. Still, for anyone who just wants to watch the best streaming services in good quality without spending much, it does the job.

For anyone who still prefers the portability and ease of hiding these streaming dongles behind the TV, Amazon's Fire TV 4K Max is one of the best options, both for those buying a new device and for those upgrading from an older streaming stick. In addition, since it is a smaller device, you can also find it at a much lower price, around $59 on Amazon itself, making it a great budget buy.

However, the Fire OS ecosystem is one of the most crowded ones users can find. That is because it often shows many full-screen ads and also favors recommendations for Amazon's own content. In addition, largely because it is a stick and not a full device, you can expect less smooth navigation than in other options available to buy.

At the same time, the price can make these trade-offs worth it, since you can find the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for much lower prices, especially during promotions. Even with this smaller investment, you get access to a streaming stick that supports 4K, Wi-Fi 6E, and other features that make the watching experience more satisfying, such as Dolby Vision and Atmos.

Made for users who don't want to enter the Google or Apple ecosystem for their streaming device, the Roku Ultra is one of Roku's best streaming devices and a neutral option. It also costs $99, which is much less than the Apple TV 4K, and delivers practically the same essential features you need for streaming. So, for anyone who wants better value for money, it is great.

For half the price, you end up getting a 4K streaming experience, Dolby Vision and Atmos, as well as HDR10+. Basically, every feature that helps make the Apple TV 4K image quality good comes included in the package. So, unless you are a fan of Apple's ecosystem, you will hardly miss the other features that the streaming device has.

Unfortunately, Roku's Voice Remote Pro removed the p2 headphone jack that was present in previous generations. So, for anyone who likes private listening and prefers wired headphones, this is no longer possible, since it now depends on Bluetooth models. In addition, the Apple TV 4K interface is more organized and smoother than Roku's.

For anyone used to the Chromecast dongle, know that Google retired that format and now works with a set-top box that became one of Apple's direct competitors. The price difference between the products is also clear, since you can buy Google's TV Streamer 4K for around $99, which is half the price Apple asks for its streaming device.

In terms of hardware, it comes with 32GB of storage, and for users who like more connection stability, it already includes an Ethernet port. On the Apple TV 4K, for example, you need to pay a little more to get this feature on your device. So, you can install the essential Google TV Streamer apps and use them without worrying about the connection dropping because of a Wi-Fi failure.

However, although it is cheaper and has a better processor compared to what existed in Chromecasts, the raw performance of the TV Streamer remains a little below Apple's A15 Bionic chip. In addition, the interface Google uses on its device shows much more advertising than tvOS.

To select cheaper alternatives to Apple TV 4K, we focused on devices that could deliver the essentials of that experience, but at a better value for users. These products need to support 4K streaming, HDR formats, and navigation smooth enough for daily use, but at a much lower price. So, although none of these options beat the Apple TV 4K, they still offer an acceptable experience.

Apart from price and image quality, we also took into account other features that might influence your experience while watching TV, so having a good internet connection or easy integration with smart home were other important points to evaluate. At the same time, we also considered disadvantages, such as a more cluttered interface, simpler finishes or processors that don't match the power of the A15 Bionic, to make the list with some rock-solid picks in different formats.