The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (2024)

Skip to main content

SearchSearch
  • Security
  • Politics
  • Gear
  • The Big Story
  • Business
  • Science
  • Culture
  • Ideas
  • Merch
  • Black Friday
  • Podcasts
  • Video
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Travel
  • Steven Levy's Plaintext Column
  • WIRED Classics from the Archive
  • Events
  • WIRED Insider
  • WIRED Consulting
  • Jobs
  • Coupons

00

Days

:

00

Hours

:

00

Minutes

:

00

Seconds

Shop NowAll Products Tested and Reviewed by WIRED Editors

Parker Hall Medea Giordano

Gear

We’ve tested dozens of ways to watch stuff on 4K or HD TVs. These are our favorites.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Featured in this article

The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (5)

Best for Casting (and Anyone on Google Home)

Google TV Streamer (4K)

Read more

The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (6)

Best for iOS Lovers

Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation)

Read more

The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (7)

The Best Roku

Roku Ultra (2024)

Read more

Show more

4

/

10

You probably stream most, if not all, of your content. A good streaming device makes that process easier. If you've purchased a new TV recently, it likely has a built-in streaming interface. Some of these are fine, but a stand-alone streaming device can offer a better experience. We’ve tried them all—from Roku, Apple, Google, Amazon, and even a cheap Walmart-owned brand—so you don’t have to, and we’ve separated each of our favorites by what they do best.

To test streaming devices, I note how easy or complicated the setup was, from the first plug-in to signing into all our favorite streaming services, and then I watch TV! I stream a lot of content in general even when I'm not testing a new device, but for at least a week, I watch a few hours of movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos every day, installing and deleting apps, and playing around with any additional features within the device itself or on the remote.

Be sure to check out all our home theater guides, like the Best Roku Devices, Best Streaming Services, Best TVs, Best Soundbars, and Best Projectors.

Updated October 2024: We've added the new Google TV Streamer (4K) and Roku Ultra.

Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

  • The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (8)

Parker Hall is a senior editor of product reviews at WIRED. He focuses on audiovisual and entertainment products. Hall is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied jazz percussion. After hours, he remains a professional musician in his hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Writer and Reviewer

Medea Giordano is a former staff writer for WIRED who covered a little bit of everything including health, beauty, and pet tech. Prior to WIRED, she was an assistant editor at Wirecutter and an assistant in the newsroom of The New York Times. She studied journalism at Hofstra University and... Read more

Writer and Reviewer

TopicsShoppingbuying guidesstreaming4Khome entertainmentTVs

Read More

Alpine’s A290 Hot Hatch Kickstarts the Brand’s Electric Future

Great handling, a comfortable ride and integrated tech make this hyper-modified Renault 5 a winner.

Charlie Thomas

LG's Ultragear Ultrawide Gaming Monitor Has a Crazy Curve

This is one of the most curved ultrawide displays I’ve tried, and that curvature makes all the difference.

Eric Ravenscraft

Technics' SL-1200G Is the Turntable of Your Dreams

This hyper-robust deck from Technics takes classic design to the audiophile tier.

Simon Lucas

Keychron's K2 HE Is a Stunning Yet Affordable Hall Effect Keyboard

Keychron’s latest Hall effect keyboard has a much more accessible price and looks fantastic with woodgrain styling.

Henri Robbins

Apple’s Latest MacBook Pro Is Powerful but Probably Not Worth the Upgrade

The M4 Pro CPU pushes the performance envelope. But when the only real competition you have is with yourself, what then?

Christopher Null

The Upgrades in Apple's New iMac Are Small but Worthwhile

It’s round four for the iMac on Apple silicon. Turns out the first time was the charm, but this one’s great too.

Christopher Null

This Portable Music Player Sounds Great, Looks Boring

Activo's P1 is a decent portable music player, but it looks pretty bland.

Simon Lucas

The Rocky Talkie Is a Two-Way Radio That Really Works

This secure, durable, and easy-to-use walkie-talkie is worth the seemingly exorbitant price.

Adrienne So

Cuzen Matcha's Electric Matcha Maker Makes Great Tea but Is Lazily Designed

This kitchen gadget offers a way to brew incredibly fresh matcha, but it’s really just a glorified tea leaf grinder.

Andrew Watman

Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft Is a Nice Color E-Reader and Not Much Else

The first color Kindle is a nice upgrade, but Amazon missed out on a few opportunities to make the Colorsoft even more special.

Brenda Stolyar

The New Mac Mini Is Tinier and More Capable Than Ever

Apple’s basic desktop computer is now a bit smaller and slightly more powerful, but it’s not for everyone.

Brenda Stolyar

This iPhone Keyboard Case Is Proof That Physical Keys Rule

The Clicks for iPhone 16 case brings a Blackberry-style physical keyboard to your smartphone.

Brenda Stolyar

The Best TV Streaming Devices for Cord Cutters (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6161

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.