There are plenty of ways to stream movies and shows direct to your TV. One of your best options is grabbing one of the growing number of Android TV boxes — streaming devices running on a bespoke version of Google’s Android OS designed for standalone set-top boxes and TV sets.
Unlike the wildly popular Chromecast, Google has tried and failed (twice) with its own Android TV box products, but thankfully there are plenty of companies out there that have filled the void.
Whether you want to use it as a Kodi box, a platform for emulating retro games, or just an all-round media streaming hub, here are the best Android TV boxes you can buy.
Best Android TV boxes:
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
- Nvidia Shield TV
- Xiaomi Mi Box S
- Skystream Three Plus
- Ematic Jetstream 4K Ultra HD TV Box
Editor’s note: We’ll update this list of the best Android TV boxes as new devices are launched.
1. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Amazon
Amazon’s Fire TV products are some of the most popular streaming devices out there, and while you wouldn’t know it at a glance, they are all powered by Android TV. What you’re getting is a heavily customized version of Google’s open-source OS that swaps the Play Store for Amazon’s own Appstore.
The regular Fire TV Stick is the cheapest device in Amazon’s streaming portfolio, though most will want to pay a little extra for the $49 Fire TV Stick 4K which supports 4K Ultra HD video streaming at up to 60fps, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus.
Related: Here are 3 ways to install Kodi on Amazon’s Fire TV/Stick
All Fire TV devices enjoyed a huge upgrade recently with the return of a proper YouTube app following a long, tiresome spat with Google. The Amazon Appstore also has all the biggest streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon’s own Prime Video, as well as Plex and Kodi.
While it isn’t the most powerful “box” out there with just a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, and only 8GB of storage, the Fire TV Stick 4K is a great entry level streaming solution with a handy remote that offers quick access to Amazon’s Alexa assistant.
2. Nvidia Shield TV
The power user’s Android TV box of choice, the Nvidia Shield TV is an absolute beast. It’s also the most expensive at $179.
Packing a mighty quad-core Tegra X1 processor, 3GB RAM, and 16GB storage (expandable via external USB storage), the Nvidia Shield TV has the specs to match its huge app library via the Play Store and the seemingly endless list of features.
This premium Android box offers 4K streaming, Dolby Atmos, and DTS-X surround sound, has built-in 4K Chromecast support, can be used as a Plex media server, and even doubles up as a smart home hub with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
That’s all without mentioning its gaming credentials, as the Nvidia Shield TV can play Android games, stream PC titles, and stream games via the cloud with GeForce Now. There’s even an option to buy the Shield TV with a Bluetooth controller in addition to the standard remote.
There are rumblings of a 2019 model being in the works, but for now the 2017 Nvidia Shield TV is still the best, most up-to-date Android TV box out there for anyone with money to burn.
3. Xiaomi Mi Box S
Xiaomi
From the high-end to something far more affordable, the $69 Xiaomi Mi Box S is a semi-upgraded version of the Xiaomi Mi Box with identical core specs, but added 4K HDR support. The Mi Box S also comes with Google’s version of Android TV based on Android Oreo and has Google Assistant and Google Cast functionality baked into the box and remote.
Unfortunately, those underpowered specs mean the actual performance for streaming 4K content leaves a lot to be desired, however, if you’re happy with 1080p streaming then the Mi Box S is a solid, cheap alternative to the Nvidia Shield TV.
4. Skystream Three Plus
Skystream
So far we’ve listed devices from recognizable brands, but there are plenty of options out there from companies that you’ve probably never heard of. These devices almost always have an Amlogic SoC and a customized version of Android TV.
Related: 10 best Android TV apps!
One of the more powerful Android TV boxes in this category is the Skystream Three Plus, which has a beefy specs sheet, supports 4K streaming (with Widevine certification for HD Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime), has Kodi pre-installed, and has more ports than you could possibly ever need.
The regular Skystream Three comes with 2GB of RAM, but the more widely available Skystream Three Plus model goes one better with 4GB of RAM (DDR4). It’s not cheap at $149, but there are very few Android TV boxes that come as fully loaded as the Skystream Three Plus.
5. Ematic Jetstream 4K Ultra HD TV Box
Walmart
Another Amlogic device, Ematic’s Jetstream 4K Ultra HD TV Box targets the budget crowd and is readily available in the U.S. from Walmart for just $70.
As well as the standard Amlogic SoC at its heart, the Jetstream runs Android 8.1 Oreo, supports 4K streaming, and has Widevine certification. There’s also a handy remote with dedicated buttons for YouTube, Netflix, and Google Assistant.
The only real downside aside from the underpowered processor is the lowly 8GB of storage, though this can be expanded with a MicroSD card.
Those are our picks for the best Android TV boxes. We’ll update this list as new Android TV devices are released.