Comparing Popular 4K Streaming Devices

We still have cable, satellite, and good old fashioned over-the-air TV, but it’s hard to ignore the incredible convenience of streaming video. There’s no major content network worth its well-deserved Emmys that doesn’t have a streaming video offering. HBO, Showtime, ESPN, CNN - they and countless others offer almost all content via on-demand streaming; some networks even offer streaming-only premium content.

You have likely heard of one or more of the most popular streaming devices. While smart TV capabilities are built into practically every new TV set, some are better than others. If you don't like the smart system that's native to your 4K TV, you can choose to use an external streaming device.

Since most TVs sold today are 4K-enabled, Georgia Home Theater believes you should only consider a 4K streaming device. They cost only a few dollars more than HD varieties and are far more future-proof. The leading devices in media streaming are those you’ve probably already heard of from Apple, Amazon, Roku, and Google.

These all offer a plethora of 4K streaming apps with a massive variety of content. What are the differences and which one is a better fit for your 4K televisions in Atlanta? Read on find out.

SEE ALSO: Looking for a Media Room that Doesn’t Look Like One?

Amazon Fire TV 4K Stick & Cube 4K

Best For: Amazon Prime fans, Alexa voice control mavens

Pros: Fast, easy interface, voice remote, Alexa compatibility

Key Video and Audio Support: HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos

Our Take: The Fire TV 4K Stick and Cube 4K both have a broad array of apps installed to watch almost anything. The recent competitive spat between Google and Amazon that kept YouTube off of the Fire and Prime Video off of Chromecast was recently resolved, solving a limitation of both devices that had users forced into workarounds. If the Fire has a notable con, it is that Amazon aggressively promotes Prime and music content in the onscreen interface. The Cube 4K doubles as an Alexa speaker and has universal remote control support. While that's all good, Georgia Home Theater can provide much better smart home and entertainment control options for any of the devices we are discussing here in the blog.

Apple TV 4K

Best For: Those that are all-in Apple users but that’s not required

Pros: Fast, polished interface, good Siri voice search across services, extensive iTunes content

Key Video and Audio Support: HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos

Our Take: The Apple TV 4K is one of the most complete offerings in streaming. The hardware is powerful, the interface is Apple-slick and easy to master, and it has an extensive array of apps. The selection of 4K movies from iTunes is one of the largest available. Airplay 2 offers comprehensive casting support from iOS devices or your Mac. Apple does promote its services onscreen, but that doesn’t get in the way of the experience. This is the most expensive device in the blog roundup, but the hardware performance tends to hold up well through several Apple system updates, adding new capabilities and content with some regularity. If you like hidden streaming sticks though, you’re out of luck here - Apple TV is only available as a small set-top box.

Google Chromecast Ultra

Best For: Those that love smartphone control for everything; Google ecosystem aficionados

Pros: Good performance, hides behind TV set with a dongle, no need to download additional apps to the streaming device, works with Google Assistant

Key Video and Audio Support: HDR, Dolby Vision, no Dolby Atmos

Our Take: The Chromecast Ultra has no onscreen interface. Everything is broadcast to the big screen via a smartphone or tablet app. Use the Google Home app for searching or use any content app, like HBO, DirectTV, or ESPN. Find what you want to watch then cast it to your 4K TV screen. Other devices in this blog roundup offer similar casting functionality (with some caveats) and easy to use onscreen interfaces, making them easier to integrate into home theater systems.

Roku Ultra & 4K Streaming Stick+

Best For: Those utilizing multiple streaming content services

Pros: Fast, easy interface, good voice search across several services, excellent performance

Key Video and Audio Support: HDR. No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos

Our Take: Roku’s onscreen interface may not be the flashiest, but anyone can become a pro in minutes. The Roku app store has the largest variety of streaming services, including services from TV providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Sling TV. Most importantly, Roku is the most agnostic of all of the streaming providers, as they don't have a streaming service of their own like Amazon Prime or iTunes. Their interface lets you put your favorites front and center. The Roku Ultra features optical audio output and serves as its own ethernet point, ensuring excellently streaming with 4K content. The Roku 4K Streaming Stick+ offers much of the performance of the Ultra but in a stick that plugs directly into a TV HDMI port.

You Can’t Go Wrong

You can't really go wrong with any of these devices. If you buy one but don’t enjoy it, then it’s not much more expensive to switch to a different device. What we have seen go awry, however, is networking. 4K streaming with higher resolution audio and video may take a toll on network bandwidth. While all these devices have the latest wireless networking capabilities, and some have wired ethernet, your router and wireless system may not be up to handling multiple TVs streaming 4K content. But that’s where Georgia Home Theater can help. We have commercial-quality networking solutions that can provide your home the speed and coverage you need to keep your entertainment and automation devices working optimally.

To learn more, call us at (770) 955-8909 or chat with us below to connect right away. We look forward to working with you!