Everything else • Google TV • Android TV • the brands we don’t carry
Streaming Devices Beyond Fire TV and Roku
Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield are the two other platforms we carry. Apple TV, Onn, Walmart Fire TV and TiVo appear in almost every buying search — so here is the honest read on each, even where we have nothing to sell you.
The two other platforms we carry
Both are genuinely different from Fire TV and Roku, and both earn their place for a specific reason rather than as general-purpose alternatives.
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
- Google TV interface, not Chromecast — a full launcher with app rows, not a casting target
- 4K Ultra HD with HDR10 and HLG on a compatible display
- 8 GB of storage
- Google Assistant voice search across the library
- AirPlay and Chromecast casting built in
- The standard Android TV feature set: Google Play, YouTube, Netflix, and the wider Play catalogue
Best for: households already living in Google services, and anyone who wants Android TV app availability including Plex and Kodi.
Check PriceNVIDIA Shield TV Pro
- Tegra X1+ processor, built for demanding apps and cloud gaming
- 8 GB storage with microSD expansion — the only expandability in this guide
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet
- Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, plus Dolby Atmos and 7.1 surround
- GeForce NOW for cloud gaming on the big screen
- Full Android TV, so Plex, Kodi, and sideloaded apps are all available
Best for: people who want a streaming box that doubles as a game console, and Android TV users who need more storage or Ethernet.
Check PriceThe one thing Fire TV and Roku both lack
Both are locked ecosystems with curated app stores. If your media library lives outside those stores — a Plex server, Kodi, local files, or an sideloaded app — Android TV is the only route in this guide. That is a real and permanent difference, not a spec-sheet footnote.
Apple TV 4K
The best picture quality most people will ever see on a streamer. We do not carry a link for it, and we would rather explain it than pretend it is not an option.
Apple TV 4K
- Consistently the strongest picture quality of any streaming device in wide use
- tvOS is fast, clean, and has essentially no interface clutter
- Seamless handoff from iPhone, iPad and Mac; AirPlay is native
- Hands-free Siri Voice, including “watch” requests
- Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10+ support
- Costs more than comparable Fire TV and Roku hardware
- Best app performance, with a few services that ship tvOS apps late or not at all
Who it fits: an Apple household that mostly wants to cast their own devices and has no interest in Amazon or Roku ecosystems.
Budget Android TV: Onn and Walmart editions
The cheapest route to a 4K streaming device, almost always sold exclusively through Walmart. That exclusivity is the entire reason there is no link here.
Onn / Walmart streaming devices
- Often the lowest-cost 4K streaming hardware available in store
- Runs Google TV on newer models — same app catalogue as Chromecast
- Sold in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com only
- Limited model turnover, so firmware and support can lag behind the majors
- No affiliate programme we can participate in, because sales do not run through a network we can link
Who it fits: a strict budget, in-store shopping, and Google TV as a must-have.
Walmart Fire TV Edition
- A Fire TV Stick with Walmart’s own app and shopping front page preloaded
- Software behaviour is Fire TV — same apps, same Alexa, same interface family
- Sold exclusively through Walmart in store and online
- Sometimes bundled with a Walmart-branded TV, which is where most people encounter it
- Walmart’s own retail front page sits above the Amazon-facing content
Who it fits: you already shop Walmart and want Fire TV software at the lowest price you can find in store.
TiVo Stream
Built for a specific habit: recording live TV in the box.
TiVo Stream 4K
- Purpose-built around a DVR — record, schedule, and replay live television in the box
- 4K streaming alongside the recording function
- Subscription-based service model on top of the hardware
- Overlaps heavily with hardware you may already own if you record elsewhere
- Poor value if you do not actually record live TV
Who it fits: cordcutters who still record broadcast television and want it in one box.
Cross-brand platform matrix
Every platform in this guide, compared on the criteria that actually decide a purchase.
| Platform | Devices carried | Best device | Dolby Vision | Wired Ethernet | Sideloading | Voice assistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire TV | 9 devices | 4K Max | Yes, across all 4K models | Cube only | No — curated store | Alexa, hands-free on the Cube |
| Roku | 4 devices | Streaming Stick Plus | Ultra and Streaming Stick 4K only | Ultra only | No — curated store | Alexa and Google Assistant by app |
| Google TV | 1 device | Chromecast with Google TV (4K) | No | No | Limited — Android TV base | Google Assistant |
| NVIDIA Shield | 1 device | Shield TV Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes — full Android TV with sideloading | Google Assistant |
| Apple TV | None — not carried | Apple TV 4K | Yes | No | No — Apple tvOS only | Siri |
| Onn / Walmart | None — not carried | Onn 4K Plus-class models | Varies by model | Varies by model | Limited — Android TV base | Google Assistant |
| Walmart Fire TV | None — not carried | Walmart Fire TV Edition | Yes | No | No | Alexa |
| TiVo Stream | None — not carried | TiVo Stream 4K | Varies by model | No | No | TiVo Voice |
Fire TV and Roku are curated app stores, so sideloading is not available. Android TV devices run the Android TV base, which allows sideloading within their security model. Verify current specifications, app availability, and pricing on the retailer listing before purchasing.
Which platform, in one paragraph each
If you only read one part of this page, read this part.
You want the widest choice
Nine devices from a budget 1080p stick to a Cube with Ethernet and hands-free voice. Choose Fire TV for range, for Alexa, or if the catalogue you watch is Amazon-heavy. Full Fire TV lineup.
You want a neutral interface
Four devices, one consistent interface, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on the current sticks, and no storage ceiling to hit. Choose Roku for a clean home screen and simpler decisions. Full Roku lineup.
You live in Google services
Chromecast with Google TV gives you the Play catalogue, Google Assistant, and casting built in. Choose it for app breadth rather than for the best picture format support.
You need open apps or gaming
The only device here with full Android TV sideloading, expandable storage, Ethernet, and Dolby Vision together. Choose it if Plex, Kodi, or GeForce NOW matter. Check Price.
Picture quality is everything
The best picture in this guide and the smoothest interface, at the highest price, inside the Apple ecosystem. We do not carry it — see the honest read above.
Price is the only constraint
Onn and Walmart models are the cheapest 4K route. They are sold exclusively at Walmart, which is why we cannot link them.
Found this useful?
Eight platforms compared, including the four we deliberately do not sell you. If this saved you an evening of research, a tip keeps it going.
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