Tech & Electronics
Best media streamer gifts for the holidays
Best media streamer gifts for the holidays
Give them the gift of streaming Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and everything else on their TVs, starting at just $30.
Roku Express
The best budget streamer
For less than the price of a decent dinner, the tiny Express covers the basics beautifully, has quick response times and Roku's dead-simple interface. And Roku's app access is second to none, with all the big names they expect, from Netflix to the , and thousands of smaller ones too. And if they have an older TV without HDMI inputs, the is a great choice.
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Cheap streaming for Alexa fans
Roku has a better, simpler menu system but the entry-level Fire TV has the edge in features -- its remote controls TV volume and power, and it lets you talk into the remote to use Alexa, to search for video, get the weather, or turn off the lights. .
Roku Streaming Stick Plus
Best 4K HDR streamer for the money
The Plus has all the Roku goodness of the Express and adds 4K HDR video output. If your gift recipient has a , or could get one in the near future (note: pretty much every new TV is 4K these days), this is a better choice than the Express because it takes advantage of the best video quality from services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. And the Plus also has a point-anywhere remote with the ability to control TV volume, mute and power. It's our favorite all-around streamer. .
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Alexa meets Dolby Vision for less
One again, we prefer the Roku version for its superior menus, but this Fire TV stick has its advantages. In addition to superior voice support (Alexa), it offers Dolby Vision HDR compatibility, something missing from Roku players. That's hardly a must-have, but if your gift recipient has a Dolby Vision TV and wants to make sure it gets that format, Amazon's stick could be the better bet. .
Roku Ultra
Most tricked-out remote
All of the streamers above will do the job well for half as much as the Ultra, but maybe you feel like laying a little luxury on that special streaming someone. Roku's best player has most of the extra features in its remote: a built-in headphone jack (so you can watch TV without disturbing anyone else), a remote finder (for when the clicker gets lost in the couch cushions) and a pair of voice-programmable shortcut buttons. And along with the Apple TV 4K, it's the only device on this list with an Ethernet port, so you have the option of going wired instead of Wi-Fi. .
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