

The Toblerone-shaped remote deserves a special mention too. It can also be used as a SmartThings hub for controlling smart home devices, and has Chromecast built in so you can cast to it from your phone or tablet. The Nvidia Shield TV pro can take old low-resolution shows and movies and, using clever neural network techniques to identify faces and patterns, sharpen and enhance the image for 4K televisions.Īll of the major streaming services are available on Android TV, plus any media server apps you might want to install such as Plex and Kodi. Nvidia’s expertise in graphics processing also enables some impressive upscaling effects. That means you not only get fast and responsive app loading, light gaming and video streaming through Android TV, but the option to play PC games by streaming them remotely, either from a gaming PC in another room of the house or through Nvidia’s games on demand service. The best streaming box you can buy, the Nvidia Shield TV pro is essentially a powerful Android computer based around Nvidia’s industry-leading GeForce architecture.

Pros: High-spec performance, streams PC games, upscaling tech is a technical marvel.Streams: HD, 4K, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR10, HDR10+.The Apple TV 4K is a more expensive streaming box that doesn’t work well with Android phones, but it integrates so neatly into the Apple ecosystem that brand loyalists will find the frictionless setup and unique features hard to beat. Which streaming device is best for you can also depend on the type of phone you use. The Nvidia Shield even lets you ask Alexa to find the remote control for you, so you’ll never lose it down the back of the sofa again. The best streaming devices also come with their own dedicated smart remotes, which can roll your existing TV and soundbar remotes into one, reducing clutter and simplifying your TV watching experience. The app selection is wider – ideal for fans of more obscure streaming platforms – and because they’re built for performance, streaming devices are faster to load, with more intuitive interfaces and smoother, more responsive menu navigation. Whether you choose Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon or Nvidia, your plug-in streaming device is also going to give you a better experience than your basic TV interface.
