Streaming Media Device Buying Guide

Your internet connection will help determine picture quality: Netflix and other services adjust the signal you get based on the speed of your internet connection. So if Gal Gadot’s jawline seems less than chiseled or that rom-com won’t play without buffering, buffering, buffering . . . you may need a more robust broadband connection or some adjustments to your WiFi network. 

You’re Likely to Need a Speed of at Least 50 Mbps
Five megabits per second is the absolute minimum to support a high-definition stream, but that’s barely adequate, and only if you’re streaming to just one device at a time. Most homes these days will need at least 25 megabits per second, the Federal Communications Commission’s definition of high-speed broadband—and that’s if you’re streaming 4K videos and nothing else. (Most services recommend 15 to 25 Mbps speeds for 4K videos.) And with so many people working remotely and streaming more entertainment than ever, you may need much faster speeds. (Check out "How Much Internet Speed Do You Need?" for a calculator that can help you figure it out.) The good news is that the average broadband download speed in the U.S. is now over 200 Mbps, according to SpeedTest.net, though median upload speeds are considerably slower.

Regardless of how fast your connection is, picture quality may initially be poor but then improve after a minute or so as the service adjusts to the connection speed.

4K Video With HDR Is Now Common
All streaming services can deliver ordinary high-definition picture quality. But most also now offer lots of 4K content as well. That includes Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Fubo TV, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, and Netflix, among others. Most of these services also now support 4K videos with high dynamic range (HDR). But as noted above, you’ll need a relatively fast connection, at least 15 to 25 Mbps, just to stream 4K content.

4K HDR Capability
All the major streaming player brands now offer models that support 4K videos with HDR. It’s probably worth getting one of these models because almost all new televisions are 4K models, and streaming services provide lots of 4K content.

The Right Connections
All streaming media devices have built-in WiFi, and some have an Ethernet jack for a wired connection to a modem or router. All can hook up to TVs via HDMI connections, but it’s getting harder to find models with legacy analog-video connections for use with older TVs that lack an HDMI input. Some players include a USB port for playing your own media, such as music and photos, through the device.

Organized Apps
As more channels become available on these devices, the ability to reorder (or delete) apps and customize your home screen is a plus. It helps you avoid having to scroll through seldom-used options.

Universal Search
You’ll appreciate models that can search across multiple services to find shows and movies so that you don’t have to check each service individually.

Faster WiFi
A streaming device with dual-band WiFi can help performance by relegating video streaming to the higher 5-gigahertz frequency band, sidestepping possible interference with other devices at home, such as cordless phones and microwaves, that operate on the 2.4-GHz frequency. Models that support the 802.11ac standard, referred to as WiFi 5, are very common, but many newer players now support the WiFi 6 and WiFi6e standards, which offer faster speeds and the ability to support more devices. Your wireless router also needs to support WiFi 6 to get those benefits, but a WiFi 6 streaming device will work fine with older routers. There’s an even newer WiFi 7 standard, but so far we haven’t seen any streaming players that support it.

Well-Designed Remotes
All but the most basic models come with remotes that have embedded microphones, so you can search using voice terms, which is easier than typing using an onscreen keyboard. There are also some rechargeable remotes, so you don’t have to go searching for replacement batteries. Dedicated buttons for the most used services allow for easy access, and programmable buttons allow you to set up shortcuts to quickly open apps or access settings. Backlit buttons come in handy on family movie night when the lights are low. Most of the devices offer apps that let you use your smartphone as a remote control.

Online streaming services offer unprecedented viewing options for either those looking to supplement what they get from cable or those who want to eliminate it entirely. (We can show you how to cut cable TV for about $25 per month.)

There are now several ways to go. All-you-can-eat subscription services—such as Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix—are now joined by Apple TV+, Disney+, Max (formerly HBO Max), Paramount+, and Peacock. They offer unlimited streaming for a fee, typically around $7 to $20 per month. Cable-style live TV services (DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV) offer both local and cable channels for anywhere from about $45 to $85 per month. And free streaming services (Freevee, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, Tubi TV) require you to watch advertisements instead of paying.

Finally, you can use pay-per-view services, where you rent or buy individual movies or shows on an à la carte basis.

Almost everyone seems to have one or several subscription services, but they’re not right for everyone, especially as their prices march upward. Services like Netflix make the most sense for those who watch a lot of shows and movies, like to binge-watch several shows or even entire seasons of a series, or are fans of exclusive shows and movies (“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon, “Stranger Things” on Netflix) that aren’t available elsewhere.

That has caused more of us to change our streaming habits. According to research firm Parks Associates, 36 percent of streaming customers are already “service hoppers,” who subscribe to a streaming service for a month or so, binge-watch all the shows they like, and then cancel, moving to different services multiple times over a period of 12 months.

If you watch only one or two movies or shows a month and prefer more current releases, a pay-per-view service is the better bet.

Here’s a breakdown of the “big three” subscription services.