How to find out which streaming media stick is right for you

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Let’s talk about dongles. You can laugh at the word, but the last few years have seen those little connectors become a fixture in millions of HDMI ports. It’s not hard to see why — they’re easy to hook up, easy to pack, and, generally speaking, easy to afford. And for most people without a 4KTV, they’re virtually as effective at getting apps on a TV as their larger counterparts.

As always, though, figuring out which one of these things is worth your commitment can be tricky. So, after testing the current crop of big-name dongles — along with a few alternatives — we’ve tried to sort things out. Remember that you may not need a dedicated streamer at all if you already own a smart TV or game console, but if you’ve had your eye on this form factor, here’s what to get.

Roku Streaming Stick

Amazon

The best device for most people looking to stream media to their TV on the cheap is the new Roku Streaming Stick. We’ll direct you to our full review for the complete rundown, but to sum, it’s easily the fastest device on this list, with the widest app support, and a dead simple interface that puts the least resistance between you and your shows.

That UI is starting to look bland, and notable apps like Kodi and PlayStation Vue are still missing, but all told, it’s the device with the least compromises. Its search is still the farthest-reaching and most helpful, sorting results by price and never pushing one platform harder than others. Its app lets you run the whole machine from your phone, and here allows you to listen privately through a pair of headphones, which is never not convenient.

For all but the most hardcore users, there’s just very little the Streaming Stick does wrong. And again, it’s cheap. Unless you need 4K or an Ethernet port — in which case you have to go bigger with a Roku 4 or Roku 2, respectively — it should be the first media streamer on your shortlist.

Roku Streaming Stick, $49.99, available at Amazon.

Google Chromecast

Business Insider/Matt Weinberger

If you’re all in on Android, though, or you mostly stick to the higher-profile apps, there’s a chance you’ll prefer Google’s Chromecast. Again, check out our review for full details, but the gist is that this is less of a media streamer than it is a shortcut for putting phone apps on your TV. You just go to a compatible app, hit the Cast button, and beam whatever video you’re playing on the big screen.

This means the Chromecast isn’t totally self-contained, which can irk people. There’s no remote and no actual interface (on the TV), so you’re reliant on your phone or tablet to get anything done. Depending on how often you’re glued to that device, this is either straightforward or annoying. There’s no Amazon Video support, either, though Google’s Cast platform covers most of the essentials, and the Chromecast mobile app makes it fairly easy to find what you can use.

Google’s hotfix for any missing apps is the same thing that might make the Chromecast appealing for Android users: screen mirroring. With any device running Android 4.4.2 or higher, you can replicate the entirety of your display on your TV. A Google Chrome extension lets you do the same thing with a web browser.

Neither of these look sharp, and there’s always a hint of lag to the whole process, but this does work. If you ever wanted to, say, play Android games on your TV, this is a cheap way to do it. For most people outside of that niche, though, we think a more conventional setup will cause less trouble.

Google Chromecast, $30, available at Best Buy.

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Amazon

The Amazon Fire TV Stick is closer to the Roku Streaming Stick in operation, but it’s slower, and the way it sorts its content is a little more obnoxious. While its app support is comparable, it tends to direct you toward Amazon’s own Prime Video service — which Roku has too — and emphasizes individual programs more than apps themselves. This can be okay if you’re an active Prime member, but it can be too self-serving for comfort. On the plus side, Amazon’s voice search is superb.

The advantage the Fire TV Stick has is that it’s a little more hackable. If you need an open source media center like Kodi — and if you even know what Kodi is, you probably do — you can technically “sideload” it, and other unofficially supported apps, onto the device. If that doesn’t make sense, don’t sweat it — the Roku should be plenty for your non-local media needs.

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Voice Remote, $49.99, available at Amazon.

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