Want to know what the best streaming media players are in 2021? Here’s a breakdown of top brands available on the market today. Since there are so many different models available we’re keeping this list to just players capable of 4k video.
The Best 4k Streaming Media Players 2021
Apple TV 4k
Apple took forever to release their first 4k media player, but the Apple TV 4k was worth the wait. Loaded with support for all the latest home media specs including 4k, Dolby Vision, HDR10, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X, the Apple TV 4k player seems to handle all types of media quite easily. It’s also very powerful and fast. And, with the second-generation Apple TV 4k arriving mid-May it’s hard to imagine a better streaming media player for avid users. (Read our hands-on review). List Price: $149-$189 (32GB/64GB) Buy on Amazon
Fire TV Cube
Released in 2019, the Fire TV Cube with 16GB storage and hexa-core processor is still one of the best media players avaialble. The Fire TV Cube supports 4k with HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range specs as well as passthrough of Dolby Atmos audio. And, it comes with a 2nd-gen Alexa voice remote. Price: $119 Buy on Amazon
Roku Ultra
The Roku Ultra (and most Roku players) score big on user-friendliness and just plain ease of use. That may be why it’s still one the most popular streaming platforms. The new Roku Ultra introduced in 2020 supports 4k with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. It’s a very solid media player and includes a voice remote (our favorite of all the remotes) that can be plugged into headphones. List Price: $99.99 | Price: $69.99 Buy on Amazon
Chromecast Ultra 4k
Introduced in 2020, the Chromecast Ultra 4k supports 4k UHD video with the HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision specs and audio in Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos. The player comes with 8GB of storage, quad-core ARM Cortex processor, Bluetooth headphone connectivity, and includes a voice remote with Google Assistant. List: $49.99 Purchase on Best Buy
Fire TV Stick 4K
Introduced in 2018, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is pretty much a slimmed down Fire TV Cube. The player supports 4k video with HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision as well as Dolby Atmos audio. How does it compare to the Cube? The Fire TV 4k Stick only has 8GB of storage (half of the Cube), a quad-core processor (instead of hexa-core), and is lacking a built-in Ethernet port (although an optional adapter can be purchased). List: $49.99 | Price: $39.99 Buy on Amazon
Roku Streaming Stick+
Premering in 2020 as a lower-cost alternative to the Ultra, the Roku Streaming Stick supports 4k video with HDR10 but no Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos. However, the media player is AirPlay compatible, and includes the Roku voice remote with headphone jack. List: $49.99 | Price: $39.99 Buy on Amazon
TiVo Stream 4K
Competitively priced at $39.99, the TiVo Stream 4K introduced in May 2020 provides all the specs you need for playback of 4k video (up to 60fps) and Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos content. The streamer includes Google Assistant voice remote, Bluetooth 4.2, support of Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), and access to thousands of apps and services on the Google Store. List: $39.99 | Price: $29.99 Buy on Amazon