Best Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023

Android smart TVs are readily available on the market right now, but you don’t necessarily have to splurge on a new TV just to get the smart features. If your regular old non-smart “dumb” TV still has some years left in it, then you can simply pick up a new Android TV box or a stick to get all the fancy new smart features, complete with the new and updated Android TV platform. If you want to experience the new Android TV platform without splurging on a new TV, then here are the best Android TV boxes and sticks available.

There aren’t many differences between boxes and sticks besides the form factor and how sticks tend to be budget-oriented and lack some premium features.

Our favorite Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023

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  NVIDIA Shield TV

  Best overall Android TV box

• 

  Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

  Alternate best Android streaming device

• 

  Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

  Best value streaming device

• 

  Nvidia Shield TV Pro

  Best Android TV for power users

• 

  TiVo Stream 4K

  Best value Android TV box

• 

  Xiaomi Mi Box S

  Another great streaming box

The Nvidia Shield TV has been around since 2019, but it continues to retain the top position thanks to its performance and reliable set of features. It has incredibly powerful specs, and it offers a ton of impressive features, including support for the Nvidia GeForce Now cloud gaming service.

In terms of specifications, the Nvidia Shield TV is powered by the company’s own Tegra X1 processor with a 256-core Nvidia GPU. It comes with 2GB RAM and 8GB of storage, which is further expandable via a microSD card. It also has built-in voice control, and it supports both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. The Shield TV runs Android TV and comes with Chromecast 4K built-in, too.

This sounds like a lot, but the Shield TV also has a very compact form factor. It’s significantly smaller than a lot of other Android TV boxes, including its sibling, the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro. Its tube-shaped body also makes it stand out from the sea of other Android TV boxes with a generic design.

However, one of our favorite aspects is the remote. Not only does this Toblerone-shaped Shield remote fit comfortably in your hand, but it also offers a lot of controls, including Bluetooth and IR controls. There’s also a mic for voice control. The Shield TV offers everything you’d expect from a modern-day streaming box in 2023. As a bonus, you also get support for GeForce Now, Nvidia’s cloud gaming service that allows you to play PC games on your TV without spending money on a powerful gaming rig.

Google’s Chromecast with Google TV easily stands out as one of the best streaming devices on the market. It may not be as feature-rich as the Nvidia Shield TV, but there’s still a lot to like, especially when it comes to its form factor.

The Chromecast is essentially a TV stick that connects via the HDMI port. The device itself is quite portable, which is something we can’t say for a lot of other streaming devices mentioned here. Even though the Chromecast will mostly stay hidden behind your TV, we appreciate Google’s effort to make it in three different colorways: Snow, Sunrise, and Sky. You also get a color-matched remote, which is a very nice touch.

On the hardware front, the Chromecast supports everything you’d expect from a high-quality, modern streaming device. It offers 4K HDR streaming, supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and it’s reliable for all practical streaming needs thanks to the Amlogic S905X3 processor. It also packs 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.

It also ships with a Google TV interface that’s very similar to Android TV. Google TV pulls content from your streaming service of choice to offer personalized recommendations. The new Chromecast with Google TV carries a $50 price tag, which is impressive considering everything it brings to the table. That makes it one of the most affordable streaming devices in the US, if not the most.

Two years after introducing the Chromecast 4K, Google finally debuted an affordable model called Chromecast HD. Just like the one that came before it, the new Chromecast HD also comes with Google TV, which is essentially a version of Android TV that’s made specifically for Chromecast. The Google TV experience is going to remain largely the same, as the only thing that’s changed with the new device is the output.

The body has the same oval design that tucks neatly behind the TV. It has a short HDMI cable that allows it to hang itself off the back of the TV. It also has a USB Type-C port for power, similar to the Chromecast 4K device.

One of the biggest differences between the Chromecast HD and 4K is, as you can imagine, the resolution. The newer device supports basic HD video — or 1920×1080 video — which is perfect for older, smaller, or “dumb” TVs that don’t necessarily need the 4K support. The Chromecast HD can also handle HDR content, which is a nice touch by Google.

The Chromecast HD also has different internals compared to the one inside the 2020 model. The new one has an Amlogic S805X2 with support for AV1 decoding, which is a big step forward from codecs like H264 and VP9.

The standard Nvidia Shield TV is our favorite overall device, but what if you’re a power user? That’s where the Nvidia Shield TV Pro comes into play. This particular streaming device offers everything that makes the regular Shield TV great, but with a few noteworthy upgrades.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Shield TV Pro is its bigger form factor. But you can also configure it as a SmartThings hub and control supported smart home devices. You also get two USB ports for connecting accessories like external storage, keyboards, and more. The Pro model has also received a spec bump compared to the regular one, with 3GB of RAM instead of 2GB and 16GB of storage instead of 8GB. However, it’s still a Shield TV so you’ll get the same remote, complete with the traditional button layout that features dedicated media controls.

And just like the regular Shield TV, the Pro model also supports GeForce Now for game streaming. You can also use the Pro model as a Plex server, which is another great functionality to have. So it’s a more powerful device overall and should be able to keep up with whatever you throw at it.

If you don’t want to spend too much money to add some smarts to your regular TV, then we recommend checking out the TiVo Stream 4K. You can grab this particular streaming device for as low as $30 from Amazon at the time of this writing, making it even cheaper than Google’s new Chromecast with Google TV.

Don’t let the lower price tag make you think less about this device, though. It comes with awesome features, like supporting 4K HDR content that works with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also comes with its own UI that you can use instead of Google’s stock Android TV. In terms of specifications, the TiVo Stream 4K is powered by an Amlogic S905YE processor, and it comes with 2GB of RAM. You also get 8GB of storage which is the same as what you get with other options including the Nvidia Shield TV.

As for the hardware itself, the TiVo Stream 4K resembles the Google Chromecast. It’s a small box that sports an HDMI connection on one end, a Micro-USB port for charging, and a USB Type-C port for connecting other accessories and peripherals. It connects to your television through HDMI to turn it into a smart TV. It also comes with a remote. It’s physically larger than the one included with Chromecast, but it supports more functions. It also has an ergonomic design that makes it easier to hold.

Unlike the more affordable Mi TV Stick, the Mi Box S has a slightly larger footprint that demands a dedicated spot on your desk or the TV stand. The bigger form factor, however, allows it to support better features. The Mi Box S supports 4K HDR at 60 FPS, Dolby Audio, and DTS 2.0 support. All this paves the way for a great media consumption experience.

One of the best things is that you get a clean stock Android TV experience. The Xiaomi Mi Box S also comes with the usual extras such as Chromecast, which is something we’ve come to expect from modern streaming devices. You also get a pretty good remote with the Mi Box S with a minimal design, although batteries aren’t included. Installing new applications on the Mi Box S, thankfully, isn’t a hassle at all, so that’s a relief.

What is not so good about the Xiaomi Mi Box S, however, is its performance. It’s powered by the same chip that’s found inside the much smaller Mi TV Stick. You get 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage to keep up with day-to-day usage, but it’ll likely leave you a lot to be desired on the performance front.

Best Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023: Final thoughts

There are plenty of options on the market to smarten your old TV, but the Nvidia Shield TV is the best one out of the bunch. It’s one of the best-looking Android TV boxes, and it’s compact enough to comfortably sit in most setups. Its tube-shaped design also makes it look unique. It may not be as powerful as the Pro model, but the NVIDIA Shield TV is good enough for most users. It also has all the essentials including support for both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa and a built-in Chromecast 4K. The highlight of NVIDIA Shield TV, however, is the support for the GeForce Now game streaming service.

We’ve also added some other budget options in case you don’t want to splurge a lot of money trying to salvage your old TV. This is an ever-evolving list, so we’ll keep an eye on the market for some new streaming devices and see if they can be added to this list. In the meantime, you can also stop by our collection of the best smart TVs to check out some other options for upgrading your media setup.