Buyer’s Guide: Best Streaming Devices

The age of entertainment has changed, and if you’re not streaming your favourite content from the likes of Showmax, Netflix, and Amazon, you’re missing out. Of course, a lot of TVs do have built-in smart and streaming features, but some don’t. If you want to turn essentially any device in your household into a media-capable device, we’ve rounded up some of the best streaming boxes and media players on the South African market:

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick

Price: From R749

Powered by Android TV 9.0, the little gadget comes with Built-in Chromecast and supports over 5,000 apps from the Play Store, including Netflix, DStv Now, YouTube, Spotify, Prime Video and more. The Xiaomi Mi TV Stick has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage and in terms of connectivity has HDMI 2.0, Micro USB, Bluetooth 4.2 and dual-band WiFi. For audio, it supports Dolby Audio and DTS-HD. It’s also Google-certified and offers the convenience of Google Assistant. Plus, it comes packaged with a Bluetooth remote that makes controlling the device a breeze.

Xiaomi Mi Box S

Price: From R999

If you like the sound of the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, but want a little more in terms of storage space and features, check out the Xiaomi Mi Box S. The Mi Box S is a powerful media player, featuring 2GB of RAM, 8Gb of storage, and a Quad-core CPU. It also features the latest 4K HDR technology and high-speed 4K processing for up to 60fps playback. So, the interface and content delivery is a little faster and slicker than the smaller streaming ‘sticks’ available.

DSTV Streama

Price: R1,299

DSTV is finally releasing a streaming-centric device for South Africans in the form of the Streama. The DStv Streama is a compact streaming box that supports 4K video with HDR 10 and Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound. To connect the Streama to the Internet, users can either plug in an Ethernet cable at the back or connect wirelessly with a built-in Wi-Fi 5 receiver. The Streama includes a small remote control and apps for MultiChoice’s Showmax streaming service and SuperSport as well as third-party streaming apps, namely Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and YouTube Kids.

Apple TV

Price: From R3,799

If you’re an Apple user and are concerned with staying in the Apple ecosystem, then Apple TV is another great choice. While Apple TV has slightly fewer features and comes in at a heftier price tag than some of its counterparts, it’s the better choice for Apple users who will no doubt appreciate its advantages. Those include compatibility with Dolby Vision HDR, superior voice control features, a better remote, a smoother, slicker user interface, and seamless integration with all your Apple devices.

Google Chromecast

Price: From R1,119

The latest Chromecast model has received an upgrade from Google, now including some enhanced performance and being bundled with a control, which is a nice touch. This device features 4K HDR resolution capabilities (a 4K TV is required to view content in this format), and having the Google Play Store built-in allows you to download all the apps you’d want, whether it be Netflix or home security options.