Best Streaming Devices Under ₹5,000 for Turning Your TV Smart

A good soundbar will seriously elevate your TV experience. Here we have something for everyone; whether you’re more into Amazon Prime, Apple TV, or just looking to elevate your streaming experience, this is the perfect place to start. We covered some of the best stream bars for you to consider.

Best Streaming Device for Most

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Roku is a fantastic pick with multiple options to choose from, but the Streaming Stick 4K has long been our top pick. The Streaming Stick 4K boasts power, portability, and a longer-range wireless receiver. It plugs right into your TV's HDMI port, so you won't see it dangling. It even has voice command options for a hands-free experience.

A simple-to-use and manageable option where you can stream your favourite show without much hassle. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to use this one !

Best for Casting (and Anyone on Google Home)

Google TV Streamer (4K)

Google’s own streaming device is equipped with useful features that elevate your streaming experience to a high level. Use the easy-to-use voice command option that works seamlessly. And use the remote to control the volume switch inputs, play music, and get answers on-screen.

As long as you're on the same Wi-Fi network, you can cast media from your phone, tablet, or laptop directly to your TV—that includes casting your screen or even photos from a recent trip to show your family. The interface supports virtually every app you could ever want to stream from, but I particularly like casting the F1 app from my phone because it lets me pick a specific part of the race.

It learns from your preferences and habits, offering you personalised suggestions based on your subscriptions, viewing habits, and the content you own.

Because Chromecast breathes life into existing TVs and is designed with recycled materials, it helps keep waste out of landfills, so it’s incredibly eco-friendly.

Best for Apple Households

Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation)

Even though expensive, the Apple TV 4K is ideal for someone who has or prefers having an Apple ecosystem. It seamlessly connects to your Apple devices, and the Siri Remote brings precise control with a touch-enabled clickpad, elevating your streaming experience.

This 2022 model has a sleek interface and some seriously advanced features, like the ability to play sounds on two pairs of AirPods with no sound in the room or to watch movies together with a friend over FaceTime. Comes with 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for vivid picture quality

The included remote control now comes with USB-C charging, which makes it even easier to juice up every few months. There are two models to choose from: one with Wi-Fi and 64 gigabytes of memory and one with Ethernet and 128 gigs of memory for $20 more. I'd spring for the bigger one, but that's just me.

The Best Roku

Roku Ultra (2024)

Roku is the most popular option for the streaming ecosystem in the market, and for a good reason. It consistently offers outstanding features at reasonable prices. Roku Ultra LT has a quad-core processor and is excellent for smooth wired and wireless streaming. It's perfect for heavy streaming in HD, 4K, and HDR and delivers the kind of powerful performance you want on your home's main TV

The Roku Ultra supports Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 for easy casting from mobile devices, laptops, and tablets, and it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. Whether you are streaming in HD, 4K, or HDR, you will get stunning picture quality that is optimised for your TV and has sharp resolution and vivid colours. The built-in voice control on the remote makes it a hands-free experience, which is very convenient. I also love that you can plug in a pair of headphones on the remote so you can listen to your favourite movies without subtitles when the family has gone to bed.

Best for Amazon Prime Video Lovers

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)

The second-generation Fire Stick 4K Max is the device you should get if you primarily watch Amazon Prime shows and movies. You can access any of the major streaming apps, but it's obviously tailored to Amazon's Prime content. It is also compatible with the next-generation Wi-Fi 6 routers. Enjoy smoother 4K streaming across multiple Wi-Fi 6E compatible devices with 16 GB of storage.

Watch in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and immersive Dolby Atmos audio (on select titles). Alexa is built into the remote too. There's an “Ambient Experience” feature that displays and cycles through art or nature scenes when you aren't streaming, and there's a large selection of collections to choose from. Wondering what that painting is? Just ask Alexa to tell you more about it.

The Cheapest

Onn. Google TV 4K Streaming Box

Walmart's Onn brand is affordable, and this 4K box works great. It uses Google TV and comes with Google Assistant. With the stunning resolution, Ultra HD is four times the resolution of Full HD for greater clarity and detail. You can set your Google Photos to display while in ambient mode too, if you'd like a version of a digital picture frame. Access your Google account and configure the device, language and Wi-Fi network. An HDMI cable is included so you can easily cONNect your streaming device direct to your TV without worries

★ While the 4K Box is the cheapest, this 4K Pro is on par with other favourites. It offers 4K Ultra High Definition resolution for stunning picture quality. It has 32 gigabytes of storage over the 8 GB in the 4K Box and is compatible with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. It operates on the Google TV OS, facilitates easy setup with your Google account, and features Google Assistant buttons for a hands-free experience.

If You Need a New TV

Roku Plus Series QLED

Unsurprisingly, we love Roku's Plus Series. If you like the brand's simple interface, you'll enjoy this too. Experience your favourite shows with eye-popping detail, spectacular colour, contrast, and brightness with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, plus sharp contrast with local dimming for vivid highlights and deep darks. With a 60 Hz refresh rate, this is fine for most consoles.

If You Don’t Own a Soundbar

Roku Streambar

A soundbar with streaming capabilities built in is even better for those of us who don't want an excess of devices. Its 14-inch length makes it ideal for small TVs. Dolby Audio and four front-facing 1.9-inch drivers enhance the sound quality of any TV. There's also Night Listening Mode, which quiets explosive sounds so you won't annoy your family.

Works well with Apple AirPlay and HomeKit, Google Home, and Alexa. There is another soundbar from Roku we haven’t tried but is worth considering: the Streamer SE is just 10 inches long for the smallest setups and has two 1.9-inch drivers.

Other options to consider

TiVo Stream 4K: Yep, TiVo does streaming. The Stream 4K uses Android TV, an older version of Google TV. Android TV categorises recommendations by streaming service, and TiVo has its own menu that sorts recommendations based on genre rather than service. You can search across all services. When we tried it, both Sling and YouTube TV could be integrated into the live TV guide, but now only the latter works. You can still use the Sling app directly, though. There's a Google Assistant button but no voice-to-text for filling in long emails and passwords.

Nvidia Shield TV Pro: Not as well known, but Nvidia has been in the streaming market since 2015. Though old, it supports Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud gaming service, allowing you to stream PC games easily to the TV. It features AI upscaling and Dolby Atmos support, so it’s worth considering if you love to game but don’t want to shell out for a gaming PC.