Black Friday Tip: Skip the New TV—These Media Streamer Deals Are the Real Steal

I’ve been covering media streamers since the first Roku boxes launched a decade ago, and one of my longtime favorites is the Amazon Fire TV Cube. It’s the best and most feature-packed media hub with Fire TV, and the only one that supports hands-free Alexa voice control. It’s also on sale for $89.99 as an early Black Friday deal, representing a 36% discount from its usual price of $139.99. It isn’t the only big discount in the category, either. Cheaper, but still very useful, streamers from Amazon and Roku are seeing their prices slashed by up to 50%.

There are plenty of bargains outside of media streamers, too, so check out our full early Black Friday deals coverage. There are some great deals if you’re looking for a new TV!

Pretty much every TV manufactured in the last few years has some kind of streaming capability, but that doesn’t mean media streamers are obsolete. Different smart TV platforms have different strengths and weaknesses, and you might prefer one over another. Fire TV is very useful for Amazon Prime subscribers, Alexa users, and Ring device owners because those services and products integrate smoothly into the interface; your favorite Prime Video content is placed right in front of you, you can use it to talk to Alexa, and you can even bring up feeds from your home security camera or video doorbell on your TV. Roku doesn’t have a voice assistant and doesn’t work with many smart home devices, but by eschewing those non-media features, it offers a very simple and accessible menu system that lets you jump right into your streaming service of choice with few ads or recommendations cluttering the screen, plus it supports Apple AirPlay. If you don’t like your TV’s built-in streaming features, just connect a media hub with the platform of your choice!

If you have an older TV with outdated streaming features or none at all, streamers can breathe new life into it. Even on sale for $90, a Fire TV Cube might be overkill for an aging 1080p screen in the garage, but an $18 Fire TV Stick HD can do the trick for a fraction of the cost.

Amazon Fire TV Cube Deal

The Fire TV Cube is one of the most expensive media streamers, priced at $140, but it justifies that cost with all the features it comes loaded with. It streams 4K video in high dynamic range (HDR) video in Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and hybrid log gamma, supports Dolby Atmos, and has Wi-Fi 6E—but if that’s all you want, the $59.99 Fire TV Stick 4K Max (currently $34.99 for Black Friday) is all you need. What really sets the Cube apart is its hands-free Alexa, HDMI pass-through, and Ethernet capabilities. The Cube features a built-in far-field microphone array, allowing you to control it with your voice without needing to pick up the remote and press a button. It features an HDMI input, allowing you to watch TV through your cable/satellite box, play games on your game console, and receive visual responses from Alexa. Alternatively, you can jump into the Fire TV interface to stream media without needing to change inputs on your TV. It can also control your TV and other home theater devices directly, either through its HDMI connection or with its included infrared blaster. Additionally, it features an Ethernet port, allowing you to physically connect it to your router for the fastest and most stable connection, if desired.

It’s rare to see the Fire TV Cube for less than $100, so this Black Friday deal is really worth considering. It isn’t the only one, though, and there are plenty of other models on sale as well. Not just Fire TV streamers; Roku media hubs have also seen price cuts.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Deal

Every Fire TV Stick is about 50% off, including the Editors’ Choice Fire TV Stick 4K Plus ($24.99, down from $49.99) and the Fire TV Stick 4K HD ($17.99, down from $34.99). The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is an excellent media streamer if hands-free Alexa and HDMI pass-through aren’t dealbreakers. While it only supports Wi-Fi 6, not the more advanced 6E, like the Cube and the 4K Max, it’s still more than enough for all but the most demanding Wi-Fi environments.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD Deal

The Fire TV Stick HD is the lowest-end Amazon media streamer, offering up to 1080p resolution with Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. However, its affordability makes it an ideal option for a TV in an older bedroom or garage.

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Roku Ultra Deal

Beyond Fire TV, Roku’s full line of media streamers is also on sale. To start, the high-end Roku Ultra is 31% off at $68.99 (down from $99.99). It has hands-free voice control thanks to its Voice Remote Pro, and while Roku lacks a full voice assistant, you can still use voice commands to search for content and control the streamer, your TV, and a handful of first-party Roku smart devices. It also features a remote finder function that makes the remote chirp when you press a button on the hub, which is handy if you frequently lose it in the couch cushions.

Roku Streaming Stick Deals

For cheaper and hands-free options, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is 50% off at $24.99, down from $49.99, and the 1080p Roku Streaming Stick HD is available for just $15 (50% off from $29.99). They’re Roku’s equivalents to the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and Fire TV Stick 4K, so choose the one that best suits your preferred platform.

Check out our in-depth coverage of all the Early Black Friday deals, steals, sales, and discounts that we’ve found so far!

FAQs

Are Media Streaming Devices at the Cheapest Price for Black Friday?

Yes. Black Friday is usually the best time to buy a media streamer because their prices are heavily slashed. You can find similar deals during Amazon’s Prime Days and other sales events, too, but this is the best time to find the biggest discounts.

Which Media Streaming Device Is the Best?

It’s a matter of taste, really. Alexa users will probably like Fire TV streamers the most. For simplicity and accessibility, Roku is the best option, which is why I often recommend Roku devices to users who are less tech-savvy. I personally prefer Google TV for its Google Assistant and Gemini Home features, as well as built-in Google Cast streaming from Android devices. However, my top pick in that category, the Onn 4K Pro, isn’t seeing a significant price cut for the season. Even without a discount, it offers hands-free voice control and a remote finder function at a reasonable price. Google’s own Google TV Streamer is currently 25% off, at $74.99, down from $100. However, I remain unimpressed by its feature set for that price.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

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Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I’ve served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

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