Smart TVs vs Streaming Devices

In recent years manufacturers have saturated the smart TV and streaming device market calling the question; Which is better? What should I choose? The goal of this post is to shed some light on this these questions and help make your next purchase decision.

Background:

Smart TV’s defined at a basic level are TV’s that are capable of connecting to the internet and have embedded applications to receive and interact with content. Favorite Apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu are typically available. Some Smart TV’s also include applications to wireless connect your windows based PC. These applications are native within the TV and users will experience more of an Operating System/User Interface feel as opposed to just cycling through inputs of a regular TV.

Streaming Devices have been around now for over ten years. Apple’s 1st Generation Apple TV released in September 2006 and Amazon’s Unbox was out that same year. Streaming Devices started out very simple and even required a computer to pair and download content. Today’s devices are much more advanced, with thousands of apps and streaming options, able to produce 4k content, and enable users to access games. The most prominent providers of Streaming Devices today include Apple’s Apple TV, Amazon’s Fire TV Line, Google Chromecast, and Roku. At the end of the day, the basic enablement of Streaming Devices makes “Dumb” TV’s, Smart. 

How do I decide?

There are a couple of additional questions that you should consider when stepping into the realm of Smart TVs or Streaming Devices.

1. Do you use a SmartHome platform? If you already have a number of either Alexa, Google, or Apple Smart Home devices, it likely makes sense to keep adding to that ecosystem to reap the compatibility benefits. For example, Through your Alexa app, you can control Amazon Music on your TV if you use Fire TV devices. You can also use Alexa through your Fire TV to control SmartHome Devices or View/Listen to Alexa enabled Cameras. Even if you already own a Smart TV, purchasing a streaming device on your SmartHome platform of choice could very well be worth the extra expense.
2. Are you OK with a complex solution or do you need something simple? There are plenty of use cases that exist validating a need for just a pure TV entertainment experience. Smart TV’s are convenient and bring a “keep it stupid simple” approach to TV watching. Some Smart TV’s even have streaming service buttons right on the remote. While Streaming devices do bring some added functionality, it’s another remote to keep track of, and you still have to manage different inputs. If you’re in the market for a simple, easy to comprehend, entertainment system, a Smart TV will get the job done best.
3. Do you want something in the middle? Roku and Alexa Blend the lines between Smart TV and Streaming device with the Roku enabled TCL Series and the Toshiba Fire TV Edition line. If you’re looking to have a simple, yet a forward compatible solution for eventual smart home use, look to the Toshiba Fire TV Edition lineup. 
   

In summary, At SmartHomeGeek, we’re big fans of streaming devices because of the platform extension that they bring. But we fully realize that not everyone needs one. See the review here on our favorite streaming device, the Fire TV Cube.