Best media players in Australia

Why we chose it

Rocking a 4.7 out of 5 from 2,526 reviews on Google, the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is our pick for the best media player overall for Australians.

Nvidia's Shield TV Pro is a powerful media player that will do the job for just about anyone. With access to all the most popular streaming platforms and enough oomph to transcode video stored within it on the fly, it's a great choice for anyone who needs to beef up their TV watching experience.

What really sets it apart is its AI upscaling technology, which is capable of taking lower-resolution video and upscaling it for 4K TVs. Reviews rave about how good this makes videos look, and many say it's worth the money for that alone. Some people did knock the Shield TV Pro for its complex networking set-up, although there appear to be many guides available to help.

What users say

While it is a bit pricey compared to other streaming devices, I absolutely think it's worth paying the extra money to have these additional features. If you're considering a streaming player and want something a little more top of the line then the usual, you should seriously consider looking into the Shield Pro.

Best cheap media player: Google Chromecast Ultra

Pros

Users love the slick interface
Super easy and quick to set up

Cons

Not very powerful – can't transcode 4K itself
Being phased out by Google

Specs | Processor: ARM Cortex-A53 | Memory: 1GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 2GB

Price (RRP): $79
Amazon Price: Check site for current pricing

Why we chose it

Cheap but more than up-to-the-task, and earning a score of 4.5 out of 5 from 4,291 reviews on Google, the Google Chromecast Ultra is our pick as the best cheap media player for Australians.

It's being phased out and eventually replaced by a newer model, but it's still available at retailers across Australia, and at a fantastic price too. The Chromecast Ultra lacks the storage capacity and processor to transcode 4K content directly, so you'll need to keep that in mind if you grab it. It also doesn't come with a remote, relegating that control to your phone, which is not ideal if you try to separate your screen times.

Still, reviews raved about the easy to use set-up and interface, the wide range of apps available and how quickly they were able to cast content directly from their own and visitors' phones and other devices to their 4K TVs.

What users say

This is my 2nd chromecast. My first one was a regular Gen 3. And I gotta say the Ultra is way better.

Best midrange media player: Xiaomi Mi TV Box S

Pros

USB port allows connection of external hard drives
Customisable with different launchers to match your aesthetic

Cons

Reviews say it won't set itself to 4K by default
Wi-Fi only – no ethernet port

Specs | Processor: Cortex-A53 64bit | Memory: 2GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 8GB

Price (RRP): $189
Amazon Price: Check site for current pricing

Why we chose it

The Xiaomi Mi TV Box S is a sleek device which has earned a 4.5 out of 5 from 6,015 reviews on Google, and as such it is our choice for the best midrange media player for Australians.

With full Android TV app access, the Xiaomi Mi TV Box S acts as a beefier Google Chromecast Ultra. While its support system and set-up aren't as simple as Google's offering, it does boast more RAM and a slightly higher clocked processor, which allows it to accomplish tasks better than its cheaper peer.

Some reviewers mentioned that they found it wouldn't default to 4K – you need to go into the settings to do that yourself – but outside of that issue complaints are few and far between. It's important to note that it doesn't feature an ethernet port, which means you'll need to use Wi-Fi to connect it to your home network.

What users say

Great Streaming Device at a Reasonable Cost! The Xiaomi Mibox is a fantastic addition to any binge-watcher's home.

Best premium media player: Nvidia Shield TV Pro

Pros

Powerful processor – the same as a game console's
Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos compatible

Cons

People don't like the position of the Netflix button on the remote
Can require extra knowledge to work on complex home networks

Specs | Processor: NVIDIA® Tegra® X1+ | Memory: 3GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 16GB

Price (RRP): $349
Amazon Price: Check site for current pricing

Why we chose it

Expensive but powerful, the Nvidia Shield TV Pro earned itself a 4.7 out of 5 from 2,526 reviews on Google and a spot as our pick for the best premium media player for Australians.

Featuring everything from live-streaming services to home media storage, live encoding and even game streaming, users talk in their reviews about how impressed they are by the variety available from the Nvidia Shield TV Pro. The custom Tegra chipset (very similar to the one used in Nintendo's Switch console) is more than powerful enough to handle any task thrown at it.

Some people found they had trouble getting their networking set up, especially if they had irregular networks set up. And more than a few complained about the position of the Netflix button on the remote. But overall, reviews for this device were glowing.

What users say

I own everything from Sling TV 4k to Roku TVs and have owned every Fire TV device at one point in time, also a few Android boxes. This is by far the most powerful streamer device I have ever owned.

Best media player for TV: Chromecast with Google TV

Pros

Features the best support for the Freeview App
Compatible with Google Home

Cons

People say the new menus need more work
Some reviews say the remote feels too small

Specs | Processor: 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 | Memory: 1GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 2GB

Price (RRP): $99

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Why we chose it

The Chromecast with Google TV's feature set and score of 4.6 out of 5 from 1,082 reviews on Google earn it the title of best media player for TV for Australians.

The Chromecast with Google TV has fantastic support for the Freeview FV app, which allows it to stream all Australian free-to-air TV over the Internet. That means you can ditch your coaxial cable – provided your Internet is up to the task.

The new UI of the Chromecast with Google TV has earned it some criticism, as did the set-up process in general, but it seems Google is constantly evolving and improving the device over time. Those looking to watch some free-to-air TV alongside their streaming platforms should look no further than the Chromecast with Google TV.

What users say

The Chromecast with Google TV is a marvelous streaming device and can hold its own in the world of streaming devices.

Best portable media player: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

Pros

Features the best support for the Freeview App
Compatible with Google Home

Cons

People say the new menus need more work
Some reviews say the remote feels too small

Specs | Processor: 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 | Memory: 1GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 2GB

Price (RRP): $1,149
Amazon Price: From $999.00

Why we chose it

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 scored 4.7 out of 5 from 511 reviews on Google, making it our pick as the best portable media player for Australians.

With an 11-inch, 120hz screen that outputs at 2560x1600, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is a fantastic device for those wanting to watch media on the go. It has more than enough power to transcode and render 4K videos itself, and it can cast those videos to TVs, although some users say casting to non-Samsung TVs can be a little tricky (though still doable).

It's quite heavy, and it's not something you'd want to hold up for a lengthy commute, even with two hands, but if you can find somewhere to rest it, you're set! Samsung created an Intelligent Battery system for the Tab S7 range, but reviews say it will still only manage about 6 hours of full 4K video play at full brightness – something to consider if you plan on being away from power for longer.

What users say

The clarity and sharpness of the screen itself and graphics is impeccable! I thought I had seen amazing resolution before but nothing like this! Watching my shows on Netflix in 4K feels like it's happening right in front of me.

Best portable media player (option 2): Nvidia Shield TV

Pros

Super portable and easy to take with you
Reviews love the internal power, some call it "future proof"

Cons

Not much internal storage
Reviews say the UI is confusing until you know it

Specs | Processor: Tegra® X1+ processor | Memory: 2GB RAM | Max resolution output: 4K | On-board storage: 8GB

Price (RRP): $289
Amazon Price: Check site for current pricing