I remember the times when it was somewhat unthinkable to have internet TV. Nowadays you can turn any 4K TV into a Smart one with just a single compact box. Nowadays technology allows for high-speed performance, sometimes even better than TVs with a built-in Smart interface. There are many reasons why having the best 4K Smart TV box for your home would benefit you a lot.
Why is a Smart TV box better than a TV with a built-in Smart interface?
If you want to save on money while buying a 4K TV — you are most likely going to face some difficulties with its Smart interface. If not from the start, a few years ahead. If you are buying a TV because of its Smart interface — you would have to upgrade the whole TV, which is expensive. Having the TV box allows you to change it at an affordable price. You can get your hand on one of the best 4K TV Boxes for under $100.
The best 4K Smart TV boxes come with mighty processors. The Apple TV, for example, comes with the A10X Fusion chip. This same chip can be found in the innovative iPad Pro. Having such great chips dedicated for the Smart functionality of the TV boosts the performance significantly. Having a whole world of TV and videos at the tip of your finger is a well-thought investment. As with most products out there — the vast diversity has brought some cheap and quality device but finding them is both a time and money-consuming task.
This is our take on the top five 4K Smart TV boxes in 2018:
| # | Image | Brand | Price |
| 1 |  |
Apple | $200 |
| 2 |    |
Amazon | $120 |
| 3 |     |
Nvidia | $390 |
| 4 |     |
EstgoSZ | $106 |
| 5 |     |
Wisewo | $93 |
1. Apple TV 4K
- 4K Streaming
- 64GB Storage
- Dolby Vision and HDR10
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Surround audio
- A10X Fusion processor
- Siri Remote included
- 3GB RAM
- Larger venting system than the previous generation
When it comes to CPU, GPU and OS performance — Apple is still at the top. With a middle-range price, the new Apple TV packs in more power than any other TV box. It comes with either 64GB or 32GB of storage and features 4K Ultra HD streaming with HDR10 support. If you are an audiophile, then you would love the Dolby Digital Plus 7.1-Chanel surround audio.
Inside the new Apple TV resides the Apple A10X Fusion central processing unit. The chip can be found in the iPad Pro — the snappiest tablet that I’ve used. This powerful chip is cooled down by a slightly larger venting system. The device is overall cold at all times and that significantly impacts its speed. With AppleTV OS and the included Siri Remote — the whole world of the internet is at the touch of your finger.
If you want to know more about the iPad Pro — you can read about it in our review of the five best drawing tablets that you can get.
2. Fire TV Cube
- 4K Streaming
- 16GB Storage
- 60 FPS with HDR Support
- Dolby Atmos three-dimensional audio
- 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor
- Built-in speaker
- Alexa Remote included
- 2GB RAM
A much cheaper alternative is the Amazon Fire TV Cube. With a price tag of 120$ at the moment of testing, this Smart TV box comes with 16GB of integrated storage and features 4K Ultra HD streaming at 60 FPS. Dolby Atmos three-dimensional audio system powers the impressive sound comes out of the Fire TV Cube. There is a unique, built-in speaker.
Unfortunately, the Fire TV cube is not as fast as the Apple TV. It comes with a 1.5GHz Quad-core processor and runs the Fire TV os. Inside the box, there are 2GB of dedicated RAM, more than enough to run most apps without any stutter. Thanks to the intensive Alexa integration, you can control a lot of things just using your voice. It has never been easier to access your smart home gadgets.
3. Nvidia Shield Pro TV
- 4K Streaming
- 500GB Storage
- 60 FPS with HDR Support
- Dolby Atmos & DTS-X Surround audio
- Tegra X1 Octa-Core processor
- Google Assistant integrated
- 3GB RAM
If you want to go high-end with a device built explicitly for gaming — the Nvidia Shield Pro has everything you need. It features 4K Ultra HD video streaming at 60 FPS and has 500GB of internal storage. The integrated HDR support additionally enhances the image for the most stunning experience. The immense storage capacity allows you to install a lot of big and cool games. This feature eliminates the need to manage your disk space of the best 4K Smart TV box.
All apps are powered by the unique Tegra X1 central processing unit. This Octa-core processor is more than powerful enough to run anything without a single second of stutter. It has 3GB of dedicated RAM and has Google Assistant integrated for complete convenience. Dolby Atmos and DTS-X Surround audio power the immersive sound.
4. EstgoSZ Google TV Box
- 4K Streaming
- 64GB Storage
- No HDR
- Special 3D Graphics acceleration
- Octa-core processor
- Android 7.1.2
- 3G RAM
- Mini wireless keyboard included
A much cheaper and high-quality alternative is the EstgoSZ TV box. It comes with 64GB of storage and features 4K Ultra HD video streaming. Unfortunately, it does not support HDR. To compensate for that though it has unique 3D graphics acceleration. The Amlogic S912 central processing unit powers both the Android 7.1.2 OS and the 3D graphics acceleration. This powering unit uses the built-in 3GB of dedicated RAM to give you the best experience possible at all times.
5. Wisewo TV Box
- 4K Streaming
- 32GB Storage
- No HDR
- Special 3D Graphics acceleration
- Octa-core processor
- Android 7.1
- 3GB RAM
- Mini wireless keyboard included
- 12-Month warranty
An even cheaper alternative is the Wisewo TV box. Like the previous four, it features 4K Ultra HD content streaming. It comes with no HDR but has unique 3D graphics acceleration. The same Amlogic S912 CPU powers this and the Android 7.1 OS. There are 3GB of dedicated RAM. The octa-core processor is more than enough to give you everything you might expect the best 4K Smart TV box to offer. Inside the package, you will also find a mini wireless keyboard for optimal convenience and a 12-Month warranty.
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