Hardware Check-In: The Shield, the Roku, and a New Contender

It has been nearly a year since I published The Ultimate Showdown: Walmart Onn Streamers vs. Google TV, Fire TV, and NVIDIA Shield, and the core of my setup remains remarkably stable.

Every TV in my home still features the dual-platform approach of a Google TV device paired with a Roku. While I still consider Google TV the best of the "fancy" interfaces, I have found myself reaching for the Roku remote almost exclusively lately. There is something to be said for a simple, stripped-down app grid when you just want to get to your content without the noise.

Behind the scenes, my NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is still the undisputed workhorse of the house. It rarely gets used as a player anymore; instead, it just sits there, chugging along as my dedicated Plex Media Server. It handles my local library and the feed from my HDHomeRun tuner without a hitch, proving that even as it ages, it remains the gold standard for server stability.

However, the real reason for this check-in is a piece of hardware I am looking to try: the Onn 4K Plus.

When I wrote back in May, this $30 device was just hitting the market. Interestingly, recent performance tests suggest that it features a better chip that might actually outpace the more expensive Pro model in raw speed. I am looking to try the device and see how it goes, specifically to see if this budget-friendly "middle child" can provide a snappier experience as a Plex client than my current Roku setup.

My Streaming Life is currently a study in "set it and forget it" stability, but I am curious to see if this new Walmart hardware can disrupt the status quo.