The Fire TV Cube is a technical powerhouse for the price; it acts as a hands-free universal remote, smart hub, and speaker in one sleek, 3-inch glass cube. You can stream movies, shows, and games as well as play 3D-intensive titles. This is the strongest Fire TV model, thanks to its overpowered hexa-core processor paired with 16 GB of internal memory, which allows it to rip through action- and graphic-heavy games. It makes for one of the best streaming media centers for its cloud capabilities and extensive smart home control.

If you want the best in color and backlighting in a QLED TV, the 6-Series is hard to beat for the price. It offers tons of next-generation features, like a sharp 8K resolution support, impressive gaming specs, and a speedy Roku operating system. Granted, it lacks the true blacks of an OLED TV, but its intense Mini LED backlit screen fares better in bright room performance.

The S4 offers true Dolby Atmos surround sound, powerful bass, and a sleek body at a relatively low price tag. This audio rivals competitors that cost twice as much, and it can fill even the most open of living rooms. It’s not as smart as a Sonos or Bose system, which allow for AirPlay 2 and Chromecast streaming protocols. But that’s what streaming service apps on your TV or media device are for.

Govee has nailed the price- performance balance for a reactive RGB lighting system. It costs less than similar setups while offering better performance, thanks to enhanced brightness levels from the powerful bars and strip lighting. The system uses a camera atop your TV to monitor colors of the screen. That camera then relays this data to light bars and strips, which adjust to accompany what’s going on on-screen.

For unrivaled customization over your game controller, the Xbox Elite Series 2 is hard to top. Every major component from paddles to thumbsticks is swappable and tunable to your preference. You can adjust tension, response, and feel with the hair-trigger locks. A textured rubber grip makes extensive gaming sessions a breeze, and the battery lasts for hours. Most importantly, it works with PCs, tablets, phones, and most Bluetooth devices, too. Compared to other third-party controllers we’ve tested, the ease of establishing a wireless connection, its USB-C charging dock, and the impressive battery life make this the best gaming controller yet.

Add more input and storage options to your everyday Micro USB-laden devices, like a Firestick, with this plug. We used this hub to beef up the FireStick 4K Max with a keyboard, mouse, and extra USB storage for apps and media. Simply run the device’s Micro USB power cable through this cable, plug in your accessories, and throw the other end into your target device to turn your media streamer into a full-on docking station.

BenQ’s box takes the crown for portable theater excellence. Built around producing rich audio and thumping bass, this lightweight projector displays 1080p content at 500 lumens. Its color and clarity rivals any HD television while in the dark and remains cool and quiet across various temperatures. It even went through a handful of light showers while out on our test patio, but its IPX2 resistance ensured it worked properly. It’s not as small as competitors like the Samsung FreeStyle or even cheaper Amazon options we’ve used over the years, but it produces top-notch sound and picture for the price. The included lunchbox-size travel case is a compact way to keep everything neatly organized, something we appreciated when ferrying the proje​​ctor around.

This compact Roku smart speaker came out of nowhere to compete with sound bars double its price. It’s loaded with Roku OS, so it serves as both a Bluetooth speaker and a streaming device, meaning you can take Netflix and Spotify with you to plug into, say, your hotel room’s TV. It paired nicely with some cheaper Amazon projectors we tested that lacked both a built-in streaming device and strong sound. This portable media setup lends itself to a variety of scenarios, be it hosting an outdoor movie night to upgrading a bedroom TV into a home theater. It sounds crisp without distortion at maximum volume, the controls are streamlined through the app or included controller, and it offers AirPlay for sharing your phone’s screen.

The open-back of the Epos PC38X offers loud and clear sound while leaving enough passthrough to hear the world around you (if you so choose). Its Sennheiser drivers balance bass with team chat while you’re playing online, and the mids allow for environmental background details to shine, like a gust of wind or conversation between NPCs in single-player campaigns. While we initially found the grip tighter than most headsets, after a day it ended up distributing weight the most evenly across our tester’s head for unrivaled comfort. Since the PC38X runs off of a 3.5mm auxiliary cable, it doesn’t require a charge and works across all systems and devices with headphone jacks.

The Infinity looks and acts like a sturdy coffee table. But move your drinks and snacks to the side, tap the touchscreen awake, and you’ll find a large 32-inch console loaded with over 60 classic board games. You can play Monopoly against other households over the internet, download more titles from a growing app store, and feel each action thanks to powerful tactile feedback. So whether you want to play Battleship or Candy Land with friends or alone, you can do so without fussing with hard-to-keep-track-of pieces. Plus, if you need to leave, you can save in the middle of a game to pick back up where you were later. There’s no storage to worry about.

Nintendo’s Switch is a portable video game system that docks into fullscreen mode when connected to a TV. While you can pick up your game on a larger screen at home, the Switch OLED may just keep you glued to its handheld mode. This upgraded version adds quality-of-life improvements like a larger 7-inch OLED screen for more vibrant colors, 64 GB of onboard storage, and a much sturdier kickstand. Improved contrast between blacks is extremely noticeable in colorful titles like Pokemon Arceus and Animal Crossing, where things like grass and fire effects pop off the screen in a welcome upgrade to the Switch’s lineup.