Skip to main content

You can now buy Walmart’s crazy-cheap 4K Android TV streamer

In May, eagle-eyed observers noticed that Walmart had added a $30, onn.-branded 4K Android TV-based streaming media device to its website, but at the time, there was no way to add it to your cart. Today, Walmart appears to be ready to sell these ultra-affordable streamers.

A few days after the 4K streaming device was spotted, another onn. streamer was discovered on Walmart: An Android TV streaming stick for $25. Spotted by 9to5google.com, the device is called the “onn. FHD Streaming Stick.” However, as of June 10, the streaming stick is still listed as out of stock.

The two gadgets appear to share the same voice-enabled remote control, and they come with everything you need to begin streaming. The big difference between the two devices is that the streaming stick only supports 1080p Full HD resolution, while the $30 device is capable of 4K resolution.

Walmart Onn. FHD Android TV Stick
Walmart

But neither streamer appears to support high dynamic range (HDR) formats like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, which we would argue make a bigger difference to picture quality on a compatible TV than 4K.

Both devices support dual-band Wi-Fi AC, (the 4K version gets Wi-Fi MIMO), as well as Dolby Audio for up to 5.1 channel surround sound.

At $30, the onn. Android TV UHD Streaming Device, as Walmart refers to it, competes directly with Amazon’s $30 Fire TV Stick Lite, a smaller, more portable streaming media device that doesn’t do 4K resolution, but does support HDR 10.

It also competes with the $35 Roku Express 4K, a Walmart-exclusive version of the $40 Roku Express 4K+ that combines 4K with HDR support and even Dolby Atmos on select streaming services.

At $25, the streaming stick competes with the similarly-priced Walmart-only Roku SE. The SE can’t hide behind a TV and it comes with a simpler, non-voice-capable remote, giving the new onn.-branded streaming stick a bit of an edge in terms of features.

Walmart’s onn. Android TV devices are an extension of the company’s onn.-branded line of consumer electronics that includes Roku-equipped soundbars and wireless speakers.

As Android TV devices, they support both the Google Assistant as well as Chromecast, which lets devices like smartphones and laptops stream audio and video to a TV or mirror the contents of a device’s screen.

The new streamers do not appear to be getting the Google TV interface that Google launched on its own Chromecast with Google TV, a $50 streaming dongle that supports 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. Google TV offers Android TV users a personalized experience that places an emphasis on content curation and discovery, as opposed to the more app-centric approach of the standard Android TV interface.

The included remote controls are very similar to the one that accompanies the Chromecast with Google TV, offering volume, mute, and power controls for a connected TV, as well as a dedicated Google Assistant button that will let you issue voice commands via the built-in microphone. That’s a feature the Walmart-only Roku SE and Express 4K lack.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like…
Get the most out of your Apple TV 4K (2022) with these tips and tricks
The Apple TV 4K standing vertically with the Apple logo showing from the front

Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices you can buy. It's so capable that we're willing to bet it can do things you never knew it could. While Apple makes it very easy to pull Apple TV 4K out of the box and get right to streaming movies and TV shows, it is capable of so much more — and not just for Apple users. Though, let’s be frank, there are several features available only to those who own other Apple devices.

Trust me when we say that just a little bit of time invested in learning about this stuff pays off big as you use your Apple TV day after day. By the time we’re done, you will be an Apple TV power user.
Video guide

Read more
Fire TV Stick vs. Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs. Fire TV Cube: Which to buy?
Amazon Fire TV Cube

If you've been looking for a fast, cheap, and user-friendly way to experience the growing world of streaming media, an Amazon Fire TV product is an excellent option for all your Netflix-adjacent needs. With most of Amazon's hardware requiring nothing more than a Wi-Fi connection and a TV to plug into, you'll be able to get connected to all that content in no time at all.

Some Fire TV devices even give you the ability to interact with Alexa, making voice control over your TV as easy as saying, "Alexa, open Netflix." But there are several kinds of Fire TV devices, each with a different price, design, and features. Which Amazon Fire TV product is right for you? We'll take an in-depth look at the five current Amazon Fire TV models -- the Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and the Fire TV Cube -- so you can get a feel for what each one offers.
Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite
Alexa Voice Remote with TV controls

Read more
The least interesting things about the new Apple TV 4K
The new Apple TV 4K, 3rd-generation, with the Siri remote.

It's a big deal whenever Apple announces new products. OK, maybe not in the global scheme of things, but in our little world here, every sentence of every word of every press release is going to be scrutinized. Things that aren't a big deal are going to be turned into headlines. Blog. Blog. Blog.

And that's true again in the case of the latest Apple TV 4K, which will be available for everyone starting November 4. It is, for all intents and purposes, the same as the old one. It's better, sure. It's a little less expensive, which is great. It's almost certainly still the best streaming device you can buy. But the features that are getting the headlines? That's folks reaching for something to celebrate.

Read more