Kodi boxes are a tremendous success no matter how you slice them. The best models give your Tv 4 k video and allow you unfettered access to audio and video streams of every format and service. If there's a better, more versatile av software out there, we've got to see it yet. In addition to giving you the ability to stream video and music files over a local network, the software also includes the ability to install add - ons to stream from virtually any streaming service you might think of. One of the main points of sale of Kodi is that it supports a lot of platforms you could think of, up to and including macos, android, Linux and Windows. The only real drawback we can think about is that Kodi doesn't actually make streaming boxes (no, the official Kodi Raspberry Pi case doesn't count) so you need to find your own device. Fortunately, dozens of manufacturers around the world are more than happy to give you some. In fact, to be completely honest, the requirements for running Kodi are almost laughably low: all you need is a 3d capable Gpu hardware controller for all yields, adual- That said, while many boxes are available with Kodi pre - installed, you must be careful. So-called ' full loaded ' Kodi boxes are equipped with lots of add - ons that give you access to pirated content. Unsurprisingly, there is a huge crackdown on these boxes and the Eu declares them illegal. The best solution is to find the best kodi boxes and install Kodi manually. And this guide brought together the best Kodi streaming boxes on the market in 2018. We've tested how easy it is to install kodi, how smoothly it runs, and how each game plays 1080p or 4 k video. You will find the best Vpn services for Kodi and check out our best Android Boxes. 4 k Video via svelte, subtle streaming Single size: 2.6 Con worldx 0. We prefer the latest iteration of Amazon's streaming device because it delivers a 4 k Hdr video through a small, unexpected dongle. It 's easy to hide from sight and does nothing to marry a perfectly clean entertainment center. As regards specs, the Amazon Fire Tv has a Quad cortex-a53 Cpu with speeds up to 1.5ghz. Uses the Amlogic S905z Soc architecture and supports 32-bit applications. You have 2 gb of Ram inside and 8 gb of storage. Its wi - fi Antenna supports 802.11 a / b / n / ac; 2x2 Mimo (2.4 Ghz and 5.0 Ghz) Our only problem with the Amazon Fire Tv is that it's not the best. It is made of plastic material and can easily be lost because of its small stature. This is probably the best Kodi box on the market right now. An amazing all-rounder for Hd Tv size: 85x 30 x 13 mm Sustained connectivity: wi - fi processor: quad-core Operating system: With the Fire Tv Stick version 2017, things are even better. According to amazon, a faster processor makes the media streamer 30 percent faster than the old one. The new stick also features Alexa support (though it doesn't work with kodi) and the device is only slightly more expensive than the original. But getting Kodi on the Fire Tv stick can be a bit of a hassle because the app is not listed in the Amazon app store. Instead, you've got to sideload Kodi. The Fire Tv stick is phenomenal once installed. Check out our guide on how to install Kodi on a Fire Tv Stick the included Bluetooth remote control is easily navigated via Kodi's menus and interface. While the older Fire Tv fought a little to navigate Kodi's menus smoothly, the new model has no problems with the default skin. Keep in mind that the Fire out Tvs Hdmiput only supports up to 1080p video. Testing, we found that our 1080p videos played smoothly; 4 k videos started and downgraded, but soon we ran into buffering problems as the Fire Tv was struggling to keep up. If you don't care about not having 4K and want a small, simple device that can handle 1080p Kodi, as well as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video, this is the best Kodi streaming box for you. The Amazon Fire Tv is a top choice for anyone who wants a great all-rounder. At its heart, this media player is an excellent choice for Amazon Prime Instant Video and netflix, supporting both 4 k services with hdr, but the power to play Ultra Hd. As with the Amazon Fire Tv stick, Kodi is not available via the official app store, so it must be sideloaded. This is slightly annoying but not too difficult. Kodi can be started quickly from the main menu once installed. Check out our guide on how to install Kodi on the Amazon Fire Tv Kodi on the Fire Tv and takes just a few seconds to load. Amazon's excellent voice remote is great for navigation and connects via bluetooth, so you don't need a line of sight, but voice commands are not supported in Kodi. We tested 1080p and 4 k videos, both playing smoothly. Fire Tv has 802.11ac wi - fi built in, but if your home network is not quick enough to play video without buffering, there is also an Ethernet port. While streaming is the easiest option, Fire Tv has a microsd card slot to load this with movies. Due to the small dimensions of the media player, you can load it with travel content. If you want Kodi in 4 k, but you also want access to other streaming services, the Amazon Fire Tv is the box. Nvidia Shield is the most powerful Android set - top box we reviewed. It is designed with all 4 k home entertainment types in mind, from Netflix to the latest games via Geforce now. Unsurprisingly, the Nvidia Shield is one of the best boxes for Kodi. Running Android Tv on Android 6.0, the Nvidia Shield is one of the easiest configuration boxes for Kodi. With Google Play reconfigured for your Tv screen and remote control, instead of a touchscreen, Kodi's installation was an absolute breeze; in fact, we did n't have to type anything. Kodi began in a few seconds, with the box recovering from Standby in a similar amount of time. No long waits with the Nvidia Shield. Once in Kodi performance was exceptional with super-smooth menus and animations throughout the board. Menus and interface were also easy tonavigate with excellent bundled remote control. We tested 4 k and 1080p videos, streaming smoothly. The Shield could also easily downplay 4 k video to fill the 1080p Tv. We had no problems with the built-in 802.11ac wi - fi; if your network signal is not strong enough, there is an Ethernet port back. The performance is phenomenal given the small size of the Nvidia Shield. If you don't care about the content of gaming, Amazon Fire Tv is better value for 4 k playback; if you want the best performance, this is the media streamer to buy.