Top 5 Android TV Boxes for Sports Streaming (That Aren't Firesticks) - 2026

Why Ditch the Firestick?

Amazon Firesticks are great, but they are infested with ads. A dedicated Android TV box offers a cleaner layout, more ports (USB/Ethernet), and often faster processors.

Here is our definitive ranking for 2026.

1. Nvidia Shield TV Pro (The Undisputed King)

• Price: £180
• Best For: Power users, Gamers, Plex Servers.
• Why: AI Upscaling that genuinely makes 1080p look like 4K. Handles 9 concurrent streams.

2. Formuler Z11 Pro Max (The IPTV Specialist)

• Price: £145
• Best For: Pure live TV watchers.
• Why: The MyTVOnline3 app is unbeatable. It feels like a real cable box, not a streaming app.

3. BuzzTV X5 (The Speed Demon)

• Price: £130
• Best For: Zap speeds (Channel switching).
• Why: 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. It's wildly fast. Also comes with a backup "BuzzTV 5" app that rivals TiviMate.

4. Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

• Price: £50
• Best For: Budget users who want "Real" Android.
• Why: Clean interface, great voice search, but no Ethernet port (needs dongle).

5. Xiaomi Mi Box S (2nd Gen)

• Price: £45
• Best For: Travelers.
• Why: Tiny, runs Google TV, supports 4K. A bit slow on huge playlists (20,000+ channels) but fine for average use.

Comparison Table

| Device | RAM | Storage | AI Upscaling | Price | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Nvidia Shield Pro | 3GB | 16GB | ✅ Excellent | £180 | | Formuler Z11 PM | 4GB | 32GB | ❌ | £145 | | BuzzTV X5 | 4GB | 64GB | ❌ | £130 | | Chromecast 4K | 2GB | 8GB | ❌ | £50 | | Firestick 4K Max | 2GB | 16GB | ❌ | £69 |

Winner: If you have the budget, get the Shield. If you only care about PremLeaguePass, get the Formuler.

See Our Compatible Devices List