Breaking down 8 streaming TV devices

A growing number of products can stream Web content onto users' televisions. Here is our look at some of the market's top devices.

The latest entry in an increasingly crowded Web-streaming market, Amazon's Fire TV lets the user search content with their voice.

The Apple TV box can stream content from iTunes, which is a bonus if you're a heavy Apple user.

At $35, Google's Chromecast is the least expensive streaming device and maybe the easiest to use.

As a gaming console, the PS4 obviously has other uses. But it streams video from some key apps -- and offers a Blu-ray player.

With more than 1,000 channels, the Roku 3 may offer the widest selection of any streaming device.

At $50, the Streaming Stick offers the same wealth of content as the Roku 3, although it's a bit slower from time to time.

This $150 media player replaces the user's cable box and offers content from more than 100 apps (but not Hulu).

Microsoft's Xbox One console can play live television as well as streamed video from Netflix and other top apps.

• Amazon's Fire TV further crowds the market for streaming devices


• Apple, Google, Roku and Samsung are also key players


• Report: 7.6 million U.S. households exclusively use Web streaming and downloads


• We compare details on some of the field's top devices

(CNN) -- When Amazon released its Fire TV system this month, it propelled the company into the increasingly competitive marketplace of devices that stream Web content into the living room.

The set-top box now competes with Apple, Google and Samsung, as well as early innovator Roku and even the gaming world's top consoles for the eyeballs of people who stream services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube onto their televisions.

Binge viewing fuels streaming demand

The digital streaming revolution

Amazon takes aim at Roku and Apple TV

These devices are relatively new innovations: Roku first announced a simple Netflix-streaming box in 2008. But in recent years, more and more people have begun using devices that harness the Internet's bountiful offerings and send them, usually via Wi-Fi, to a TV set.

According to Experian, almost half of all U.S. adults and 67% of young adults now watch streamed or downloaded video at least once a week.

And 7.6 million households in the United States have "cut the cord," using Web streaming and downloading exclusively instead of cable, satellite or broadcast, for their television viewing, the company said in a report this week.

But it's still a new concept for a lot of folks. And with so many players in the game, not to mention a new wave of "smart TVs" that hook up to the Web on their own, it can be hard to pick a favorite.

If you own a smart TV, you may not need a separate device for streaming. But the software on many smart TVs is still clunky, and most Web-streaming gadgets offer a larger menu of apps and channels.

Here, we break down the top players in the Web television market and compare details about their products.

Amazon Fire TV

Price: $100

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Amazon (obviously), Spotify, YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Watch ESPN, Showtime

Works with: Android or iOS devices

Storage: 8 GB

Notes: No HBO Go, but a new deal offers limited HBO programming (Sorry, no "Game of Thrones"). Features voice search for shows, movies, actors or genres. Doubles as a casual gaming device with titles like "Minecraft."

Apple TV

Price: $100

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, HBO Go

Works with: Apple mobile devices

Storage: None on device

Notes: No Amazon. Streams music and video from iTunes, as well as content from iPhones and iPads. Ideal for someone who owns several Apple devices.

Google Chromecast

Price: $35

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Go, Pandora, MLB.tv

Works with: Android, iOS

Storage: None on device

Notes: No Amazon. Easy setup; this little dongle basically works like a thumb drive.

PlayStation 4

Price: $400

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Hulu, Netflix, Amazon

Works with: Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita

Storage: 500 GB

Notes: Also features a Blu-Ray player. More expensive but obviously a more diverse device.

Roku 3

Price: $100

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Spotify, Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon, Showtime

Works with: Android, iOS

Storage: None on device, but you can expand it with a memory card

Notes: Wide app selection. With more than 1,000 channels, offers perhaps the widest variety of content. Not compatible with 4K televisions.

Roku Streaming Stick

Price: $50

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Same as Roku 3

Works with: Android, iOS

Storage: None on device

Notes: An answer to Chromecast, this little stick offers more content than the Google product. Some reviewers have said it's slow loading some popular apps (but they work fine once loaded).

Samsung Smart Media Player

Price: $150

Resolution: 1080p

Key apps: Netflix, YouTube, Amazon

Works with: Android, iOS

Storage: None on device, but you can expand it with a memory card

Notes: Replaces the user's cable box. Includes browser for Web surfing. Pricier than other dedicated media players.

Xbox One

Price: $500

Resolution: 1080p

Key Apps: YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Skype, ESPN, NFL

Works with: Android, iOS, Xbox Smartglass

Storage: 500 GB

Notes: Includes Blu-ray player. Allows users to watch live television. Also more expensive but more diverse.