Ready to give your streaming video setup a boost? There’s no better time than Cyber Monday to trade up for a new and improved streaming video player, and we’ve spotted some enticing deals on streaming devices from Amazon and Roku.
Amazon is serving up deals on its latest streaming devices, including the just-released Fire TV Stick HD and Fire TV Stick 4K, while Roku is offering discounts on its popular Streaming Stick 4K, Express 4K+, and more.
We’re also keeping an eye out for Cyber Monday deals for the Apple TV 4K, Nvidia Shield, and Google Chromecast (including the new Google TV Streamer). We’ll update our list as more deals go live.
Updated December 2, 2024: We’ve added the latest streaming video player deals. Also, be sure to check out Cyber Monday discounts on home security cameras, video doorbells, Philips Hue smart lights, and more!Â
Best Black Friday deals on Amazon Fire TV streaming players
Both the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD and the Fire Stick 4K were released barely a month ago, meaning the latest generations of those streaming players are already getting big Black Friday discounts (particularly the Fire TV Stick 4K).
You can also nab a solid deal on the Fire TV Cube, which is capable of controlling your cable box with voice commands (courtesy of Alexa).
Best Black Friday deals on Roku streaming players
Just $24 for the Roku Express 4K+ streamer is a terrific price, while the discounted Roku Streaming Stick 4K ups the ante with Dolby Vision support for just five bucks more.
Meanwhile, Roku’s top-of-the-line Ultra–now with a backlit remote–is getting a Black Friday price cut, or you can opt for the Ultra LT, which shaves off a few features (namely a USB port) and includes a more basic remote for even less.
Finally, the Roku Streambar SE is a compact soundbar with a built-in Roku streaming player, and it’s priced to move for Black Friday.
It’s worth noting that we skipped Roku’s cheapest players, the Roku LE and the Roku Express. As our columnist Jared Newman noted, they’re simply not very good players for the price, and you can do much better spending just a few dollars more for our picks.
Black Friday streaming player deals: What you need to know
When is Black Friday?
Perhaps the biggest shopping day in the U.S., Black Friday lands on the day after Thanksgiving–and this year, the big day comes on November 29, 2024.
Of course, Black Friday deals will start popping up well before the actual day, and they’ll generally continue through the weekend, leading up to Cyber Monday.
What is Cyber Monday?
A relatively new addition to the end-of-the-year shopping season, Cyber Monday hits the first Monday after Black Friday. For 2024, that means Monday, December 2.
The idea behind Cyber Monday was that it was a day of discounts for online shoppers, versus the in-person shopping spree that Black Friday used to be. Now, both shopping days are mostly about pointing and clicking.
Will there be streaming video player deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Most definitely, with Amazon and Roku generally serving up the most streaming video deals.
We also expect to see discounts on Google’s Chromecast players, while on rare occasions, Apple and Nvidia will cut prices on their Apple TV 4K and Nvidia Shield devices.
Do you have to be an Amazon Prime member to get Black Friday discounts?
Unlike Prime Day, most Black Friday deals on Amazon are open to all shoppers, although you’ll need to be a Prime member to get free shipping. Amazon discloses which deals are limited to Prime members.
You can get Amazon Prime for $14.99 a month, or $139 a year, and your membership includes a variety of benefits, including free shipping for Prime items, access to Prime Video, Amazon Music, Prime Reading, and more.
Naturally, Prime isn’t needed when shopping at non-Amazon retailers, such as Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.
Speaking of which, will other retailers offer their own Black Friday discounts?
Of course! Be sure to keep an eye on Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and other online stores as Black Friday and Cyber Monday progress.