The long-running RAM and storage shortage has affected more than just computer and smartphone prices. Over the past couple of months, Apple and Google significantly hiked the prices of their streaming boxes.
If I were shopping for a new streaming box today, I couldn't justify spending hundreds of dollars on one. As much as I hate manufacturer-specific smart TV operating systems like WebOS, I'm sure most of us can tolerate some lag in exchange for the money we'd save.
But we don't have to make that compromise just yet. One of the best-kept secrets in streaming right now is sitting on a shelf at your local Walmart. The retailer sells a lineup of affordable Google TV devices that go toe-to-toe with the heavy hitters.
I've been using Walmart's Onn box for over a year, and its $50 price tag was impressive even before the competition's price increases.
Now that the costs $150, I'd argue that the Onn 4K is the best value streaming device on the market by a long shot.
Walmart sells the best value Google TV box
It's not even close
I bought an Onn 4K streaming box shortly after the Google TV Streamer 4K launched in late 2024. At the time, it was available on store shelves across North America for $20.
After comparing the two spec sheets, I concluded that I could easily overlook the Onn 4 K's lower RAM, storage, and Thread radio for the massive difference in price.
My year-long experience with the Onn 4K line has been nothing short of stellar. Even with low-end specs on paper, the Walmart box feels snappy and fluid in real-world use.
The Onn 4K streaming boxes can deliver 4K 60FPS playback in apps like Netflix and Disney+. They also support all major HDR standards, including Dolby Vision, and handle the latest AV1 video codec on YouTube without a hiccup.
The Onn 4K Plus has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, while the 4K Pro model increases those figures to 3GB and 32GB, respectively. Neither quite matches the Google TV Streamer's 4GB of RAM, but I haven't missed the extra headroom in day-to-day use.
I also haven't run into aggressive app closures with the 2GB model, even though I frequently switch between YouTube, Spotify, and Plex.
Walmart's mid-range 4K streaming box offers one of the most affordable ways to bring the Google TV experience to any display.
Google TV is Google TV, regardless of the box
Why should I pay the brand name tax?
The Onn 4K runs Google TV with almost no bloatware, aside from a handful of pre-installed streaming apps. The remote also has dedicated buttons for Netflix, Paramount+, Disney+, and YouTube.
I've found the software experience is nearly identical to the more expensive Google TV Streamer. That's both a blessing and a curse, since you get movie and TV recommendations from Google on both devices' default home screen.
I've remedied that annoyance with Projectivy, a custom . Besides eliminating sponsored content, I was happy to find it also improved responsiveness compared to the bloated stock launcher.
Beyond that, I've probed my Onn streaming box endlessly to find its limits, only to come up mostly empty-handed. In addition to playing back any media I throw at it, the box handles 1440p game streaming over my local network without a hitch.
The one downside is that the Ethernet port on the Onn 4K Pro only goes up to 100Mbps, unlike the Gigabit-capable port on the Google TV Streamer. However, Walmart's streaming boxes support Wi-Fi 6, while the Google box only supports Wi-Fi 5.
I don't mind the lower Ethernet speed because most video streaming platforms use sub-100Mbps bitrates. If I want to stream lightly compressed files from my home server, I expect Wi-Fi 6 to be fast enough.
The Onn 4K is a rare bargain in 2026
The overarching theme of the Onn 4K lineup is that Walmart has made smart trade-offs in areas you'd barely notice to drastically undercut the competition.
Even if I wanted a Thread border router, I probably wouldn't shell out the $150 for a Google TV Streamer 4K. A dedicated smart home platform like would be more flexible.
If you're in the market for a new streaming box, I highly encourage you to check out Walmart's Onn offerings. I wouldn't be surprised if they see a price hike of their own or sell out completely.
