Best Emby Client Devices 2024

Streaming services such as Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Netflix are all the rage. While you can, and should, sign up for paid streaming video providers, you can build your own library of digital movies, TV shows, and music accessible from anywhere. There are plenty of media server programs available including Plex and Emby. And if you’re using Emby, you’ll want to use the top Emby streaming media player available. Check out the best Emby client devices for 2024!

Nvidia Shield TV 2019 – Best Emby Client Device Overall

The Nvidia Shield is hands-down the best streaming device you can buy. With a polished Android ecosystem that renders brilliantly on a television or projector, Android TV is a thriving multimedia landscape. You’ll be able to install virtually any streaming media app such as Netflix, Funimation, Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Vudu. And Emby runs like a champ on the Nvidia Shield TV. For 2019, Nvidia graced the Shield TV with a complete revamp, updating its candybar remote to a Toblerone chocolate tube style, and re-designing the Shield TV as a cylindrical device.

There’s built-in Google Assistant, a beefy Tegra X1+ processor, and a microSD card slot for storage. Where the Shield TV really shines is its 4K HDR performance. Onboard, you’ll find Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. And its artificial intelligence (AI) upscaling genuinely makes 1080p content look sharper on 4K panels.

However, its 2GB of RAM limits gaming. What’s more, you won’t find a USB port. Certain titles such as Portal or Doom 3 require 3GB of RAM. Nvidia’s GameStream game streaming service and GeForce Now run extremely well, as do many emulators. If you solely plan to use your Shield TV for multimedia, the Shield TV 2019 should be fine, but gamers might prefer the Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019. Similarly, whereas previous Nvidia Shield iterations and the 2019 Shield Pro can double as Plex servers or smart home hubs with the SmartThings Link, the base Shield doesn’t.

Pros:

• AI upscaling
• Excellent 4K HDR performance
• Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision compatible
• microSD card slot
• Android TV interface
• Lots of apps and gaming
• Nvidia GameStream and GeForce Now compatible
• Great retro gaming emulation support

Cons:

• No USB port
• Can’t be used as a Plex server
• Lacks Samsung SmartThings hub compatibility
• Only 2GB of RAM which limits what Android games can be installed

Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019 – Best Emby Streaming Media Player for Power Users

The Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019 is a fantastic Emby streaming device. It’s mostly an improvement over the base Shield TV. You’ve still got the impressive 4K HDR performance and Dolby Vision as well as Dolby Atmos support. And Nvidia packs in its AI upscaling. The beefy Tegra X1+ remains, but this time it’s coupled with 3GB of RAM. As such, you can install native Android games requiring 3GB of memory like Doom 3. Accordingly, retro gaming emulators run brilliantly, as do Nvidia’s GameStream and GeForce Now services.

Although you’ll find dual USB 3.0 ports, Nvidia nixed the microSD card slot. What’s more, the option for a built-in hard drive is gone, so if you plan to install large games or use your Nvidia Shield TV as a Plex server, you’ll need to hook up an external hard drive or flash drive. Since the Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019 does sport two USB ports, it can be used as a SmartThings hub. For gamers seeking to watch Emby, the Shield TV Pro 2019 is a no-brainer.

Pros:

• Excellent 4K HDR performance
• AI upscaling
• Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
• Doubles as a Plex server
• Can be used as a SmartThings hub
• Ethernet port
• Dual USB 3.0 ports

Cons:

• No microSD card slot

Best Budget Emby Client Device – Chromecast with Google TV

The Chromecast with Google TV (our review) is the best Android TV Plex client for most users. Running a true Android TV OS, the Chromecast the incredibly intuitive Google TV launcher which provides a unified, streamlined ecosystem. And its performance punches well above its weight class. The Chromecast with Google TV touts 4K HDR video output with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+ support. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth come standard, and it runs Emby for Android TV like a champ. You will need to pay for Emby Theatre, but that goes for all Android TV Emby clients.

Sadly, the Chromecast is somewhat limited. You’ll find 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage space which should be fine for most users simply looking for a streaming box, but is severely lacking for gamers. Moreover, the Chromecast with Google TV lacks USB ports or a microSD card for storage expansion. Likewise, there’s no Ethernet port. As a workaround, you can connect a USB-C dongle as a solution for adding USB storage devices and peripherals as well as lending Ethernet to the Chromecast. Cheap and incredibly well-specced, the Chromecast with Google TV is the best budget Android TV Emby client device.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Runs true Android TV 9.0 Pie with the Google TV launcher
• 4K UHD @ 60 FPS output with HDR (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+)
• Dolby Atmos audio output
• Excellent remote
• User-friendly, easy to set up

Cons:

• Lacks USB ports or microSD card slot
• No Ethernet jack
• Limited storage space and RAM
• No HLG HDR support

Roku Ultra – Best Emby Client Device for Most Users

While Roku might not have been the first streaming box on the market, it’s arguably the most popular, user-friendly, and affordable. As such, pretty much any Roku model will suffice. But for the best overall streaming experience and Emby playback, opt for the Roku Ultra. It’s compatible with virtually every streaming service available including Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix. If you plan to stream in 4K, the Ethernet port will come in handy, and you’ll enjoy the Roky Ultra’s 4K HDR video output capabilities.

Connectivity is top-notch with a microSD card slot and USB port. Its easy-to-use remote sports a headphone jack for private listening, and a pair of JBL premium earbuds come standard. With arguably the largest lineup of streaming apps, including many free and legal streaming services, the Roku Ultra is probably the best choice for the average user. It’s not quite as capable as the Shield TV or Shield Pro, but the Roku Ultra is no slouch. The Roku Express, Express+, Premiere, Premiere+, and Stick+ all work just fine. Yet, since the rest of the Roku lineup lacks Ethernet, if you’re serious about streaming quality, the Roku Ultra is your best bet.

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Tons of available apps
• Free full playback (live TV is an Emby Premium feature)
• 4K HDR output
• Ethernet jack
• Remote with private listening
• Excellent Emby experience

Cons:

• Video and audio codec handling isn’t as robust as the Shield TV

Best Emby Client Device for Amazon Fans – Amazon Fire TV Cube

While Amazon began as an e-commerce company, its gadgets like Alexa smart speakers are easy-to-use. The same goes for its massively-popular streaming devices like the Fire TV Cube 2nd generation. Rocking 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ compatibility, the Fire TV Cube handles ultra-high definition streaming like a champ. Loads of apps are available to install, and there’s Amazon Alexa support built into its remote.

Wi-Fi 6E lets you enjoy low-latency, high-throughput wireless internet signals. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support round out its excellent stat sheet. There’s a beefy 2.2GHz octa-core processor that handles Plex like a champ and exceptional upscaling. You’ll also enjoy DTS, DTS-HD, and Dolby True HD passthrough. Although the Amazon Fire TV Cube is a bit pricey, it’s a great piece of kit. As a cheaper alternative, we recommend the Amazon Fire TV 4K Max, or on a budget you might consider the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K.

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Lots of available apps
• 4K HDR and HDR10+ compatibility
• Dolby Vision compatibility
• Dolby Atmos compatibility
• Built-in Alexa smart assistant and speaker
• Octa-core processor
• Wi-Fi 6E, Ethernet, Bluetooth

Cons:

• Somewhat pricey
• Not the loudest or best quality speaker

Apple TV – Best Emby Streamer for Apple Fans

Although Apple rose to prominence with its personal computers, iPod MP3 player, and mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone, the tech giant dipped its toes into the home theatre space with its set-top box the Apple TV. A well-specced device, the Apple TV delivers top-shelf performance with a polished user interface to boot. You’ll definitely pay a premium, but performance is stellar. The Apple TV 4K pumps out buttery-smooth 4K HDR video with Dolby Vision and HDR10 compatibility. On the audio side, it handles Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound, and its A10X Fusion processor delivers lush graphics. And Siri baked into the remote allows for hands-free operation. Still, unless you’re already ingrained in the Apple ecosystem, an Apple TV doesn’t make much sense. For the price, an Nvidia Shield TV bests the Apple TV.

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Excellent performance
• 4K HDR with HDR10 and Dolby Vision compatibility
• Powerful A10X Fusion processor
• Lots of compatible apps
• Great user-interface
• Works seamlessly with Apple products
• Siri smart assistant built-in

Cons:

• Pricey

PlayStation 5 – Best Emby Streaming Device for Gamers

Ever since the debut of the PlayStation 2 which came with a DVD drive, Sony’s video game consoles have aimed to please gamers and home media, enthusiasts alike. With support for Emby, the PlayStation 5 is a versatile device to stream Emby to. Aside from a bunch of streaming apps including Plex and Emby, the PS5 is a solid 4K UHD Blu-ray player. Comfortably able to game, play 4K UHD Blu-rays, standard Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs, as well as stream from a variety of apps, the Sony PlayStation 5 is the best Emby media streamer for gamers. Unfortunately, the PS5 features odd HDR implementation. You won’t find Dolby Vision support, HLG, or HDR10+. Similarly, Emby playback doesn’t support passthrough of advanced audio codecs. Still, boasting a large game library, physical media playback capabilities, and a good lineup of streaming apps including Emby, the PS5 is a fantastic media centre hub.

Pros:

• Plays games
• Physical media support (4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, CD)
• 4K HDR output with HDR10
• Lots of streaming apps

Cons:

• No Dolby Vision, HDR10+, or HLG
• Can’t handle advanced audio codec passthrough

Best Emby Client and 4K UHD Blu-Rayer – Xbox Series X

The Microsoft Xbox Series X can handle streaming media from the likes of Emby and Plex, 4K HDR gaming, and ultra HD Blu-rays. Emby theatre runs well on the Xbox Series X for casual use, although power users may be disappointed. The Xbox Series X lacks lossless audio passthrough, Dolby Vision, and features limited subtitle support. Plus, despite its 4K UHD Blu-ray drive, Dolby Vision HDR is limited to streaming apps and games. While that should be fine for the average Emby user, it’s disappointing for hardcore cinephiles with Blu-ray rips featuring lossless audio codecs. Nevertheless, the Xbox Series X plays games extremely well, and as a game console first, it works just fine for Emby.

Pros:

• Plays games
• Physical media support (UHD Blu-ray, DVD, CD)
• 4K HDR output (HDR10, Dolby Vision
• Lots of available apps

Cons:

• No Dolby Vision Blu-ray support (limited to streaming apps and games)
• Lacks audio passthrough
• Limited subtitle support
• No Emby Dolby Vision support

Easiest Emby Media Streamer – Smart TV Emby Client

Most television sets, and even many projectors, come outfitted with a streaming ecosystem whether that’s Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, or a proprietary operating system. You can run Emby on Samsung Smart TVs, Roku TVs, Android TV smart televisions, and Fire TV OS panels. While I’ve got Emby installed on my Nvidia Shield TV, I also have the Emby app downloaded on my Hisense H8F smart TV. Your experience will vary a bit based on what TV you’re using, and I recommend a dedicated streaming device over a smart TV. However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective way to stream Emby, most smart TVs should work just fine.

Pros:

• Cost-effective – most TVs manufactured within the last few years have smart capabilities
• Compatible with Roku, Android, Fire TV OS, and Samsung smart TVs
• Free playback on most smart TVs

Cons: 

• Underpowered compared to a dedicated streaming box

Emby Kodi App

Since there’s an Emby Kodi app, any device capable of running Kodi can access Emby. For instance, you can install a Kodi operating system on a single-board computer like the Raspberry Pi for an ultra-affordable Emby client device. Or, pick up a Kodi box such as the OSMC Vero 4K. There are tons of different Kodi boxes on the market, or Android media players like the WeTek Play 2 and MeCool BB2 Pro.

Pros:

• Lots of device choice, from Android set-top boxes to Kodi boxes
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Experience may vary (based on the hardware you’re using)

HTPC Emby Client

One of the easiest solutions for an Emby streaming media player is a home theatre PC (HTPC). You can re-purpose an old laptop or desktop for a robust home theatre PC, and install either the Emby Theater Windows app or install Kodi and download the Emby for Kodi app. I snagged a Lenovo E31 ThinkStation, plopped in a GT 1030 GPU, added an SSD plus a 12TB spindle drive, installed Windows 10, have a beefy HTPC. However, your experience will vary quite a bit based on what home theatre PC hardware you’re using. Since streaming from Emby is more server-dependent, even a Raspberry Pi makes for an awesome Emby client device, or even server.

Pros:

• Versatile
• Tons of hardware choice

Cons:

• Experience may vary
• Limited Emby playback without paid app unlock or Emby Premium subscription

What is Emby and Why Should You Use it?

However, Emby media server software is a bit better for power users than Plex. With features such as a robust metadata editor and the ability to apply custom CSS to its web app for a tailored user interface (UI), Emby is a solid choice for intermediate and advanced users. Plus, there’s a live TV and DVR aspect for watching television from an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.

Still, despite this array of power-user features, Emby remains easy to use. In order to use Emby, you’ll need a collection of (legally acquired) movies, TV shows, music files, and an Emby media server. You can run an Emby streaming server off of virtually any computer, ranging from a Raspberry Pi or another single-board computer to a laptop, desktop, network-attached storage (NAS) device, or dedicated server hardware.

What is Emby: A media server software option that’s great for power users

What to Look for in an Emby Streaming Media Player?

When selecting a device to stream Emby to, you’ll want to consider a few items. Resolution is important. Even if you don’t have any 4K content in your library, you might want 4K Netflix functionality for instance. Think about the other apps aside from Emby, such as Hulu, Vudu, or Disney+ that you’d like to install. Make sure that if you plan to use Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, or other proprietary video and audio codecs that your preferred streaming box will work. Although most Emby streaming is taxing server-side, a powerful client might come in handy with 4K video output or other uses such as gaming. You’ll want to connect to the Internet, and you can use either Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on your device’s connectivity.

Specifically for Emby, client apps aren’t universal. While all are free to download, some feature limited playback and require a one-time app unlock or Emby Premium subscription. Watching live TV with Emby almost always requires a premium subscription.

Emby client device considerations:

• Desired streaming resolution (i.e. 1080p, 4K)
• Other apps besides Emby you’d like to use
• Wi-Fi vs Ethernet
• Emby app price

What do You Need to Get Started With Emby?

To get started using Emby, you’ll need an Emby server, a collection of media files (movies, TV shows, music, etc.), and a client device. Once you have the Emby server app installed on your NAS–which can be a desktop, laptop, NAS device, single-board computer, or Android TV box–you’ll just need to point Emby to your media files, let your metadata and box art download, then start streaming wherever you like.

What you need to get started with Emby:

• Server with Emby media server installed
• Streaming device with Emby client app installed
• Media collection

Best Emby Client Devices FAQs

The Best Emby Client Devices for Streaming from Emby Media Server – Final Thoughts

Overall, you’ve got a bunch of choices when it comes to Emby streaming media players. For the most capable hardware, the Nvidia Shield TV 2019 and Shield Pro 2019 are hands-down the best options. Roku set-top boxes and Amazon Fire TVs are extremely affordable and user-friendly. Plus, you can download Emby apps for game consoles, smart TVs, and HTPCs. Personally, I prefer the Nvidia Shield TV since it tackles Dolby Atmos audio and 4K HDR10 video output beautifully while offering unrivaled gaming capabilities.

Your turn: Which Emby client devices do you recommend?