Sky Stream: release date, price, features and specs for the Sky Glass alternative

Tom Bailey
·4 min read
Sky Stream: release date, price and everything you need to know
Sky Stream: release date, price and everything you need to know

Sky Stream – Sky's 4K HDR streaming box – has set tongues wagging. The dish-free device plugs into any TV and offers access to Sky TV and the Sky Glass user experience over wi-fi.

It all sounds very exciting – but how much will this miniature marvel cost? Will you need an engineer to install it? And how will Sky Stream compare to the dish-based Sky Q?

Here's everything we know so far about Sky Stream...

Sky Stream release date

Sky Stream
Sky Stream

In the UK, the Sky Stream puck went on sale on 18th October 2022.

The device is available now from sky.com, with free next-day delivery included as standard. Alternatively, you can buy one from a Sky Retail store or hub near you.

Sky Stream price

The Sky Stream puck was previously only available as a £50 accessory to those with a Sky Glass TV.

Now, as promised back in April, Sky has made it available to all as a standalone device. The device itself is "free" when you sign up to a package. The entry-level package – Sky Entertainment & Netflix Basic – starts from £26 a month (with an 18-month contract) or £29 a month (with a rolling 31-day contract).

There is also a £39.95 "set-up fee" (reduced to £20 if you sign up to an 18-month contract). However, as the device is "plug and play", there's not a whole lot of set-up required.

Customers can splash out on a host of add-on packs including: Sky Sports (from £25/month), Sky Cinema (from £11/month), BT Sport (from £30/month), Sky Kids (£6/month) and UHD & Dolby Atmos (£6/month).

Upgrading from Netflix Basic (SD) to Standard (HD) will cost you an extra £4 a month but it's worth noting that Netflix has announced that it intends to boost video resolution for Basic users from 480p to 720p HD from 3rd November 2022.

You have got the option of having Sky Stream on up to five additional televisions throughout your home, although you'll need to splash out £12 a month extra on the Whole Home package.

Sky Stream specs

  • 4K HDR support

  • Dolby Atmos ready

  • HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, Wi-Fi

  • Voice remote

  • 10.8 x 10.8 x 1.8cm

  • One-year warranty

What is Sky Stream?

Sky Stream promises to deliver the full-blown Sky Glass experience over wi-fi, without a dish and without having to use a dedicated Sky Glass TV. That includes live TV and on-demand apps.

The entry-level package gets you Sky Ultimate TV (120+ channels) and Netflix Basic, but as mentioned above, customers can splash out extra on channels such as Sky Cinema, Sky Sports and BT Sport.

Content is HD as standard, with the option to buy Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos bolt-ons. Of course, you'll need a 4K TV and a Dolby Atmos soundbar (or suitable home cinema system). You don't need to use Sky's own broadband to take advantage of Sky Stream, although Sky does recommend a minimum speed of 10Mbps for streaming.

Sky Stream also offers paid access to the "best content" from apps such as Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, YouTube, Discovery+, Peacock and workout app Fiit.

Sky Stream vs Sky Glass

Sky Glass
Sky Glass

Sky Stream users can expect "most of the Sky Glass experience", including voice controls, Playlist, tailored recommendations and Restart live TV. In our review of Sky Glass, we praised the "thoroughness" of its content aggregation and "the fairly unbiased way in which it is presented".

Downsides? Well, while Playlist is a neat feature, it doesn't compare to the advanced recording options found on Sky Q. For example, if you put a BBC program into your Playlist but it is then removed from BBC iPlayer after 30 days, you will no longer be able to watch it. With Sky Q, shows are recorded or downloaded to a built-in hard drive where they will essentially stay forever if you don't manually delete them.

Head over to Sky Stream vs Sky Q for a full comparison.

Sky Stream early verdict

Sky Glass was an interesting concept, but it's the Sky Stream puck that many people will have been waiting for. The fact you can use it with any TV is the main attraction here as it will help to keep costs down although these will obviously rise depending on the package you opt for.

The fact Sky Stream claims to offer a user experience close to that of Sky Glass is promising – we found it was "slick and stylish" during our time with the system. We'll hopefully be able to bring you a more definitive verdict on Sky Stream once we've got our hands on a review device.

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