Roku has been a mainstay of the streaming trade since its inception in 2008. Rather a lot has modified through the years, with opponents similar to Apple, Google, and a collection of Fireplace TV units battling to be your most popular streaming system. All through the years, Roku has stayed on the entrance of the streaming pack, bringing one nice system to the market after one other.
With units just like the Roku Extremely seeking to compete on the excessive finish, the corporate has not forgotten about its budget-friendly choices. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a no-nonsense system that excels at what Roku does greatest, bringing you the perfect vary of streaming content material attainable.
With different streaming sticks just like the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K Max obtainable for buy, Roku wanted one thing that may not solely sustain however surpass expectations. It managed to create a strong streaming system, and from a pure streaming perspective, it’s tough to think about that anybody would wish something greater than this 4K streaming stick.
Workers choose
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
$30 $50 Save
$20
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a budget-friendly, highly effective streaming stick to wonderful 4K HDR video high quality. This very good system has an easy-to-navigate interface, loads of free content material, and lets you obtain nearly any app you possibly can consider. It might not help you play video games, however it excels as a streaming system.
- Wonderful 4K HDR High quality
- Speedy efficiency
- Easy interface
- A number of free content material
- Priced proper
- May use higher voice management
- Does not allow you to play video games
- Advertisements on the house display
- Distant is not backlit
Worth, availability, and specs
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K debuted means again in October 2022, however don’t let its age deter you, because it’s nonetheless among the finest streaming sticks at present obtainable. At simply $50, Roku has priced its 4K streaming stick very aggressively. And if you happen to’re affected person, you possibly can choose it up on sale for as little as $30, making it unbeatable worth. It is also very straightforward to search out out of your favourite retailer like Amazon, Finest Purchase, and Roku itself.
What’s good concerning the Roku Streaming Stick 4K?
Wonderful video high quality with a easy interface
Roku outdid itself, pushing the restrict of what a tool barely greater than a thumb drive can do. The Streaming Stick 4K delivers on a variety of fronts, however its wonderful 4K HDR high quality must be on the prime of the listing. I’ve been utilizing the third Gen Amazon Fireplace TV Dice for the previous two years, and I used to be blown away by the picture high quality that this little system was capable of ship.
Learn our assessment
Amazon Fireplace TV Dice (third Gen): Good, speedy, and full of advertisements
Hey, you bought your Echo in my Fireplace TV!
With assist for 4K shows as much as 60fps, in addition to Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10/10+, and HLG as much as 60fps, pictures had been vibrant and clean on my 4K LG TV. I’ve been fairly proud of the image high quality from the Fireplace TV Dice, however the Roku streaming stick takes issues up one other degree, particularly in HDR mode. The extent of element and readability made me double-check that the HDMI cable that I used to be utilizing with my Fireplace TV supported the newest options.
The Streaming Stick 4K’s general efficiency was additionally fairly spectacular. Roku bumped the processing velocity up for this mannequin, and it exhibits. Apps had been fast to launch and there wasn’t any noticeable lag. It fortunately jumped from app to app and thru the assorted menus with out a lot as a stutter, which shocked me a bit because of its restricted 1GB of RAM.
It additionally has 4GB of storage, permitting ample house to obtain all of your favourite apps. It is a streaming system via and thru, so app sizes are usually small and 4GB is lots large enough for what this little Roku can do. Concerning apps, Roku has achieved a tremendous job of guaranteeing nearly each app is current. Along with streaming the perfect content material, Roku gives a ton of content material on its Roku Channel, together with over 400 stay TV channels.
The Roku interface is clear and easy. I’ve seen loads of customers say that Roku must replace its UI, however I disgaree. Sure, the interface hasn’t modified a lot in virtually ceaselessly, and it’s as easy to navigate as ever, however that simplicity is considered one of Roku’s core strengths. The menu settings are simple to navigate, as is the house display, which largely consists of put in apps. To the left of the house display are numerous menu choices tailor-made to supply easy accessibility to quite a lot of paid and free content material and the settings menu.
The whole lot is laid out thoughtfully and allows you to seek for the kind of content material you want. It’s not fairly as clear as what you’ll discover on the Apple TV 4K, however it’s much better than something discovered on the Fireplace OS. Search can also be considerably higher than what you’ll discover on Amazon’s Fireplace units and is close to the highest of the pack when it comes to what it gives.
Learn our assessment
Assessment: The Apple TV 4K is a robust streaming field for anybody
Apple’s set-top field has lots to supply Android customers
Trying to find a selected title gives numerous choices, together with all of the apps at present streaming that title. If the app isn’t put in, you are able to do so from inside the search menu with a click on of a button. It successfully will get out of your means and will get you watching the content material you had been searching for as rapidly as attainable.
The voice-capable distant can also be straightforward to make use of, making looking for content material fairly straightforward by talking into your distant. You should use your voice to enter your passwords when logging right into a service or use it to discover a number of free films, however it’s restricted in scope.
What’s dangerous concerning the Roku Streaming Stick 4K?
Annoying advertisements and no actual voice assistant
Whereas the voice distant is good to have, it pales compared to Siri on Apple TV or Alexa on the Fireplace TV Dice. You’ll be able to inform it to do fundamental duties however neglect about something complicated. My household would steadily speak to Alexa on the Fireplace TV Dice to regulate the tv, or to ask it a basic query. It’s simply head and shoulders forward of Roku’s implementation. In an ironic twist, the Roku could be managed through Alexa or Google Dwelling.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is an easy media streaming system. Whereas it does that exceedingly nicely, it lacks a few of the premium capabilities of its opponents, particularly in relation to gaming. Connecting a controller and having fun with a fast gaming session is a really actual risk on Apple or Amazon’s streaming units.
Apple helps you to play video games immediately from the Apple Arcade, whereas Amazon allows you to stream video games from Amazon Luna or via your Xbox Recreation Go Final subscription. It might appear small, however in case you are closely into recreation streaming, dropping the choice is a possible deal-breaker.
My major gripe with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the quantity of advertisements current. I haven’t used a Roku system in a few years, however the degree of advertisements on the house display appears to have elevated by a good margin. You’ll routinely have an advert for some film or TV present, and much more aggressive advertisements.
Throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a paid Macy’s advert took over my background and theme. The whole lot from the background picture to the big Macy’s banner screamed for my consideration. Whereas not as intrusive as what you’ll discover on the Fireplace OS, it was a bit disheartening to search out this degree of advert placement on Roku OS and, frankly, downright annoying.
Do you have to purchase it?
In case you are like me and hate the sluggish sensible apps constructed into your TV (I’m taking a look at you LG), or your TV simply lacks apps within the first place, selecting the Roku Streaming Stick 4K makes a ton of sense. It’s an incredible worth at its common retail worth, however a steal when it goes on sale. The system is priced equally to the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick 4K however has a cleaner and extra elegant working system. It’s additionally far inexpensive than something that Apple makes.
Along with its worth, the Streaming Stick 4K gives improbable 4K HDR high quality, speedy efficiency, and an incredible working system. Nevertheless it doesn’t help you do extra fancy issues like play your favourite video games, nor can or not it’s used solely along with your voice. Nonetheless, Roku constructed the 4K Streaming Stick with do exactly that, stream your favourite content material, and it does that very nicely.
Workers choose
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
$30 $50 Save
$20
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is well among the finest streaming units available on the market. With a straightforward interface, loads of free content material, and nearly each app obtainable, Roku has achieved an incredible job crafting a tremendous streaming stick. It additionally delivers very good 4K HDR high quality with speedy efficiency.
