The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is simply as nice as its predecessor, and affords one massive perk over the Roku it replaces: Dolby Vision. Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, providers, and apps to help discover what's best for you. Find out more about how we take a look at, analyze, Flixy TV Stick and rate. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K arrived with a heavy activity on its shoulders: change one of the best streaming system. Yes, this $50 stick is the observe-up to the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and Flixy Stick official whereas it isn't an enormous leap over that model, it fixes one among the largest flaws of that model and retains every little thing we liked about it whereas doing so. And whereas that sounds prefer it might be a minor update, Flixy Stick official the key new function added is Dolby Vision, which may very well be enough to make some improve at present. Roku's additionally claiming quicker performance, which is a trickier thing to measure on a streaming gadget.
That mentioned, this Roku Streaming Stick 4K evaluate will present why it's a worthy successor to the throne, and sitting at the top of the best Roku units checklist too. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K prices $50, the same price as the $50 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and the Chromecast with Google Flixy TV Stick. Right now, you will get the Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $43 on Amazon , which is a 14% off low cost. Searching for extra ways to save lots of? The Roku Channel simply bought thirteen free channels. That Chromecast has been considered one of our top picks for the perfect streaming system, though, so take a look at our tightly contested Roku Streaming Stick 4K vs. Chromecast with Google Tv face-off. The Roku Streaming Flixy Stick official 4K (like all streaming sticks) is designed to by no means be seen again. Identical to its predecessor (the Roku Streaming Stick Plus), the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is primarily a 3.7 x 0.Eight x 0.5-inch dongle with an HDMI plug that goes into the back of your Tv.
But it's obtained a little bit extra in its USB energy cable: a 3.Three x 0.6 x 0.3-inch lengthy-vary Wi-Fi receiver. Editor's Note: this overview will not clarify how a lot that improves things, the furthest testing might be carried out from our router is eight toes away. Get prompt access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, nice deals and helpful ideas. Also within the box, you get the Roku Voice Remote with Tv energy and volume buttons (with two AAA batteries it wants), and a energy adapter. You could possibly choose to forego that energy adapter, and plug the USB energy cable into your Tv, however I found that this means the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is turned off when my comparatively-current LG Tv. And I don't enjoy ready for the Roku boot-up animation to finish, when it might just be on standby. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is a slightly bigger rectangular dongle (4.3 x 1.3 x 0.5 inches) whereas the Chromecast with Google Tv is even larger (6.Four x 2.4 x 0.5 inches).
But, as I mentioned earlier than, these all simply exist within the limbo behind your Flixy TV Stick. Currently, Roku is as much as Roku OS 12, which debuted in March 2023. This replace makes dwell local information and premium subscriptions extra distinguished. Roku's also personalizing the sports activities section and making an attempt to enhance its Continue Watching row, to now help Discovery Plus, Prime Video and Freevee, which sit alongside HBO Max, Netflix and Paramount Plus. Roku devices have the most effective (if not the most effective outright) interfaces there may be. Instead, Flixy Stick official the Roku house screen is finest in comparison with the $50 streaming devices in its class: the Amazon Fire Flixy TV Stick Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google Tv. Both of these rivals go for a content material-first method, which feels a bit advert-heavy on Fire Tv and Flixy Stick official suggestion-heavy on the Chromecast. Roku's simplicity is laudable. You simply see a grid of the apps you may have, and the search (more on that later) may help you discover stuff you don't have.
So, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K responded shortly once i asked it to "Play Squid Games on Netflix" and to "Play Fiona Apple in Spotify." While the latter jumped straight to an acceptable playlist, the Streaming Stick 4K had me pick what episode of Squid Games to watch, which made sense. And whereas I personally not often ever use voice controls, the Roku OS 10.5 update offers me one function I will use. Now you can spell out electronic mail addresses, passwords and Flixy Stick official PIN numbers when logging into an app. This is important for anybody who makes use of the type of long and sophisticated passwords that security people say we should always use. Apple's supplied this in tvOS, whereas the Chromecast with Google Tv and Fire Flixy TV Stick Stick 4K lack it. Roku's also permitting you to edit the grid in the Roku Channel's Live Tv part, though this is the place I discovered myself dissatisfied.