The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is simply as great as its predecessor, and gives one big perk over the Roku it replaces: Dolby Vision. Why you possibly can belief Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing merchandise, companies, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out extra about how we check, analyze, and price. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K arrived with a heavy job on its shoulders: replace one of the best streaming machine. Yes, this $50 stick is the comply with-as much as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and while it isn't an enormous leap over that mannequin, it fixes considered one of the most important flaws of that model and retains everything we loved about it whereas doing so. And whereas that sounds like it could be a minor replace, the main new feature added is Dolby Vision, which could possibly be enough to make some upgrade today. Roku's additionally claiming quicker efficiency, which is a trickier factor to measure on a streaming device.

That said, this Roku Streaming Stick 4K assessment will present why it is a worthy successor to the throne, and sitting at the highest of the best Roku units record too. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K costs $50, the identical price as the $50 Amazon Fire Flixy TV Stick Stick 4K and the Chromecast with Google Tv. Right now, you may get the Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $43 on Amazon , which is a 14% off discount. Searching for extra methods to save? The Roku Channel simply received thirteen free channels. That Chromecast has been considered one of our top picks for the very best streaming gadget, although, so try our tightly contested Roku Streaming Stick 4K vs. Chromecast with Google Flixy TV Stick face-off. The Roku Streaming Stick 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 Flixy Stick official 4K is primarily a 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.5-inch dongle with an HDMI plug that goes into the again of your Tv.

But it is got a little bit additional in its USB energy cable: a 3.Three x 0.6 x 0.3-inch long-vary Wi-Fi receiver. Editor's Note: this overview will not explain how a lot that improves issues, the furthest testing could be carried out from our router is eight ft away. Get prompt access to breaking news, the most popular critiques, nice offers and helpful ideas. Also in the box, you get the Roku Voice Remote with Tv power and volume buttons (with two AAA batteries it needs), and a power adapter. You may choose to forego that power adapter, and plug the USB energy cable into your Tv, but I found that this means the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is turned off when my relatively-latest LG Tv. And I do not enjoy ready for Flixy Stick official the Roku boot-up animation to complete, when it could just be on standby. The Amazon Fire Flixy TV Stick Stick 4K is a barely bigger rectangular dongle (4.Three x 1.3 x 0.5 inches) whereas the Chromecast with Google Flixy TV Stick is even bigger (6.Four x 2.Four x 0.5 inches).

But, as I mentioned earlier than, these all just exist within the limbo behind your Tv. Currently, Roku is up to Roku OS 12, which debuted in March 2023. This replace makes reside local information and premium subscriptions extra outstanding. Roku's additionally personalizing the sports part and attempting to enhance its Continue Watching row, to now help Discovery Plus, Prime Video and Freevee, Flixy Stick official which sit alongside HBO Max, Netflix and Paramount Plus. Roku units have probably the greatest (if not the most effective outright) interfaces there may be. Instead, the Roku residence display screen is greatest compared to the $50 streaming gadgets in its class: the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google Tv. Both of those opponents go for a content material-first strategy, which feels a bit ad-heavy on Fire Tv and suggestion-heavy on the Chromecast. Roku's simplicity is laudable. You simply see a grid of the apps you might have, and the search (extra on that later) can help you discover stuff you do not have.

So, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K responded quickly once i requested it to "Play Squid Games on Netflix" and to "Play Fiona Apple in Spotify." While the latter jumped straight to an applicable 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 replace offers me one function I'll use. You can now spell out e mail addresses, passwords and PIN numbers when logging into an app. This is vital for anyone who uses the form of long and sophisticated passwords that safety folks say we must always use. Apple's offered this in tvOS, whereas the Chromecast with Google Tv and Fire TV Stick 4K lack it. Roku's also permitting you to edit the grid within the Roku Channel's Live Tv part, though this is the place I discovered myself disillusioned.

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Pub: 17 Sep 2025 04:20 UTC

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