The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is one of the top Roku streaming gadgets, and because of its small size, it is the perfect travel companion. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K has a tough challenge ahead of it: it must succeed the top selection for the finest streaming gadget. Yes, new $50 stick replaces the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. While it doesn’t significantly improve upon previous model, it does correct one of its greatest issues while maintaining all of its positive qualities.
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Even though it seems like a little update, Dolby Vision is a significant addition that could be enough to convince some people to switch right now. Additionally, Roku offers speedier performance, which is more difficult to gauge on a streaming device. Having said that, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K review will demonstrate why it is a deserving successor to the throne and the greatest Roku gadget available. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K has replaced the Roku Streaming Stick Plus as the greatest Roku streaming media device. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K share all of its capabilities, with the exception of one.
Check out the reviews of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K below.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Specs
| Starting price | $49.99 |
| Resolution | Up to 4K UHD at 60 fps |
| Processor | Quad-core CPU |
| Wireless | 802.11ac MIMO dual-band Wi-Fi |
| Dimensions | 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.5 inches |
| Colors | Black |
| Audio | Dolby-encoded audio, DTS Digital Surround, Digital stereo |
| Video | Dolby Vision, HDR10/10+ and HLG |
Review of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K: Cost and Accessibility
The $50 cost of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is identical to that of the Chrome with Google TV and the $50 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.
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Chromecast with Google TV comparison, however, as Chromecast has consistently been one of the top choices for the best streaming gadget. The greatest premium Roku device is the Roku Ultra (2020). The greatest Roku media streamer is the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Design
Like other streaming sticks, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is intended to disappear forever. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is mainly a 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.5-inch dongle with an HDMI socket that connects to the back of your TV, much like its predecessor (the Roku Streaming Stick Plus). However, it has a 3.3 x 0.6 x 0.3-inch long-range Wi-Fi receiver in its USB power cord as a bonus.
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The Roku Voice Remote, which has TV power and volume controls and requires two AAA batteries, is also included, along with a power adapter. You may delete the power adapter and connect your TV’s USB power cord instead. However, I discovered that doing so resulted in my comparatively new LG TV turning off the Roku Streaming Stick 4K.
Review of the ,Mobile App and RokuOS 10.5 Layout for the Roku Streaming Stick 4K
The user interface on Roku devices is among the best, if not the best, out there. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google TV are the two $50 streaming devices that are best compared to the Roku home screen.
Both of those rivals have a content-first strategy, which on Fire TV and Chromecast seems a little and recommendation heavy. The simplicity of Roku is excellent. You see a matrix of the applications you now have, and the search feature (more on that later) can be utilized to identify apps you do not currently have.
Several voice-related enhancements are included in RokuOS 10.5, which users who purchase the Roku Streaming Stick 4K plus with its every-time Voice Remote Pro can find more useful than users of the Streaming Stick 4K with the standard Roku remote.
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Although I don’t use voice commands very often, the Roku OS 10.5 upgrade adds a function I’ll utilize. Now, you may write out email addresses, passwords, and PINs while signing into an app. Anybody who follows the security experts’ advice to use long, complicated usernames should be aware of this. Apple’s tvOS includes it, however the Chrome with Android Tv and the Fire TV Stick 4K don’t.
Additionally, Roku enables you to modify the grid under The Roku Channel’s Live TV section. Since this location only enables free linear TV content from The Roku Channel, your results may vary.
But the integration of Fire TV’s Live TV grid with cord-cutting providers like Sling TV will greatly assist cord-cutters like me. You can use any pair of headphones with the Roku mobile app for private listening. This year, Roku improved its wireless headphone functionality to lower sound and television delays. Additionally, the Review of the Roku streaming stick plus is beneficial.
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Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Performance
Overall, there are no apparent problems with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. It is quick and fast enough. And that’s the way it ought to be. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K now has a new quad-core CPU, which Roku says will result in 30% quicker app startup speeds than the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.
Additionally, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus performs well in app load speeds. I don’t intend it as an insult; it’s simply hard to evaluate, and app load times on popular streaming devices might vary significantly. To level the playing field, we reinstituted the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, the Fire TV Stick 4K, and the Cast with Google TV. Furthermore, the Roku streaming stick plus review is helpful.
As you can see from the table below, the timings are generally consistent.
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K | Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K | ||
| Netflix (load time in seconds) | 3 | 23 | 2 |
| YouTube (load time in seconds) | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Disney Plus (load time in seconds) | 9 | 10 | 12 |
| Sling TV (load time in seconds) | 10 | 27 | 8 |
| Apple TV Plus (load time in seconds) | 11 | 9 | 8 |
There will be minor errors since this demands coordinated touches on the monitor and the remote. The tests revealed that the Fire TV Stick 4K loads video somewhat faster on Sling and Netflix than the Roku Streaming Stick 4K on Apple TV Plus, Netflix, and YouTube.
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But they only represent the very first loads after just a reboot (how often do you reset your roku player?). These other gadgets, including the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, often offer similar speeds.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Search
There is plenty of content available, and the endless supply of streaming services makes it challenging to discover the episodes and movies you want to watch. Roku has a Zone for the Dangerous & Lightning movies, allowing you to view the locations of each movie.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K assists you in navigating the received international stream, even if you cannot watch it straight away. Use the Remote app to access the movies on your Roku’s Save List when you come home. You can stream live movies from your Roku’s Favorites queue if it’s joined to the same Wi-Fi network as the Remote app.
When I utilized voice search on the Roku remote, which is how I like to search, the visual results box with thumbnails of the pertinent movies showed. When it thought it understood where people wanted to go, the voice search on the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max ($55) skipped the quests and went directly to a (false) conclusion, leaving much to be desired.
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The Roku Streaming Stick 4K has a slight advantage over Amazon’s Fire TV regarding English comprehension. Incorporating a 4K Movies and TV Zone (with everything from Avengers as one of the search results) and hearing “4K movies” as “4K movies” improves Roku’s performance.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Remote
The Roku remote that comes with the device is the standard Roku remote, which is relatively straightforward. Traditional navigation buttons are provided for navigating menus and navigating a program. To browse the Roku OS, you have a navigation joystick, Next, Menu, and Options keys. Additionally, you have controls for immediate replay, game, fast speed, and reverse to get to the necessary times.
The $20, more expensive $69 Roku Streaming Stick 4K has enhancements that some people could like. It features a headphone connector for private headphones-only listening (if your phone is nearby, you can use the Roku app to achieve this), Adaptable shortcut keys, in addition to an Usb cable for charging.
The battery-operated remote for the Roku Ultra 2020 includes a Streaming Tv key. However, the remote uses batteries and doesn’t provide always-on listening. It wouldn’t be an issue if the Roku remote featured programmable keys as the Roku Speaking Remote Professional has.
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Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Content and Apps
In terms of the applications you need, Roku comes close to being ideal. The one irritating exception is that, due to a dispute between Google/YouTube and Roku, the Roku Media Shop no longer includes the Popular Video streaming app. It’s no longer uncomfortable to log into YouTube TV from inside the YouTube app. The scenario is unfavorable for any parties, even if the functionality is still there.
Roku doesn’t disclose the number of applications in its store. However, 42matters (opens in a new tab) asserts that more than 26,000 apps are already available. It is said that the Fire TV contains 12,700 applications. However, I cannot identify any lost parts from the opposite side.
Additionally, unlike the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K allows screen mirroring, although to a lesser extent than Chromecast Casting. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K has superseded the Roku Streaming Stick Plus as the most powerful streaming media device. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K share all of their capabilities, except one.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K does not support the other types of stream. You can see live intelligent home camera feeds on the Fire TV Stick 4K, and you can access Nest cam streams and play games on Google Stadia with the Chromecast and Google TV.
Pros
- Quick and smooth Wi-Fi performance.
- Excellent voice control and user interface.
- Every Feature That You Could Want
- Find and track shows easier.
- Cheap streamers lack AirPlay and a Replay button.
Cons
- No Dolby Atmos or IR control for external sound systems.
- Wireless only.
- Roku’s ads require monitoring.
Conclusion
Choosing a fantastic 4K streaming gadget is not too difficult. You’ll get (usually) fast Ultra HD streaming with excellent image quality whether you choose the Roku Streaming Stick 4K or one of its capable rivals. But each has limitations, as the Roku Streaming Stick 4K review has shown.
If you understand you would like the immersive audio of Dolby Atmos, the Chrome with Google TV or Fire Tv Stick 4K are your best options, even if each of them has an interface that inadvertently interferes with your apps by displaying advertisements and/or advertising content, respectively.
People still choose the Roku Streaming Stick 4K more than other gadgets, primarily due to its uncomplicated apps-first user interface. Additionally, watching how the Roku mobile app is becoming ever-smarter is fantastic. It demonstrates, however, that the race to create the most OK $50 streaming gadget is more competitive than ever. Even the most minor preferences could be the primary determinant.
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FAQs
Is a 4K Roku worth it?
It has fantastic 4K HDR and Dolby Vision playing quality, is lightning-fast, and has excellent wireless networking. However, the UI and app lineup continues to be solid and bug-free.
What does a Roku Streaming Stick 4K do?
Smooth HD viewing is provided to your TV with the Roku Streaming Stick. Its compact design makes it simple to conceal behind your TV and is ideal for use when traveling. The voice remote that comes with it contains keys to change the volume and power of your TV as well as searching and other Roku Speak functions.
Will Roku 4K stick work on any TV?
Thankfully, the Roku streaming stick works on any smart or non-smart TV that supports HDMI. In addition, all Roku requires for proper operation is a fast internet connection. So, if you have both of they prepared, your Roku streaming stick will function flawlessly.
Is there a monthly fee for Roku stick?
You must pay to use a Roku device; they are not free. However, after that, you may use Roku to get the free channels. Your Roku device must be purchased immediately. After that, Roku doesn’t charge anything. There isn’t a recurring fee.
Is Roku stick better than Firestick?
Roku is the better choice since it provides more functionality, device options, channels/apps, and free entertainment. Additionally, Roku boasts the most tracks and applications compared to other streaming media players. Overall, Roku is superior. A wide variety of devices are available, with more functionality, more straightforward to use, and a wealth of free material.
