Roku Streaming Stick Plus Review
But if you already own a streaming setup of some kind and you’re not noticing problems, I wouldn’t worry too much about this one, either. Well, it’s like a second remote, and the company updated it so it can take your voice commands too and save stuff to lists to play later. It’s also better about pairing up with Bluetooth headphones now, cutting down on the lag and matching sounds to mouths. The Streaming Stick 4K also supports Apple AirPlay 2, so you can stream whatever is on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac directly to the device. There's no Google Cast support, though, which the Chromecast With Google TV has.
TV shows and movies available in 4K and/or Dolby Vision played back with no issues on my TCL. Since that TV lacks HDR10+ support, I was unable to test that feature. As we've written in the past, while it's nice that Roku supports all of these formats, we don't consider Dolby Vision or HDR10+ a must-have, in part because it'snot a major image quality upgradeover standard HDR. Those looking for a great 4K streaming device have a relatively easy decision to make. No matter if you pick the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, or one of its competent competitors, you're going to get speedy Ultra HD streaming, with great picture quality.
A streaming box with a wide selection of content sources is a better choice than one with a limited selection. These days most services are available on every device, but some popular services are missing on certain devices. You will find nearly all major streaming services on the service, including Roku’s own free channel of movies, TV shows, and live TV content.
Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence. Set-up is simple, it has an easy-to-use interface and is fast in use – the only remaining question is whether you really need one. Start streaming Okja from Netflix in 4K HDR and there is a noticeable improvement in quality to the Full HD images roku streaming stick 4k 4k+ 2021 on the Roku Express.
At the $69.99 price point, it’s an easy recommendation unless you have a fairly recent Roku. The Roku Streaming Stick+ is an easy pick for 4K HDR TV owners, as it effectively replaces our previous pick, the Roku Premiere+, with better features and a lower price. With its simple design and focus on features you'll actually use, Roku's affordable 4K HDR streamer is one you should get. At the end of the day, this is a somewhat faster Roku (with more stable Wi-Fi) that’s now capable of streaming HDR content. The new Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a small, black competitor to the Chromecast Ultra.
While I couldn't find the Save List in the Roku interface, I didn't need to. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K helps you navigate the wide world of streaming well, even when you're not able to watch at the moment. For example, say I'm out at a nice outdoors bar, and a friend tells me I need to see the anime film Paprika. I could throw that recommendation into my favorite list-making app Todoist , or I could add it to my Save List in the latest version of the Roku app. I just type the movie's name into the search field, select it from the results and tap "Add to save list." The red and blue hues of the paper-throwing game in Squid Game episode 1 popped and the green and pink hues of the iconic house that Beth Harmon lives in also rendered properly.
Just know that a big part of the Roku strategy going forward is based in advertising, both in traditional display ads on the home screens as well as ads sold on The Roku Channel. In fact, in the second quarter of 2021, Roku made about $532 million in the “platform” category — basically everything but hardware — and $113 million in the “player” category. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert, reviewing TVs, media hubs, speakers, headphones, and gaming accessories. Will is also a THX Level I home theater expert and ISF Level III-certified TV calibrator, which ensures the thoroughness and accuracy of all PCMag TV reviews.
When you first open the box, you’ll see Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which is a little bit longer than a thumb drive, but shorter than a pencil. The device has a nice black matte finish, which has been a shift away from the glossy exterior of previous models. One of the challenges for Roku is that their devices hold up for so long, that it’s often a challenge to justify upgrading to the latest model.