Do you know among Roku and Fire TV Stick, which one is better? Well, if you are under the wraps of any dilemma, then let us tell you that both Fire TV Stick and Roku have so much in common.
These cool electronic gadgets are wallet-friendly streaming players that one can practically plug into any flat TV panel type.
Moreover, both these devices offer you an extensive range of on-demand streaming services.
Right from YouTube to Disney Plus, Hulu to Netflix, both these gadgets will entertain you endlessly on such platforms.
When you plunge deep into this conversation of which one is better among the two, the answer is preference!
Furthermore, the logical and reflective differences between these two popular streaming platforms are:
The software of Roku indicates and accentuates the simplicity level rather than the flashy features. Also, the wide-ranging hardware lineup tries to punch every reasonable budget type.
On the other hand, Fire TV Stick, specifically Amazon Fire TV Stick, does the opposite job. It offers simple yet budget-friendly hardware options with a spread out software interface.
So, here are some major points that you must look out for when you are in search of the best streaming device.
Ease of Use
If you love the concept of launching apps on mobile phones, then Roku is for you. It’s a device that allows the quick launch of streaming apps, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu.
Moreover, you can comfortably figure out the most remarkable apps via the home screen featuring the “Channel Store” section.
When you talk about the menu of Fire TV, it is a little chaotic. Rather people can use one app launcher with separate rows for recent and favorite apps accompanied by a master app that people can access by holding their hone button.
In all, the Fire TV stick compared to Roku is slightly tough to navigate.
Content Discovery
Considering the interface of the Fire TV Stick, it’s so good at suggesting to you what you can watch without hopping in and out of various apps.
You can scroll the application list and, further, find a row of movies and shows suggested to you to watch.
On the flip side, Roku considering content discovery is pretty much conservative.
You can find a section of “Featured Free” on your home screen that highlights free TV shows and movies. However, it doesn’t help you get to know what is new or latest on Hulu or Netflix.
Also, Roku offers “zones” that are editorially curated. In this, one has to drill and search via multiple menu layers for accessing them.
Consequently, one will possibly invest more time in the apps than discovering what else you have out there.
Advantages of Fire TV
Both Fire TV and Roku offer assistance to every prime streaming service plus quite a lengthy list of the niche ones.
So, Roku features a Roku Channel envelope with some more advantages of offering a free app with an extensive selection of TV shows and ad-supported movies.
Voice Control
While both these streaming platforms allow you to search stuff by voice, Fire TV Stick allows you to directly launch music and videos via voice remote in many more services as compared to Roku involving Amazon Prime and Netflix.
It even offers assistance for tuning in to live channels in a few streaming services.
For example, if anyone has an Echo speaker, one can launch shows and movies without even having any touch with your remote. Moreover, Roku supports touch-free controls with Google Home and Echo speakers.
However, the controls are limited. The assistant of Amazon’s Alexa even lets you control your smart home gadgets. It also helps in viewing security camera feeds, ask general questions with the help of a Fire TV remote. And you will not find this option on Roku.
Hardware: Streaming Players
The lineup of Fire TV Stick on Amazon is quite smooth. If anyone wishes to have the most economical streaming device and can bear the slow performance, you can get a $40 Fire TV Stick.
Moreover, to have faster and greater performance plus video support of 4K HDR, one can spend $50 for a 4K Fire TV Stick.
And if anyone wants to have an in-built hands-free Alexa voice control, you can buy a $120 Fire TV Cube.
Meanwhile, Roku offers six great streaming players in recent times. There are many options out there, but it will be good if you don’t look out at options, $40 Roku Premiere and $30 Roku Express.
Rather, you can go for Roku Express+ for 1080p playback and a $50 Roku Streaming Stick+ is great for 4K HDR.
Above all, Roku does not offer people a single model that features HDR10+, Dolby ATMOS Decode, which is used in Netflix, or Dolby Vision.
On the other hand, Amazon Fire TV Cube and TV Stick 4K support each of these above things.
Another important thing is Fire TV stick is good for remembering where your recent apps are lying. On the flip side, Roku always has a restart functioning after you exit it. So, Fire TV Stick offers a better value for the hardware.
Unpopular Stuff
If you are a tech geek, then the Fire TV is for you. It’s a streaming platform that works on Android. Thus, it’s more fun to use. Whereas on Roku, you will find limited options to entertain yourself when you love technology more.
Moreover, Fire TV Stick features great options like having an integration connection with the antenna that is over the air.
For example, the Recast hardware of the Amazon Fire TV Stick can record channels, play live at native broadcast features. And none of these options you will find on Roku players. Although, you can still rely on Plex, Emby, or Tablo DVR.
Conclusion
You can’t find a victorious streaming device between these two platforms of Roku Vs Fire TV Stick. Considerably, it’s only a matter of picking your favorite device.
However, my recommendation would be to go with the Fire TV Stick.
