By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Accept

zszhair.com

  • Phone
    PhoneShow More
    iPhone 13 review
    31/01/2023
    Oppo Find X5 review
    31/01/2023
    Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro review
    29/01/2023
    Realme 9 Pro+ review
    29/01/2023
    Realme 9i review
    29/01/2023
  • Smart Home
    Smart HomeShow More
    Swan Retro Air Fryer SD10510 review
    30/01/2023
    Nespresso Vertuo Plus review
    30/01/2023
    Lavazza Jolie review
    29/01/2023
    PerfectDraft Pro review
    28/01/2023
    Nutribullet blender review
    28/01/2023
  • Headphone
    HeadphoneShow More
    Sony LinkBuds (WF-L900) review
    29/01/2023
    Mobvoi Earbuds ANC review
    28/01/2023
    Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 review
    27/01/2023
    Beats Fit Pro review
    25/01/2023
    OnePlus Nord Buds review
    23/01/2023
  • Health
    HealthShow More
    PomaBrush review
    31/01/2023
    Oral-B Vitality review
    29/01/2023
    BaByliss Super-X Metal Series Hair Clipper review
    28/01/2023
    FitTrack Dara Smart Body BMI Scale review
    28/01/2023
    NuMe Megastar flat iron review
    24/01/2023
  • Laptop
    LaptopShow More
    Huawei MateBook D 16 (2022) review
    31/01/2023
    Asus TUF Gaming A15 (2022) review
    28/01/2023
    LG Gram 16 (2022) review
    25/01/2023
    Huawei MateBook 16 (2021) review
    20/01/2023
    Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review
    19/01/2023
  • Tablet
    TabletShow More
    Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review
    25/01/2023
    Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 review
    23/01/2023
    Microsoft Surface Pro 8 review
    20/01/2023
    Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 review
    19/01/2023
    Realme Pad Mini review
    19/01/2023
  • …
    • Accessories
    • Audio
    • Camera
    • Chromebook
    • Display
    • Drone
    • Electric Bike & Scooter
    • Entertainment
    • eReader
    • Game
    • iPad
    • Lighting
    • NAS
    • Networking
    • Printer
    • Security
    • Smart Heating & Thermostat
    • Smart Security
    • Smartwatch
    • Software
    • Speaker
    • Storage
    • TV
    • Wearable Tech
  • Contact
  • English
    • Polski
    • Deutsch
    • Français
    • Русский
    • Español
Reading: Roku Streaming Stick 4K review
Share
Aa

zszhair.com

Aa
  • Phone
  • Smart Home
  • Headphone
  • Health
  • Laptop
  • Tablet
  • …
  • Contact
  • English
Search
  • Phone
  • Smart Home
  • Headphone
  • Health
  • Laptop
  • Tablet
  • …
    • Accessories
    • Audio
    • Camera
    • Chromebook
    • Display
    • Drone
    • Electric Bike & Scooter
    • Entertainment
    • eReader
    • Game
    • iPad
    • Lighting
    • NAS
    • Networking
    • Printer
    • Security
    • Smart Heating & Thermostat
    • Smart Security
    • Smartwatch
    • Software
    • Speaker
    • Storage
    • TV
    • Wearable Tech
  • Contact
  • English
    • Polski
    • Deutsch
    • Français
    • Русский
    • Español
zszhair.com > Entertainment > Roku Streaming Stick 4K review
Entertainment

Roku Streaming Stick 4K review

Eric Brown
Eric Brown 08/01/2023
Share
11 Min Read
SHARE

At a Glance

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Broad range of apps
  • Versatile remote control

Cons

  • Homepage not as detailed as rivals
  • Cables slightly too short
  • Needs more tailored advertising

Our Verdict

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is easy-to-use, offers a wide range of apps and supports Dolby Vision – but it just falls short of the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

Contents
At a GlanceProsConsOur VerdictDesign & BuildSoftware, Compatibility & PerformancePricing & AvailabilityVerdictSpecsRoku Streaming Stick 4K: Specs

The Streaming Stick 4K is Roku’s top-of-the-range model, but is competitively priced compared to rivals. With apps for most major streaming services, voice support and Dolby Vision, there are lots of reasons to buy it.

It is more expensive than Roku’s Express 4K, but not by much. And it does come with a much better remote control.

But how does it compare to rivals, including the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max? Let’s find out.

Design & Build

  • HDMI dongle
  • Remote control with built-in mic
  • Compatible with the Roku remote control app

This Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a classic stick/dongle, so it plugs straight into an HDMI input on your TV. Streaming boxes, by contrast, plug into an HDMI port via a cable.

It’s reminiscent of the Roku Streaming Stick+ design, with a matt black finish. The stick also includes a microUSB port for the power cable, a manual reset button, and a power indicator light.

Roku streaming stick

Unlike Amazon, Roku doesn’t supply an HDMI extender cable in the box so you have to plug it in directly to an HDMI input. That could be a pain if your TV’s ports face the wall and there isn’t much space. It’s pretty slim and didn’t block the use of adjacent ports on my TV, but the power cable could get in the way of other HDMI cables.

It connects at the rear of the stick, but I found the power cable – at just under 1.5m – was a bit too short to reach the power adapter on floor.

Alongside the stick, you get a Bluetooth remote control. As this is Roku’s flagship streaming stick, it comes with all the bells and whistles. There are the playback, navigation and streaming platform buttons, plus volume controls and a power button on the side (which can control most TVs). The other extra is a microphone button, which you press when you want to use you voice to search.

The remote can partly replace your main TV remote, though I sometimes had issues with the mute button not working on occasion, though this could have been because I was using it to control a sound bar rather than the TV. The overall design is bold, chunky and easy to use – and the large, coloured buttons make it much more user-friendly than the remotes provided by rival Amazon.

You can also download the Roku remote control app on your phone to control your TV, which includes playback and voice commands. There’s no headphone jack on the remote, but you can route sound via the app on your phone, and then listen via Bluetooth headphones paired with your phone.

Roku streaming remote

Software, Compatibility & Performance

  • Dolby Vision, 4K, HDR10+ picture quality
  • Roku OS 10.5
  • Interface not as detailed as Amazon’s

Setting up the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a breeze. Once it’s plugged in, all you need to do is connect to the internet by selecting your Wi-Fi network, synchronise the remote to your TV (you simply follow the instructions on screen), sign in to your Roku account (or create one) and choose which channels and streaming platforms you want on your homepage.

The stick runs Roku OS 10.5, which includes a section for music and podcasts, an expansion on the services that support voice commands (including Netflix and Spotify), as well as improvements to the Roku mobile app.

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K can be used on HD, 4K and 4K HDR TVs. It has support for HDR10+ and HLG up to 60fps. The stick is also capable of upscaling from 720p and 1080p. If you want 4K, you will need a 4K TV with an HDMI input that supports HDCP 2.2.

If you are unsure of how to check this (and your TV’s ports aren’t clearly labelled), check out our HDMI guide, as well as Roku’s own support pages.

One of the biggest attractions of this device is the support for Dolby Vision. Again, to benefit, your TV must support this HDR format. Roku has also confirmed that it supports Dolby Atmos, though your TV must have this feature for it to show in the settings. The device also has Dolby-encoded audio.

Roku streaming stick 4k

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K includes voice support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant-enabled devices, and compatibility with Apple HomeKit, allowing you to control the stick via Siri or on the Apple Home app. The voice control on these devices allows you to launch streaming channels, search for movies and shows and control playback. 

Apple users can use AirPlay 2 to stream content from their iPhone, iPad or Mac. Meanwhile, Android users can also cast content via  screen mirroring – you’ll need to pair your phone with the Roku device to allow access.

With Roku, you get the majority of the major streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Spotify, Now, All 4, My 5 and more. There are a few services missing, including the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform, Twitch.

Roku also includes sections for different genres such as educational apps, travel apps and more. If you are after something subscription-free, then The Roku Channel has thousands of hours worth of content, including Hell’s Kitchen and the new release, Swimming with Sharks. 

Everything on the Roku homepage is clearly laid out, with sections for your apps, the settings on your TV and more. It has less of a focus on self-promotion like Amazon does and includes the option to customise the homepage by changing the background and screensaver.

That said, it is lacking when it comes to film and TV recommendations. Whilst you can manually ‘follow’ content, Amazon includes entire sections dedicated to shows and films based on what you’ve watched, without you having to open any apps or take any extra steps.

Roku OS 10.5

The Streaming Stick 4K has Wi-Fi 5 which Roku says is up to twice as fast as previous devices from the brand.

Thanks to this, and the speedy processor powering the Stick 4K, I encountered no lag or issues: it was responsive and all the apps I used ran smoothly.

The voice control is also impressive within apps. It makes it quick to search for things on YouTube, especially compared to using the on-screen keyboard from the remote which is extremely tedious. 

I wish that Roku had the option to change what sort of ads show up on the interface. I kept getting Fox News ads, but had no interest in watching it. I would prefer to have something more relevant to my interests.

Pricing & Availability

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is available now and costs £49.99/$49.99. You can buy it from Roku, Amazon and Currys in the UK, and Roku, Amazon and Best Buy in the US.

That’s £10/$10 more than the Roku Express 4K. However, for that you get power and volume buttons on the remote, plus voice control, making it a more flexible and accessible option.

Roku streaming stick

For only slightly more money, there’s Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. This rival includes a more detailed homepage with a range of TV and film recommendations,  as well as built-in Alexa with picture-in-picture support with Ring doorbells. You can read our full review of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

For other alternatives, see our roundup of best streaming sticks and boxes.

Verdict

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is one of the best-value dongles available right now. The remote control has everything you need, including voice support, and Roku’s simple interface make this a brilliant device for first-time users of streaming sticks.

Although it has support for Dolby Vision, 4K, HDR10+ content and Dolby Atmos support, it doesn’t quite stack up against Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which boasts smart home integration with Alexa, and better film and TV recommendations on the homepage. It’s also a shame the power cable isn’t just a bit longer, and that there isn’t an HDMI extender in the box.

If these things don’t bother you, it’s a great buy.

Specs

Roku Streaming Stick 4K: Specs

  • Media streamer
  • 4K, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
  • 1080P up to 60fps
  • 802.11ac MIMO dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Support for Google Assistant and Alexa
  • Apple AirPlay and Homekit intergration
  • HDMI 2.0b, USB for Power & Long-range Wi-Fi receiver
  • DTS digital sound, Dolby-encoded audio and Dolby Atmos
  • Remote with power, volume and voice controls
Eric Brown 08/01/2023
Share this Article
Facebook TwitterEmail Print
Share
Previous Article Samsung Galaxy A73 5G review
Next Article DJI Mini 3 Pro review

Hot

Quip electric toothbrush review
23/01/2023 8 Min Read
Streamplify USB mic review
24/01/2023 11 Min Read
FlexiSpot Sit2Go Fitness Chair review
09/01/2023 5 Min Read
OnePlus Nord CE 2 review
13/01/2023 15 Min Read
Dyson Solarcycle Morph review
22/01/2023 13 Min Read

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?