Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks are usually the top recommendation for streaming sticks. But, the newly announced Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are set to launch in June, and they look like the better buy every day of the week.
The standard Roku Streaming Stick comes in at just $30/£30. For that, you’re getting an intuitive software experience without having to faff around. Improved Wi-Fi connectivity means it should actually stay connected without you having to do a rain dance next to the router. Plus, the addition of a voice-enabled remote at this price point feels like a proper win. You can bark at the telly to change the channel or search for a film without touching a single button.
If you fancy a bit more gloss with your pixels, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus steps things up nicely. It offers 4K picture quality and HDR colour that should make your Netflix binges pop. It’s $40/£40, which is frankly outrageous value compared to some of Amazon’s pricier, often bloated alternatives. Plus, Roku’s famous clutter-free interface means you won’t need a tech degree to find the next episode of whatever you’re currently obsessed with.
The slimline design is another quiet little touch of brilliance. Both sticks are tiny enough to slot in behind any TV without blocking neighbouring HDMI ports or making the back of the telly look like a spaghetti junction. And they can be powered directly by the TV too, so there’ll be no more ugly dangling power cables. It’s the small things that make the biggest difference when you’re wrestling for clean aesthetics in a living room already drowning in kit.
Both the Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus will be available to order from major retailers starting in June. You’ll be able to pick them up in both the US and UK. The former will go for $30/£30, and the latter will go for $40/£40.
