The Roku Streaming Stick saved my TV’s life

I have never had a Roku Ultra for lengthy, however throughout my time, I shortly realized the Roku UI was my favourite of all of the streaming gadgets. I’ve tried the Apple TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, nevertheless it’s Roku with the love-it-or-hate-it Roku Metropolis that retains me coming again.

The brand new Roku Streaming Stick is not something just like the Roku Extremely. As a substitute of concentrating on the high-end market, Roku sells this stick for $30, and at that value, I do not see how one can go mistaken. There are some limitations to pay attention to, primarily that it solely streams in 1080p, so do not plug this into your 4K TV hoping to get the very best image high quality. What I did was plug it into my 10+ year-old Samsung TV to provide it a brand new life. This TV was purchased lengthy earlier than good TVs turned commonplace, however with this Roku Streaming Stick, you’d assume it was a brand-new TV. In relation to funds streaming sticks, it is troublesome to beat the 2025 Roku Streaming Stick.

Editor’s Selection

Roku Streaming Stick (2025)

The Roku Streaming Stick plugs instantly into your TV and allows you to begin watching your reveals and flicks out of your favourite streaming providers. It comes with a Roku Voice Distant.

Professionals & Cons

• Help for all main streaming providers
• No exterior energy required
• Comes with a voice distant

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Value, availability, and specs

Some actually good worth right here

The principle factor that works within the Roku Streaming Stick’s favor, not less than in my eyes, is its value. For $30, you get a tool you may plug into the again of your TV and rise up and working in a matter of minutes. All of your TV wants is a USB port to energy the machine. If you do not have one, you should decide up an exterior energy supply to plug your cable into. You most likely have one thing like this already mendacity round, whether or not it is a energy strip or an previous telephone charger, so do not fret in case your TV would not have a port.

As soon as it is working, the Roku Streaming Stick outputs at 1080p, so it is a keep on with keep away from should you’re on the lookout for higher image high quality. Whilst you can set up apps like Max, Peacock, and plenty of extra, the distant solely has fast launch buttons for Disney+, Apple TV+, Netflix, and Prime Video. If in case you have one other Roku machine, you may skip the sign-in course of for all of the apps simply by linking your account to the brand new Roku. Signing into all the things is an enormous problem for me, so it was good that I might simply load up Disney+ and see my profile already there.

If in case you have any good residence gadgets, this stick most likely works with them. The Roku Streaming Stick helps Roku Sensible Residence, Apple AirPlay, Apple Residence, Alexa, and Google Residence. That is one in all my favourite issues in regards to the Roku ecosystem, since you’re not punished for proudly owning issues from different firms. I want all my streaming gadgets might say the identical factor, however that is not how the cookie crumbled.

This 2025 mannequin ought to part out the older ones over time, however inventory for the older ones will nonetheless be floating round on the market. On Roku’s web site, it is the mannequin that reveals up once you click on on Roku Streaming Stick, however you may must double-check what you are shopping for at different shops. You do not need to miss out on the stick that does not want a wall outlet to energy on, so search for mannequin 3840R.

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What I like in regards to the Roku Streaming Stick

Straight to the purpose

Roku

I can not discover a lot to be upset with in regards to the Roku Streaming Stick. It really works simply as I anticipated it to, and it is residence to many apps and even some dwell TV channels. The machine itself is reasonably small, in regards to the measurement of my palm, and when it is plugged away behind the TV, I can not even see it. Because it’s powered by the TV, I haven’t got to see a twine jutting out of the aspect and going to my wall. In the event you’re touring, it is also straightforward sufficient to pack up the Roku and take it with you.

The distant’s voice controls work simply fantastic, though I usually do not use them. I knew all in regards to the preliminary setup course of since I already personal a 2024 Roku Extremely, however even newcomers should have no subject getting their stick up and going. One other bonus is which you can ditch your previous distant and management all the things with the included Roku distant by following the steps throughout setup to make it management your TV. It was instantly in a position to acknowledge it was plugged right into a Samsung TV, and the setup was painless from there.

Roku’s new streaming stick just isn’t as quick as my Extremely, nevertheless it’s not meant to be. The streaming stick is arguably the very best worth you may get for a no-frills streaming machine. It is good for abandoning your good TV UI or giving new life to an previous TV with no web capabilities. In the event you do not want 4K decision, I can not consider something that does the job higher. You would possibly just like the look or really feel of the Fireplace Stick greater than the Roku, however that is not the case for me.

Having audio passthrough is a good contact as properly, as a result of that is one thing my Apple TV 4K would not even assist. For an entry-level machine, I am impressed with how a lot it gives. Nevertheless, that does not imply it is not with out its share of downsides.

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What I do not like in regards to the Roku Streaming Stick

Just a few nitpicks

It is simple to lament what the Roku Streaming Stick would not do, primarily the truth that it would not assist 4K, however I believe that is unfair. The machine would not set out to try this, and there are different Roku merchandise accessible for individuals who want a bit extra. Nevertheless, the Roku Streaming Stick positions itself as a stick that is for folks with no plans of upgrading sooner or later. A 4K streaming stick prices simply $10 extra, so it is likely to be a sensible choice to splurge on that should you plan to maneuver to 4K finally. There is not any draw back to utilizing the 4K stick on a 1080p TV, so you may cowl your bases and basically future-proof your self.

The distant, regardless of its stable voice controls, leaves a bit to be desired. The cumbersome plastic physique makes it really feel rather a lot like a toy, and it is heavier than I would count on it to be. It additionally takes a pair of AAA batteries to energy on, so you may must swap these out as a substitute of merely charging the distant as soon as it dies. My Roku Extremely got here with a distant with the identical construct high quality, nevertheless it has a charging port on the backside as a substitute of taking batteries.

That is actually all I’ve to say that is detrimental in regards to the machine. In my case, I’ve a 1080p that I maintain in my basement, so there is not any sense spending the additional cash for a 4K machine since I am going to by no means want one for this TV. There have been a couple of occasions after I was advised I had inadequate energy to my stick, however the pop-up went away by itself inside seconds and did not impression something. It is likely to be one thing I’ve to organize for down the road, nevertheless it appears all good as of proper now. My TV may be very previous, in order that might be the offender, and I can all the time change to a wall outlet if wanted.

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Do you have to purchase the Roku Streaming Stick?

I do not see why not

Pocket-lint / Roku

For $30, the Roku Streaming Stick will not break the financial institution by any means, so I say go for it. I prefer it higher than comparable merchandise just like the Fireplace Stick and the Onn. sticks you could find at Walmart. I am an enormous fan of the Roku UI, in order that’s why I am giving it the sting right here.

Accessing each streaming app I can consider with a stick that is powered by the TV is tough to go up. Whereas the stick is noticeably slower than my devoted streaming bins just like the Apple TV 4K and Roku Extremely, it is not something I am going to ding the Streaming Stick for because it packs a variety of worth in for the low value. So long as your expectations are in examine, I can not discover a cause why you’d not just like the 2025 Roku Streaming Stick. It integrates properly into good houses no matter what ecosystem you are in, and the automatic updates imply you by no means miss out on new options. It is not going to supplant my Extremely or Apple TV, however the Roku Streaming Stick has accomplished greater than sufficient to show it deserves to be plugged right into a TV.

Editor’s Selection

Roku Streaming Stick (2025)

The Roku Streaming Stick plugs instantly into your TV and allows you to begin watching your reveals and flicks out of your favourite streaming providers. It comes with a Roku Voice Distant.