PCMAG EDITORS SELECT AND REVIEW PRODUCTS independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we May Earn Commissions, Which Help Support Our Testing.
Design
All Three Roku Streaming Stick Models Are the Approximate Size and Shape of A Pack of Gum and Plug Right the HDMI port on your TV. It’s a convenient and unobtrusive design. The rock ultra is a box you have to set down near your TV; IT’S NOT PARTICULARly Large, but not as invisible as the sticks.
Winner: Roku Streaming Sticks (any of me)
Software
Each of these media hubs use the rock os, the brand’s media streaming and Smart TV platform. IT’S A SIMPLE AND ACCESSIBLE INTERJA, with Menus Filled with Large, Friendly Tiles for Apps. There are some ads and recommendations, but they are nearly as numerous as they are on Amazon fire tv or google streaming devices. Major Streaming Services are available on rock except for twitch. Apple Airplay is BUILT IN, SO YOU CAN STREAM LOCALLY FROM YOUR IPHAND, IPAD, OR MAC.
Voice search is available through the remotes, though it is a full voice assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can search for Content and Control a handful of first-party roku smart home devices, but it is otherwise Very limited, and you won’t be ussing it as your whole-home control hub.
Winner: Tie
Video Quality
In terms of resolution, the 1080p rock streaming stick is the only model in the lineup that doesn’t supplement 4k. That Makes Perfectly Fine for Older Non-4k TVs, but for anything remotely recent (releassed in the last eight or nine years), you’ll probably one of the Other Media Streamers.
High Dynamic Range (HDRand spatial audio Support varies on the higher-end rock streamers. The Streaming Stick Plus Can Handle HDR in HDR10 and HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision. The Streaming Stick 4K Adds Dolby Vision, but it doesn’t have dolby atmosphere for spatial audio. The ultra has Has HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby atmosphere, so it is the best choice if you have a good soundbar with rear satellites and height channels up.
Winner: Ultra rock
Wi-Fi and Networking
Wi-Fi 5 is the only way you’ll stream with the sticks, though the 4K model has an edge over the other two with a mimo configuration that can improve its range. For the Fastest and Most Reliable Wireless Connection, the Roku Ultra Features Wi-Fi 6. This Standard Offers Better Performance in All Areas for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Networking, Wi-Fi 6e and 7 will. You need a wi-fi 6 router to take advantage of it, but the it’dhwhile if your tv is a bit far from your router, or if there a distances of wireless devices in the area, Caususg Network Congestion. The ultra is also the only rock streamer with an ethernet port, so you can run a wired connection to your router.
Winner: Ultra rock
Power
Each of these media streamers Needs Power from some source. For the Base-Level Streaming Stick and the Plus, that can be be your TV’s USB port. Those Sticks Consume Less than 3W, and Can Reliably Run off of your TV. The Streaming Stick 4K Might Also Work Plugged ino Your TV Over Usb, But It Takes a Bit More Power, SO Comes with A USB Power Adapter to Function Constently. The ultra, which is more electricity-hungry, has a dedicated power brick.
In other words, the streaming stick 4K and the ultra require a free powerlet, while the streaming stick and the plus don’t.
Winner: Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus
Extra Features
The rock ultra coma loaded with the extra Features the sticks Lack, Mostly in the Remote. The included Roku Voice Remote Pro Features a rechargeable battery, backlit buttons, a mid-field microphone that lets you search by voice with prints first, and a remote-functioning that make you beep you press on the ultra itself. The ultra also has its its usb port for playing local media from a drive, plus the ability to stream directly to Bluetooth Headphones. The Streaming Stick Models Have None of Those Extras.
Winner: Ultra rock
Verdict: The Roku Ultra is Best-Equipped, But May Not Be the best for you
There’s no question the ultra is the most feature-packed media streamer in roku’s lineup. It has the best remote, the best wi-fi, and the best and audio support. Its Also the Most Expensive and Larger of the Devices, and Depending on Your Setup, you might not need all of the Features.
If you just want to add streaming to an Old 1080p TV, all you need is the rock streaming stick, which costs mess than a third of what the ultra does. For 4K, The Streaming Stick Plus is one of the best budget-free choices, this if it lacks dolby vision; HDR10 and HDR10+ Are Still Excellent forms (and if you have a samsung TV, they Still don’t support dolly vision, at all). Unless Your Router is Far from your Living Room, The Standard Wi-Fi 5 on the Plus Should Work Just Fine. The Streaming Stick 4K is a nice upgrade from the plus that adds mimo wi-fi and dolby vision for another $ 10, while still being half the price of the ultra.
The premium rock ultra mighty be the top of you have HAG-End wi-fi and audio, or want the remote with the tricks, but otherwise, one of the streaming models can probably fulfill your need while saving you.
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