Cord-cutting is the trend now! Day by day lots of users are ditching their TV cable service provider. And the trend is growing exponentially. With the advancement in the internet and streaming services, now you can stream anything directly on your TV. Since the future is based on the streaming, a lot of tech giants are entering into this industry. And it’s difficult for a user to choose the best streaming device. Here will go through a detailed comparison between Roku vs Firestick. These are the most popular streaming devices in the USA.
Roku Vs Firestick
Both Roku and Firestick has multiple variants. So when comparing Amazon firestick we need to consider two devices Amazon Fire TV stick and Amazon Fire TV stick 4K. Whereas in the case of Roku, we need to take six devices into consideration. So we have tabulated all these devices with its individual specifications. After checking them, you can decide which device would suit your requirement.
For comparing we have considered various aspects like cost, specifications, user interface, content provided, and other features. These are some of the common features a streaming device should contain. So here is the tabulated form of comparison for easy understanding!
Roku vs Firestick Comparison Table
DEVICE | Roku Express | Roku Premiere | Roku Streaming Stick | Roku Streaming Stick+ | Roku Ultra | Amazon Fire TV Stick | Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PROCESSOR | Geniric Processor | Quad Core Processor | Quad Core Processor | Quad Core Processor | Quad Core Processor | MediaTek Quad-Core ARM 1.3 GHz | Quad-core 1.7 GHz |
VOICE REMOTE | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
PICTURE QUALITY | Up to 1080p HD | 1080p HD, 4K UHD up to 2160p at 60fps, HDR10, HLG | Up to 1080p HD | 1080p HD, 4K UHD up to 2160p at 60fps, HDR10, HLG | 1080p HD, 4K UHD up to 2160p at 60fps, HDR10, HLG | Up to 1080p | Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ |
COST | $30 | $40 | $50 | $60 | $80 | $40 | $50 |
Roku vs firestick – Which one is cost efficient?
Cost plays a vital role in determining the best device when the budget is concerned. Money being the deciding factor, Roku wins the heart by providing the Roku Express at just $30. Whereas the basic amazon firestick’s cost is around $40. And the higher end version of Roku is Roku Ultra, which cost about $80. Whereas the highest version of Fire TV Stick is $50 only.
Both the device has its own advantages and disadvantages. For further comparison, we will categorize these devices based on streaming quality and other factors.
Roku vs Firestick: Streaming quality
When it comes to streaming quality we need to compare based on the variants. The basic models of both Roku and Firestick can stream up to 1080p. Whereas the flagship variants can stream 4K (2160p) content. If you want to go for 4K content streaming then consider these two factors. First, check if your TV supports 4K. Second is the data usage and speed. If you don’t have any restrictions for data usage, then no worries. For streaming 4K content without any buffering, you definitely need a minimum of 20 Mbps. So check out these two factors before buying a 4K streaming device.
Roku vs firestick: Device Specification
If you are looking for a power pack device, you need to take processing power and internal memory into consideration. Only Amazon firestick has shared its specifications publicly. This is the one primary reason why Roku is called a closed device. It doesn’t even share its specification. All the details share goes generic. So its really hard to decide the value for money. And moreover, by considering the cost, Amazon fireTV stick and Roku premiere are neck to neck. And to make a fair comparison, let’s consider other factors.
If picture quality is your main concern, then you can go for Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. It supports 1080p HD, 4K UHD up to 2160p at 60fps, HDR10, HLG, HDR10+. Whereas Roku Premiere supports up to HDR10 only.
Roku Vs Firestick: User Interface
Roku’s user interface is simply not professional. Whereas Amazon Firestick has an amazing interface! It looks and feels good while using it. All the contents are well categorized and sorted based on interest. Though the Roku set up is simple, the application in the Roku is called as channels and it’s a closed device. It won’t allow the third-party application. So customizing Roku based on your interest is a big question mark. In the case of Amazon Firestick, you can install third-party apps and customize it based on your needs.
Roku Vs Firestick: Additional Features
Now, let’s compare the features of both the device. Roku is a closed device, you can’t install third party application on it. And there are also few hardware limitations like low internal storage. There are lots of popular media streaming applications like kodi, mobdro, terrarium TV and more. These can’t be installed in Roku. But you can sideload such apps on Firestick! This is the major reason why Firestick is better than Roku.
The next big deal is playing games using streaming devices. Roku games are childish and still, they need to work on it. And the number of games is limited in Roku. In the case of Firestick, the gaming graphics is amazing and it supports many popular games like Minecraft, Bandland, Star Wars and more.
Overall we can observe that Firestick is better than Roku in various aspects. So Firestick is the winner in the battle of Roku vs Firestick! What will you choose? Let us know in the comments.