I’m rather fond of Roku’s TV streaming devices. Of the three awards I gave in my guide to the best streaming devices, I plopped Rokus onto the podium twice. Their performance is solid, but it’s the easy-to-navigate Roku user interface and remotes that win the day for Roku.
The Roku home screen is the most playful of all, too. There are seasonal changes to “Roku city” as Roku calls the scrolling cityscape that serves as both a screensaver and the background to the Roku’s home screen.
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You can select user-submitted screensavers and backgrounds, although I like the official Roku scrolling cityscape and have rarely removed it in the past eight years that I’ve been streaming on various Rokus.
Here’s a brief round-up of all the Roku streaming devices that aren’t also soundbars, projectors, or TVs.
for resolution fanatics
If you want the best picture, you should be watching in 4K resolution, at least. You need a TV to match, but once you have that, take a look at either the Roku Ultra 4K or Roku Streaming Stick 4K.
The Ultra 4K is a bit faster than the stick, given its more powerful processor, with quicker screen changes while navigating the Roku’s home screen and apps. It also offers an Ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection over Wi-Fi, although it supports Wi-Fi, too.
The Streaming Stick 4K tucks away more cleanly behind a TV, though, so it’s easier to hide if you’re low on hiding space near your TV. Just remember that in either case, you’ll need to find a way to hide the black cord that hangs down from the TV, the HDMI cable in the Ultra 4K’s case and the power cord in the Streaming Stick 4K’s.
If you don’t need 4K resolution, you can save a few bucks and spring for Roku’s newest streaming devices, the Streaming Stick Plus and Streaming Stick. As the names suggest, they don’t play anything in 4K resolution.
Their remotes are more basic, too, lacking the hands-free voice control. You can upgrade that, though if you plan on dropping that kind of cash all at once you may as well buy the pricier Rokus anyway. The overall cost is similar.
What they maintain is that excellent Roku user interface and, though basic, their remotes are also a joy to use. I never have a problem finding the right button a Roku remote, even in a dark room—or when I just don’t want to take my eyes off the action on the screen.
