The Evolution of the Roku Streaming Stick: A Closer Look at the Latest Upgrade

It's hard to believe it's been two years since the first Roku Streaming Stick was released. The device has undergone significant improvements, and now we have the new edition that promises to take streaming to a whole new level. In this article, we'll delve into what makes the latest upgrade so special and whether it's worth ditching your full-on Roku box for a more portable option.

The New Design: Slimmer and Sleeker

One of the first things you'll notice about the new Roku Streaming Stick is how slim and sleek it looks. The device has been significantly downsized, making it easier to fit into small spaces or take on the go. However, while the exterior may have changed, the hardware inside has also received a boost. Gone is the single-core processor of its predecessor, replaced by a powerful quad-core processor that promises faster performance.

Enhanced Performance and Speed

The new Roku Streaming Stick boasts improved speed and performance, thanks to its upgraded hardware. While the original device took longer to boot up, this latest model can get going in just 27 seconds flat – three times faster than before. Whether you're navigating menus or launching apps, the experience feels smooth and seamless. We put the device through its paces by loading various streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The results were impressive: each app loaded quickly, with minimal lag or buffering.

A Better Remote Control

One of the most significant improvements in the new Roku Streaming Stick is the remote control itself. Gone are the days of awkward navigation buttons; instead, we have a sleeker design that's more intuitive to use. One feature that was long overdue is the fixed position of the OK button, which has been moved to the center of the controller for easier access. The remote also receives a significant upgrade in terms of build quality and feel.

What's Missing from the Box

While the new Roku Streaming Stick boasts many impressive features, there are a few things missing from the box that would make it more appealing. For starters, an HDMI extension dongle is not included, which can be a problem for users with older TVs or those who need to install the device in tricky locations. Additionally, the power cord could have been slightly longer and angled differently for easier installation.

Powering on-the-go: A New Feature

One feature that's sure to excite users is the ability to power the Roku Streaming Stick via a non-continuously powered USB port. This means that even if you're using it in a location where the USB port isn't always plugged in, the device will still boot up quickly and easily. We were impressed by how fast this feature worked, especially when compared to previous models.

Enhanced Features through the Roku App

The Roku app is one of the standout features of the Streaming Stick. By downloading the app on your Android or iOS phone, you gain access to a range of new features that enhance your streaming experience. Voice search, keyboard input, and personalized recommendations are just a few of the features that make using the Roku app incredibly convenient. We were particularly excited by the "Set of Headphones" feature, which allows users to broadcast audio from their phone to their headphones wirelessly.

Is There Any Reason to Go for the Full-On Roku Box?

For those who need 4K resolution or want to watch external media through a USB drive, the full-on Roku box is still the better option. However, for most users who simply want a convenient and portable way to access their favorite streaming services, the Roku Streaming Stick is an absolute steal at $50.

In conclusion, the new Roku Streaming Stick is an impressive upgrade that promises faster performance, improved speed, and a range of new features that enhance your streaming experience. Whether you're looking for convenience, portability, or just want to take your Roku experience on the go, this latest model is definitely worth considering.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enkind of hard to believe it's been two years since the first Roku Streaming Stick came out doesn't seem like it's been that long but it was time for an upgrade anyway the Amazon Fire TV stick and the chomecast both got some upgrades and now the Roku Streaming Stick the new edition is right here we're going to take a really close look at what makes it different and whether you should get this or a full-on Roku box so out of the box I think the first thing that you'll notice is that the new stick is considerably Slimmer and sleeker than before it also has this uh black matte coating so uh we're definitely slim down a little bit but while we've gotten smaller the hardware inside has gotten more powerful so whereas the original Roku Streaming Stick here had a single core processor the new one has a quad core processor and is supposed to be significantly snappier one of the things that drove me nuts about the original Roku streaming sticks remote is this rock and Bob thing that it does and I was really hoping they would have fixed that with the new one unfortunately uh they mitigated it just slightly now it just rocks faster but it still Bobs around maybe that's not a big deal to you personally I find it annoying what they did fix however is you'll notice that the okay button on the original remote was down below the cursor pad I know that bothered a lot of people it's kind of counterintuitive with today's devices but they moved it right to the center of the new remote and uh that was a smart move also in the Box you get a 6t USB power cable you're going to want to plug this into the wall if you can the only change here slightly longer and a little right angle on the cable here what's missing from this box in my opinion is an HDMI extension dongle not all TVs are created equal and it can actually be really difficult or impossible to get these sticks installed in some situations this is an addition that Amazon made that I think Roku could learn from hey so right off the bat I want to let you know if you power your Roku streaming stick off of a non-continuously powered USB port that means when you turn your TV off the USB port power dies I have great news for you this new stick boots up in 27 seconds flat which is three times faster than it was with the previous stick so startup is definitely faster and now that I'm navigating the menu um you know I use the Roku 4 at home every single day and this feels just as fast to me if there's any difference uh I certainly can't sense it in terms of just navigating through the apps and menus let's pull open Netflix here and see how quickly that loads uh again I mean that that might actually be faster than my Roku 4 at home um I did just load this uh particular app so it's possible that something was cached let's pop open Amazon and I suspect that this is going to go pretty quickly as well yeah sure enough uh so in terms of speed I'd have to say between the quad core processor and uh the antenna built into this thing it is doing an absolutely outstanding job now if you're not familiar with Roku it's essentially the most well flashed out uh app selection that you can get uh Roku has just about everything but then you also get some cool features like my feed this allows you to add an actor or a particular uh movie name or maybe of a TV show and anytime there's an update with new content available it's going to pop up right here Roku is also known for having the best search out there it pulls the widest number of apps to show you what content is available and for how much or if it's free now with the Roku Streaming Stick you don't have voice search built into the remote but if you've got an Android or iOS phone you can use their app which is definitely worth taking a look at roku's app is one of the things that really sets it apart from its competition in this case it adds functionality to the Streaming Stick for instance we covered search earlier but here I have the ability to do voice search or use a keyboard I'll go ahead and uh search for House of Cards it pulls up all the House of Cards options for me uh here's the show and then of course I can uh follow the show and that'll add it to my feed we'll check that in just a moment and then uh you know I can go to any of the seasons and begin watching right away I just grab uh the Netflix option and it's going to launch it up on my screen it's a little bit easier to manage your feed on the phone here um we'll go ahead and pop in there real quick and it'll make some suggestions for different movies uh that I might want to follow I recently added House of cars and there's the notification for that and also the revenue you know I want to know when that comes out on streaming and it's going to alert me let me know and go straight to the app that'll let me stream it but what's different with the Roku Streaming Stick if I pop into the remote app you'll notice that there's a set of headphones down at the bottom this is brand new and this essentially allows the Roku streaming stick to broadcast the audio via Wi-Fi to my phone Android or iOS I can now listen to on my phone speaker if I want to but that's ridiculous what I really want to do plug in some headphones and able to have private listening now Roku has offered a similar feature through its actual remote controls in the past but it's a little bit hard on the battery this is better audio quality and your phone's battery doesn't take much of a hit without reservation I can wholeheartedly recommend the Roku Streaming Stick It is so much faster super easy to use and I love the extra features that I get through the app mostly the headphone listening through my phone I think that's really awesome so at this point you might be wondering well is there any reason to get the actual Roku box and that's a fair question uh there are a few reasons one if you need 4K the only way to get that is the Roku 4 in the Roku lineup and if you want to watch external media say through a USB drive you're going to need that hard Port connection which you have to get through the box and also there's no external storage with a stick so there are a few limitations but I think for most folks that just want to have a convenient or an even portable way to take their Roku streaming experience with them the Roku Streaming Stick is an absolute deal at 50 bucks\n"