In today’s market, Roku and Amazon are two of the best streaming devices you will find. It doesn’t matter if you are into Netflix or anime; both these devices offer you tons of options in choosing what to watch. However, both Roku Streaming Stick 4k and Amazon Fire Cube have usability and feature differences. So to decide which one you want to get for your home, you will have to look at what your preferences are. So, if you are a Prime member, you should definitely go for the Amazon Fire Cube. But if you want to access free channels, Roku Streaming Stick is for you. If you are confused between Roku Streaming Stick 4k vs Amazon Fire Cube, here is everything you need to know about them.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.5-inch dongle with an HDMI socket. It connects to the back of your TV, just like its predecessor. It has a 3.3 x 0.6 x 0.3-inch long-range Wi-Fi receiver in its USB power cable as an added bonus. The Roku Voice Remote, which includes TV power and volume controls and requires two AAA batteries, is also included, along with a power adapter. You may choose to omit the power adapter and instead connect your TV’s USB power cord.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube appears to be an alternate design of the Amazon Echo smart speaker. Similarly to it, the Fire TV Cube comes with cutting-edge hardware. The design of the Amazon Fire TV Cube hasn’t altered all that much with the upgrade. The top is still a black cube with an LED. Although the Amazon Fire TV Cube has a futuristic appearance, you can easily conceal your Roku Streaming Stick behind your TV. On the top, there are four control buttons for Alexa, volume control, and muting. With the Amazon Fire TV Cube, you can use voice commands rather than fumbling for the remote. The eight far-field microphones and far-field speech recognition on the Fire TV Cube pick up what you’re saying and work accordingly.
You get an HDMI port, a micro-USB port, an IR extender, and a power jack on the back of the Fire TV Cube. Moreover, it comes with MicroUSB and power ports, and the HDMI CEC capability allows you to control your devices using IR and HDMI commands. This enables you to use Alexa. The Amazon Fire TV Cube does not come with an HDMI cable. The only drawback to the HDMI CEC and IR control feature is that you’ll need to use caution when integrating the Fire TV Cube into your home theatre system. It needs to be within line of sight of your soundbar, AVR, and TV in order to control those using a multi-directional infrared blaster and HDMI CEC, but it can’t be too close to your speakers lest they overpower the built-in microphones.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube was priced at $119.99 at the time of release. However, currently, you may purchase it for a significantly lower price. You might be able to purchase it for roughly 50% less during sales. As a result, comparing the Fire TV Cube’s pricing to other streaming devices would be inaccurate. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K costs $50, making it nearly competitive with other streaming sticks on the market.
The user interface on Roku devices is one of the best in the market. The interface is simple and easy to navigate. You just see a grid of the apps you now have, and a search feature to look for apps you do not currently have. The menu structure of Roku puts the apps in the front and gives you the freedom to arrange them according to you. In RokuOS 10.5, you get a number of voice-related enhancements. You can sign in with your email addresses, passwords, and PINs. Moreover, you can go to the Roku Channel’s Live TV area to alter the grid. You may use any pair of headphones with the Roku mobile app for private listening. Roku has improved its wireless headphone functionality to lessen latency. Roku provides a Zone (collection of a group of similar movies), so you can see where each movie is present.
The screen is covered in the distinctively purple Roku background, which features a gradient pattern to make your programs stand out. At the top of the grid are the apps you use the most. You can rearrange the layout by using the Roku control to move your apps. For this, you can select Move Channel by pressing the Asterisk button on your remote. The menu is on the left-hand side. On your Home screen, you will find My Feed, the Movie Store, TV Store, News, Search, Streaming Channels, and Settings. Also, you can change the background’s theme. Simply go to Settings, and choose Theme to change it.
You can even use the Roku app to add movies or series to your Save List or to your To-do list and watch it later. You can search for the movie from Search Bar and then select “Add to save list.” Later you can use the Remote app to access the movies on your Roku’s Save List. If your Roku is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the Remote app, you can start streaming movies from the Save list on your Roku. You can even use the voice search on the Roku remote because it displays visual results with movie thumbnails. In the Roku interface, you can click through to watch or buy a movie or TV show after being shown its price. If it’s free as a subscription, you’ll also see that information.
The Roku OS is designed for those who require something a lot easier than Amazon Fire OS’s user interface. The Fire TV interface requires you to go through a plethora of TV series and films. Moreover, the home screen is filled with Amazon-affiliated programs. Results from Fire TV are complex due to the abundance of options. After finding what you’re looking for, you must click through to see “other options to watch.” The interface is clearly designed to focus on Prime Video, Amazon Channels, and movies and TV series. However, neither has the content of iTunes, but you can sync it with programs like Movies Anywhere or Vudu. Roku works well with a wide range of different brands and apps. On the other hand, Amazon gives its content the highest priority.
The second hindrance is Amazon ads. Once you’ve gotten past the ads, Amazon‘s UI is straightforward to use and lists your apps in a grid. Home, Live Your Videos, Free, Movies, TV Shows, Applications, and Settings are listed in a menu on the top. You can access a few features by holding down the Home button on your remote control. This includes settings, a sleep function, a mirror mode, and a shortcut to your apps. You can customize the interface in many ways. When you sync your mobile device, your personal photos serve as a screensaver. Moreover, you can add a Child Profile to gain access to parental controls. Amazon also offers a screen dedicated to apps, but you have to scroll a lot to get there.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube has a fantastic range of content including Amazon content. You get rows of suggested content on the home screen. This includes movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime TV as well as suggested titles that you may rent from Amazon.com. On the home screen, you will see a featured row at the very top, your apps are in row 2, and sponsored material is in row 3. Amazon‘s content takes up the great bulk of the space below the first three rows of your home screen. This is quite reasonable as the majority of users are likely Amazon Prime members. Nevertheless, Amazon deliberately prioritizes its own programming above that of its rivals. Netflix, HBO, Starz, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, Crackle, as well as The CW, NFL Network, AMC, and others are also available. Moreover, other services are also routinely added.
YouTube has recently made a comeback to Amazon Fire TV after being absent for more than a year. With So, you can browse the constantly expanding catalog of videos. The Live area is located to the right of the home screen. It displays what is now airing on Amazon Prime or a legitimate cable alternative like Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, or YouTube TV. Moreover, having free IMDB TV programming on the home screen is another fantastic perk. Although Spotify is supported for audio streaming, if you are a prime member you’ll wind up utilizing Amazon Music or Amazon Music Unlimited. Moreover, with Amazon Fire TV Cube you can also play a few simple games. The games are typically similar to those available on the App Store or Google Play Store, but Amazon‘s selection is less extensive and of lower quality.
In terms of the apps, Roku comes close to being ideal. And after the dispute was settled, even YouTube is back on Roku. So, you can stream your favorite videos without any worries. Roku doesn’t disclose the number of apps in its store, but there are almost 26,000 available. Moreover, screen mirroring is supported by the Roku Streaming Stick 4K but not by the Fire TV. The other types of streaming are simply not supported by the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. All of the top streaming services and cable TV alternatives are available, along with Plex, Criterion Channel, Spotify, Vimeo, Movies Anywhere, and more.
The Fire TV Cube has undergone a lot of changes that speed up its performance even more. It has an ultra-powerful Hexa-core processor that can play Dolby Vision and 4K Ultra HD video at up to 60 frames per second. You can easily switch from a Netflix episode to the home screen and then into an Amazon movie in a few seconds. Moreover, now it has an 802.11ac Wi-Fi antenna, and connections are faster than 15 Mbps. To watch videos in 4K HDR, you’ll need a connection with a minimum speed of 15Mbps. If your connection speed is significantly slower than that, the Fire TV Cube won’t let you watch 4K videos. Overall, there are no obvious problems with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. It is quick and fast enough. It has a quad-core processor, which results in 30% faster app startup speeds.
You may benefit from purchasing the Amazon Fire TV Cube if you prefer to use voice search as your primary method of accessing these streaming devices. The Amazon Fire TV Cube supports Alexa, which is crucial to its abilities. Amazon combined its streaming device with an Amazon Echo smart speaker to create the Fire TV Cube. Other smart home appliances, such as lights, plugs, thermostats, and other smart speakers can also be controlled by the Fire TV Cube. Thus, Fire TV is more affordable and feature-rich. It can display a live video stream of what your camera is seeing if you have a compatible smart camera. It will also display movie timings and restaurant recommendations, along with other information. You can do all this with the help of Alexa. It even supports drop-in and calling setups.
However, Alexa still needs exact language to function. So, either you have to use exact words for Alexa to work, or use the remote control yourself. The Roku remote is a normal Roku remote with standard navigation buttons. You get a directional pad, Back, Home, Settings buttons, replay, play/pause, fast forward, and rewind buttons. The $20 more expensive one has some enhancements. This includes a headphone connector for private headphones-only listening, programmable shortcut buttons, and a USB port for charging. Moreover, you get app buttons for Hulu, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, and Netflix. Alexa, Google Home, and Google Nest speakers all function with Roku devices, but they don’t work as well. However, a Google speaker is not compatible with Fire TV.
Both Roku and Fire TV have products with remote controls having buttons for TV control. The setup is very simple, it detects your TV automatically and wirelessly programs the remote. The TV power, TV volume up/down, and mute buttons are located on this remote. Moreover, the Roku remote feels better in your hands. The buttons are larger and more satisfying to press. With Fire TV, you can control soundbars and even AV receivers, but Roku’s remote controls can only be used to operate televisions. However, the Roku’s volume and power buttons can probably control your HDMI soundbar if your TV is compatible with it. Moreover, it also supports HDMI CEC. You can even insert your headphones into the clicker to turn off the TV or soundbar’s audio and listen through your headphones instead. The RokuOS 10.5 system update addresses the audio lags that might happen when using Bluetooth headphones.
The free Roku mobile app has an additional remote and allows you to control the volume. The software also includes a Roku-specific function known as “Private Listening” mode. Via the Roku mobile app, you can use this feature to listen to TV audio while wearing headphones. Up to four individuals can listen in private at once, and the audio will be automatically adjusted to fit each person’s headphones. Only Bluetooth headphones can be used with Fire TV for private listening, but they are not nearly as effective. Moreover, you’ll need to have headphones with integrated volume control because Amazon doesn’t have a solution to deal with the audio lag. In this Roku Streaming Stick 4k vs Amazon Fire Cube, Roku takes the win.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K will stream all of your TV and movies just as beautifully. The HDR10 and HDR10+ formats provide deep blacks and high contrast in the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. Moreover, the sharp UHD image quality persists throughout. However, Dolby Atmos sound technology is absent from the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. High-dynamic-range (HDR) technology is used by Amazon and Roku to enhance visual quality by enlarging color, detail, and shadows. However, Roku only works with HDR10 and doesn’t support Dolby Vision. Nevertheless, in addition to HDR10 and HDR10+, the Amazon Fire TV Cube also supports Dolby Vision. In this scenario for Roku Streaming Stick 4k vs Amazon Fire Cube, The Fire Cube takes the win.
The Fire TV Cube can handle all the labor-intensive aspects of controlling your home in addition to providing hands-free controls for television playing. You can use Alexa with clear commands, minimizing the use of the remote. Along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the Amazon Fire Cube seems to be a clear winner. Even though you can get Alexa with Amazon Echo Dot and an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, the hexacore processor-powered Amazon Cube is faster and smoother. Another benefit is having the support of Alexa, which makes life easier with the Amazon Fire Cube. To activate features or adjust the volume on the Fire TV Cube, you must speak. Moreover, for Roku Streaming Stick 4k vs Amazon Fire Cube, if you are a Prime member, the choice is clear.
Roku OS is more of a constrained streaming platform with little need for apps. However, you can download apps and games for Roku. Furthermore, if you want an affordable option, Roku is still one of the best in the market. You get quick Ultra HD streaming with excellent picture quality. Moreover, it has an easy-to-use app-first user interface. Also, the Roku mobile app is now smarter and smoother. The remote for Roku is a clear winner with a 3.5mm headphone connection for in-ear listening. There is no need to fuss with Bluetooth pairing. Also, a recent upgrade now allows you to simultaneously use up to four mobile devices for Private Listening. You can stream audio from your Roku box into wired headphones using the Roku app on your phone. However, you cannot use Roku to operate any kind of smart home device, despite having a voice remote.
Roku is a streaming media player that mostly streams video. Amazon Fire TV is a streaming media player that can perform all Alexa-capable tasks and does so without ever touching a remote control. In the end, you need to decide on the factors which suit you the best to choose from Roku Streaming Stick 4k vs Amazon Fire Cube.
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