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USE ROKU MEDIA PLAYER TV
It offers a modern user interface, a snappy performance, and access to its solid voice assistant.īut if you need power and versatility, it's hard to go wrong with Nvidia Shield TV Pro. Our editor's choice, the Chromecast with Google TV (4K), has a lot going for it. But if you want to switch, plenty of excellent alternative streaming devices are on the market. Roku media streamers have several advantages, with the easy-to-use interface being one of the big ones. Replace your Roku with a new media streamer The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) makes sense if you care for a smart speaker and value hands-free access to Alexa voice commands.
USE ROKU MEDIA PLAYER PLUS
All these features and functionalities will set you back $140, plus the cost of an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable, as one is not included in the box. You can use it to find or play content, control smart home devices, and do much more without needing a remote - something that's impossible on other Amazon Fire TV streamers. The Amazon streamer offers hands-free access to Alexa voice assistant thanks to its smart speaker internals. The HDMI input comes in handy if your TV lacks HDMI inputs. There's also an HDMI input to pass through a gaming console, router, cable TV box, or another device's output through it to the TV. Other Cube highlights include the ability to play 4K video, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. As a result, it's quick, and you won't face any lag or slow-down. It's also the fastest and most powerful media streamer in Amazon's portfolio. The Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) differs from any of our other recommendations because it does the double duty of a media streamer and a smart speaker. Also, the Ethernet port and thread networking support is limited to the more expensive 128GB model. And you'll need an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable to fully realize its potential. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't bundle an HDMI cable in the box. The Apple TV 4K also supports all major HDR standards, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and it can decode or pass through Dolby Atmos surround-sound audio format. The 3rd generation Apple TV, the latest version of the device, is considerably cheaper than its predecessors and starts at $129.įor this price, you get a powerful Apple A15 Bionic chip to keep everything running smoothly, an extremely easy-to-use user interface, a well-stocked app collection, and support for game controllers. If you are already a part of the Apple ecosystem, there is no better Roku alternative. The Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen) may be more expensive than every Roku streaming device, but it's one of the best media streamers on the market, if not the best. ★ More Streaming Sticks: The Streaming Stick 4K is a little cheaper, and its remote doesn't have hands-free voice control, if you aren't interested in that.$147 at Amazon $150 at B&H Photo Video $130 at Best Buy There are also two buttons that you can program to whatever shortcuts work best for you. If you don't want Roku listening, there's a slider button on the side. So while lounging on the couch, just say “Hey Roku, play You on Netflix.” You can even ask where a lost remote is to activate a beep. Others have a mic button you can press and hold for speech, but this has a hands-free option.
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The most obvious difference is the new voice remote. Like the other sticks, it plugs directly into your TV's HDMI port, and another cable plugs into a USB port for power, or into the wall. This 4K Plus version allows you to stream in Dolby Vision, and is 30 percent faster with a longer-range wireless receiver (for what it's worth, I've never found any Rokus to be slow). If you can spend around $70, Roku's Streaming Sticks are the ones we recommend most. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. This includes unlimited access to and our print magazine (if you'd like). Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). Updated April 2023: Roku's lineup is the same, but we've updated prices and links throughout. We've broken down the features on the ones we think you'll actually want to own, starting with the most basic model. If you’re like us, you want the best Roku for the least amount of money. Rokus tend to have similar names and look nearly identical, with small changes happening every year or so, and it can be difficult to suss out the differences. There are five Roku streaming devices available (not including TVs and soundbars), and you'll find a ton of older models on Amazon and other sellers. However, figuring out which one to buy is not so easy. Their displays aren't fancy, but they offer just what someone needs: quick, direct access to their favorite streaming services. They're super easy to use and offer a wide array of streaming channels. Rokus continue to remain our favorite TV streaming devices.
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