Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K: Which Streaming Device Wins?

Roku and Amazon are two popular options for consumers interested in streaming devices. The Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K are devices commonly compared for a variety of reasons. Both of these affordable streamers can cast 4K with HDR and will make any old TV smart. What’s the difference? Well, you’ll have to go beyond the tech specs and marketing lingo to find out.

Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K: Side-By-Side Comparison

Excellent Value

Roku Express 4K+

$39.99

• Stream content in 4K with HDR to any TV in your home
• Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi ensures a steady connection
• Access to more than 20,000 downloadable apps
• Voice Remote control

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10/03/2023 08:34 am GMT

Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K: What’s the Difference?

Amazon and Roku are the top two manufacturers of streaming devices. Google, Apple, and others have streamers, but it’s not particularly close in terms of popularity and sales. Roku has been around longer than most companies in the streaming niche, but Amazon did not take long to catch up.

Both of these companies produce products in multiple form factors. Want a streaming stick? You can find one from either brand. They also have streaming boxes and a price point to satisfy every consumer. That includes those that want a premium streamer that can do it all along with consumers looking for something simple.

The Roku Express 4K+ falls into that category, but so does the First Stick 4K. Both devices are designed for 4K content and aim to keep things simple for the end user. With that in mind, there are some striking differences between these streamers in several areas including the visual department.

The Form Factor

The design of a streaming media may not seem important as long considering most are small and some are completely out of site. It would be a mistake to overlook the form factor when comparing the Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K, for a few simple reasons.

Amazon’s 3^rd generation Fire Stick keeps things discreet. As the name implies, it looks like a “stick” and hooks into the back of a TV through an HDMI port. Those ports can cause problems, although Amazon has addressed that with the included 4K Fire Stick HDMI extender. Their streaming stick requires power from an outlet or powered USB port. Other than that, it is essentially out of sight.

Roku also has their fair share of streaming sticks although the Roku Express 4K+ is not one of them. This little streamer doesn’t take up much space and has an attractive design, but will require a few inches on a shelf for placement. You do not need an extender due to the design.

Cable management with a heavy HDMI cable and a 1.6-ounce box could be a headache, however. Design and style is a personal preference and an area we consider a tie. Both streamers use two cables, although we feel the Fire Stick 4K is easier to manage when space is tight.

Audio and Video

If you are purchasing a new Fire Stick 4K or the Roku Express 4K+ to stream content filmed in 4K, you won’t be disappointed. They perform as advertised as long as you have a 4K compatible TV set. Neither has built-in speakers, but there’s a slight difference in the type of content these streamers can display.

Amazon went all out with the Fire Stick 4K. It has support for Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, and HDMI pass-through on signals up to 5.1. Movies and television shows that utilize these formats will shine, and it can handle all major HDR formats as well. That includes HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision.

By comparison, the Roku can deal with the same HDR formats except for Dolby Vision. Given the popularity of the format with cinephiles, that will be a deal-breaker for some. This streamer does support pass-through of Dolby-encoded audio and has DTS capabilities along with auto-upscaling features.

If you’re only interested in a streaming device for 4K content and don’t care about Dolby Vision, its exclusion isn’t a major drawback. When you factor in the range of the Fire Stick 4K’s audio support, Amazon still has an edge with their 4K streamer.

Feature Comparison

Before we go into what features are different with these streaming devices, we’re going to talk about what’s the same. The Fire Stick 4K and Roku Express 4K+ both have voice remotes and provide access to premium networks and other streaming services on demand.

Connectivity is excellent with dual-band Wi-Fi on both streamers and they each have headphone support. You can use those voice remotes to ask for a horror movie or search through content. Amazon’s Fire Stick has a bigger brain thanks to Alexa. That’s a significant difference when you factor in smart home control skills and Amazon’s voice assistant. Roku’s remote isn’t quite as smart on the Roku Express 4K+.

You can use Amazon’s remote to have Alexa turn down your smart lights before a movie or access other devices in your home. That includes security cameras through Alexa skills, which allows access to compatible smart devices. The Roku Express 4K+ works with smart home assistants from Apple, Amazon, and Google and is AirPlay compatible as well.

The Fire Stick 4K and Roku Express 4K+ perform the same tasks in different ways. There’s not a clear advantage with the basic features, but Amazon brings more to the table with their Alexa-enabled remote.

Specifications

Even an older smartphone or tablet could stream media and play content from YouTube and Netflix. You don’t need the same kind of power from a device dedicated to streaming. That’s one reason manufacturers can use small form factors like streaming sticks, but these devices still have some impressive hardware under the hood.

Despite its size, the Fire Stick 4K has a MediaTek MT8695D. It’s a slightly upgraded version of the processor used on their previous streaming stick and clocked at 1.7 GHz. It keeps things humming along nicely when paired with 1GB of RAM. Roku’s streamer also has 1GB of RAM and a comparable chip with the Realtek 1315, but half the storage capacity.

Amazon includes 8GB of onboard storage with the Fire Stick 4K compared to 4GB with the Roku Express 4K+. That may not seem important, but it is considering it’s tied directly into each company’s streaming ecosystem.

Content and Ecosystems

Almost every company that produces a streaming device has unique content tied to its platform. It’s been a major selling point for manufacturers, although not quite as important in recent years. That’s due in part to streaming services, which have allowed their apps to be used on a variety of devices.

When new streaming services first began to roll out, they were limited to certain devices. That’s not the case anymore, so you can watch Disney+ or access your iTunes movies on TVs, streaming sticks, set-top boxes, and gaming consoles.

That means you can find 90% of the same content through Roku devices as you will with Amazon – with a few exceptions. You can watch Amazon Prime content through Roku streamers and can access the Roku Channel on Amazon Fire TV as well.

You can’t play Luna games through the Roku, which is Amazon’s streaming gaming service. It’s compatible with Fire Sticks and provides a lot of free entertainment for Amazon Prime subscribers. This isn’t a deal-breaker if you’re only purchasing a steaming device for movies and TVs. It is a major bonus, however, considering it’s a perk of owning a Fire Stick.

Price and Availability

Amazon and Roku keep things competitive with pricing. They produce some of the cheapest streamers on the market today. Those devices are designed to target a variety of audiences with a variety of prices. That’s one of the reasons you’ll find Roku and Amazon streaming devices at the top of every best-sellers list.

Availability is excellent whether you prefer Amazon’s streaming stick or Roku’s smart box. You can purchase either direct from the manufacturer or third-party retailers online and locally. It’s unlikely you’ll find a discount online with price matching, but somewhat pointless when you consider how much they cost.

The Amazon Fire Stick 4K typically hovers around $30 depending on what type of deal Amazon is running. You can also find the Roku 4K Express through Amazon for around the same price or for $29.99 from Roku’s official site.

Refurbished models are close in pricing as well, making this an area that’s a tie between the Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K. We feel both devices are well worth their price tags, and they are easy to find locally or online.

Best for Prime Video

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

• Support for all major HDR formats with Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+
• Immersive audio through Dolby Atmos.
• Stream content from leading services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more
• Control your TV and other devices in your home with the Alexa voice remote

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Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K: 4 Must-Know Facts

• The original Amazon Fire Stick 4K arrived in 2018.
• Roku has produced 10 generations of streaming players since 2008.
• Third-generation Fire TV sticks have the same internal hardware as the Fire Stick 4K.
• The Roku 4 was the first device from the company with support for 4K streaming resolution.

Roku Express 4K+ vs. Fire Stick 4K: Which One is Better?

Do you have a connected home that’s already tied into Amazon’s ecosystem with Alexa-enabled devices? If so, you shouldn’t hesitate to add another member to the family with the Fire Stick 4K. It’s the company’s best budget-friendly streaming stick to date, and the ability to use Alexa via the remote is a flagship feature.

The Roku Express 4K+ is formidable and an excellent choice, but can’t play Dolby Vision content. That’s a significant drawback if you’re buying a streamer to enjoy HDR. You also don’t get access to extras from Amazon like Luna although it does have a voice remote. When you factor in the minimal price difference, the Fire Stick 4K is the best option for most users across the board.

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