Not all streamers are created equally — even once they’re nearly an identical in design and value, as with the Roku streaming stick and Amazon Hearth TV stick (each retailing for $49.99). Each promise fast setup and simple streaming, so it is only a matter of seeing which lives as much as the claims.
Forward of Prime Day, when these gadgets continuously go on sale, we needed to vet every one totally to find the place one soars and the opposite flops. However how does one start to take action when these streaming sticks are comically related? I logged into my favourite streamers, queued up my exhibits, and began watching.
Roku vs. Hearth TV: Setup and design
Sure, these are totally different. We promise.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
With practically an identical designs, the setup processes for the Roku and Hearth TV sticks must be related, proper?
The Roku was a breeze. I plugged the stick into an HDMI port behind my TV to get began. It powers up via a USB charger, and since I’ve a USB plug on the again of my TV, I simply powered it up via that. This was so clutch because it stored all of the cords tidy. I simply wanted to start out up the distant and log in, and I used to be able to go.
As a result of I’m impatient and infrequently unhealthy at following directions, I fumbled a step on the setup, but it surely finally proved to be foolproof and had no challenge. The setup display asks you questions on which pre-download apps are for you, so I simply needed to log in to start out streaming. I watched the most recent Love Island inside quarter-hour of opening the field.
The Hearth TV Stick? That is a complete totally different story. The stick of the Hearth TV Stick is thicker than the Roku’s, a lot in order that I could not plug it instantly into my TV as a result of it crowded the opposite HDMI cables already plugged in. Fortunately, Amazon contains an HDMI adaptor for this challenge. Nevertheless, it means the Hearth Stick ended up peaking out of the aspect of the TV, which isn’t splendid for those who’re making an attempt to create the last word dwelling leisure middle.
That little black tail peeking out on the suitable? Bane of my existence.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
To energy up the Hearth TV, I additionally used the USB plug as a result of I did not wish to string the facility wire alongside the again. Sadly, when the Hearth TV Stick turned on, it knowledgeable me that the USB port wasn’t a large enough energy supply, confounding contemplating it had no drawback powering up the Roku.
As soon as I begrudgingly linked it to my energy strip, it turned on, and the second conundrum got here with the Hearth TV Stick.
Amazon affords the choice of organising its streaming gadget with the Hearth TV app or the included distant. I selected the app since I hate typing with the distant and on-screen keyboards. Nevertheless, even after following the directions, the app could not discover the gadget over the community, so I needed to set it up manually.
There’s extra to the saga. As soon as I linked my Hearth Keep on with my community, it powered on and went via one replace, which was annoying however acceptable. Till it went via one other replace… after which one other. I sat via 20 minutes of three totally different updates on the Hearth TV Stick. In that period of time, I used to be already streaming on my Roku.
It then took me via a number of screens providing free trials of apps I had no want for earlier than I lastly obtained to the house display and began manually including apps.
My accomplice, who left the room after I began the setup, got here in proper as I completed and remarked, “You’re just now finishing?” My thought precisely.
Winner: Roku
Roku vs. Hearth TV: Ease of use
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
I do not love the house pages of both the Amazon Hearth TV Stick or the Roku. Each are stuffed with advertisements, however one is extra flagrant than the opposite.
Each gadgets include numerous pre-downloaded apps I did not want. Taking a look at it, I felt my physique tense up with the deep need to arrange each pages reasonably than depart them in chaos.
Organizing the Roku dwelling web page was simple however tedious. I wanted to rearrange and delete apps individually, one after the other. The default clicking noises on the Roku was reasonably grating on the ears, however fortunately, I found you possibly can change the themes and settings of the house web page, which additionally modifications the sounds. Roku’s advertisements keep contained to 1 aspect whereas the apps are neatly organized within the middle.
Usually, I just like the Roku dwelling web page higher than Amazon as a result of I’d politely describe the Amazon dwelling web page as a large number. Unsurprisingly, it prioritizes Amazon Prime programming and advertisements, so the house web page is suffering from simply that. There is no handy technique to entry and examine all of your apps instantly on the house display. As an alternative, your app library must be clicked into, and even then, it must be extra organized. Nevertheless, for those who watch Prime Video continuously, you may love the Hearth TV Stick because it retains your most not too long ago watched Prime exhibits bookmarked on the prime, clearly a ploy to maintain you watching Prime Video over another streaming service.
Simply one of many many advertisements slowing down the Hearth TV Stick.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
The Hearth TV Stick can be so, so gradual. Typically it is painful! Transferring between apps and clicking via choices on the house display could be very buggy, with delays between clicks, which is past irritating. If the system wasn’t so slowed down by its personal advertisements, it might most likely go quicker. Plus, after the primary time I arrange the Hearth Stick, each time I powered it on, it required an replace. Only a whole slog whenever you wish to get to the subsequent episode of Bridgerton ASAP.
Each remotes simply connect with my full TV system, controlling the quantity. They’ve all the same controls, together with an arrow pad, play/pause, rewind/quick ahead, quantity, again, and residential out there as buttons. Every distant additionally has 4 buttons to take you on to apps.
The Amazon Hearth TV Stick contains Netflix, Prime Video, DirectTV, and Peacock, whereas the Roku distant contains Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+. I by no means discovered myself utilizing the buttons, however for those who do, you possibly can select the one which prioritizes your most well-liked streamers.
The Hearth TV Stick’s benefit over Roku is its voice controls. Each Roku and Amazon Hearth TV Stick have voice management buttons, the place you possibly can communicate into the distant and ask it to seek for exhibits, open apps, and even simply hit pause. Hearth TV Stick’s voice controls work barely quicker and smoother than Roku’s. In any other case, Roku’s system is constantly extra fast, organized, and simpler to make use of.
Winner: Roku
Roku vs. Hearth TV: Streaming high quality
For all its faults, the Hearth TV Stick delivered a phenomenal view of the Love Island villa.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
Many usability options may be missed if it streams properly, and due to that, the Hearth Stick nearly caught up right here.
I do not assume my TV buffered as soon as throughout my complete time utilizing Roku. Even the primary time I loaded Paramount+ (a notoriously buggy app, for my part), the Survivor episode took just a few seconds to load. Nonetheless, when the episode began, it was crystal clear. All Roku apps are created equally as a result of it doesn’t matter what streaming service I used to be logged into, the image high quality was improbable with no buffering.
The Hearth TV Stick was total much less spectacular than the Roku; nevertheless, when it got here time to stream, it did not trouble me practically as a lot because it did in different areas. I gave it the identical take a look at, loading up an episode to stream, and at first, it fumbled. Some temporary buffering shortly dissipated, after which the image cleared.
After that preliminary buffering incident, the Hearth TV Stick streamed clearly. The principle distinction I famous was how every system navigated. The Roku, as anticipated, moved shortly, whereas the Hearth TV Stick skilled fixed lag when making an attempt to select a present to look at.
Winner: Roku
Our winner: Roku vs. Amazon Hearth TV Stick
For me, Roku could be very clearly the winner. Between its ease of use, fast navigation, and good streaming, it is a no-brainer.
The Amazon Hearth TV Stick actually does the job, however on the similar value because the Roku, you are paying the identical amount of cash for a worse streaming gadget expertise.
The one circumstances I might see swaying you towards the Hearth TV Stick is for those who’re down for all the Amazon expertise. If Prime Video is your major streaming service, Hearth TV Stick makes it straightforward to tune into your subsequent episode of The Boys.
However total, for those who’re on the lookout for a brand new streaming gadget, go for the Roku. Even when the Hearth TV Stick is cheaper with Prime Day 2024 forward of us, go together with the Roku; you may thank us later.
