Roku’s 4K HDR Streaming Stick+ is getting a permanent price drop in both the US and the UK – here’s our updated review.
While the Roku Streaming Stick+ has now been usurped by the newer Roku Streaming Stick 4K+, it’s still a very good value for streaming sticks. At around two years old, this was one of the first streaming device in the stick-shaped form factor to offer both 4K and HDR screen option, and offered a far-reaching Wi-Fi antenna. You’ll get both those features in the latest Roku Streaming Stick 4K+, but if you can find this on sale for a discount, we still recommend it. [Update: Since October 2019, the Roku Streaming Stick+ had a permanent price drop from $59.99 to $49.99. In addition to the price drop, Roku announced that new models will include an updated remote that includes volume and power controls as well as the new mute button. We’ve updated our review to reflect the price change.] Surprisingly, the Roku Streaming Stick+ only costs a mere $49.99/£59.99, after a $10 price drop in October 2019. It’s a price that makes the old Roku Premiere+ obsolete and places the 4K streaming stick in ‘impulse buy’ territory. For comparison, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is regularly priced at $49.99 / £49.99, but can often be found for $34.99 / £39.99. Last but not least Google’s 4K streamer, the Chromecast Ultra, goes for $69 / £69 and it doesn’t come with a traditional remote. Roku’s streaming sticks have always been deceptively simple devices, but the new Roku Streaming Stick+ takes that design philosophy to a new level: It’s just as petite as its predecessors (a mere 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.47 inches and 0.9 ounces) but stuffs even more power into the flash drive-sized form factor. Despite the additional hardware, however, it will still neatly fit behind your TV, and draw power from either your TV’s USB port or from the wall. It is, for the most part, a familiar design. It’s a form factor that Roku pioneered five years ago with its oblong and creatively colored purple Roku Streaming Stick, and it’s clearly served the company well over the years. The form factor was popular enough for Roku to warrant an update last year and throughout the years has been copied by both main hardware manufacturers and cheap knock-offs alike. New for the Streaming Stick+ is that strange, proprietary power cable that houses the external antenna. It provides the Roku Streaming Stick+ with four times the range as the old Roku Streaming Sticks and helps reduce interference. The benefit here is a faster and more stable streaming experience which translates to faster load times and less time buffering. The downside is that, should the cable break or go MIA for any reason, you can’t just replace it with any old mini-USB cable. Thankfully, Roku has given that scenario some thought and will make individual cables available for purchase – i.e. you won’t have to rebuy the entire system just because you’ve misplaced (or destroyed) the power cable.
