Pros & Cons
-
- Simple, accessible interface
- Quick performance
- Supports Apple AirPlay
- Inexpensive
-
- Lacks HDR support
- No Twitch app
Roku Streaming Stick (2025) Specs
| Built-In Voice Assistant | Search |
| HDR | No |
| Platform | Roku OS |
| Resolution | 1080p |
You can get more use out of an older TV with no streaming features by popping in a cheap media hub, and for 1080p sets, the Roku Streaming Stick is one of the best options available. This $29.99 stick adds Roku’s streaming media platform to any TV, providing a simple, easy-to-use interface that covers most major streaming services, supports voice search, and even features Apple AirPlay. It’s a good choice to refresh an aging TV, with a streamlined interface that makes it particularly appealing for less tech-savvy users, though Amazon’s Fire TV Stick HD ($34.99) remains our Editors’ Choice winner thanks to its full-featured Alexa voice assistant and HDR video support. If you want to stick with Roku's system, though, check out our comparison of all of the company's current streaming devices.
Design: A Slim Stick
Measuring 3.4 by 0.8 by 0.4 inches (LWD), the Roku Streaming Stick is as puny as its predecessors. It’s matte black, with a standard HDMI plug sticking out of one end and a USB-C port on the edge of the stick near the opposite end. A purple Roku logo is on one of the sides, beside a rounded square indentation holding a status LED. The stick is thin enough that it should fit into any free HDMI port on your TV, though it doesn’t come with a short USB extender dongle like the Fire TV Stick for more flexible placement if your ports are crowded.
(Credit: Will Greenwald)The Roku Streaming Stick is a 1080p media hub and doesn't support high dynamic range (HDR) content. Some 1080p TVs accept HDR signals, and in that case, Fire TV Stick HD might be a better choice given its HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG support. Meanwhile, if you want to put Roku on a 4K TV, you should seriously consider spending the extra $10 on the 4K Streaming Stick Plus ($39.99). The 4K compatibility is worth it, and it also supports HDR.
Since its specs are so light, the Streaming Stick sips electricity at just 2.2W. This means you can plug it into your TV’s USB port and count on it to work without needing to also plug it into a wall adapter.
(Credit: Will Greenwald)Roku’s standard Voice Remote is included, and its design is just as functional and straightforward as it was when the company first introduced the layout with the Roku 2 in 2011. It’s a matte black, pill-shaped wand with Roku’s two signature design elements: a large, purple, plus-shaped navigation pad near the top and a purple fabric tag on the bottom end. Power, Back, and Home buttons sit at the top with a pinhole microphone, while playback controls and dedicated service buttons for Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, and Netflix can be found below. A volume rocker and mute button sit on the right edge of the remote.
Similar Products
Our Current Picks for The Best Media Streaming Devices for 2026
Software: Roku's Accessible Interface
(Credit: Roku)Roku continues to have one of the simplest and most accessible streaming platforms. It’s thoroughly media-focused, revolving around big, friendly icons taking you to individual streaming apps rather than inundating you with rows and rows of media recommendations like Amazon Fire TV and Google TV do. Recommendations are still available, both through voice search and banner ads on the home screen, but it’s much less overwhelming than other platforms. It’s the main reason I recommend Roku to older and less tech-savvy users.
Most streaming media services are covered, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Disney+, Netflix, and YouTube. However, Twitch continues to be absent from the Roku Channel Store (the platform’s app store), and the handful of unofficial Twitch apps available on the platform are unreliable at best and useless at worst. If you want to watch anything on Twitch or play any media you can’t access through an app on Roku, you can stream it locally from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple AirPlay.
(Credit: Roku)Roku’s Voice Search feature is helpful for finding content to watch, though it still falls short of being a full voice assistant like Alexa on Fire TV or Google Assistant on Google TV. If you want to use your voice to control smart home devices through the remote’s microphone, Roku offers a selection of first-party lights, plugs, and cameras, and that’s about it.
Performance: Reliable and Responsive
The Streaming Stick worked very well in testing. It loaded apps, streamed video quickly, and stayed powered on and stable while connected to my TV’s USB 2.0 port. Voice search was also reasonably fast and gave accurate responses.
While the Streaming Stick’s performance felt quick on its own, testing it alongside the Streaming Stick Plus made me notice a little choppiness when browsing menus. It’s a half-step behind the Plus model, and Roku seems to acknowledge this with a single checkmark on its comparison table of the product that says the Streaming Stick Plus has “fast app launch” while the Streaming Stick doesn’t (and gives no other technical details reflecting any difference in performance). It isn’t a sluggish or jerky experience; it’s just that the Plus model feels a bit smoother.