Features, settings & updates

[HoneyJones]

NEITHER!! 

Roku TVs & all Roku Devices are JUNK!!! I've owned them all......pure GARBAGE!  And that's b/c Roku's operating system is pure GARBAGE!!!!!!

Do yourself a favor (eliminate frustration down the road) and purchase an AMAZON FIRE TV OR AMAZON FIRE STICK!! I Have Zero Problems Now!!

[HoneyJones]

NEITHER!!!!

Roku TVs & all Roku Devices are JUNK!!! I've owned them all......pure GARBAGE!  And that's b/c Roku's operating system is pure GARBAGE!!!!!!

Do yourself a favor (eliminate frustration down the road) and purchase an AMAZON FIRE TV OR AMAZON FIRE STICK!! I Have Zero Problems Now!!

[atc98092]

Why bother posting here? Millions of users are completely satisfied with Roku devices, so it’s unlikely you will change anyone’s minds here. 

[Kushadmin]

Simple answer: Stick

[atc98092]

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@Kushadmin wrote:

Simple answer: Stick

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Not a simple answer at all. The only Roku that had "issues" in recent history was the basic Express. It had a single band WiFi radio, less memory for channel storage and operating. Now that even the basic Express is running the Realtek chip, it's now compatible with the rest of the Roku players. Different Roku players serve different needs. If someone "needs" 4K support, then the Express is not the best choice. If someone travels often, either a Stick or the Express 4K+ is a good choice. For home use when a wired network connection is preferred, one can choose the Ultra, or the Express 4K+ can use a 3rd party USB Ethernet adapter. 

[jakia3]

I’ve found that the Roku Ultra (the box with the remote) tends to have fewer issues than the Roku Stick, especially when it comes to connectivity and performance. The Ultra also supports Ethernet for a more stable connection, and it’s generally faster. If you’re looking for better reliability and performance, the Roku Ultra might be a solid upgrade!

[JWS9518]

I think that kind of depends on your expectations of the device.  The newer Ultras definitely have the bells and whistles that some of the other devices do not, but any of the newer devices operate basically on the same OS.  So, the bugs/technical issues will be pretty similar across the board in terms of that.  Any devices as they age, such as the older ones, will start having issues, especially if the OS(s) are older and can't be updated or have been discontinued, so you may see complaints about the sticks or boxes, but they may also be old devices that are no longer compatible, especially since Roku gives their different models similar names that make it harder to differentiate what model someone means.  

[jakia3]

Following

[atc98092]

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@jakia3 wrote:

The Ultra also supports Ethernet for a more stable connection, and it’s generally faster. 

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If you are implying the Ethernet connection is faster than WiFi, that is not accurate. In fact, the latest Ultra 4850 now supports 802.11ax, and I've tested its WiFi speed at around 270 Mbps, which is almost triple the speed of the wired connection. But even my older Ultra 4800 tested at 220 Mbps.

The Ultra does have a bit faster processor, and has 2GB of operational memory compared to the latest model Stick (3821) which has 1 GB. I have both devices, and I can say that performance difference between the two simply doesn't amount to much in real world use. Both are highly capable players. I prefer the non-Stick versions solely to allow locating them somewhere they get better cooling. Since a Stick connects directly to the TV's HDMI in port, you have no alternatives for locating the device. Also, if one desires to use an IR remote then a non-Stick model is your only option, as no version of the Roku Stick has ever supported IR.