Roku Vs. Amazon Fire: I Tried Both of the Most Popular Streaming Devices
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Courtesy Danielle Murphy
I think we all know that cable is, essentially, out, and streaming platforms rule the proverbial school. But unless you have a smart TV, accessing your favorite streamed shows can be a challenge. Before you consider trading in your perfectly good television for something "smarter" — aka, super expensive — you might want to consider a far, far less pricey (and much easier) way to watch the hottest movies and shows.
It's called a streaming stick, and it might be the most convenient and affordable way to watch anything and everything right now. The only problem? There are quite a few options to choose from, though there are two superior brands in the category: Amazon and Roku. In order to decide which one you should rely on for your next binge, I tried two of the newest models on the market, testing for viewing speed, picture clarity, ease of use and more.
How I tried the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Roku streaming devices
Simply put, I watched a ton of movies and TV. (Poor me, right?) Over the last few weeks, I used both devices on my non-smart TV, occasionally swapping from one to the other to determine which offered better and faster streaming. I also took the time to play with each device's settings and menu options to see what features were available that could improve my experience.
Best for smart searching
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
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Responsive voice control
Dare I say, the overall responsiveness and voice control offered by the Fire TV Stick is far superior to my actual smart TV? I do dare, especially since my pricey smart TV doesn't even have voice control. Besides that, the Fire TV Stick is actually far speedier when it comes to app installation and general scrolling.
Having voice control is a game-changer when it comes to the viewing experience. Both devices have it, but the Fire TV Stick does it so much better. First, there's practically no lag between the time you give a command and the screen showing exactly what you want. You can say "Peacock" or "The Last of Us" and the correct channel or show will automatically launch or appear on the screen, respectively.
Courtesy Danielle Murphy
Smarter searching
If you really want to see how smart the voice control can be, try saying something like “Show me action movies” or “new to streaming” or “movies with Pedro Pascal.” The Fire Stick does an incredible job narrowing down shows or movies that fit the description you ask for. I tried the same exercise with the Roku but wasn’t given nearly the same accuracy or amount of choices.
Connect to other Amazon devices
This might be my favorite part. The Fire TV Stick allows you to connect to the Echo devices you already own (just make sure they are compatible models), letting you create your own at-home theater experience. I have an Echo (4th Gen) and Echo Dot sitting unused in my TV cabinet, and now I have an idea of where to position them in my bedroom to put together my own version of surround sound.
Best for beginners
Roku Streaming Stick Plus
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- Roku Streaming Stick Plus $39.99 at Amazon
- Roku Streaming Stick Plus $39.99 at Target
- Roku Streaming Stick Plus $39.00 at Walmart
Easier home screen to navigate
I tend to suffer from something I like to call "decision fatigue." I experience it while shopping, trying to order food from too-large menus, but most of the time, it occurs when I'm faced with the choice of what shows or movies to turn on. Between the number of new releases that drop daily and the "must watch" lists I've created on several apps, it's difficult for me to settle on something during my free time. So having a loud and crowded home screen is like putting a foghorn up to my face that's screaming the names of popular entertainment my friends, family, coworkers and TikTok videos have recommended to me in just the last 48 hours. It's too much.
That's why I prefer the conciseness of Roku's main screen, which seems to be the same no matter what model you use. The most popular apps are automatically added to the screen when you first set it up, but any app/channel you add after can later be found on the same home screen. You just need to scroll down to access it (or use the voice control feature for an immediate launch). The search bar that includes games, trivia, free content and more is conveniently and clearly listed on the left menu bar.
If you prefer to see all of your options, and then some, the Fire TV Stick offers a ton of recommendations from the moment you turn on your TV, but in my opinion, it's much too overwhelming.
Courtesy Danielle Murphy
Fast and easy setup
Compared to the other system, the Roku comes out on top in setup speed. Unlike the Fire TV Stick, which required me to connect to my Amazon account and took a bit of time to load, the Roku didn't have me jumping through any log-in hoops to get started. Other than an update that took barely a couple of minutes, I was able to start watching the next episode of "Love Island" almost immediately after plugging the system into my TV.
Speed is also a factor when signing into a new or existing streaming app. I love that Roku makes this a breeze by offering a QR code for practically every app, most of the time leading you directly to your phone app (where you're already signed in), and automatically logging you in on your TV. The Fire TV Stick also offers this option but not for all channels/apps, opting instead to only give you access to type your username and password into your phone rather than recognize the phone app.
Best overall
I hate to break it to you, but I doubt you'll be disappointed with either device. In terms of visuals, both models offer crisp 4K viewing, which does wonders to my old 2013 RCA 32-inch TV (the non-smart option I have in my bedroom). Both also offer free content: Roku with over 500 channels of free TV, while the Fire TV Stick offers more than 300,000 free movies and TV episodes from ad-supported streaming apps. Though, I'll be honest, I rarely take advantage of either of the latter.
But, Danielle. Which one should I add to cart right now? If I had to make an on-the-spot choice, I have to say that I'm leaning a bit more towards the Amazon Fire TV Stick. The technology has the speed and intelligence that proves Roku has a little catching up to do. I like that Alexa can help me find virtually anything to watch, and all I have to do is say a prompt into the voice control. Overall, it makes for a more convenient, and therefore, more enjoyable experience.
I also prefer Amazon's remote, which immediately set itself up to connect to my TV so that I can turn it on and off, as well as adjust the volume with it and not my TV's remote. I'm supposed to be able to do the same thing with the Roku remote, but it wasn't an automatic setup, and my attempts to connect it via "Settings" in the menu bar haven't been successful.
More streaming devices to shop
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $59.99 at Amazon
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $59.99 at Best Buy
Roku Ultra
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- Roku Ultra $79.99 at Amazon
- Roku Ultra $99.99 at Roku
Amazon Fire TV Cube (newest model)
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Danielle Murphy is the audience development writer for Shop TODAY. She’s been writing for the team since 2021, covering everything from fashion and beauty to product reviews and sales content.
