Summary
- Roku Streaming Stick offers great value at $30, lacks 4K, but excels in functionality and ease of use.
- Stick is powered by TV, supports major streaming apps, offers a voice remote, and easy setup process.
- Ideal for budget-conscious consumers seeking a hassle-free streaming experience with smart home integration.
I haven’t had a Roku Ultra for long, but during my time, I quickly realized the Roku UI was my favorite of all the streaming devices. I’ve tried the Apple TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, but it’s Roku with the love-it-or-hate-it Roku City that keeps me coming back.
The new Roku Streaming Stick isn’t anything like the Roku Ultra. Instead of targeting the high-end market, Roku sells this stick for $30, and at that price, I don’t see how you can go wrong. There are some limitations to be aware of, mainly that it only streams in 1080p, so don’t plug this into your 4K TV hoping to get the best picture quality. What I did was plug it into my 10+ year-old Samsung TV to give it a new life. This TV was bought long before smart TVs became commonplace, but with this Roku Streaming Stick, you’d think it was a brand-new TV. When it comes to budget streaming sticks, it’s difficult to beat the 2025 Roku Streaming Stick.
Editor’s Choice
Roku Streaming Stick (2025)
The Roku Streaming Stick plugs directly into your TV and lets you start watching your shows and movies from your favorite streaming services. It comes with a Roku Voice Remote.
- Support for all major streaming services
- No external power required
- Comes with a voice remote
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Price, availability, and specs
Some really good value here
The main thing that works in the Roku Streaming Stick’s favor, at least in my eyes, is its price. For $30, you get a device you can plug into the back of your TV and get up and running in a matter of minutes. All your TV needs is a USB port to power the device. If you don’t have one, you need to pick up an external power source to plug your cable into. You probably have something like this already lying around, whether it’s a power strip or an old phone charger, so don’t fret if your TV doesn’t have a port.
Once it’s running, the Roku Streaming Stick outputs at 1080p, so this is a stick to avoid if you’re looking for better picture quality. While you can install apps like Max, Peacock, and many more, the remote only has quick launch buttons for Disney+, Apple TV+, Netflix, and Prime Video. If you have another Roku device, you can skip the sign-in process for all the apps just by linking your account to the new Roku. Signing into everything is a big hassle for me, so it was nice that I could just load up Disney+ and see my profile already there.
If you have any smart home devices, this stick probably works with them. The Roku Streaming Stick supports Roku Smart Home, Apple AirPlay, Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home. This is one of my favorite things about the Roku ecosystem, because you’re not punished for owning things from other companies. I wish all my streaming devices could say the same thing, but that’s not how the cookie crumbled.
This 2025 model should phase out the older ones over time, but stock for the older ones will still be floating around out there. On Roku’s website, it’s the model that shows up when you click on Roku Streaming Stick, but you’ll need to double-check what you’re buying at other stores. You don’t want to miss out on the stick that doesn’t need a wall outlet to power on, so look for model 3840R.
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What I like about the Roku Streaming Stick
Straight to the point
Roku
I can’t find much to be upset with about the Roku Streaming Stick. It works just as I expected it to, and it’s home to many apps and even some live TV channels. The device itself is rather small, about the size of my palm, and when it’s plugged away behind the TV, I can’t even see it. Since it’s powered by the TV, I don’t have to see a cord jutting out of the side and going to my wall. If you’re traveling, it’s also easy enough to pack up the Roku and take it with you.
The remote’s voice controls work just fine, although I typically don’t use them. I knew all about the initial setup process since I already own a 2024 Roku Ultra, but even newcomers shouldn’t have any issue getting their stick up and going. Another bonus is that you can ditch your old remote and control everything with the included Roku remote by following the steps during setup to make it control your TV. It was immediately able to recognize it was plugged into a Samsung TV, and the setup was painless from there.
Roku’s new streaming stick is not as fast as my Ultra, but it’s not meant to be. The streaming stick is arguably the best value you can get for a no-frills streaming device. It’s perfect for leaving behind your smart TV UI or giving new life to an old TV with no internet capabilities. If you don’t need 4K resolution, I can’t think of anything that does the job better. You might like the look or feel of the Fire Stick more than the Roku, but that’s not the case for me.
Having audio passthrough is a great touch as well, because that’s something my Apple TV 4K doesn’t even support. For an entry-level device, I’m impressed with how much it provides. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not without its share of downsides.
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What I don’t like about the Roku Streaming Stick
Just some nitpicks
It’s easy to lament what the Roku Streaming Stick doesn’t do, mainly the fact that it doesn’t support 4K, but I think that’s unfair. The device doesn’t set out to do that, and there are other Roku products available for people who need a bit more. However, the Roku Streaming Stick positions itself as a stick that’s for people with no plans of upgrading in the future. A 4K streaming stick costs just $10 more, so it might be a good choice to splurge on that if you plan to move to 4K eventually. There’s no downside to using the 4K stick on a 1080p TV, so you can cover your bases and essentially future-proof yourself.
The remote, despite its solid voice controls, leaves a bit to be desired. The bulky plastic body makes it feel a lot like a toy, and it’s heavier than I’d expect it to be. It also takes a pair of AAA batteries to power on, so you’ll need to swap those out instead of simply charging the remote once it dies. My Roku Ultra came with a remote with the same build quality, but it has a charging port at the bottom instead of taking batteries.
That’s really all I have to say that’s negative about the device. In my case, I have a 1080p that I keep in my basement, so there’s no sense spending the extra money for a 4K device since I’ll never need one for this TV. There were a few times when I was told I had insufficient power to my stick, but the pop-up went away on its own within seconds and didn’t impact anything. It might be something I have to prepare for down the line, but it seems all good as of right now. My TV is very old, so that could be the culprit, and I can always switch to a wall outlet if needed.
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Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick?
I don’t see why not
Pocket-lint / Roku
For $30, the Roku Streaming Stick won’t break the bank by any means, so I say go for it. I like it better than comparable products like the Fire Stick and the Onn. sticks you can find at Walmart. I’m a huge fan of the Roku UI, so that’s why I’m giving it the edge here.
Having access to every streaming app I can think of with a stick that’s powered by the TV is hard to pass up. While the stick is noticeably slower than my dedicated streaming boxes like the Apple TV 4K and Roku Ultra, it’s not anything I’ll ding the Streaming Stick for since it packs a lot of value in for the low price. As long as your expectations are in check, I can’t find a reason why you’d not like the 2025 Roku Streaming Stick. It integrates nicely into smart homes regardless of what ecosystem you’re in, and the automatic updates mean you never miss out on new features. It’s not going to supplant my Ultra or Apple TV, but the Roku Streaming Stick has done more than enough to prove it deserves to be plugged into a TV.
Editor’s Choice
Roku Streaming Stick (2025)
The Roku Streaming Stick plugs directly into your TV and lets you start watching your shows and movies from your favorite streaming services. It comes with a Roku Voice Remote.
