Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV are the big three of streaming device brands, each with its own pros and cons. There are other streaming devices available, like Chromecast with Google TV (a simple and feature-loaded device) and TiVo Stream 4K (a decent streamer from the originator of the TV DVR), but when it comes to picture quality, this is the top trio.
Let’s look at the big picture of Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV 4K’s cinematic capabilities.
Roku
Roku Ultra
- Price: $100
- Size: 4.9 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Digital Stereo, Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Surround
- Ports: HDMI, USB, Ethernet
- Remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro
The Roku Ultra is the star of the Roku family, an indiscreet flat box with 4K resolution streaming capability and an Ethernet port for hardwired internet connectivity. The 2024 Roku Ultra update improves on previous models with faster processing and “Quick Media Switching” for, of course, quicker refresh rates. If you want premium picture quality with minimal lag, the Ultra is the Roku to get.
$100 at Amazon
Roku Streambar
- Price: $130
- Size: 14.0 x 4.2 x 2.4 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR
- Audio: Digital Stereo, Dolby Audio, PCM
- Ports: HDMI, USB, optical audio
- Remote: Roku Voice Remote
The Roku Streambar is a combo sound bar and streaming device that won’t take up extra real estate on your entertainment center (not that any of Roku’s compact devices are space hogs). It features Dolby audio and can be expanded for a surround sound immersive experience. The pared-down Roku Soundbar SE jettisons the Dolby Audio and surround sound capability for $30 less.
$85 at Amazon
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
- Price: $50
- Size: 3.7 x 0.8 x 0.5 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Digital Stereo, DTS Digital Surround
- Ports: HDMI, USB
- Remote: Roku Voice Remote
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is only about the size of a five-pack of gum, but it does almost everything the larger Roku Ultra can. The latest version of the portable powerhouse includes Dolby Vision and a faster quad-core processor but still lacks the Ultra’s Dolby Atmos sound (you can’t have everything at this size and price). If you’re a frequent traveler who needs pristine TV on the go, this Roku is tough to beat.
$40 at Amazon
Roku Express 4K+
- Price: $30
- Size: 3.3 x 1.5 x 0.7 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR
- Audio: Digital Stereo, DTS Digital Surround
- Ports: None
- Remote: Roku Voice Remote
The Roku Express 4K is compact and cheap, but there’s not much to sell it aside from the lower price among Rokus. Its size is halfway between the Ultra and the Streaming Stick, and it can sit on a flat surface or be attached to the top or the back of your TV. The picture looks great, but the oddball design of the Express 4K (and the even cheaper non-4K Express) makes it the most impractical of the Roku lot.
$40 at Amazon
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV Cube
- Price: $110
- Size: 3.4 x 3.4 x 3.0 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Digital Stereo, Dolby Atmos
- Ports: HDMI, Ethernet, USB
- Remote: Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced
The Amazon Fire TV Cube sports a boxy design that won’t fit just anywhere, but as a streaming device, it’s a power player equal to the Roku Ultra with a few more boxes ticked. It features 4K, HDR 10, and Dolby Vision resolution (as well as Dolby Atmos audio, which the Roku Ultra also supports) and Wi-Fi 6E for faster streaming and lower latency. Conveniently, the Amazon Fire TV Cube is also an Alexa speaker.
$140 at Amazon
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
- Price: $30
- Size: 4.25 x 1.18 x 0.55 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Digital Stereo, Dolby Atmos
- Ports: HDMI, Micro USB
- Remote: Alexa Voice Remote
The Amazon Fire Stick 4K is a fraction of the size of its Cube brother, but it still packs plenty of punch. It supports both Dolby Vision resolution and Dolby Atmos sound, as well as “Super Resolution” that purports to upscale an HD picture to 4K. For $10 more, the Fire Stick 4K Max doubles the memory (16GB, as opposed to Fire Stick 4K’s 8GB). The Fire Stick 4K is a compact, full-featured streaming contender.
$50 at Amazon
Amazon Fire Stick
- Price: $20
- Size: 3.4 x 1.0 x 0.55 inches
- Resolution: HD, HDR
- Audio: Digital Stereo, Dolby Audio
- Ports: HDMI, Micro USB
- Remote: Alexa Voice Remote
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is good enough for older TVs that only support HD resolution, but if you’re going to invest in a 4K TV in the future (you likely are — it’s inevitable), the Amazon Fire Stick 4K won’t cost you much more than its predecessor. If you’re looking for even more of a bargain, there are still Fire TV Stick Lites (a discontinued model) in circulation that can get the streaming job done on the cheap.
$35 at Amazon
Apple TV
Apple TV 4K
- Price: $130-$150
- Size: 3.7 x 3.70 x 1.2 inches
- Resolution: HD, 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision
- Audio: Digital Sound, Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos
- Ports: HDMI, Ethernet
- Remote: Siri Remote
If you’re an Apple purist — is there any other kind of Apple product user? — the Apple TV 4K is probably the only streaming device for you. Even though it hasn’t been updated in several years, the currently available Apple TV 4K is still a luxurious device at a luxurious price ($130 for the Wi-Fi-only model; $150 for the Ethernet- and Wi-Fi-capable model).
The picture quality is up to the ultra-high standard you’d expect from Apple, and there’s the possibility of an even better, upgraded model coming in 2025. This upgrade is said to include a faster A-series chip, more smart home capabilities, and a sleeker design. In other words, maybe hold off on buying an Apple TV 4K before the new one arrives. But if you’re a true Apple devotee, you probably already have the old one, right?
$159 at Amazon
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