#REVIEW CHROMECAST VS ROKU TV#

The downside is less range, although that shouldn’t be a problem in most homes. We prefer 5GHz networking, particularly for streaming, as this band is less cluttered and doesn’t suffer from the same interference as the 2.4GHz band. Networkingīoth products have 802.11n Wi-Fi built in, although the Streaming Stick is the only one to support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

#REVIEW CHROMECAST VS ROKU TV#

You can use a USB port on your TV for this job, but if you don’t have any or they don’t deliver enough juice, you can use the bundled power adaptors. Neither product has any other outputs, so if you want surround sound you’ll need to hook them straight into an HDMI-enabled AV amp. We’ve not seen either product get in the way of other HDMI ports, but the Chromecast ships with an HDMI extension lead to avoid this problem the Streaming Stick does not.īoth products need to be powered via USB. Roku’s Streaming Stick is a little bit narrower at 28mm than the 35mm Chromecast, which has a bulbous end.

They look like USB memory sticks, only there’s an HDMI adaptor at one end so that they can plug directly into a spare HDMI port on the back of your TV. Designīoth products have a very similar design. In fact, you pay a little extra for the Roku Streaming Stick because of the way it works and the extras it ships with. Roku’s Streaming Stick is a little more expensive at £50, but that doesn’t mean it’s worse value. That pretty much makes it an impulse buy for a lot of people and helps explain why so many of them have been sold. PriceĬhromecast is the cheapest media streamer you can buy at just £30. We take a look at both of these devices here to help you decide which one is best for you. When looking at cheap media streamers, the obvious choice seems to be between Chromecast and Apple TV, but the real competition could come from the Roku Streaming Stick.

Review chromecast vs roku