Of all the appliances and devices that are currently being utilized within my house on a monthly basis, I'd say streaming devices safely rank within the Top 10. They're not relied-upon necessities like the air conditioner or refrigerator, but get used for way more hours than a microwave or anything coffee-focused. Since those earliest days, I've used nearly every generation of Roku devices, and only those devices, but one of the early Amazon'Prime Day 2025 deals.
Okay, for broader context, my oldest Roku device overheated itself and rode off into its own sunset-themed screensaver, and that bedroom just sort of went without any consistent streaming usage. Once Amazon announced this year’s Prime Day event would take over nearly a full work week in July, my subconscious latched onto the idea of finding a Fire TV Stick deal when the right time came. Wouldn’t you know it, that time came sooner than expected, with this Fire TV Stick 4K deal popping up for the site’s early sales.
It goes without saying that Amazon did not balk at speedily getting the device to me before I could even begin to reconsider my brand shift for a return to Roku. Now that I've had a preliminary period to personalize things, make adjustments, and explore what there is to offer, I have some comparisons, contrasts and other thoughts to discuss.
First Impressions And Set-Up: The Remote Quickly Gives Fire TV Stick An Advantage
One of the issues that's become more annoying for me in terms of Roku devices — this could definitely be more of a "just me" issue as opposed to something more widespread — is how selectively limited the space can be where Roku remotes work as intended. I don't have the MIT degree or, like, graphs or whatever, to know where to put the thing so that I can walk from one obstruction-free room to the next without having to arc any part of my body to turn speed-deficient subtitles off of a sporting event.
Meanwhile, I can only assume that Amazon is responsible for constructive witchcraft, because I don't even have to see the Fire TV Stick, and the remote just already knows it's there. I'm kind of being sarcastic, but it does seem like an unobtainable nirvana whenever all one is used to is the aggravating opposite.
Setting things up was a timely affair, if not a complicated or confusing one, and the fact that all the streaming service apps I downloaded utilized QR Codes helped, since those eliminated all the password button-mashing. The biggsest extra plus here is that the Fire TV Stick remote is Alexa-equipped, making as much of the experience hands-free as possible for those who prefer that. (And for those whose voices are interpreted correctly.)
The Home Page: Roku Spotlights Apps, Amazon Spotlights Ads
For so many years, I've been used to seeing Roku's central hub, which I've always found to be pretty plain jane, but also extremely easy to use. Broader options on the left, apps in the middle, and ad space on the right. Nothing flashy, and nothing that makes me feel like I'm looking at a commercial that happens to connect to streaming apps lower down somewhere.
Amazon's interface, rather than going with a similar left-to-right split, instead fills the entire top portion of the main hub with a carousel of to-the-corners ads, some still images, and many auto-playing with audio. Some of the ads and previews also shift to full-screen if nothing is pressed. That setting can be (and was immediately) changed, but it's like having a waiter attempt to upsell you before taking your drink order.
The App Selection: Mostly Even For Entertainment
While everyone's tastes and needs will vary when it comes using apps for general entertainment means, whether it's catching up with the 2025 TV schedule or bingeing movies ahead of an upcoming theatrical release, Roku and Amazon's Fire TV Stick are mostly even. Once you get beyond services like Shudder and MGM+, app stores become the wild west of unlicensed programming, with logos written in prime color and comic sans, with names like "Free Cartoons 4 Kids To NJoy" and "Action Movies Immediately."
Roku Channel is available on the Fire TV Stick, and Prime Video is of course available on the Roku, so they also both get points for that I guess. Amazon also promotes its "Music Videos" app, which is like if MTV was On Demand., with videos from Taylor Swift to Cherry Glazerr to "Weird" Al Yankovic and so many others. (Granted, Roku produced its own comedic biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, but that's neither here nor there.)
Performance And Resolution: No Clear Winner
Those with greater grasps on specs can speak to this far better than I can on a smaller scale. To my eyes, both Roku and Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K appear to be on similar footing, but that's also without having used the latter that often so far. I don't know why it would suddenly start to look far superior or far worse only after a few weeks, but I'll grant that it's possible.
It should go without saying, but the 4K Fire Stick looks better on a 4K TV than a non-4K Roku does on a non-4K TV. I would assume the opposite is true, and I'll just have to trust my gut on that one.
Special Fire TV Stick Detail I Want To Point Out #1: Prime Gaming
Anyone looking to play video games or other kinds of games on Roku should flatten those expections into non-existence. There are a few worthwhile options tied to game shows and trivia, but it's even worse than the dregs of free movie apps.
Having an Amazon Prime subscription, however, opens up the Prime Gaming service, which features a limited library of popular games from the relatively recent past. Highlights include Death Stranding: Director's Cut, Fallout: New Vegas [IUltimate Edition], DUSK, Clem and Fortnite. It's not the biggest selection, but realistically supplies hundreds of hours of playing.
Special Roku Detail I Want To Point Out: Roku's Pop Culture Screensavers
Screensavers may not sound like a legitimate reason to champion one streaming device over another, but anyone who has spent way too damned long in front of an idle Roku device knows exactly where I'm coming from. Basically, the screensavers are video loops of illustrated seasonal or themed settings, with a multitude of movie references sprinkled throughout. From instantly recognizable superhero skyscrapers to easter eggs from romantic comedies to Golden Age creature features.
Not as active as Fortnite, but is easily the biggest brain-tickler of any screensaver I've ever seen in my life. I admittedly didn't make it a priority to sift through the Fire TV Stick's screensaver options, but I'll be sure to update this article and yell it from a mountain.
In the end, I don't yet have a specific preference, and I'm not yet sure whether my next device will be another Fire TV Stick, or if I'll revert back to being a Roku faithful. Thankfully, neither one is so much better than the other that either is a bad idea. In fact, when there's a big sale like Prime Day happening, it's almost a bad idea NOT to get a Fire TV Stick 4K.
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