Deciphering the Variances: An In-Depth Look at Roku Express and Roku Stick

Roku has been making devices for a long time, and its Streaming Stick has been a popular product for many years. But nowadays, Roku also has its Express line of streamers, too, and it can be confusing to differentiate between the two product categories.

Both will let you watch your favorite shows and movies, and neither is especially expensive, so below, you’ll find everything you need to know about what makes the Roku Stick and Express different.

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Overall Findings

Express

• Express and Express 4K+ options.
• Base Express is the cheapest option at just $30.
• Express 4K+ costs $40.
• Can support Ethernet with additional dongle.
• No Dolby Vision.
• Limited features on base model.

Stick

• Only one option in 2024.
• More expensive than even the top-end Express at $50.
• Smaller footprint.
• Better Wi-Fi but no Ethernet support.
• Supports Dolby Vision.

When deciding between an Express and a Stick, there are a few things to keep in mind. For one, if you don’t want or need 4K and High Dynamic Range, the base Express is the way to go. It doesn’t bother with those features, and as a result, you’ll save money over other options.

However, you will also lose out on the voice remote that comes with the other Roku streamers. That said, if you do want 4K and HDR support, the decision becomes a bit more complicated. There’s only a small difference in cost between Roku’s current Stick, the Streaming Stick 4K, and the Express 4K+, making the Stick only slightly more expensive.

In general, if you don’t care about Dolby Vision support on the Stick or its ability to just neatly plug directly into your TV, the Express 4K+ has all the same features, costs less, and you can use an Ethernet adapter to directly connect to the internet instead of using Wi-Fi.

However, if you plan on using Wi-Fi–particularly if the Wi-Fi is spotty in your house–the Stick’s longer-range networking may serve you better and be worth the extra money, especially so if you plan on watching Dolby Vision content and appreciate its simple design.

Hardware: The Stick Has Better Wi-Fi and a Remote

Express

• Smooth performance.
• 4K output on Express 4K+ and 1080p on Express.
• Express 4K+ supports HDR, while the Express doesn’t.
• No Dolby Vision support.
• More traditional design.
• No voice remote on base Express.
• Can connect an Ethernet adapter.

Stick

• Smooth performance.
• Capable of 4K output.
• Supports HDR/Dolby Vision.
• Slim design.
• Voice remote.
• Longer-range Wi-Fi.

In general, the hardware of these streamers is quite similar. None of them will lag or stutter much when running apps. The key difference comes down to two areas: internet connectivity and image quality.

The base Express is limited to just 1080p without HDR, and it doesn’t have a voice remote. The Express 4K+ supports 4K/HDR but not Dolby Vision. Both Express models also have shorter-range Wi-Fi capabilities, but you can pair them with an Ethernet adapter.

The biggest advantage of the Stick is its Dolby Vision support and longer-range Wi-Fi. Its simple, out-of-the-way design is also nice to have. You won’t have the option of connecting an Ethernet adapter to the Stick like you do with the Express, but the better capabilities may be worth it.

Features: They’re Similar, but the Stick Has Better Quality

Express

• Watch all your favorite shows and movies.
• 1080p streaming on base Express.
• 4K/HDR streaming on Express 4K+.
• Voice remote only available on Express 4K+.

Stick

• Enjoy all the same content.
• Stream in the highest quality.
• Voice remote with TV power/volume control.

Like with hardware, features across all three devices are quite similar.

The only major difference between the Express 4K+ and the Stick comes down to the Stick having a slight edge in image quality in some scenarios, thanks to Dolby Vision support. Unless you plan on using an Ethernet adapter with the Express 4K+, it’s about the same.

Meanwhile, the base Express is limited in its stream quality. You don’t get a voice remote with the base Express either, which also means you can’t control your TV’s power and volume. Otherwise, though, there’s relative feature parity.

Final Verdict: The Stick Wins Overall

Overall, the Streaming Stick 4K has the edge in image quality thanks to Dolby Vision. Its slim design makes setup take seconds and allows it to fit cleanly behind your TV without any hassle.

$50 at Amazon

You are losing out on an Ethernet adapter, but you don’t need a hardwired connection for streaming. Even 4K streaming will be more than enough for almost everyone, and Wi-Fi will be more than enough.

It will cost an extra $10 over the Express 4K+, but its simpler design and superior image quality make it worth it.

However, if you’re on a strict budget and don’t have a 4K TV, you might be better off saving cash with a base Express that can get the job done.

$30 at Amazon

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