Roku Streaming Stick (HDMI Version) Review

Small on size, huge on content. 

Between set-top boxes, video game consoles, Blu-ray players, and smartphones, devices that can stream video and audio content from the web to your television are a dime a dozen. And as the market becomes more crowded, product differentiation becomes harder and harder to achieve.

Amazon's new Fire TV puts an extra effort into gaming, Apple TV provides an easy way to tap into the company's ecosystem, and Google's Chromecast is all about mirroring and casting. Roku's new Streaming Stick, on the other hand, doesn't exactly do anything particularly different than the company's latest line of set-top boxes—in fact, it does a bit less—but what it does do is deliver a ton of content through an incredibly small and affordable piece of hardware.

The recently released device is actually Roku's second generation Streaming Stick. The first iteration was identical in almost every way except that it required an MHL port, making it so that it was powered directly by a properly-equipped television. The downside was that while many potential viewers had HDTVs, few had television sets with the proper HDMI connection.
The Streaming Stick now relies on a USB port or outlet for power (not unlike the similarly designed Chromecast), and at just $49.99, it's cheaper than its MHL-powered predecessor and less expensive than just about any set-top box currently available. There are some sacrifices to be made when choosing the new Streaming Stick over a Roku box, though, but thankfully the benefits outweigh the negatives.

Over the years, Roku has become a household name in the world of content streaming. Its set-top boxes have not only been reasonable priced, but the company has also done an outstanding job at offering an impressive amount of content through a wide variety of services. The major options are all present, such as Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Instant Streaming, and the ever-important HBO Go. Other, more specific choices are available as well, like MLB.TV and NHL GameCenter for sports fans, Crunchyroll for those who enjoy anime, and a ton of channels specifically for kids. All in all, Roku boasts that there are over 1,000 channels available on its devices. Casual games can also be downloaded, although the remote that comes with the Streaming Stick doesn't include motion control sensors, so some titles, like Angry Birds Space, are not playable with this particular unit.
The Streaming Stick offers some casting capabilities, but as it is now, it's incredibly limited. When using the Netflix or YouTube app on your Android or iOS device, you can connect to the tiny Roku in the same exact way you would with Chromecast. These apps are already available for the Streaming Stick, so this route's only real benefit is quicker navigation when searching for something to watch. The company plans to extend this funcionality to include PCs in the future, but for now it's just a bullet point without much real world value.

The interface on the Streaming Stick is that same found on Roku's other devices, which displays a grid of installed apps and a side menu for additional options, settings, and access to the channel store. Performance can be sluggish, and it can be annoyingly slow when initially opening some apps or when using the built-in search engine. With Netflix, for example, it wasn't uncommon to see the bright red loading screen for around 30 seconds before the app's menu pulled up. This doesn't occur throughout the entire UI, but there is a noticeable lag from time to time.
For navigation, the Streaming Stick is bundled with a simple remote that includes quick access buttons to M-Go, Amazon Instant Streaming, Netflix, and Blockbuster On Demand. The accessory works well with the interface, and if you need more features, the Android and iOS apps provide a full keyboard and the ability to share locally-stored video and pictures, as well as voice search functionality that works across a number the device's streaming options. Unfortunately, the new remote doesn't include the handy headphone jack that Roku 2 and Roku 3 owners have enjoyed, so you'll have to turn to other methods for private listening sessions.

The Streaming Stick itself is 3.1-inches long, half an inch thick, and just over an inch wide, making it easy to throw into your pocket or bag if you think you'll want to use it at different locations. Unlike Chromecast, though, Roku does not include an HDMI cord extender for TVs with limited space around their ports, which made the dongle completely useless with one of my televisions. If needed, purchasing an extra cord isn't expensive, but it also isn't convenient. Another problem that may arise for some users is that, if the device is powered by a USB port on the television, the unit will have to boot up each time the TV is powered on, which can take at least an additional 30 seconds or so to complete.
Considering the number of alternatives in existence, it can be difficult to justify why one should go out and pick up the new Streaming Stick—after all, many of us probably already have half a dozen devices in our homes that do the exact same thing—but its design makes it even more travel friendly than the already-small set-top boxes, and its price tag is tough to beat.