Back in 2019, I was informed that my Roku 2 HD model 3000x would no longer receive software updates. I took advantage of a discount offer and upgraded to the Roku Express+. Fast forward to the end of 2022 and I was starting to become disappointed with the performance of the Express+. The internet connection would always show a poor signal, streaming video would become out of sync, and the device would warn about overheating. I have been a Roku user for quite a while at this point and was kind of in limbo about what to do next. I knew there were other options, but I wasn't sure about changing to a different streaming device.
Fortunately, someone made that decision easier by giving us an Amazon Firestick 4K device for Christmas. It may not be fair to compare a Roku device from 2019 to a Firestick from 2022, but here are the specifications of both:
Firetv Stick 4K (Model AFTMM)
- MediaTek Quad-Core 1.7 GHz
- 1.5 GB DDR4 RAM
- 8 GB Storage
- Wi-Fi 5: 802.11 b/g/n/ac
- 4K 3840 × 2160 @ 60fps
- Alexa Compatible
Roku Express+ (Model 3910X)
- ARM Cortex A53 Two-Core 900 MHz
- 512 MB RAM
- 256 MB Storage
- 802.11bgn single-band wireless
- 1080p HD with up-scaling from 720p
- No Voice controls
The specs show that the Firetv is far superior to the Roku Express in all aspects. I decided to install the Firetv in place of the Roku on our Samsung 55" UHD 4K Flat Smart TV. The installation was fairly easy except for the warning message about insufficient power from the USB port on the TV. I took a look at the power adapter, and it said 5V@1 Amp. I made sure the USB port on the TV was the same and ignored the warning message. The menu system on the Firetv feels a lot like Amazon Prime. It took about 4 hours to adjust the settings and install all of our streaming apps. By then I was starting to get used to the menu system. The main thing is that the Firetv was able to make a good connection with our 5 GHz wifi band. With the improved performance, it is more enjoyable watching streaming content. For the month of December, we used about 700 GB of data. The 100 mbps limit I set on the router is working and there is no noticeable impact to streaming quality.
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