#Chromecast vs roku tv free#

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#Chromecast vs roku tv tv#

Our goal at is to help people save money on the TV they love and access it on-the-go. And if you're buying for a non-techy friend who just wants to use one remote for everything, smart TVs are the way to go - we recommend Roku's simple interface for folks like this. However, if you're looking for a foolproof solution and don't mind paying a markup for simplicity, you can't beat a smart TV. The external devices can simply do more, and they cost less to boot. If you're willing to do a bit of simple set-up, we think you'll get more out of your Chromecast or Roku. Of course, nothing is stopping you from using both a streaming stick and a smart TV - but is that really cost-effective? Our Conclusions While all of the streaming options support the major providers like Hulu and Netflix, some more specific content providers might not work on one device or another. The lower price of streaming sticks leads some users to buy more than one and swap them in and out as necessary, using whichever device is best for the service they want at that moment. When your streaming device is a 60-inch flatscreen, that just isn't an option. That means that you have the ability to bring your streaming stick over to a friend's house or toss it in your bag when you're heading on vacation. When you use a small device like a Chromecast or an Amazon Fire TV Stick, carrying it around is easy. If your streaming platform is built into your smart TV, you're more or less stuck with it - and if things stop working well, you may find yourself in the market for a whole new TV, rather than just a new streaming stick. The downside? If your streaming platform stops working well, you may need a whole new TV, rather than just a new streaming device! One of Roku's TCL-brand smart TVs What's Worse About Smart TVs All or Nothing Again, this makes the Smart TV a simple and foolproof option for those who don't want to wrangle with extra devices, no matter how simple those devices try to be. Its uses may be more limited than those of the external options, but what it does do, it does simply and well. You won't have to do much troubleshooting with your smart TV. When your streaming capabilities are built-in, that frees up one of your HDMI jacks for everything else you want to plug in, like DVD players, video game systems, and more. Save Your PortsĬhromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and the rest of the gang plug into your television's HDMI port - one of your TV's limited number of inputs. There's nothing extra to plug in, which means nothing can accidentally become disconnected.

With a smart TV, the streaming capabilities are ready to go right out of the box. You can't beat the convenience of a smart TV. In our streaming stick comparison article, we often asked how simple the devices were to set up. The Roku Express What's Better About Smart TVs Plug and Play If you love Roku's platform but hate the specs on Roku's smart TV line, that's no problem - you can buy any TV you want (even a competing smart TV) and effectively turn it into a Roku TV by plugging a Roku Ultra streaming device into it. Streaming sticks and boxes have the advantage of flexibility and portability. That's pretty simple stuff, but it can be a source of confusion to some less tech-savvy users, so keep it in mind if you're shopping for an older relative. With a streaming stick, you'll be running your smart device through one of your TV's inputs. Smart TVs have at least one clear advantage: Since the streaming platform comes right on board the TV, there's no need to worry about your “Input” button (or “TV/VCR” button, as it was known back in the day). That's the bad news, but the good news is why the decision is tougher than ever: Both choices are great! These days, it's very hard to go wrong with either a smart TV or a streaming stick. streaming stick debate has never been trickier.