Roku reveals two new Fire Stick rivals that are cheaper and loaded with hundreds of free TV channels to watch instantly
ROKU has unveiled a brand new duo of streaming devices – and they’re cheaper than their Amazon Fire Stick rival.
Both of Roku‘s fresh Streaming Sticks provide access to the biggest apps around, as well as some hidden gems packed with free TV and channels to watch instantly.
The Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus replace the existing Roku Express and Roku Express 4K gadgets, promising “more features at the same affordable price points”.
Cheapest of the bunch is the Roku Streaming Stick at £29.99 / $29.99, costing less than Amazon‘s equivalent, the Fire TV Stick HD which currently retails for £39.99 / $34.99.
This entry-level HD model has some key changes, such as improved Wi-Fi connectivity so you’re less likely to have buffering issues that interrupt your favourite shows.
And for the first time at this price point for Roku you’ll get a voice-enabled remote control too so you can easily find content faster, as well as change the volume and power on the TV.
For those who want the best picture quality, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus brings you 4K and vivid HDR colour.
It costs £10 / $10 more, totalling £39.99 / $39.99.
The streaming gadget giant also claims that its sticks are among the most compact around, coming in at 35 per cent smaller than rivals “without compromising performance or speed”.
Both devices are powered directly by the TV so you will have less annoying cables hanging around too.
These new products will offer access to the same selection of content, which includes a load of free services.
Roku has its own offering called The Roku Channel, which includes a number of originals and “premium entertainment”.
Others worth checking out include Pluto TV, Plex and Tubi.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is owned by Paramount and with it comes the company’s wealth of films and TV shows.
In the UK, you can watch hits such as South Park, Catfish and Most Haunted with dedicated channels showing back-to-back episodes.
In the US, Pluto TV has a range of channels too showing movies, much-loved comedy including Cheers and Frasier, Daria, as well as early episodes of Brit classic Doctor Who.
Plex
Plex also offers a number of free channels to watch instantly.
In the UK, the channels include Tennis, Mystery TV, Ghost Hunters Channel, Mr Bean and Homes Under The Hammer.
In the US, you can watch NFL, MythBusters, movies from Miramax, Real Housewives and WWE on CW.
Tubi
Tubi is home to big name Hollywood movies – and you don’t need to sign up to watch.
Hits in the UK, include Anger Management, Robin Hood, In Time, The Cabin in the Wood and Pineapple Express.
In the US, you can watch Sausage Party, Rush Hour, Scary Movie and The Lego Movie.
SWAP YOUR STREAMS TO SAVE!
Here’s some bill-slashing advice from The Sun’s tech editor Sean Keach…
If you’re like me, you’ll be paying out more than you’d like on subscriptions each month.
It’s easy to lose track of where all the money goes, and the fear of missing out makes it hard to bin Netflix.
But if you’re paying for several streaming services, you’re making a big mistake.
Instead, try something called stream swapping.
Cancel all of your TV subscriptions except for Netflix, then burn through all of the telly you want to watch on the app.
Then cancel that and sign up for another service, like Disney+.
Watch all of the good stuff there and then move on, perhaps to Amazon Video.
Do this with three or four apps and then cycle back to Netflix at the start.
This way, you get to watch all of the top content on each app but you’re not paying for them all at the same time.
And you might even get to take advantage of some attractive sign-up offers too.
It could save you hundreds each year if you stick to it.