Roku has a brand-new streamer — the $40 Streaming Stick Plus — and I’ve gone hands-on to see if it is well worth the improve.I used to be intrigued by the announcement of the finances Streaming Stick and the Streaming Stick Plus, as I really feel they assist streamline Roku’s roster. The Roku Express 4K Plus, specifically, was a clumsy product because of its complicated, prolonged identify and the necessity to connect to the aspect of your TV like a barnacle. Yet, having spent a while with the corporate’s new sticks, I admit for some time I needed the outdated ones again.After placing the brand new Streaming Stick Plus by way of its paces over the higher a part of per week, the most important shock I had was that it was buggy. Netflix crashed typically, and HDR content material spent a variety of time buffering. After a number of resets I’ve managed to get the Stick Plus secure, however have to spend extra time on it earlier than I may give it a remaining rating.My present recommendation: for those who want a brand new Roku now follow the older Streaming Stick 4K which additionally occurs to be a few bucks cheaper than this new gadget. I’ll replace this take after I really feel that Stick Plus is prepared for prime time, however for now the outdated model is healthier.Read extra: Best Streaming Devices of 2025A protracted line of RokusRoku’s streaming gadgets have been on the prime of our “best lists” for a few years as they’ve historically supplied easy operation at an reasonably priced value. I’ve reviewed dozens of Roku streamers and their rivals through the years — from Roku’s bizarre, MHL-only Streaming Stick to the Google TV Streamer — and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus has, to date, given me one of many bumpiest rides that I can recall.The Streaming Stick Plus is the center little one of three — the Stick is HD, the Stick Plus I reviewed is 4K HDR after which, on the prime of the road there’s the Stick 4K. The foremost variations between the Streaming Stick Plus and CNET’s present choose, the Streaming Stick 4K, is that the latter has Dolby Vision HDR and a Wi-Fi antenna constructed into the USB cable for boosted vary. The Streaming Stick Plus has a little bit dimple with a lightweight towards the again. Ty Pendlebury/CNETThe new Streaming Stick Plus is the dimensions of a USB thumb drive, about three inches lengthy, and now features a dimpled space with a lightweight at one finish. While this melancholy appears to be like like a button it’s not, although beside it there’s a bodily energy button. The stick ships with a USB cable and Roku’s Voice Remote. Roku advised me you possibly can plug this stick into any 5V/1A USB port, although my first alternative of utilizing my Marantz receiver did not work. You may plug it right into a USB adapter in order for you as nicely (not provided)The included distant has the identical pleasant structure as different Roku clickers with shortcut buttons, a microphone and TV controls. The really feel of the buttons was a little bit spongey in comparison with different Roku remotes I’ve used, such because the Voice Remote, which has a firmer motion. Same acquainted interface and adverts Ty Pendlebury/CNETIf you’ve got ever used a Roku gadget you will be fully at residence with the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and the perks which have attracted tens of millions of customers previously are right here. You can nonetheless obtain a whole bunch of fashionable apps, and loads of obscure ones, and the choice of free content material is increasing on a regular basis. The free Roku Channel stays front-and-center, and the included “live TV guide” nonetheless has dozens of reside, linear channels. Interestingly, neither of them have their very own shortcut buttons on the brand new distant.The interface has had some further tweaks since we final reviewed a Roku, and but they’re additionally ones you will see quickly on some other Roku gadget. While the Roku residence display began out as a set of apps, the quantity of content material on show continues to develop, and purists could not like that. For instance, as I write this, Roku has unveiled an Andor Fan Preview which seems as a house display choice. Apart from particular one-offs like this, although, there are different everlasting, although detachable, shortcuts like Daily Trivia and a What To Watch part. The Roku Streaming Stick Plus performed a Benjamin Moore advert with audio with out warning Ty Pendlebury/CNETWhat is not deletable? Right now, the adverts. When we used to complain about adverts showing on our streaming gadgets, it was once adverts for promoted applications. It was tolerable, however now Roku has adverts for precise merchandise and autoplay movies. When I used to be flipping by way of the house display, as you do, an autoplay advert for paint all of the sudden appeared, audio and all. The advert jogged my memory why these items are so low cost, in order that firms can promote you. Bugs, pace and different weirdnessThe foremost subject I had throughout testing with the Stick Plus was fixed buffering with any type of HDR materials, and it additionally had specific issues with Netflix. The Streaming Stick Plus is specified for HDR 10 playback, however it could not go greater than a minute with out stalling. Netflix refused to work altogether — on both the cheaper Stick (which does not help 4K or HDR) or the Stick Plus. I did a community pace take a look at and located that when utilizing the Roku’s personal pace take a look at, it hit 25 Mbps which is correct on the sting of the corporate’s advice for streaming HDR. After a few false begins, Fandango even gave me a message to look at in decrease non-HDR high quality. It’s value mentioning that I’ve a 1Gb connection at residence with the router lower than 6 ft away. Similar playback exams with a wi-fi Nvidia Shield Pro and even a TCL Roku TV in one other room carried out wonderful. After talking to Roku they suggested a reboot of each gadgets — despite the fact that I had been powering them down and connecting them to completely different TVs — and this appears to have labored. Will proceed utilizing them within the meantime to see if the problems reappear. Roku advises that Ethernet adaptors will work with the USB-C connection so this can be a repair for you for those who discover you are having related difficulties. Ty Pendlebury/CNETThere was another weirdness as I used to be utilizing the Stick Plus — for example, a giant replace in the previous couple of days knocked out the distant management fully. I needed to join a special distant (holding down the Back and Home button) to get the unique to work once more. Of course, there’s an enormous caveat right here in all of this: it is a model new gadget, and like most software-based devices they will proceed enhance over time.Outlook: Wait for now to buyGiven there’s solely twenty {dollars} separating the three gadgets, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus must work onerous to justify its place between the 2 different sticks. In my expertise, the older Streaming Stick 4K provides a greater expertise, and the Streaming Stick has all the “don’t need anything but a tune on my lips and the freedom of an open sky” that vacationers require. The vanilla Streaming Stick could also be barebones, however it’s seemingly the place a tool this dimension maxes out by way of efficiency. While it additionally had points loading Netflix, its lack of HDR meant that I had no buffering points when watching reveals or motion pictures. As I mentioned on the prime, for those who actually need a Roku proper now, get the Streaming Stick 4K, and in the meantime I’ll sit by and see if the Stick Plus can proceed its bug-free run. Watch this area..
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