Do not buy a Roku or Hearth Stick with out checking this primary

Means again within the early 2010s, getting my first add-on media streamer — a Google Chromecast — was a revelation. I did personal a sensible TV, however like many units of the period, its built-in apps had been proprietary and never that well-supported. My Chromecast opened up a world of content material and comfort, regardless of that I used to be pressured to make use of my telephone because the interface.

There’s much less incentive to purchase an add-on system now that virtually each TV relies on a standardized OS like Roku OS or Google TV, however it will possibly nonetheless be a useful means of carrying apps and settings from one TV to a different, or switching to your most well-liked working system. You will need to be cautious when you’re shopping for a funds product like an Amazon Hearth Stick or a Roku Streaming Stick, although. They intentionally lower corners to maintain costs down, so insist on these specs if you would like one thing futureproof.

Dolby Imaginative and prescient or HDR10+

Setting a brand new bar for HDR

Continuously, HDR (excessive dynamic vary) is among the most spectacular adjustments for somebody upgrading from an previous TV. With suitable content material, you will not solely see brighter highlights and extra shadow element, however higher coloration illustration as properly. HDR makes motion pictures and reveals “pop” much better than switching your TV’s Image Mode over to Vivid. Arguably, it is a extra beneficial function than 4K or 8K decision.

If an add-on streamer is restricted to HDR10, although, you are lacking out. Why? That format depends on static metadata. You will definitely get enhanced coloration and distinction over SDR (normal dynamic vary), however there’s the potential for some scenes trying too brilliant or too darkish. Dynamic metadata permits changes per-scene and even per-frame.

There are two main dynamic codecs: HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Dolby Imaginative and prescient is extensively thought of the gold normal, though you will pay somewhat additional for the privilege, since Dolby costs {hardware} makers a licensing price. It is why Samsung would not help Imaginative and prescient on its TVs, and is even backing an upcoming normal referred to as HDR10+ Superior to compete with Dolby Imaginative and prescient 2. You will not discover both of these on a Roku or Hearth Stick but.

Talking of help, one thing price emphasizing right here is that your TV must be suitable with an HDR normal as properly. You may’t add a format with a dongle, since in fact your TV has to place the pictures onscreen.

4K decision

The true baseline in 2026

Though I’ve a 4K TV in my front room, I normally stream at 1080p. Truthfully, it is high quality in most circumstances. 4K subscriptions price an arm and a leg, and I not often discover the distinction on a 65-inch set given present upscaling applied sciences. As I stated a second in the past, I am rather more involved about whether or not a TV helps HDR.

In 2026, nonetheless, it is somewhat ridiculous to purchase an adjunct that is restricted to 1080p. 4K TVs have grow to be low cost and ubiquitous, and going with a 1080p add-on will prevent just a few {dollars} at most. As of this writing, in actual fact, the worth hole for Hearth TV Sticks is a mere $3. There is no sense kneecapping the usefulness of your buy for the price of a cup of espresso.

Maybe most significantly, 1080p-only streamers are typically poor in different specs. There is not one with Dolby Imaginative and prescient or Dolby Atmos, and efficiency and storage are going to be sub-par. Primarily, they exist solely to get essentially the most price-conscious consumers within the door.

Wi-Fi 6

Maintain that visitors transferring

I should not must say this, however Wi-Fi 5 (a.okay.a. 802.11ac) is horribly outdated. It operates completely on the 5GHz band, which provides sufficient throughput for 4K, however not the vary and adaptability created by the extra 2.4GHz band you get with Wi-Fi 6. Certainly Wi-Fi 6 is extra environment friendly total, which counts for one thing given the rising calls for of residence networks.

In business phrases, even Wi-Fi 6 is previous. The primary suitable merchandise launched in 2020. Since then, Wi-Fi 6E has emerged, including a 3rd, ultra-fast 6GHz band. Wi-Fi 7 hit the streets in 2024. Whilst you will not discover a low cost Wi-Fi 7 streamer but, that might be only a 12 months or two away.

It’s acceptable to purchase a Wi-Fi 5 add-on, since it’s going to nonetheless work with newer routers. Chances are you’ll remorse that, nonetheless, if you would like a product that is assured to carry out properly if you’re watching 4K HDR content material with Dolby Atmos.

Sufficient storage in your apps

A shifting goalpost

Credit score: Roku

Media streamers do not require an enormous quantity of space for storing to run properly. Their working techniques are stripped down, and excluding the Apple TV 4K, they cannot deal with a lot gaming that is not within the cloud. Actually, any Roku or Hearth system you purchase is meant as a portal to the music and video providers you subscribe to.

Having stated that, there may be such a factor as skimping. Amazon’s least expensive Hearth Sticks are all geared up with 8GB, which must be sufficient for some clients, however leaves little respiratory room when you think about area demanded by the OS. There is a motive why you get 16GB on the Hearth TV Stick 4K Max.

Roku, in the meantime, is oddly cagey about how a lot storage its Streaming Sticks have. Third-party sources counsel about 4GB. That does sound even worse, but I’ve by no means run out of area on any Roku system I’ve owned, and Roku OS has lengthy carried out higher than Hearth OS. If you happen to want extra storage than is on a Streaming Stick 4K, it is in all probability time to make the leap to an Apple TV.

Native Dolby Atmos

Probably, possibly, not essentially

Credit score: Dolby

Regardless of writing quite a bit about residence theater techniques, I really do not look after Atmos that a lot. It is spectacular, little question. However as I’ve stated elsewhere, a lot of my favourite motion pictures predate Atmos, and those that do not nonetheless sound good in stereo or “flat” encompass sound. I needn’t hear starfighters zooming overhead to take pleasure in Star Wars, or gunshots flying round me to take pleasure in Warmth.

For the individuals who do care, native Atmos help is perhaps a should, however solely as a fallback. Even entry-level Amazon and Roku merchandise help Dolby passthrough, so you ought to be good to go so long as the remainder of your HDMI chain helps passthrough and your audio gear can decode it.

Native Atmos processing helps primarily if there are passthrough compatibility points. If you happen to’ve acquired a top quality soundbar or receiver, these merchandise will in all probability deal with Atmos higher. Each Amazon and Roku supply computerized choice modes for that reason, as an alternative of assuming that their very own {hardware} might be superior.