2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max Comparison Review

Cloud745

Member
The Roku Express and Fire TV stick are two typical streaming devices if you're looking for a compact TV streaming device for your TV to add smart functionality to your TV. In this article, we'll compare the Roku Express 2022 vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2021 to help you make a more appropriate choice.

2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max Comparison Review.png

2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max Quick Decision​


The Roku Express 2022 is the latest streaming device released on September 12 that supports 1080p resolution for around $30, or you can buy it on Amazon for $25. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a 4K Amazon streaming device that was released in 2021. Its original price was around $55 and now you can get it for around $35. When comparing these two affordable TV streaming devices, which one do we support more? If it's a quick decision, here's our pick: please pay $10 more for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

SpecsRoku ExpressAmazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2021
Price$29.99/$24.98$54.99/$34.99
Demension and Weight3x 1.5 x 0.75 inches
1.1 Ounces
4.25 x 1.18 x 0.55 inches
43.4 g
SoC/OSRoku OS
ARM Cortex A55 CPU
Mediatek MT8696 + MT7921LS
(Quad-core CPU 1.8GHz, GPU 750MHz)
Fire OS 7
NetworkWifiWiFi 6 (ax) with 2x2 MIMO
RAM+ROM512 MB RAM2GB+8 GB
Picture Quality1080p Resolution4K Resolution
HDR10,HDR10+, HLG
Dolby Vision
AudioDolby Atmos via HDMI passthroughDolby Vision, Dolby Atmos audio
Bluetooth/Bluetooth 5.0
Streaming ServicesHulu, Disney Plus, Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Showtime and Starz, among othersAmazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus, Now, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, UKTV Play, IMDb TV, Eurosport
Voice RemoteRoku simple remoteAlexa Voice Near-field Alexa control
ConnectivityHDMI Port
Power Port
HDMI 2.1/eARC/ARC
Ethernet 10/100 Mbps (with external dongle)

Now let's check more information and review for both the 2022 Roku Express and Fire TV Stick 4K Max and find the details.

2022 Roku Express Quick Review​


There's no doubt that the Roku Express 2022 is the choice when you don't need 4K content and are on a budget. This $25 streaming device supports 1080P resolution, its HDMI port sends video to your TV, and its micro USB gets power easy to use. It's a small, curved TV road media that hides so well behind your TV you'll barely notice it's there. In addition, it has a reset button, and comes with a battery, HDMI cable and remote control, but it does not come with a separate power adapter.

Like all Rokus, the Roku Express 2022 comes with built-in live TV from The Roku Channel, making it easy to watch live channels online. Plus, like all Roku devices, the Roku Express 2022 has a simple and easy-to-use interface.

2022 Roku Express Review.png


When you open the Roku Express 2022, you'll find a grid of app icons in the center of the home screen, a menu of options on the left and an ad on the right. You can find recommended content from around the world in the What to Watch section, such as Peacock, HBO Max and Tubi, or watch free linear ad-supported TV channels in the Live TV section. Plus, you can search and add your favorite channels in the TV Store.

The Roku Express 2022 comes with a regular Roku remote, which doesn't support features like voice search, so you'll need to do a lot of typing using the remote or the Roku mobile app. As for performance, its dual-band Wi-Fi modem seems to work well, as movies and shows load in HD quickly after a second or two of pixel quality. Roku says it upgraded the Express's internal storage to speed up load times. Overall, it took a bit of loading time, but most tests were successful. While browsing the Roku OS menu, I did notice a slight pause in load times for sections like The Buzz and Featured Free.

As for image quality and audio, it doesn't have 4K and HDR, but does support Dolby Atmos. HDR allows for a wider range of brightness in a single image.

Overall, the Roku Express 2022 is easy to use and offers a wide variety of streaming channels and entertainment services. But it has average performance and lacks a smart remote, among other things.

✅Pros​

  • Snappier performance (mostly)
  • Remote doesn't require precise aim anymore
  • Clean Roku OS interface

❌Cons​

  • Remote lacks speech input and TV controls
  • No included power adapter
  • Roku's limited live TV integration

Fire TV Stick 4K Max Quick Review​


The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a streaming TV stick released in 2021 that still performs well in the Amazon Fire Stick vs Apple TV 4K 2022 comparison. the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K offers one of the best ways to stream content. It's easy to use, has access to tons of streaming services, and integration with Alexa means it has a little more than some features.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max Quick Review.png


With faster Wi-Fi connectivity, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is faster to navigate through the user interface and better for the future - but even if you don't have a Wi-Fi 6 router yet, it's ready for you.

Some streaming devices don't support Dolby Vision, but Amazon has offered this feature for years, including the lesser-positioned Fire TV Stick 4K. Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports other high dynamic range (HDR) standards, including HDR10+ and HLG, which means you can experience HDR types on streaming services.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max's speed, wide format and service support, combined with great remote control, deliver a great experience. Overall, there are more UI customization and control options here than on the Roku device, similar to the Chromecast with Google TV, although there are some notable differences - the lack of support for Google content is noticeable.

✅ Pros​

  • Great remote
  • Alexa integration
  • Supports the latest standards
  • Really slick and fast to use

❌Cons​

  • No Google TV/Play Movies
  • No support for Google Casting
  • Discovery a bit heavy on the Amazon content

2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max Comparison​


Appearance​

The Roku Express 2022 and Fire TV Stick 4K Max are both compact TV streaming devices, but as you can see they are completely different in design. the Roku Express 2022 is a small curved piece that resembles a slice of bread with the Roku logo on the top and HDMI and power ports on the side for connection.
2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max DESIGN.jpg

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is just like any other Firestick. It's like a small flash drive with an HDMI port that plugs into the TV and works. Both TV streamers can be completely hidden behind your TV without causing any obstruction, keeping your living room neat and tidy.

Picture Quality​

As you can see, one of the biggest differences between the Roku Express 2022 and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the resolution. the Roku Express 2022 is a streaming device that supports 1080p resolution, while the Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports 4K resolution displays. So, if 4K content is a necessity for you, then take note of that.

2022 Roku Express SCREEN


On top of that, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision, which simply means that the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has better picture quality and display than the Roku Express 2022. For example, HDR10+ is a high dynamic range (HDR) video technology that allows the TV to set color and brightness levels to frame by frame, which makes the picture look realistic.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max SCREEN

Connectivity​

In terms of connectivity, as we mentioned earlier, the Roku Express 2022 and Fire TV Stick 4K Max only have a simple HDMI port for connecting to your TV. If you need additional connectivity, you can use a docking station. However, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has a clear advantage in WiFi and Bluetooth. fire TV Stick 4K Max has WiFi6, which provides super-fast network speed. In addition, it has Bluetooth 5.0, which can be used to connect with other devices wirelessly. The Roku Express 2022 does not have Bluetooth.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max connectivity


TV System​


Finally, when we talk about the Roku and Fire stick, it's easy to see that they run on different systems and have completely different interfaces. 2022 Roku Express and Fire TV Stick 4K Max run Roku OS and Fire OS respectively, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has 2GB RAM and 8GB ROM. This is a huge advantage compared to the 2022 Roku Express. 2022 The Roku Express has only 512MB of RAM, which means it has far less space to run than the Fire Stick, thus limiting its speed.

2022 Roku Express OS


2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max Final Verdict​


The comparison above shows that there are clear differences between the 2022 Roku Express and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offering better overall performance than the 2022 Roku Express. The 2022 Roku Express is an entry-level TV streaming device. It is inexpensive and offers a wide variety of rich Roku channels and live TV channels. Overall, it is a cheap new product for 2022 with average performance.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a product that has been released close to two years ago, it has dropped in price and is close to the price of the 2022 Roku Express. This TV streamer has been used by users and has reaped many friendly reviews. Now, it offers features like WiFi 6, 4K Resolution, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision, Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI2.1 and Alexa Voice remote for around $35, which is almost the specs offered by TVs cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

2022 Roku Express vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max specs

In summary, our recommendation is to go with the 2022 Roku Express if you already have a Roku account and want to deliver Roku channels on your TV for a low price. if you have more budget, you can also consider the 2022 Roku Ultra. (Check out the 2022 Roku Ultra vs Fire TV Stick 4K Max comparison). If you're on a budget but want to enjoy better picture quality, then the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best affordable TV streaming device for now.
 

sdfjhsjd

Member
Its most advanced device is the Roku Ultra, which recently got some new upgrades in 2022, including the excellent new Voice Remote Pro.
 

VivianL

Member
Roku is our favorite overall platform, but the Fire TV Stick Lite offers more features at the entry-level than the similarly priced Roku Express.
 
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