### **Roku vs. Fire TV: Installation and Design**

Upon initial inspection, Roku and Fire TV sticks appear quite alike, leading to the assumption that their installation processes would also be straightforward. However, that’s not entirely accurate.

Setting up the Roku was a breeze. I merely inserted the stick into an HDMI port on my television and powered it using a USB cable. My TV conveniently has a USB port, which allowed me to keep everything organized. After switching on the remote and signing in, I was prepared to stream within moments.

Although I made a minor error during the setup (my impatience got the better of me), Roku’s setup was still foolproof. The setup interface guided me through selecting pre-installed apps, and once I logged in, I was viewing *Love Island* in just 15 minutes after unboxing.

Conversely, the Fire TV Stick presented a different experience. It’s markedly bulkier than the Roku stick, making it tricky to connect without obstructing other HDMI connections. Fortunately, Amazon provides an HDMI extender to mitigate this problem, but it caused the Fire Stick to protrude awkwardly from the side of my TV—far from ideal for a streamlined home entertainment configuration.

Powering the Fire TV Stick was yet another obstacle. I first attempted to use my TV’s USB port, similarly to what I did with Roku, but the device indicated that it was an inadequate power source. Oddly, Roku functioned well with the same setup. I had to plug it into a power strip instead, which added more clutter.

Then came another setback: Amazon allows you to set up the Fire TV Stick using either the Fire TV app or the provided remote. I chose the app to avoid the trouble of typing with an on-screen keyboard, but despite adhering to the guidelines, the app was unable to detect the device. I ultimately had to opt for manual setup.

And the annoyances didn’t end there. After connecting to my Wi-Fi, the Fire TV Stick underwent not one, not two, but three distinct updates, consuming a full 20 minutes. By the time it was finally set, I had already started streaming on Roku for a while.

To make matters worse, before reaching the home screen, I had to navigate through multiple screens pushing free trials for apps I had no interest in. My partner, who had stepped out when I began setting up the Fire Stick, returned just as I completed the setup and asked, “Are you just now finishing?” My thoughts exactly.

**Winner: Roku**

—

### **Roku vs. Fire TV: User Experience**

Neither the Roku nor the Fire TV Stick offers a flawless home screen—both are cluttered with advertisements—but one is certainly more problematic than the other.

Both devices come loaded with unnecessary apps, prompting me to want to reorganize everything right away. Roku permitted this, although it was somewhat tedious since I had to rearrange and remove apps individually. The default clicking sounds on Roku were bothersome, but thankfully, I learned that altering the theme also modified the sounds. Roku’s ads remain confined to one side, while the primary menu stays well-organized.

In contrast, Amazon’s home screen is chaotic and disorganized. It heavily promotes Prime Video content, making locating other streaming apps challenging. Unlike Roku, which shows all apps on the home screen, Fire TV Stick necessitates clicking into a separate app library, which is poorly arranged. If you mainly watch Prime Video, you might like how Fire TV Stick keeps your recently watched Prime shows at the top—but for the rest, it’s quite frustrating.

In terms of performance, the Fire TV Stick is painfully sluggish. Switching between apps and menus is problematic, with considerable delays between selections. The system seems bogged down by its own advertisements, likely adding to the slowness. Even worse, each time I turned it on, it required yet another update. If you’re eager to dive into the next episode of *Bridgerton*, this lag is incredibly frustrating.

Both remotes are well-constructed and can adjust TV volume. They feature similar buttons, including navigation arrows, play/pause, rewind/fast forward, back, and home. Each remote also has four shortcut buttons for easy access to streaming apps.

– The Fire TV Stick remote has Netflix, Prime Video, DirecTV, and Peacock.
– The Roku remote has Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+.

I rarely used these shortcut buttons, but if you have a preferred streaming service, this could sway your choice.

One aspect where Fire TV Stick holds an advantage is voice control. Both remotes support voice commands, but Fire TV Stick’s voice search is marginally quicker and more reactive than Roku’s. However, considering Roku’s overall efficiency, organization, and simplicity, it still comes out ahead.