The big players in the market are vying for your attention and the motto is to allow you to enjoy your entertainment seamlessly on a high definition television.
While the situation was already crowded with Apple TV and Roku boxes, Chromecast changed the scenario with their budget streaming sticks. It changed the way people consumed content and now more companies are looking forward to invest in streaming sticks than entertainment boxes. The market has a new entrant from Amazon named as the Amazon Fire which comes with an additional controller for game streaming. As it is early to add it to the comparison, let’s focus on the comparison between Chromecast, Apple TV and Roku stick for now.
Chromecast Is Cheap, Android Friendly
The Chromecast streaming stick from Google is the cheapest from the lot. Priced at $35, it is affordable for every buyer who requires a reliable solution to share content from their computers or smartphones. The product ideally suits people who are heavily invested in the Google ecosystem. If Chrome is your most preferred browser and you use a phone as well as tablet that run on the Android operating system, then Chromecast is a tailor made device for you. Users who use a lot of YouTube will find it convenient that the product supports instant cast function so that anything that is playing on the laptop or desktop can be relayed on to the big screen. Similarly, if you purchase most content such as movies and music on Play Store, it can be readily shared. However, it will not fit the requirements of users who own an iPad and like to share its content on the television.
Apple All the Way
As the name suggests, Apple TV is meant for people who are heavily invested into the Apple ecosystem. It includes an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Macintosh systems because all of them are designed to intuitively working with the streaming box. The pricing is a bit on the higher side as it costs $99 but it is capable of seamlessly connecting your devices to your television. The product has a nice interface but it lacks Amazon Prime which will limit the type of content that you could view on it. Recently, Apple added HBO Go to their channel list and the list are expected to grow in the coming months.
Roku for Everyone
The Roku streaming stick is an all rounded as it works with both Android and iOS content to a good extent. The pricing is moderate at $50 and it has over 1000+ channels which makes it one of the most versatile streaming sticks available in the market. You will be able to find any program irrespective of its channel because they have the top ones included in their interface already. The product has dedicated apps on iOS and Android devices for easy navigation. For people who live in a mix of Google and Apple ecosystem and prefers multiple choice of selection, Roku is a good choice.
The best among the three is purely an individual decision because getting the most out of your services depends on the devices you own and your choice of content.
Related ItemsApple TVChromecastRoku
