Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)
Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a deal on Roku's Streaming Stick+, which is down to $39 at various retailers. That's $10 off its typical going rate. The 4K- and HDR-ready streamer briefly fell to $29 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year, but this is tied for the lowest price we've seen from reputable retailers outside of that.
If you can't deal with the clunky interfaces that often come built into new smart TVs, the Streaming Stick+ is a good all-around option for streaming video up to 4K HDR. While we've given its chief competitor, Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K, a slight nod in the past, both streamers are worthwhile; the best choice is typically whichever is cheaper.
To compare: the Fire TV Stick 4K's main advantages are its support for more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision—the Streaming Stick+ only supports standard HDR10—and more robust voice search aided by the Alexa digital assistant. (It also has a Twitch app, which Roku doesn't.) Roku's OS can make certain apps look more dated from a design standpoint, but it's more neutral in recommending content—Amazon tends to push its own content first and foremost—and it doesn't inundate you with as many ads. The main appeal is that its UI is just simpler to navigate, with a focus on apps instead of shows, all laid out in a clean grid. It's a bit boring, but it's customizable and uncomplicated.
