Roku 2 Vs Roku 3- How Do They Compare?

10 Years down the line and Roku is still making headlines in the media streaming industry and all for the right reasons; according to statistics Roku has managed to garner up to 30.5 million user accounts to date all of which are active, a fact that only goes to prove the effectiveness of their media players.

Isn’t it interesting how Roku has kept Apple, the technology giant on its toes, for example, the high-end Apple 4K Tv does not beat Roku as the best 4K HDR media player, the above is inclusive of the price. Additionally, Roku is famous for providing its users with a wide variety of applications when compared to other media players in the industry.

With the above information in mind, if we were to rank all the media players with regards to performance, pricing and streaming, one of the many Roku devices will come out at the top, more especially the Roku Ultra or Roku Express. It is, therefore, obvious that finding a suitable Roku device is like looking for a needle in a haystack, so to simplify the process we are going to look into Roku 2 and Roku 3 to see how they compare.

What are the differences between Roku 2 and Roku 3?

Model	Roku 2	Roku 3
RAM	512mb	512mb
Throughput Speed	5.0 megabits for HD 3.0 megabits per second for DVD quality 1.5megabits per second for broadband connection speed	4K around 25mbps 6mbps for HD
Ports	HDMI, Ethernet, Micro SD slot, USB	USB slot, Micro SD slot
Processor	MIPS 600 MHz	Dual-core
Availability	Check Price Here	Check Price Here

Roku 2 vs Roku 3 – How do they compare?

Storage

Storage in your Roku media player is important because it helps the unit to load the channels faster, and can also be used in the storage of video files among other content. Now as you might have noticed in the table above there is no slot showing the available storage in both the devices and we are, therefore, left with the micro SD Option.

So, for the latter, you are going to use it to store the channels meaning that it doesn’t work as a streaming buffer. Roku 2 and 3 have, therefore, incorporated the micro SD slot to be used as storage, but Roku 2 tends to be more functional because it is additionally equipped with an Ethernet port which encourages faster internet connectivity. The USB slot option is a provision for the storage of movies, and music on a portable USB drive which you can use on your Roku media player.

Speed and Performance

The speed and performance of a media player are determined by the throughput speeds and the type of processor. As regards performance, word on the ground is that the new Roku 2 has been upgraded to match the functionality of Roku 3, which consequently means that Roku 3 offers enhanced performance in terms of speed and processor capacity.

The dual-core processor incorporated in Roku 3 is known to be effective when multitasking, which means it will offer an outstanding performance if you were to run several applications in your device. In the computing world, therefore, the numbers are rarely relied on, so what matters is the frequency and as the books of knowledge have indicated both MHZ and GHz are too little, and with the above, in mind, Roku 3 is the better performing device both in speed and processor capacity.

Build and Design

Unless for the numerals on top of both the Roku 2 and 3 then you can easily confuse the two, and apart from featuring the aesthetics Roku 2 is also quite bulky, but will easily complement your home décor. The unit has a USB slot on the side and the other ports on the back for ease of usage. Roku 3 on the other hand, is equally attractive and we are keen to observe that it is lacking an Ethernet port, making Roku 2 the better unit.

We have also noticed that both units have almost similar remote controls, but which differ when it comes to functionality. The Roku 3 remote does have the voice search option and comes with a head jack and can, therefore, be used for motion control during gaming. Well, all the above features cannot be in the build and design of Roku 2 media player, which automatically makes Roku 3 the best media player with varied functionality options.

Roku 2 vs Roku 3 – a comparison overview

Roku 3

Roku 3 comes in an easy to navigate fashion and we can’t possibly turn a blind eye on the major upgrade done on the media streamer, not to mention the improved user interface. The design of the unit is not entirely inconspicuous as some of it will definitely show no matter where you place it, and still on positioning users need to ensure that there is enough airflow to prevent the unit from overheating.

Set up and use of Roku 3 is as simple as ABC just ensure that all the cables fit in their respective ports. You will also have to buy an HDMI cable because the media player doesn’t come incorporated with one.

Pros

• Data processing and user inputs are responsive
• Has an Intuitive remote
• Users can engage local content via the USB port
• The upgraded user interface is intuitive

Cons

• The unit freezes frequently
• Problem with loading the YouTube videos

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Roku 2 

Roku 2 is not very different in design when compared to Roku 3, on the side you will find the USB port, and the other ports are located at the back of the unit. The unit has incorporated a large collection of movies and shows which can be accessed either through a wired or a wireless connection. Setting up the media player is super simple as you all you are going to do is plug the unit to the wall and then connect the HDMI cable to your TV and in less than five minutes you will be streaming.

Pros

• The units are fairly priced
• The device is intuitive in terms of usability
• Has incorporated many applications
• The unit updates are constant

Cons

• The search capability is not as effective
• The unit is buggy

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Conclusion

When it comes to the quality of services offered by Roku, well we cannot 100% vouch for the developers, however, the user experience is the best and both units have been equipped with the best hardware specs of course with some slight differences; additionally, almost all of the Roku devices have a wide variety of content.

Final Verdict – So which is better? Roku 2 or Roku 3

 Roku 3 is the better unit because it has been equipped with a powerful processor, and offers fast throughput speeds, which then translates to seamless performance.

FAQ’s

1. Does Roku 2 support a wireless connection?

Roku 2 supports the 802.11 dual-band connections complete with WEP/WPA and WPA2.

2. Must I give out my credit card details when setting up a Roku Account?

You cannot access the services incorporated in the media streamer without an account and during the setup process is when you will be required to give out your credit card details which will be used in case you will want to use the paid channels.