Roku Vs Amazon Fire Vs Chromecast- Which media player is better?

Streaming media from a media player will rarely require a larger hard drive storage space since the units have been configured to run content by utilizing little storage space; another advantage of using the media streamers is that they offer improved visual and sound quality, so all you need is a strong internet connection.

The media streaming industry is experiencing wave after wave of newly upgraded hardware, and the improved units come with advanced features that are hard to ignore even if you can still tolerate what you already have.  Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast are media streamers known to offer a wide variety of content, with some allowing users to cast movies and music from their mobile devices.

One of the features that most developers are keen to include in their devices is the 4K HDR support, which provides sharp images as regards video quality; HDR, on the other hand, offers greater contrast with a wide range of colors.

What are the differences between Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast?

Model	Roku	Amazon Fire	Chromecast
Storage	USB slot Micro SD Slot	8GB	2GB
Processor	1.7 GHz quad-core	Quad-Core 1.7GHz	ARM Cortex-A9
RAM	512mb	1.5GB DDR4	512 MB of Micron DDR3L
Ports	USB, Micro SD slot, Ethernet	HDMI	Micro-USB, HDMI
Throughput speeds	4K around 25mbps 6mbps for HD	5-10 for HD 3mbps for SD	3.0mbps for SD (480P) 5.0mbps for HD (1080P)
Availability	Check Price Here	Check Price Here	Check Price Here

Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast – How do they compare?

Build and Design

Most media players are designed to be used behind the TV given the location of the HDMI and USB connectors on the smart TV’s, and because of the above, some media streamer will not fit behind your TV if you are to hang it up on the wall, such as the Roku 3 streamer and the Chromecast.

Additionally, media streamers work best in areas with a lot of air circulation to prevent them from becoming too hot.  Roku, for example, gives users a warning message once it becomes too hot and if you don’t act fast the unit will burst consequently damaging your TV set. When compared to the Amazon Firestick, Chromecast does seem a bit big, so concerns about whether it will fit behind your Television set are valid.

In overall, therefore, the Amazon Firestick has the best build and can be easily incorporated behind your tv without you having to worry about overheating.

Connectivity features

The ports on a media player are part of the current wave of hardware upgrade and most devices that don’t have the Ethernet port or the expandable micro SD slots are less likely to leave the shelves thus considered traditional. The Amazon Fire Stick only has the HDMI, meaning that connectivity to the internet is wireless, and you can only connect the unit to your TV and power.

Chromecast has the micro- USB port which can be used to play the local movies, and music through the unit, apart from that you also get an HDMI connection necessary for the transmission of content from the internet to your television set. Lastly, we have the Roku 3 and here users have been provided with a micro SD slot, an Ethernet port, and a USB port.

Because of the above Roku 3 offers the best expandability feature through the micro SD, users can stream local content through the incorporated USB port, and the Ethernet offers fast and strong internet signals thus minimal latency during streaming.

Storage and Speed

The amount of storage space will determine how fast content will be relayed to you, therefore, if your media player has a small space then the many applications and channels will put a strain on the available storage space. Streaming has also been known to eat up much of your hard drive space temporarily as you stream either video or audio, but once you quit then the space becomes available for other use.

If you have been using the media streamers you must have experienced freezing or a device becoming too slow; the culprit for the above is a device that has been filled with all sorts of channels and applications that you don’t necessarily use, which will then make finding the right content a hurdle. So, with regards to the above, the Amazon Fire Stick has the most storage space at 8GB, which makes streaming and searching for content easy.  

Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast – A Comparison Overview

Roku

Roku developers have packed the Roku 3 with up to 250,000+ varied content meant to enhance your viewing experience, in addition to 2,000 more streaming channels. The media player has also been designed with customizable options where users are allowed to expand their internal memory and can play local content through the incorporated USB port.

Pros

• The remote offers a voice search option
• Offers stunning HD video quality
• Easy to set up and use

Cons

• Freezes frequently

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Amazon Fire

The Amazon fire stick has an interesting selection of applications; the unit has been equipped with a fast and intuitive interface and the video quality offered is superb. And the reason why it is flying of the shelves fast is because it retails at a fair price; the unit has additionally incorporated Alexa making it hands-free and easy to integrate with other smart devices in your home.

Pros

• Users get the Alexa voice remote
• Enables a 4K Ultra HD streaming experience
• Has a large storage space

Cons

• Does not allow third-party apps to download
• Most of the incorporated content come at a premium

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Chromecast

Chromecast has managed to raise the bar high for other media players thanks to its simplicity of use, and you can, therefore, cast content from your phone or laptop directly to your Tv. The unit is fairly priced and gives users the liberty to stream content from different applications; so while investing in a Chromecast while you have a smart TV might seem like an impulse buy, the local content and other important applications might not be available in your smart TV.

Pros

• Allows streaming by using voice
• The media player is fairly priced
• Works with the most relevant apps such as CBS

Cons

• Content transmission is not smooth
• The unit is buggy

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Conclusion

Media streamers tend to be obsolete after a few months of use, you should, therefore, settle with a device that has incorporated a dedicated app because Google, Apple, and Amazon have put restrictions on some of their services, which then means that some of the media streamers might not contain all that you want.

Final Verdict – so which is better? Roku, Amazon or Chromecast

The Amazon Fire Stick is the better unit because it has incorporated a powerful processor, offers the best throughput speeds, and has a large storage space when compared to Chromecast and Roku.

FAQ’s

1. Can you cast zoom on Chromecast?

Yes, you can cast zoom on your Chromecast just open the screencast option, then open the zoom application and join the tribe meeting, and the zoom class will automatically be mirrored to your Chromecast and then displayed on your TV.

2. Is it possible to stream from my phone to Roku 3

Yes, it is possible but you must first set up and enable the feature in your Android or Windows device after which you will request a connection to your Roku device.