Ruko Ultra vs Ruko streaming stick plus – Which Ruko suits you?
Ruko has one of the most popular streaming devices that provide affordable streaming boxes and sticks that you can use with a 1080p TV that doesn’t have built-in smart TV apps and features. The Ruko Ultra and Ruko streaming stick plus are two Ruko streaming devices that supports 4k video.
These two devices have very similar features and are designed for someone who wants to stream 4K HDR videos on their TV. While you have to plug your Ultra streaming box directly to the wall socket for power, the streaming stick plus can be powered from the wall socket or your TVs USB port.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Ruko Ultra and Ruko streaming stick plus?
Product |
Ruko ultra |
Ruko streaming stick plus |
Design |
A small rounded square-shaped box |
A long thin streaming stick |
Ports |
HDMI, Ethernet port, USB port, MicroSD slot |
HDMI, Mini-USB port |
Dolby vision |
No |
No |
Dolby Atmos |
Spotty support |
Yes |
Headphone jack |
Yes |
No |
Programmable buttons |
Yes |
No |
Ruko Ultra vs Ruko streaming stick plus. How do they differ?
Design
These two Ruko streamers may have some similar features, but their design is different. The Ruko ultra is a small, flat, rounded-square shaped streaming box with a remote finder button at the top, a USB port for your external hard drive, and a microSD card slot for expanded channel storage. On the other hand, the streaming stick plus is essentially a stick that streams. It’s a dongle that you plug directly into your TVs HDMI socket at the back and is powered by your TVs USB port which makes it more convenient than the Ultra that you have to power from the mains.
The streaming stick plus has a better design and is very portable.
Remote control
All Ruko devices come with a remote, but some remotes are more advanced than others. The Ultra has an enhanced voice remote with TV controls and programmable shortcut buttons while the streaming stick plus remote is a voice remote with TV controls for power and volume. The dedicated buttons on the Ultra are for Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, and ESPN+, but the only button that is different in the streaming stick plus is the PS Vue that’s in place of ESPN+. They both have microphone pinholes for voice searches. The Ultra can stream audio directly to its remote which allows you to listen with the included JBL earphones that you connect to the headphone jack on the remote.
The Ultra remote has more functionality with programmable buttons and a headphone jack for private listening.
Ports
You can use the streaming stick plus to connect to your home network through wifi, and the Ultra can do that too, but it has an Ethernet port that makes it easier to deliver uninterrupted and buffer-free 4k video streaming. The Ultra also has a USB port for streaming video using an external hard drive, but the streaming stick plus doesn’t have. The Ultra also has a microSD card slot that is also absent in the streaming stick plus and an IR receiver that can work with some universal remotes.
The Ultra remote has more ports that give you the flexibility to use your external hard drive and other universal remotes.
Ruko Ultra vs Ruko streaming stick plus – A comparison review
Ruko ultra
No products found.
The Ruko Ultra is a faster streamer than its predecessor and comes with a programmable voice remote with headphone jack and a solid 4K HDR performance, but it doesn’t support Dolby vision. You not only get a smart remote, but the Ultra also does faster voice searches and has several options for finding free content which includes the Ruko channels that house lots of free content. Something you won’t find inside the box is an HDMI cable that you have to buy separately which doesn’t feel right for such an expensive device, but the JBL headphones are a nice bonus. The Ultra will provide you with access to more than 4500 channels from big names like Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, and many others to free content with the Ruko channel.
There’s a boost in its performance that you can feel through its interface with channels launching quickly and search results taking seconds. This is all thanks to its new OS 9.2 software that is optimized for speed and gives you more out of searching for content. The Ultra can provide the best streaming experience by playing 4K HDR videos in HDR10 format, but it lacks support for Dolby vision.
Pros
- Has easily customizable buttons
- Fast performance
- Advanced remote with a headphone jack
- Easy to use and setup
Cons
- Doesn’t offer Dolby vision
- Doesn’t include an HDMI cable
Ruko streaming stick plus
- Powerful quad core processor & best wireless performance
- Brilliant 4k, HDR, and HD streaming
The Ruko streaming stick plus is a media streamer that can deliver 4K HDR videos and Dolby Atmos support. This small device has a wifi antenna that is part of the power cable that helps to eliminate the wifi performance issues most media streamers have. When it comes to content selection and playback, the streaming stick plus falls short because it only supports the HDR10 video format and not Dolby vision and this limits the amount of 4K HDR content you can watch. The streaming stick plus can support Dolby Atmos that you can stream from Vudu and Amazon prime video.
The Ruko home page is customizable so you can freely move the apps to help you easily and quickly scroll through them. Scrolling through the apps is fast and smooth and they quickly launch and respond very fast. The interface is simple and less intrusive with a homepage that only hosts the apps you’ve chosen. Ruko doesn’t push its own content through its interface like the fire TV. For better functionality, you can download the Ruko mobile app to give you access to a richer interface than your TV and it provides a basic voice search. You also get to send movies, music, and photos from your phone or tablet to your TV and also use the private listening mode with your headphones.
Pros
- Easy to use interface
- Great video quality
- Can use the remote to control your TVs power and volume
- Very affordable
Cons
- Doesn’t stream in Dolby vision
- Has no Ethernet connection
Conclusion
Both the Ruko Ultra and Ruko streaming stick plus are excellent Ruko streaming devices and each has its own unique features that set each one apart. The Ruko ultra has a headphone jack in the remote for private listening and although the streaming stick plus remote doesn’t have this feature, you can get if you use the mobile app and connect your headphones to your phone.
So which one is better the Ruko Ultra or Ruko streaming stick plus?
The Ruko ultra is a better streamer because it has a voice remote with programmable shortcut buttons, it’s slightly faster than its predecessors, comes with an Ethernet port which is great when you’re having spotty wifi and is a great 4k video streamer.
FAQ
Do all smart TVs have Ruko built-in?
Budget-friendly TV sets from Hisense and TCL have built-in Ruko streaming, while other high-end models from Samsung, LG, and Sony offer more capabilities from voice interaction to motion controls.
Do I need to update my Ruko?
Your Ruko updates automatically when you connect it and turn it on, but you can also check the updates manually from the settings then choose system update in the system tab.