For long, cable TV has been problematic and people are getting tired of it quickly. With so many people looking for options, media streaming has become the trend.
People are preferring the streaming but a cheaper option as compared to cable TV Cable TV also has less content as compared to the streaming devices.
This is just one reason why people are moving from the cable TV to the media streaming devices.
However, the question on most people’s minds is what are the best media streaming devices out there and what is the catch?
Roku has been the most dominant streaming device in the market up until companies like Google, Amazon and Apple decided to venture into the same market.
However, all these devices might be similar in ways we can’t exhaust but the differences are the most significant.
In this article, we will look at the Roku Express and take it head to head with the Roku Express Plus and see the differences.
Price
This is one of the significant differences between the Roku Express Plus and the Roku Express.
These two are some of the best and least expensive Roku streaming players in the market today.
They might not be the best but for the user who is on a budget, their prices and value are worth it all.
The Roku Express costs $29 and the Roku Express Plus costs $10 higher. This might be because of the new capabilities that the Express Plus has and we will look at that below.
If you are on a budget and badly need to get a streaming device, then you have the two options to choose from.
Speed
Both of these two devices are pretty fast if you compare the boot time and the time it takes to load and launch an app.
If you test both of the devices,however, the express plus is a bit faster both when booting and launching an app.
When switched on simultaneously, the Roku Express plus boots faster than the Roku Express and you can even start browsing through the apps while the Roku Express is still booting.
After this, go to any app and try launching both the apps simultaneously.
You will note that the Express Plus is a few seconds faster than the Roku Express.
However, the difference isn’t so bad that you can say the Roku Express is sluggish as compared to the Express Plus.
Connectivity
The price difference between both the Roku Express and the Roku Express Plus is the hardware connections.
The Roku Express Plus is a bit advanced since it has the analog connection port and cables.
Remember both of these devices are USB powered and they both have an HDMI port. The question is what if your TV doesn’t have HDMI support and you need a streaming device?
No need to worry because the Roku Express Plus has you sorted. You can use the three white, yellow and red connectors and plug them into the ports on your TV.
This doesn’t undermine the quality of the video as compared to the Roku Express in any way.
Content
This is one is where Roku has come out differently. Roku doesn’t have its own content and it depends on content from Google, Amazon, Netflix,and others.
This means that when you buy the Roku Express Plus or the Roku Express, you can enjoy content from these companies something you won’t find in the other boxes.
The Roku Express gives you access to over 350,000 movies and TV shows from some of the most popular streaming services like Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and others.
This is an added advantage for the people who have the older TVs and they only need to buy the Roku Express Plus and enjoy the same content. The device supports HDMI as well as great connectivity with the A/V cable.
Remote
Both of these devices come with the standard remote controls in mind and the only difference between the two is the IR capabilities.
For the Roku Express Plus remote control, the device has to be in the line of sight for it to work.
This means when connecting the device to the TV you have to use sticky tape and stick it on the TV where the line of sight will not be a bother to you.
However, you can use the Roku app as a remote control for the device. It gives you easier controlling power and you don’t have to worry about the device being on the same line of sight with the remote.
Which one should you Buy?
If the budget is not a question, you can easily upscale to a higher streaming device but you can also get any of these two devices.
If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI cable support, do your best and get the Roku Express Plus. Otherwise, both of these devices are some of the best and less expensive that Roku has to offer.
