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Is there something being developed that will have the technology and functionality of a Chromecast so I can stream my tv shows, etc. From my iPhone to the FireStick? It had insinuated that Fling was essentially combining the features of Chromecast and Firestick together. Is there a solution that makes the Fire Stick TV double as a chromecast? I would like to cast Chrome tabs from my PC to the firestick or from my phone to the Fire Stick.
Streaming sticks and dongles used to exist solely as low-budget alternatives to bigger, more powerful set-top boxes. Nowadays, though, these tiny little tech marvels can perform nearly all the same tasks as their larger brethren, but at more manageable prices (and sizes). With options from Google, Roku, and Amazon, which one is the best? We pitted them all against each other and discovered that the Roku Premiere Plus and Roku Streaming Stick Plus are the best low-cost streaming devices.
Movies to stream
We’ve been using these streaming devices for years, watching as they’ve evolved into highly capable media devices. To see how we picked our winners, read on…Price | $35 | $69 | $60 | $50 | $50 |
Video | 1080p | 4K UHD | 4K UHD | 4K UHD | 4K UHD |
Dedicated remote | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Controller app | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Chrome OS | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Chrome OS | Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BB10 | Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BB10 | Android, iOS |
Voice search | Yes, via Home app | Yes, via Home app | Yes | Yes | Yes, via app or remote |
Cross-platform search | Limited | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DT Review | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Available here | Walmart, Various retailers | Best Buy, Various retailers | Amazon, Roku | Walmart | Amazon |
Ease of use
Even though they let you access the same content, the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra function quite differently than the other devices on this list. Since Chromecasts use your mobile device or computer to “cast” content to your TV, they’re devoid of a traditional menu-based user interface, a remote control, and onboard storage. In fact, in a world of smart devices, the Chromecast is perhaps the dumbest of them all.
![Chromecast firestick comparison Chromecast firestick comparison](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125700569/622420125.jpg)
But when it comes to simplicity and ease of use, that’s a very good thing. Chromecast devices leave all the smarts to your mobile device, simply acting as a conduit through which your TV can access content. Find what you want to watch or listen to on your personal device, “cast” it at the Chromecast with the tap of a button and, voilà, it’s on your TV. That includes any content you can put on a Chrome browser window, i.e., anything on the web. It’s not that the other options here are complex — in fact, they’re all quite manageable — but the Chromecast takes the top spot here.
Winner: Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra
Processing power
Well, technology moves fast, so the winner in this category is generally the most recently released product. As of our most recent update, that would be the Roku Premiere Plus and the Fire TV Stick 4K, but as the Fire TV Stick 4K packs a bit more punch, that is our pick. Moving on!
Winner: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Games
Sure, the Roku devices will let you play Angry Birds and a handful of other cute games, but the Fire TV Stick 4K has access to a huge library of more advanced titles (like Machinarium and Minecraft). These games are highly appealing to casual gamers and represent more than just a novelty. Chromecast’s games are fine, but you won’t find much to please the console crowd. Most are multiplayer party titles such as Risk, Scrabble, and Monopoly. Amazon recently dropped support for its own game controller in newer models, but you’ll find third-party solutions if you really want to get your game on with your Fire TV Stick 4K.
Winner: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
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App library
When it comes to the sheer number of available apps (not counting games), the Roku devices, with access to thousands of apps (or channels, as Roku calls them), win by a landslide. You can also use the official Roku app to select content on your smartphone.
Chromecast apps (“Cast Enabled” apps) also number in the thousands now, but support for the casting platform between PC, Android, and iOS devices varies, which can be frustrating. The good news is that, unlike Roku and Amazon Fire TV, any Android or iOS app can be Cast-enabled if the developer chooses, making for an ever-growing selection. Speaking of making that choice, Amazon recently announced it will be ending its Chromecast boycott on the Amazon Prime Instant Video app, later this year — something which Chromecast and Prime Video users have been wishing for, well, a long time now. This announcement notwithstanding, Roku is still king of the app mountain.
Winner: Roku Premiere Plus, Roku Streaming Stick Plus
User interface
We’ve owned one Roku device or another for the last several years but also have put some serious time into testing Fire TV set-top boxes and streaming sticks. As we’ve now come to use both the Roku and Fire TV interfaces regularly, this has become a tough call to make. The Roku interface is extremely user-friendly — some might even call it “bubbly” — whereas the Amazon Fire TV interface has a little more techno-flash, yet is still very able to take care of business. While we generally prefer the service-agnostic Roku interface, Amazon uses Alexa for all sorts of voice-control functions that Roku can’t compete with.
For its part, Chromecast does have decent functionality via the Home app, but it doesn’t really have a traditional user interface, per se. Instead, you will be navigating apps and content libraries through your phone, tablet, or PC. While that does technically put it behind the other devices, as long as you’re comfortable with your casting device of choice, Chromecast is incredibly simple.
Winner: Roku Premiere Plus, Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (tie)
I haven't really updated my entertainment system in ages but am doing so now and I have a PC (desktop) that I'd like to screen share with my TV. They are in different rooms and I can't just run a long cable.
I'm assuming I'll have to do it via Wifi or Bluetooth or something along those lines.
I have a Fire TV stick and tried following these instructions:
How to mirror Windows 10 to the Amazon Fire TV Stick | Alphr
but my PC 'doesn't support Miracast so it can't project wirelessly'. I presume this is from having a desktop motherboard that doesn't have wifi networking (I'm connected with ethernet cable), bleutooth, etc. If that is indeed the case, is there some simple/cheap piece of hardware I can get to make this possible?
If I need a Chromecast, I am open to that as well.
Thanks in advance
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