What advantage is there to having Apple TV vs having ROKU?

[elphaba2004]

Is there a difference between Apple TV and ROKU? Do both do the same thing by having apps to watch TV? I do not have a smart tv, so I don't have any apps there, but I do have some (amazon, Netflix, Hulu plus) on my blu ray player. My tv is HD. But I would like to have more, such as Network channels, AMC, Syfy, and such. Don't know if this information will be helpful, but I have a MacBook, iPad, iPod, and iPhone. So you can see I like Apple products, just don't know if I want to spend $199 for Apple TV vs $79.99 for ROKU. Any help would be great.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

re:

First thing first; if you decide to get an Apple TV I wouldn't recommend getting the 64GB variant unless you planned on installing a lot of games. All you need is the 32GB version which is $149. You can pretty much get one cheaper than that if you check places like Best Buy or Radio Shack which put them on sale quite a bit. I ended up with a 32GB version for $99 from Best Buy a couple of months ago.

If you use Apple devices then the advantage to having an Apple TV is that you can AirPlay and mirror content from those devices to the Apple TV. Other than that there is a Siri controlled remote if you like that. A ROKU will get you all those apps for networks that you're looking for. Just sans the Apple TV features.

 

[anon(9602380)]

re:

If you are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, then go with the ATV. It will be the wiser decision. It's a gerat way to watch iTunes content and Apple has slowly added the most important apps. AirPlay remains the killer feature for the Apple faithful, letting you stream music wirelessly, photos and videos straight from an iOS device (or iTunes) to your TV. AirPlay works with the vast majority of third-party apps, such as Spotify or Pandora.


If not then the Roku is the smarter choice. Roku gets new apps & services quicker than ATV, with more than 750 channels to date. It includes a lot of filler content, but there's also some important services the ATV doesn't have like Amazon Instant. Roku's new interface is an improvement and blazing fast on the Roku 3 hardware. The remote with the built-in headphone jack is a nice feature for times when you want to stream without disturbing anyone else.

Both have very friendly user interfaces. The Roku is larger in size than the ATV. Hopefully this info will help you with your decision.

 

[semperidem]

re:

I've used both, and I I really like the Apple TV for games and Siri integration, but I'm also fully in the Apple ecosystem. If it will be your only apple device or just 1 of a couple, it might not be worth it for you. Roku does seem to have more content providers, especially smaller or more eclectic ones.

 

[Matty]

re:

Since you already have lots of products in the Apple Eco-system i would advise sticking with Apple then

The Roku 4 which costs around $130 does have the benefits of 4K.

The Apple TV which costs around $150 arguably delivers the most polished video experience today, with speedy reactions and a familiar yet attractive interface. It also has the best remote on the market (In My opinion).
Siri voice search is excellent, and useful voice commands add unique capabilities.

 

[edd]

I have the latest Apple TV and a Roku Premier plus, which is a 4K device. They are both connected to the same 4K Sony TV.

I'm a big Roku fan; this is my 3rd one but I was curious about the ATV so I bought it on a whim.

Although the 4K images are great on the Roku, I've come to the surprising conclusion that the overall picture quality on the ATV is superior to the Roku. I had the picture settings for both inputs set identically. I've tried adjusting the Roku input settings to match the ATV but I can't seem to make the Roku as pleasing to my eye as the ATV.

The YouTube app on the Roku is better than the ATV for usability, and UHD Amazon looks great on Roku, with the ATV obviously not having Amazon.

The aerial screensaver on the ATV is a surprising killer feature that the Roku has no answer for. We play a lot of music and just let the screensaver go while having people over.

I've looked for solid picture comparisons between these devices on the internet but I can't find anything decent. I think there's a real difference that should be considered. On the whole, I enjoy having both boxes to play with, which I think is financially justified being a cord cutter.

 

[robertk328]

The aerial screensaver on the ATV is a surprising killer feature that the Roku has no answer for. We play a lot of music and just let the screensaver go while having people over.

We use a shared folder in Photos on our phones (wife and I) and add photos to it that we take of the things we do. Those photos come up on the Apple TV (not all, just the ones we want shared) as a screensaver, which is fun to watch them.

 

[dvzhinbege]

Appstore. Reliable interface. Airplay.

 

[SprSynJn]

This is such an informative thread that I'm wanting to get an  TV now!

 

[Rob Phillips]

This is such an informative thread that I'm wanting to get an  TV now!

Go for it. We have a gen 4 in our family room and a gen 3 in the master bedroom. The gen 3 is being replaced by a gen 4 as soon as it shows up in the mail (I got one for free for signing up for DirectTV Now and prepaying three months of service). FYI it's actually cheaper to do that (3 months is $105) than to purchase the AppleTV outright.

 

[SprSynJn]

Go for it. We have a gen 4 in our family room and a gen 3 in the master bedroom. The gen 3 is being replaced by a gen 4 as soon as it shows up in the mail (I got one for free for signing up for DirectTV Now and prepaying three months of service). FYI it's actually cheaper to do that (3 months is $105) than to purchase the AppleTV outright.

Unfortunately I don't live in an area where Direct TV is available, so I'll have to search around for deals. Thanks for the tip though.

 

[Rob Phillips]

Unfortunately I don't live in an area where Direct TV is available, so I'll have to search around for deals. Thanks for the tip though.

Are you outside of the US? Either way there are deals out there if you look for them.

 

[SprSynJn]

Are you outside of the US? Either way there are deals out there if you look for them.

I am. And I will most definitely look for them. Thanks.

 

[mrnimziki]

I have both and enjoy the ATV much more. The remote is awesome and makes the experience so much better, the UI is more polished and easier to use, and you can use AirPlay. That being said, the Roku can be had for a much lower price and if those things don't mean much to you then go for the Roku.

 

[kilofoxtrot]

If you have Amazon Prime, I would have a Roku 4 even if I had an ATV (which I do).

4K HDR content is amazing.

*can't believe Apple doesn't have a 4k ATV. My iPhone has 4k recording capability and it can't view the 4k goodness on my ATV.