Product Comparison: Roku 3 (2015 Model) vs Roku 2 (2015)

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Best Pick

Roku 3 (2015 Model) Streaming Media Player with Voice Search (4230R)

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Roku 2 (2015) Streaming Media Player (4210R)

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General Specifications

Brand

Roku

Model

3 (2015 Model)

2 (2015)

About the Product

The 2015 Roku 3 Streaming Player offers a vast content library with over 2,000 entertainment channels and intuitive voice search capability. The Roku 3 is capable of playing 720p HD and 1080p Full HD video via HDMI; an HDMI cable is sold separately. In addition to voice search, the enhanced remote control also has a headphone jack and motion control support for gaming. As an added convenience, a pair of in-ear headphones are included.

You choose from the biggest selection of streaming channels, you can even follow movies coming soon. There are hundreds of free channels, easy ways to buy or watch films from top providers, and no additional charges to watch streaming services like Netflix or Hulu Plus if you already subscribe. And if you have cable, Roku players bring new ways to watch based on your cable subscription.

Key Specs

Max Resolution

1080 p

CPU Cores

CPU Speed

0.9 GHz

Max Resolution

Roku 3 (2015 Model)

Roku 2 (2015)

What customers say about "Key Specs"

Roku 2 (2015) Streaming Media Player (4210R)

This unit has a fast processor at a decent price. Mainly bought it to watch NHL hockey games on NHL.TV subscription.
The Roku 2 processor is incredibly fast, and the interface is speedy and responsive. Movies and programs load quickly. The image quality doesn't become degraded.
This thing is awesome. I use it for Plex on my home network. One of the big reasons I got this version was it's fast processor and wired ethernet jack.
I think the biggest drawback for me is the lagging response time with the Roku 2.
The lag made it unbearable to use on a regular basis. Returned and replaced with Roku 3.

Size & Weight

Color

Black

Height

1 in.

Width

3.5 in.

Depth

3.5 in.

Weight

0.31 oz.

Roku 3 (2015 Model)

Roku 2 (2015)

Roku 3 (2015 Model)

Roku 2 (2015)

Roku 3 (2015 Model)

Roku 2 (2015)

Roku 3 (2015 Model)

Roku 2 (2015)

Hardware

Interfaces

HDMI output, USB, LAN

USB, Ethernet, microSD card, HDMI output

Processor & GPU

BCM11130

RAM

0.256 GB

Storage

0.512 GB

What customers say about "Hardware"

Roku 2 (2015) Streaming Media Player (4210R)

MicroSD card slot for additional Roku channel storage only
I love this one because I can put a USB flash drive in the side of the Roku 2 that is loaded with movies or photos and watch them on the TV.
The Roku 2 also has a USB input that allows users to connect a flash drive and watch their own video files on the Roku Media Channel, which can be added from the Channel Store.
Packed with a dual-core soc and small ram, the 2015 Roku 2 is not fast or fluid in any way. Booting certain channels is slow, scrolling through contents can be laggy, channel apps crash upon launch, etc.
The Roku 2 does not come with an HDMI cable.
The USB input is almost useless for playing video files, it supports a VERY narrow range of file formats.

Software

Operating System

Roku OS

Compatibility With Other OS

iOS 7.0 and higher, Android 2.3 and higher

Included Apps

Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Hulu, Roku, Crackle, Spotify, HBO GO, TED, Pandora

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, Vudu

What customers say about "Software"

Roku 2 (2015) Streaming Media Player (4210R)

We have been using this for over a year and the whole family loves it. We use all three of the main services - Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. The Roku itself is quick and responsive.
Supports the broadest variety of streaming sources (many - including all the "big names" such as HuluPlus, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. without favoring one over the other - the Roku is said to be "source agnostic").
Awesome little player. If you're like me and want to be able to watch Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, etc. on the big screen but don't need all the bells and whistles of more expensive players, this is perfect.
Fortunately, I have a Smart TV and I am able to get Amazon, Netflix and other things on the Smart TV without the use of a Roku, so I won't be replacing the old Roku after all.

Features

Form Factor

Desktop

Additional Modes

Gaming

Supported Formats

H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, MKV, MP4, JPG, GIF, PNG, MP3, WMA

MP3, WMA, JPG, PNG, H.264/AVC, MP4, MKV

Wireless Standart

WI-FI 802.11 (a/b/g/n)

WI-FI 802.11 (a/b/g/n), IR-receiver

Remote

Voice remote with TV power and volume buttons as well as voice search, headphone jack, and gaming buttons

Standard Remote

Extras

Voice Search

More channels

What customers say about "Features"

Roku 2 (2015) Streaming Media Player (4210R)

It supports more formats so that my plex server can stream directly to it without transcoding. It even passes through DTS to my receiver via HDMI.
Supports 5GHz WiFi networks (whereas the Chromecast supports only 2.4GHz)
The Roku Wifi hardware supports 5 GHz signals, which allows for faster data rates (assuming your home router has 5 GHz). Great selection of streaming options.
I've learned that Roku media players are very picky about video formats if you try to play them from your USB drive, old .AVI video formats won't play on these Roku media players and some .MKV formats won't play either. Roku support two video formats that I know of: MP4 and MKV.
Support for more video formats on Roku itself would make it 5 stars so all those middle media servers can be avoided but is it what it is.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

Certifications