Roku’s 4K HDR Streaming Stick+ is on sale for $39 today

Today’s Dealmaster is headlined by a deal on Roku’s Streaming Stick+, which is down to $39 at various retailers. That’s $10 off its typical going rate. The 4K- and HDR-ready streamer briefly fell to $29 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year, but this is tied for the lowest price we’ve seen from reputable retailers outside of that.

If you can’t deal with the clunky interfaces that often come built into new smart TVs, the Streaming Stick+ is a good all-around option for streaming video up to 4K HDR. While we’ve given its chief competitor, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K, a slight nod in the past, both streamers are worthwhile; the best choice is typically whichever is cheaper.

To compare: the Fire TV Stick 4K’s main advantages are its support for more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision—the Streaming Stick+ only supports standard HDR10—and more robust voice search aided by the Alexa digital assistant. (It also has a Twitch app, which Roku doesn’t.) Roku’s OS can make certain apps look more dated from a design standpoint, but it’s more neutral in recommending content—Amazon tends to push its own content first and foremost—and it doesn’t inundate you with as many ads. The main appeal is that its UI is just simpler to navigate, with a focus on apps instead of shows, all laid out in a clean grid. It’s a bit boring, but it’s customizable and uncomplicated.

Beyond that, the Streaming Stick+ is still fast to load up apps, its remote is reliable, and it lets you listen to shows privately with its phone app. It’s a breeze to setup, and it keeps a steady connection with 802.11ac Wi-Fi support. To be clear, neither it nor the Fire TV Stick 4K can really compare to higher-end devices like the Apple TV 4K or Nvidia Shield TV if you have a big library of local media or want more involved home theater features. But for those who get most of their movies and TV shows through streaming apps and just want a straightforward way to watch them on the cheap, without having to worry about performance issues, this is a good value.

If you’re all set on the streaming front, though, we also have deals on our top-rated Thunderbolt 3 dock, Doom Eternal, a variety of Amazon devices, Anker charging cables, and more. Have a look for yourself below.

Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

Top 10 deals of the day

Roku Streaming Stick+ 4K HDR media streamer for $39 at Amazon and B&H (normally $50).
CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock – 2x Thunderbolt 3, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, 5x USB-A 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, SD, Gigabit Ethernet, digital optical audio, analog in/out, 87W charging for $229.99 at Amazon (normally $270).
Doom Eternal (PS4, XB1, PC) for $39.99 at Amazon (normally $55).
Anker PowerLine II (3ft) USB-C to Lightning cable for $10.99 at Woot (normally $14.50).
Anker Premium 7-in-1 USB-C hub – 2x USB-A, USB-C, HDMI (4K at 30Hz), 2x SD, 85W passthrough charging for $26.99 at Amazon (use code: ANKERHUB46 – normally $39.99).
55-inch Vizio M558-G1 (2019 model) 4K HDR LED TV + $100 Dell e-gift card for $529.99 at Dell (normally $630).
Logitech G305 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse for $39.99 at Logitech (normally $50).
Sony PlayStation Plus 1-year membership card for $34.99 at eBay (normally $59.99).
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (8GB, ads) e-reader for $94.99 at Amazon (normally $129.99).
Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display for $49.99 at Amazon (normally $75).

CalDigit's TS3 Plus docking station. — Enlarge / CalDigit’s TS3 Plus docking station.

Valentina Palladino

Laptop and desktop PC deals

Apple MacBook Air (2020) laptop – Intel Core i5-1030NG7, 13.3-inch 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, scissor keyboard switches for $1,199 at Amazon (normally $1,299).
CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock – 2x Thunderbolt 3, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, 5x USB-A 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet, digital optical audio, analog in/out, 87W charging for $229.99 at Amazon (normally $270).

<i>Doom Eternal </i>does not skimp on the gothic architecture. — Enlarge / *Doom Eternal* does not skimp on the gothic architecture.

Video game deals

Doom Eternal (PS4, XB1, PC) for $39.99 at Amazon (normally $55).
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (XB1, digital) for $14.99 at Microsoft (Deluxe Edition for $20 – normally $25).
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (XB1) for $29.99 at Amazon (PS4 copy for $35 – normally $40).
Burnout Paradise Remastered (XB1, digital) for $4.99 at Microsoft (normally $15).
Burnout Paradise Remastered (PC, Origin) for $2.99 at Amazon (normally $15).
Persona 5: Royal Edition (PS4) for $49.94 at Amazon (normally $59.99).
The Outer Worlds (PS4, XB1) for $29.99 at Amazon (normally $35).
Mortal Kombat 11 (Switch) for $19.99 at Amazon (normally $27).
The Last Guardian (PS4) for $16.99 at Google Shopping and Best Buy (normally $19.99).
Shadow of the Colossus (PS4) for $16.99 at Google Shopping and Best Buy (normally $19.99).
Peggle 2 (XB1, digital) for $1.19 at Microsoft (normally $10).
Dreams (PS4) for $29.99 at Amazon (normally $39.99).
Splatoon 2 (Switch, digital) for $41.99 at Nintendo eShop (normally $49.99).
Assassin’s Creed Origins (XB1, digital) for $14.99 at Amazon (normally $20).
The Sims 4 (PC, digital) for $4.99 at Amazon (normally $19.99).
Battlefield 4 (PC, Origin) for $2.99 at Amazon (normally $15).
Titanfall 2 (PC, Origin) for $2.99 at Amazon (normally $19.99).
Mass Effect Trilogy (PC, Origin) for $8.99 at Amazon (normally $25).
Pre-order: Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4, XB1, PC) for $49.94 at Amazon (normally $59.99).

Gaming deals

Enlarge / The Roku Streaming Stick+.

Samuel Axon

TV and home entertainment deals

Enlarge / The Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet.

Valentina Palladino

Electronics deals

Enlarge / The Beats Powerbeats Pro (left) and Apple AirPods Pro.

Audio deals

Enlarge / The Marshall Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker.

Smart home deals

Anker's PowerLine II USB-C to Lightning cable. — Enlarge / Anker’s PowerLine II USB-C to Lightning cable.

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

Anker PowerLine II (3ft) USB-C to Lightning cable for $10.99 at Woot (normally $14.50).
Anker PowerLine (5-pack) microUSB cable – 1ft, 6ft, 2x 3ft for $9.99 at Woot (normally $14).
Anker Premium 7-in-1 USB-C hub – 2x USB-A, USB-C, HDMI (4K at 30Hz), 2x SD, 85W passthrough charging for $26.99 at Amazon (use code: ANKERHUB46 – normally $39.99).
Prime only: Aukey PA-Y18 USB-C wall charger – 18W USB-C PD for $8.90 at Amazon (use code: 2ZZHSHAC – normally $15).
Aukey PA-D1 USB-C wall charger – 30W USB-C PD, USB-A for $15.32 at Amazon (use code: E2TNFJXY – normally $22).
Yubico Security Key USB-A 2FA security key for $18 at Amazon (normally $20).
Mophie Powerstation AC portable battery pack – 100W AC, 30W USB-C PD, USB-A, 22,000mAh for $128 at Amazon (normally $195).
DJI Osmo Mobile 3 smartphone gimbal for $89 at Amazon (normally $119).
Anker PowerPort Strip PD 2 Mini USB power strip – 18W USB-C PD, 2x USB-A, 2x AC for $24.99 at Amazon (use code: ANKERPS2 – normally $33.99).

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