There are plenty of deals on streaming devices on Amazon Prime Day So let's start with the facts

No offense to those of you who like the Firestick, but that interface will make you cringe at Amazon's ads, and there's still no Peacock If you're still okay with that, you should check out the 50% off Fire TV Stick 4K campaign

But the best I can say about Prime Day deals is that it feels like sifting through Amazon's discount bin for gems Are they good deals or are they just helping Amazon empty their inventory? But the good news is that the best streaming devices are on sale, like the Roku I bought for my parents on Black Friday a few days ago

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus was voted best streaming device for a reason: the Roku Streaming Stick Plus combines ultra-high-resolution streaming picture quality with one of the best interfaces available Sure, the Apple TV has a crisper interface, but its MSRP of $179 is 358 times that of the $50 Roku Streaming Stick Plus It's an easy choice for a Prime Day Roku bargain, and the best for most people

However, you may not be most people And if I am the one who clicks buy and lives with a new Roku device (or gives free tech support to family and friends I recommend it), I'd recommend paying a little more - while still saving

The Roku Ultra 2020 (normally $99), currently on sale for a whopping $69 on Amazon's Prime Day, may be nearly twice the price of the $39 Roku Streaming Stick Plus, but it is worth it If I'm buying a streaming device, I want to buy one I won't regret And I don't want to buy a Roku Streaming Stick Plus without knowing that it doesn't have the Roku Ultra's lost remote control detection feature

In our house, there is nothing more tedious in streaming viewing than finding a remote control However, if you keep pressing the buttons on the Roku Ultra, the remote starts beeping Even though both Amazon and Apple are getting into the device-tracking business with Apple AirTag, there is nothing similar in the streaming arsenal

The Roku Ultra is more promising than the Streaming Stick Plus; the Roku Ultra supports two major standards that the Streaming Stick Plus does not: Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos This is already a big deal for those who have recently upgraded their TVs, but may not be a big deal for those not yet ready to invest in a 4K set

But if you do buy a 4K TV, you'll want your favorite Netflix shows, HBO Max movies, and other content to look right You may know that the new Apple TV 4K automatically corrects the color output to match your TV, but did you know that this is not possible if you are using Dolby Vision? By getting a streaming device with this support, you can prepare for the TV you'll get sooner rather than later (have you checked out the Prime Day TV deals?)

The other major difference is that the Roku Ultra has an Ethernet port This may not help those with small living spaces, but anyone with a large house where the TV and Wi-Fi router are far apart will know that wireless Internet is not always perfect everywhere And life is a funny thing (as the last few years have proven) with unexpected situations If you buy a Roku Ultra with an Ethernet port now, you can take it anywhere in the future and be somewhat prepared

Last but not least, the Roku Ultra has a better remote control A key feature is the headphone jack for private listening, so night owls don't have to bother their roommates or family members [Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Sling TV, etc] in case the standard buttons provided by Roku don't cover all your favorites I have programmed it for YouTube and HBO Max so I can open these apps faster