Forget the Fire Stick — this $24 Roku Stick 4K Cyber Monday deal is the one to get

(Image credit: Henry T. Casey / Tom's Guide)

Update: This deal is still in stock as of Nov. 29.

As Tom's Guide's streaming editor, I've looked at the Cyber Monday deals this year with the same amount of suspicion and critical thinking as I do every year. And while there are a ton of Cyber Monday streaming deals ever (with streaming service sales and Fire TV sticks getting a lot of headlines), I need to make sure you look at this Roku deal.

Yes, you can find a lot of cheap Fire Sticks on Amazon, but the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is $24 at Amazon is the deal most people should be buying. This sale offers savings of $25, a half-off discount from its full retail price of $49. Amazon's previous Prime Day sales event brought it to $26, and this is the lowest we've ever seen this stick at. And the good news is that this deal is also available at Best Buy.

As the writer who's written many of the reviews of the best streaming devices, I'm constantly reorganizing my storage closet where I keep the ones I'm not currently using. I've got a whole sneaker box filled with Roku, another with Fire TV, and so on. And I can confidently say that most people shouldn't look at any other streaming device deals — especially since the deeply discounted Apple TV 4K sales are over.

Yes, the Fire TV sticks always go on sale (the Fire TV Stick 4K is also $24 right now, and it will sell well), we at Tom's Guide prefer this Roku stick for some pretty significant reasons. As for something to watch on it? We've picked the 7 best new movies to watch this week on Netflix, HBO Max and Prime Video.

Roku's typically-$50 stick has always been a favorite of ours, even back when it was called the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. In my Roku Streaming Stick 4K review I wrote that it's "just as great as its predecessor, and offers one big perk over the Roku it replaces: Dolby Vision." Got deeper pockets? We love this Apple TV 4K Cyber Monday deal.

This streaming stick offers the same crisp and colorful 4K picture you get on the Fire TV Stick 4K, good performance for its price and a much-cleaner interface than Amazon provides. Yes, we'll say it again: we're tired of Amazon's streaming devices feeling like you're in a Black Mirror episode, forced to dodge ads for Amazon stuff to get to watch the best streaming services. Also, the Chromecast with Google TV's recommendation and recent content engines still have room to grow.

That said, I'll admit that the Amazon and Chromecast 4K devices integrate with 4K cord-cutter services like Sling TV a whole lot better than Roku's does. But if you're OK with simply opening the live TV app of your choice, then that doesn't really matter.

If you’re looking to turn an older TV into a smart one, or simply want to take full advantage of a brand new 4K set, then the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a streaming device we strongly recommend even at full price. Now at a new all-time low, it’s a complete no-brainer.

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Henry was a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.