Roku could possibly be so significantly better if it copied this Fireplace Stick function

I have been utilizing Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max for the previous few weeks and lately determined to change from utilizing it on my TV to my monitor. I had a couple of causes for doing this, however the primary one was having the ability to watch reveals in 4K at my desk, since most streaming providers do not assist 4K high quality on a PC’s net browser. Throughout this course of, I found a function on the Fireplace TV Stick that I hadn’t even realized it had, which I’ve now come to understand very a lot: Bluetooth audio assist.

Meaning you possibly can pair Bluetooth headphones along with your Fireplace TV Stick, just like the SteelSeries Arctic Nova 7 headset I exploit, or Apple’s well-liked AirPods, and hearken to reveals and flicks by means of them as an alternative of your TV or monitor’s audio system. That is particularly helpful for those who’re utilizing your Fireplace TV Stick in a setup like mine, on a monitor with no audio system, or if you wish to watch TV late at night time with out disturbing others in your family.

However once I advised my buddy who has a Roku Streaming Stick about this, I used to be shocked to study that Roku’s streaming sticks haven’t got Bluetooth audio assist. This was puzzling to me, particularly since Roku had simply launched two brand-new streaming sticks lately: the Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. How does a streaming gadget within the yr 2025 not natively assist Bluetooth audio?

Though Roku gives a Bluetooth Headphone Mode, its official support page notes that it is not appropriate with the Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Specific, and Roku Premiere as a result of they do not have Bluetooth functionality. It was by means of this discovery that I discovered how, in only one easy manner, the Amazon Fireplace TV Stick outperforms Roku’s streaming sticks, and it was all due to Bluetooth. Nonetheless, in all equity, some Roku gadgets do assist Bluetooth audio, and a workaround is obtainable for people who do not.

Roku Streaming Sticks can use Bluetooth headphones with the Roku app

The Roku app has a function referred to as Personal Listening Mode

Since Roku’s streaming sticks do not natively assist Bluetooth headphones, there aren’t any settings on the gadget itself to allow their connection. Meaning if in case you have a Roku Streaming Stick and wish to hearken to audio from it utilizing Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, the one manner to take action is thru your smartphone through the Roku app. This differs from Amazon’s Fireplace TV Sticks, which let you join your Bluetooth headphones on to the gadget, with out the usage of an app.

That being stated, the Roku app has a setting referred to as Private Listening Mode. This allows you to route the audio out of your Roku keep on with your smartphone. So, if in case you have earbuds or headphones linked to your telephone, you possibly can hear the Roku’s audio by means of them. Though your headphones aren’t immediately linked to your Roku Streaming Stick through Bluetooth, turning on Personal Listening mode within the Roku app will get across the stick’s lack of Bluetooth audio. You probably have a Roku gadget and wish to attempt Personal Listening Mode, you could find it on the Distant display screen within the app by tapping the Headphone icon.

Notably, some Roku gadgets provide Bluetooth audio assist, nevertheless it’s solely obtainable on their pricier streaming gadgets, together with sure Roku Extremely fashions, the Roku Choose Sequence TV, the Roku Streambar SE, the Roku Streambar, and the Roku Sensible Soundbar.

Whereas Personal Listening Mode is undoubtedly helpful and gives a manner for customers to hearken to their Roku stick to Bluetooth headphones, I do not consider it is pretty much as good because the Fireplace TV Stick’s Bluetooth implementation.

Amazon’s Fireplace TV Stick has Roku beat right here

Native Bluetooth audio assist is best than none

What I like concerning the Fireplace TV Stick’s Bluetooth implementation is its simplicity. Upon studying concerning the function’s existence, I had it arrange in lower than a minute. All I needed to do was allow Bluetooth pairing on my headset, they usually appeared virtually immediately on my Fireplace TV Stick once I scanned for Bluetooth gadgets to attach. You probably have a Fireplace TV Stick, you possibly can join your Bluetooth headphones by heading to Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth gadgets.

What I preferred about that is that I did not have to obtain an app; it simply labored proper out of the field. Whereas Roku’s app workaround is manageable with Personal Listening Mode, I really feel prefer it would not evaluate to the Bluetooth performance of the Fireplace TV Stick. In spite of everything, it is 2025, and Bluetooth has been round for thus lengthy. Why should not a streaming stick have it natively?

It positively makes the Fireplace TV Stick extra accessible for me, particularly since I exploit it proper subsequent to my PC, the place I exploit Bluetooth appropriate headphones. Roku’s setup requires utilizing three gadgets: your streaming stick, your telephone, and your headphones. In distinction, the Fireplace TV Stick skips the intermediary and solely wants you to allow pairing in your Bluetooth headphones to connect with your Fireplace TV Stick.

Moreover, I admire that Amazon’s implementation of Bluetooth audio assist is constant throughout its whole Fireplace TV Stick lineup. Whether or not you go for the most cost effective Fireplace TV Stick HD or the costliest Fireplace TV Stick 4K Max, all of them include Bluetooth audio assist.

On the Roku facet, none of its streaming sticks assist it. You will want to select up a Roku Extremely (or the LT variant) to make use of Bluetooth audio natively, with out counting on the Roku app and Personal Listening Mode.

I consider it is time for Roku so as to add Bluetooth audio assist to its streaming sticks. All of Amazon’s current Fireplace TV Sticks have it, so it is about time Roku did, too — with out counting on its app. I have been utilizing my headphones linked to my Fireplace TV Stick (through Bluetooth) and listening to audio from my PC (linked through USB-C) concurrently for a couple of weeks, and the expertise has been incredible. The audio sounds nice, and I did not have to fiddle with an app to make it work. General, I feel all streaming gadgets ought to assist Bluetooth audio, and I do not consider you need to must depend on an app to make use of Bluetooth headphones in your streaming stick, and it is only one easy manner that I discover Amazon’s Fireplace TV Sticks higher than Roku’s.

For the reason that Fireplace TV Stick helps Bluetooth audio, I have been testing different gadgets to see if additionally they assist it, and I used to be shocked to search out that even the PS5 would not have it. That is proper, Amazon’s Fireplace TV Stick has a function that even a $500 console lacks. The Change 2 does assist Bluetooth audio, so no less than Nintendo will get a win there, and I’ve discovered it fairly helpful for utilizing my Change 2 at my desk whereas I am close to my PC.