Roku LT vs Roku XD
The set-top streaming devices from Roku are now extremely popular and this popularity has inflated with the release of the Roku 3. However, Roku has also manufactured a good number of cheaper models available in the consumer market. In terms of performance and features, the Roku 3 is an exceptional model, but at a lower price, the Roku XD and the Roku LT can also be a good buy. If you’re one of those people who are turned off by the expensive Roku 3 and looking for a streaming device for watching Netflix from your basement or even guest bedroom, LT and XD models can be a great choice.
These two models from Roku include composite video output allowing you to connect the Roku to a modern TV with HDMI cable or the older ones using A/V cables. There is a big color difference among these two models. The Roku LT is of bright purple color, which might seem very attractive to some people and some others will find it clashing with any neutral colored room. The Roku XD is of black color which is more palette-friendly and has a better and impressive appearance compared to the Roku LT.
The Roku XD can play 1080p video but the Roku LT cannot. 720p is still considered to fall under the high definition category, but with the modern HDTVs taking over our living spaces, most of the consumers prefer to go for the higher resolution 1080p capable models, specifically when the Roku XD is used to stream HD content from Plex-like media server channels. From the technical point of view, the Roku LT has no extra advantage over the Roku XD.
One of the main reasons for the popularity of LT over XD is the price factor. The Roku LT holds a cheaper price tag than the Roku LT. Roku customers purchase their devices looking for a simple and effective way to stream Netflix, Hulu or Amazon content in their TV. For this purpose, there is no cheaper device than the Roku LT. The better one between Roku LT and Roku XD is definitely the XD model, but which one you would go for depends wholly upon the factor whether you consider 1080p content to be important or not. After that, you can decide whether the price difference between the LT and the XD models is worth the upgrade you’re planning. The popular video streaming devices usually stream contents at 720p resolution which is good enough for most consumers. Ask a 100 people and not more than 20 of them will be able to differentiate between 720p and 1080 p models. From that view point, Roku LT is the best choice for you.
Key Differences between Roku LT & Roku XD:
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The Roku LT is of purple color whereas the Roku XD comes in black.
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The Roku XD can play 1080p contents but the Roku LT cannot.
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The Roku LT is a lot cheaper than the Roku XD.