PSA: Paid $40 for a used Roku and it beat my smart TV's apps for binging

I got so tired of my 2019 TCL lagging out every time I opened Netflix, so I grabbed a used Roku Streaming Stick off a local seller in Austin for about $40. It sounds dumb but the menus open in a second now instead of the 10 to 15 seconds I was waiting before, and shows start playing way faster. I kept the old TV since the picture is fine, the apps were just the problem. My buddy paid $600 for a whole new set and his apps still lag, which felt like a kick in the teeth for him. If my box dies I'd honestly just buy another cheap one instead of replacing the TV. Has anyone else fixed a slow TV with a cheap streaming stick, or am I the only one who waited way too long to try it?