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One of the greatest streaming gadgets, the Roku Ultra, was initially introduced by Roku back in 2015. Today, it is being brought back with some significant enhancements.
The latest model, simply called Roku Ultra (2024), has a quad-core CPU that Roku says is 30% quicker than all of the greatest Roku devices that came before it as well as its original predecessor. The updated Voice Remote Pro second generation is also included.
Roku is promoting the new Ultra's Quick Media Switching function, which is rather specialized but has only been available on Apple streaming devices up until now—specifically, the 2022 Apple TV 4K. This implies that in order to lessen that annoying "HDMI bonk," you may combine the new Roku Ultra with the Samsung S95D and some of the greatest LG TVs.
In a few weeks, Roku will launch the Ultra in the US and Canada, priced at $99 dollars. It arrives at the most crucial moment, just as Google is preparing to release the same priced Google TV Streamer.
A Perfect Rival for Google TV Streamer
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The ecology around streaming devices just got hotter. These days, Google and Roku are competing against one other with two high-end streaming services that improve our everyday TV usage. One such method—which the new Roku Ultra embraces—is the natural progression of your smart TV into the hub of your smart home network.
With the new Ultra design, certain Roku smart home products—like the Roku Doorbell Camera—will integrate and access with ease. This includes voice commands as well, which the Ultra (2024) will enable. One example that Roku provides is as easy as "Hey Roku, show me the kid's room," which causes a pop-up window to appear on your screen.
The ideal smart home interface without the high cost is provided by these smart home controllers, which are also compatible with Roku's smart light strips and bulbs. You also receive the bonus of a complete streaming device that supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision in addition to HDMI 2.1 compatibility.
As previously stated, the Voice Remote Pro second generation, a wonderful new remote that is also included with the Roku Pro Series TV, will be included with the new Roku Ultra. Its illuminated keys make it simple to switch inputs even in the darkest dungeons, and its USB-C connection makes charging quick and straightforward so you won't have to continually buying batteries.
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Additionally, Wi-Fi 6 has been enabled by Roku to the Ultra (2024), which will reduce any congestion and unnecessary strain on home networks. You may utilize a variety of devices without experiencing slowness thanks to WiFi 6, which guarantees the device stays connected. The redesigned design now has an Ethernet connection as standard.
According to Roku, the new Ultra is "30% faster than other Roku Players," which, if accurate, is quite the accomplishment. We'll have to put this to the test ourselves, but for a thorough analysis and more comparisons of its strengths and weaknesses with other Roku devices as well as those of Google and Amazon Fire TV, stay tuned to Tom's Guide.
Additionally, Roku has included a novel machine learning algorithm that learns "to anticipate which app you are going to open next," which is a fascinating addition. Of course, the new design now supports HDR10+, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision.
The new Roku Ultra will retail for $99 and be available at Roku.com starting today. If the performance is commensurate with its faster CPU and numerous other significant improvements, it may be a significant victory over the recently released Google TV Streamer.