Roku first launched one of the best streaming devices, the Roku Ultra, all the way back in 2015, and today it's bringing it back with some serious upgrades.
Simply titled Roku Ultra (2024), the new edition sports a quad-core CPU that Roku claims is 30% faster than both its original predecessor and all of the best Roku devices that came before it. It also comes with the new second-gen Voice Remote Pro.
Although somewhat niche, Roku is also touting the new Ultra's Quick Media Switching feature, a design that has thus far lived solely on Apple streaming devices, particularly the 2022 Apple TV 4K. This means you can pair the new Roku Ultra with the Samsung S95D and some of the best LG TVs to mitigate that pesky "HDMI bonk."
Roku is bringing the Ultra to the US and Canada starting in a few weeks set at $99. It comes at the most critical time as Google gears up to launch its new Google TV Streamer at the exact same price.
A perfect foil for the Google TV Streamer
The streaming device ecosystem just got spicy. Google and Roku are now going head to head with two premium streaming products that elevate the way we use our TVs on a daily basis. One such way is the inevitable evolution of your smart TV as the center of your smart home ecosystem, which the new Roku Ultra takes to heart.
Specific Roku smart home products, like the Roku Doorbell Camera, will have seamless integration and access with the new Ultra design. This even extends to voice controls, which the Ultra (2024) will support. Roku gives one example as a simple "Hey Roku, show me the kid's room," with a pop-up window appearing directly on your display.
These smart home controls also work in line with Roku's smart light strips and bulbs, making it the perfect smart home interface without the hefty price tag. Plus, you get the added benefit of a full streaming device with HDMI 2.1 compatibility and both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support.
As mentioned previously, the new Roku Ultra will come equipped with the Voice Remote Pro second generation, a fantastic new remote that also comes with the Roku Pro Series TV. It uses a USB-C connection for simple and easy charging, meaning you won't have to keep buying batteries, and its backlit buttons make it easy to switch inputs in the darkest of dungeons.
Roku has also added Wi-Fi 6 to the Ultra (2024), which will alleviate any bottlenecks and undue stress on home networks. WiFi 6 ensures the device stays connected and you'll be able to use a wide swath of devices without lag. An ethernet connection also finally comes standard with the new design.
Roku claims the new Ultra is "30% faster than other Roku Players," which is quite the feat if true. We'll have to test this for ourselves, so stick to Tom's Guide for a full review and additional breakdowns of its prowess against other Roku products and even that of Google and Amazon Fire TV.
Roku has also retrofitted an interesting new machine learning algorithm that learns "to anticipate which app you are going to open next," which sounds intriguing. Of course, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ are all supported on the new design, as well.
You can expect to nab the new Roku Ultra at Roku.com starting today for $99. With its swifter CPU and several major enhancements, it could be a big win against the new Google TV Streamer, so long as the performance speaks for itself.
