Roku, the streaming stick company, announced 5 new streaming players and Roku OS 8 for all new and existing devices on October 2. This comes on the heels of announcements of new streaming devices from Roku’s competitors, Amazon and Apple.
The new operating system adds search and voice control features, bringing the experience closer to that of their competitors. The new Streaming Stick lineup includes a range of models for every price point.
The announcement of Roku’s new devices comes weeks after Apple’s reveal of their new Apple 4K TV and Amazon’s release of their Amazon Fire TV with 4K. You can see a comparison of those products here.
Product | Price | Resolution |
Roku Express | $29.99 | Up to 1080P |
Roku Express+ | $39.99 | Up to 1080P |
Roku Streaming Stick | $49.99 | Up to 1080P |
Roku Streaming Stick+ | $69.99 | 4K and HDR |
Roku Ultra | $99.99 | 4K and HDR |
For older TVs, it’s important to note that only the Roku Express+ offers cable connections for older TVs as well as HDMI connections. None of the other devices are able to connect to older TVs without some sort of adapter.
For extras included, the Roku Express comes with a regular remote like you would expect to get with any streaming device. The Streaming Stick, Streaming Stick+ and Roku Ultra come with a voice-control remote. This remote can also be used to control the TV volume, much like a remote cable companies provide with their boxes. Roku also has a mobile app that functions as a remote for all Roku devices.
The Roku Ultra has a remote with a headphone jack, and the product itself has a slot for a micro USB card in case you need extra storage. This device also comes with an ethernet port instead of just being Wi-Fi compatible, which can make the difference between a lagging stream and a stream that falls behind.
All the Roku devices are available for pre-order now at Roku, Walmart, Best buy, Amazon, and other retailers. The products are expected to be in stores by October 8.
From now until Halloween, Roku is offering a $10 Vudu credit towards a rental or purchase with the purchase of a new Roku player.
The Roku Express+ is available exclusively at Walmart.
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Roku’s New Lineup: Price, Release Date & More