Roku Announces 5 New Streaming Devices Including 4K HDR Capable Dongle

Roku has announced five new streaming devices and one of them is a streaming stick capable of playing 4K content. The company also introduced a new operating system called Roku OS 8, which features voice control.

Roku Express and Express+

The Roku Express and Roku Express+ are the entry-level streaming devices which only cost $29.99 and $39.99, respectively. Roku says that the two models are five times more powerful than their predecessors.

Overall, the two are capable of pretty much the same thing. The only difference between the two are the available ports. The Roku Express only features HDMI, while the Express+ comes with HDMI and composite A/V port. This means that the Express+ can be connected to older TVs using the older yellow/white/red jacks.

Both the Roku Express and Express+ are ideal for those users who are finally opting to stream TV shows and movies on their televisions for the first time.

Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick+

The Roku Streaming Stick replaces last year’s Roku Premiere, and it now comes with a quad-core precessor built-in. It also comes with 802.11 AC dual-band MIMO wireless and supports voice control with the included voice remote, according to Android Police. This model is capable of streaming 1080 full HD content and only costs $49.99.

As for the Roku Streaming Stick+, this model replaces the Premiere+. This model has been described as Roku’s Chromecast Ultra competitor. The Streaming Stick+ is capable of streaming 4K HDR content and costs $69.99, which is just a dollar more than the Chromecast Ultra, as pointed out by TechCrunch. Like the regular Streaming Stick, the Stick+ also includes Roku’s voice remote.

“Our new streaming player line up provides performance, price and features to meet our users needs so they can sit back, relax and enjoy their TV viewing experience even more,” Roku TVs and player general manager Chas Smith said. “Consumers will love our new sleek Roku Streaming Stick+ with an innovative advanced wireless receiver that gives up to four times the wireless range and a remote that controls TV volume and power. It makes 4K and HDR streaming simple.”

Roku Ultra

The new Roku Ultra is the company’s premium tier streaming device. Unlike it’s $129.99 predecessor, the new Roku Ultra is cheaper at only $99.99. Like the Streaming Stick+, the Roku Ultra supports 4K HDR content. However, the Ultra is also capable of playing 4K HDR content at 60 frames per second.

Roku also added the number of available ports on this new Ultra model. It comes with an ethernet port, a USB port and a microSD card slot. Its included voice remote can be used to control TV power and volume, and it also has a headphone jack that allows users to listen to audio privately.

All of the new Roku streaming devices are now available to pre-order from Roku, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. The company says that most of its new products will be available in-stores on Oct. 8.

The New Roku OS 8

All of the new streaming device announced by Roku are running the company’s new operating system, Roku OS 8. The newly updated OS will start rolling out to older device this month, while Roku TVs will start getting the update in November. The Roku OS 8 focuses on streamlining viewing live and streamable content.

Roku OS 8 includes a new “Smart Guide” feature, which the company says can integrate information for local broadcast TV through an antenna with streaming options. This means that users won’t have to worry about switching between TV and streaming content online. They can simply start searching for what they want to watch, whether it’s live TV broadcast or something from Netflix or Hulu.

“At Roku, we love TV and we’re focused on making it better for everyone,” senior VP of Roku OS Ilya Asnis said. “Roku OS 8 delivers on our key pillars of ease, content and value. These new features make the entertainment experience more enjoyable for our customers, while solving some of the biggest pain points when watching TV today.”

Roku OS 8 also adds Voice Control for new Roku TVs. This is made possible through the included voice remote, which features a new microphone button. Users will also be able to take advantage of voice control using the Roku app for iOS and Android devices.