Roku has unveiled a comprehensive line-up of five streaming players, alongside several updates to its Roku OS 8 operating system, in a bid to steal some of the limelight from the likes of Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
The new additions include two small HD streamers, the Express and Express+, with an equally small price tag of $30 and $40 in the US. Naturally, being the cheapest way to access the Roku platform, the Express+ is designed specifically for older TV models, equipped with HDMI and composite AV ports.
Roku affirms that its latest offerings are as much as “five times more powerful” than previous products, meaning faster loader speeds and menus.
The line also features a regular streaming stick, named the Roku Streaming Stick ($50), offering HD support and the slightly pricier Roku Streaming Stick+ ($60) – the plus sign meaning it can handle 4K HDR content. Both feature quad-core processors and dual-band WiFi, in addition to voice control and volume buttons for adjusting the sound of your TV.
At the top of the range sits the Roku Ultra, packing in support for 4K Ultra HD and HDR picture up to 60fps. Priced at $100, The Ultra is cheaper than Apple, but not Amazon. The Ultra additionally features an Ethernet port, a microSD slot, a headphone jack and handy ‘remote finder button’ for all those pesky where-did-I-leave-the-remote moments.
Roku furthermore took the time to introduce updates to its operating system to run alongside these launches. Most significantly, this now means users can see both streaming results and live TV for particular programme on the same page with the new system.
The line will be released on 8 October, 2018 in the US, with more details on pricing and release dates for Europe expected to follow soon.