Roku Ultra (2020) review
Our Verdict
The Roku Ultra (2020) has faster streaming speeds and better wireless performance than its predecessor.
For
- Bang-up performance
- Lots of loftier-quality channels
- Inventive remote command
- Dolby Vision HDR
- USB port for external media
Against
- Expensive
- Non much has changed since last year'south model
Tom's Guide Verdict
The Roku Ultra (2020) has faster streaming speeds and better wireless performance than its predecessor.
Pros
- +
Great performance
- +
Lots of high-quality channels
- +
Inventive remote control
- +
Dolby Vision HDR
- +
USB port for external media
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Not much has changed since concluding year's model
The Roku Ultra (2020) continues to justify charging $100 for a 4K streaming device. This twelvemonth's model is a little scrap faster than final year's, and it'southward also rated for improve wireless streaming across longer distances. It even looks a little different from the 2019 version: a outset for the Ultra, whose previous models are difficult to tell apart. It all adds upwardly to one of the best streaming devices around.
You also still get Roku-branded headphones packed in, which work with the remote's private listening flim-flam, as well as an piece of cake fashion to find your remote, equally we all inevitably lose them. The gadget's high toll volition still push button some buyers away, but the Ultra'southward USB-A port is a benefaction for those with external media, and Roku yet has practically every single streaming app (with one glaring exception).
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Roku'due south continuing to add together content and features, with the Roku Channel getting the entire series of pop Television set show 24, and films including Dirty Harry and The Babysitter. A recent software update added HomeKit and AirPlay two back up to the Roku Ultra 2020, making the streaming box work better with iPhones and other Apple devices.
Simply is a $100 4K streaming device right for y'all, or are you better off with a less expensive UHD streamer? Discover out in our full Roku Ultra (2020) review.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Price and release appointment
The Roku Ultra (2020) costs $99.99 and is bachelor at Best Purchase right now. Other vendors, such as Amazon, don't have it yet. The Roku Ultra 2020 came out on Oct 18th, 2020.
Roku Ultra (2020) specs
Video:4K, Dolby Vision HDR
Audio: Dolby Atmos
Processor: Quad-cadre CPU
Dimensions: 4.9 10 4.9 10 0.9 inches
In the box: Roku Ultra, Roku remote, high-speed HDMI cable, headphones
Smart assistant support:Amazon Alexa, Google Banana
While the Roku Ultra is more than just a 4K streaming device, $100 is a mighty high toll for UHD streaming these days. Yous can get 4K video from the Roku Streaming Stick Plus — the all-time streaming device in our book — which is just $49, the aforementioned price as the 4K-enabled Chromecast with Google TV. Meanwhile, the $179 Apple Telly 4K makes the Roku Ultra expect like a bargain, and the $119 Amazon Burn down Goggle box Cube is as well more than expensive.
But the Roku Ultra offers some nice perks that none of those streaming devices can match.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Pattern
The Roku Ultra is all the same a rounded square, measuring 4.9 inches on each side and 0.9 inches tall, but this twelvemonth's model goes for a slightly unlike look. Now its sides are all matte, ditching the sleeky blackness plastic frame of its predecessor. They also taper up and curve in.
The device is shorter and wider than the Apple Telly 4K (3.ix x 3.9 10 1.4 inches) and the Burn TV Cube (iii.4 x 3.4 x 3.0 inches). The Roku Ultra, merely similar those streaming boxes sit down on top of a cabinet or inside a home amusement center, rather than behind your Tv set, like the Chromecast with Google TV (6.4 x 2.4 10 0.five inches) or the Roku Streaming Stick Plus (iii.7 x i.0 x i.0 inches).
The purple Roku tag is still there on the left besides, merely the Find My Remote push is at present on the right side, rather than the top. Clicking that button activates a chime in the remote's speaker, and you get iii options: Sonar (a subtle bleep that may actually be too subtle), Whistle (which seems simply right by my ear) and Referee (a louder whistle). Those final 2 are a little confusingly named, but you lot'll find the correct ane for you and move on.
In terms of ports, y'all've got USB-A, ability, HDMI and Ethernet on the back. Roku's ditched the lost the microSD port used for increasing local buried memory, but that doesn't seem to be a large loss — every bit the Roku Ultra still moves enough fast. Yous can use the USB-A port for external storage and accessing media, which the Chromecast with Google Television receiver offers via its USB-C port, which supports hubs.
Roku even throws it own "premium high speed HDMI cable" in the box, to make certain yous're getting the right picture and sound quality. It'south a neat touch that other companies should consider, although I uncertainty that Apple will do so, because information technology's deciding to not include a power brick with the iPhone 12.
The Ethernet port could aid you get more stable 4K streaming, and it's expert to see this feature stick effectually even when the Roku Ultra (2020) has been designed with meliorate wireless operation. The Apple tree TV 4K also has an Ethernet port, while the Burn TV Cube has an awkward dongle for Ethernet connections, and the Chromecast with Google Television set does not have Ethernet (although Google sells a $twenty adapter for information technology).
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Performance
Roku volition tell you that the new Roku Ultra (2020) is faster than ever, thanks to its new quad-cadre processor. Merely how much faster is information technology? I put it up against the 2018 Roku Ultra I already own. I saw minor gains in some capacities, and substantial ones elsewhere.
The 2020 Roku Ultra loaded the Disney Plus app in seven seconds, merely a single second faster than the 2018 Roku Ultra'south viii-second fourth dimension. However, the new Roku was much faster at loading Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, bringing information technology up in three seconds: one-half the fourth dimension of the older Roku.
The YouTube app, which has ever been a piddling tedious to load on the Roku, too took less time on the newer Roku, opening in v seconds as opposed to nine. The one place where I didn't see whatever gains was in the time information technology took Apple TV Plus' Ted Lasso to load in crystal-clear 4K. Both Rokus took about 20 seconds, which feels a little long — merely that evidence is so good, I don't mind.
All that said, the 2018 Roku Ultra is still fast enough, and I don't know how valuable a few second here and in that location are to your life.
More importantly, Roku has added Dolby Vision to the Roku Ultra, which ways improved color quality in programming, which I saw as I rewatched the Ted Lasso pilot on Apple tree TV Plus. The Chromecast with Google TV, Apple tree TV 4K and Amazon Fire Telly Cube all have Dolby Vision, while the Roku Streaming Stick Plus does not.
The Roku Ultra 2020 may be more of import to those in larger homes than my NYC apartment. Roku says this new Ultra offers "up to l% more range," for wireless connections, which matters for folks whose Wi-Fi router is actually far from their Television set. I could not test this out, equally my Tv is a mere foot away from my router.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Interface
The Roku interface is still straightforward and like shooting fish in a barrel to understand, with rows of tiles for your apps. Roku lets y'all move these applications around notwithstanding y'all like, giving yous the control that I wish Amazon's interfaces allowed.
Even though you're spending $100 on the Roku Ultra, though, y'all still go ads on the domicile screen — and even in your screen savers. The ads aren't exactly offensive, promoting the Newsy app and Gordon Ramsay'south show Hell's Kitchen. Just at this price, I'd rather they not exist at that place at all, as is the case for the Apple TV.
When I let the Roku screensaver start, I noticed a modest thumbnail promoting Tyler Perry's Madea'due south Large Happy Family on the Roku Channel, with a little Play button adjacent to it. Certain enough, the moving-picture show began on the free Roku channel in one case I clicked Play. It'south a absurd trick, but it's wasted on that item picture.
Otherwise, Roku doesn't button the Roku Channel that much, which is like to how the Apple Goggle box 4K treats the Apple TV app. Information technology's at that place, and yous can move information technology abroad if you lot don't want it. Amazon'south devices, on the other paw, give all the preferential treatment in the world to the company'southward own content.
To the left of those apps, y'all get a menu that'due south pleasantly elementary. Featured Free promotes content you don't need to pay for, and My Feed lets yous rail your favorite shows and movies. For video-on-demand content, you can go through the Fandango-based movie and Television receiver stores. Farther down the carte du jour is Search (which I'll get to in a second), and the itemize of streaming channels and settings. In the Settings section, you can opt to hide the Featured Costless and Fandango-based menu items. Roku's doing good here, giving you some command of its interface.
In the coming weeks, Roku will release Roku Os 9.iv, which will brand its live TV guide more easily accessible from the home screen.
If you beloved themes, Roku'due south got them, but I'thousand more than of a stock/basic theme user myself. When I tried the Space theme pack, it was too cute for me by far. I bet kids volition love this stuff, though. Roku Os 9.iv will also give you new theme packs, including Jungle, Western, Nautical and Kids, complete with sound effects for when you click remote buttons.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Search and discovery
When it comes fourth dimension to find something to picket, Roku offers strong search features. I prefer this to the promoted content-based worlds of other streaming devices, as those setups rarely seem targeted enough. Roku'due south search pulls content from hundreds of different channels, so you can see every pick you have to spotter the show you lot want.
When I used the Roku remote's voice pick to search for "What We Practise In The Shadows," the system found both the excellent film and its likewise-smashing TV prove spinoff. The Roku Ultra sorted the results by putting Hulu (which I subscribe to) upward top and pay-per-episode options below, saving me the mistake of buying something that I already pay for. The related search results were also strong, showing What We Practise In The Shadows producer Taika Waititi'southward moving picture JoJo Rabbit and series star Matt Drupe'southward The IT Crowd.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Remote
The Roku Ultra remote is — without a dubiety — the best selection effectually. It's got all the standard navigation buttons (rewind, fast forwards — you lot know the residual), plus TV controls for power, volume and mute, which help you rely on fewer remotes to get things done.
At that place'due south also a headphone jack in the remote, which allows for you to stream the audio from your Roku directly to your headphones, so equally not to distract or wake any busy or sleeping persons around y'all. No other streaming device manufacturer offers this, and it's i of the Ultra'due south all-time differentiators.
Don't overlook the 1 and 2 buttons, though. These buttons (introduced in the 2019 Ultra's remote) are customizable, and then you can launch your favorite apps (or Channels, every bit Roku calls them). Just hold down the vocalisation search button and ask for an app — I said "Load YouTube" — and then hold down the 1 or 2 until you lot hear a beep. Now, y'all're able to cut downwardly on your clicking, and start watching sooner.
The programmable buttons no longer emit a potentially abrasive "beep" every time you press them. Nosotros called this out in our Roku Ultra (2019) review, as information technology was frustratingly loud when you had headphones plugged into the Roku remote.
The Roku remote likewise has four preprogrammed navigation buttons for popular apps. The Roku Ultra 2020's buttons open Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and Sling TV, and while those add convenience, I also wonder if whatever money was exchanged between Roku and those services.
Insufficiently, the Amazon Burn down TV Alexa remote and the Chromecast with Google Television receiver remote are both decent, as both offering navigation, vocalism and TV controls (the latter throws in input switching as well), and both lack programmable buttons.
All 3 remotes are superior to the Apple tree TV remote, which relies upon a touchpad surface for navigation. The Apple TV remote takes a while to go used to, although information technology does let you input passwords past speaking them out ane character at a fourth dimension.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Headphones
Unlike all of the aforementioned competitors, the Roku Ultra (2020) too includes a pair of Roku-branded earbuds. These headphones aren't going to give you lot meridian-shelf audio, but they're still good plenty for their intended purpose: plugging into the Roku Ultra remote's headphone jack for private listening.
The earbuds provided a decent amount of bass as I listened to Kid Cudi'due south "Twenty-four hours Northward Nite" and enjoyed Jason Sudeikis' dulcet tones in Ted Lasso.
Merely if you adopt Bluetooth headphones, the Roku smartphone app allows you to stream your audio wirelessly, without the remote.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Content and apps
When it comes to content Roku has it all — most. Yes, the thousands of channels and apps available on the Roku Ultra (2020) are practically unrivaled, unless you love yourself some HBO. While Peacock and HBO Max fabricated it to Roku months after thier launch, the look was annoyingly long.
Searching the Roku channels department, you will find annihilation and everything else, though. You get the basics (Netflix, Prime Video, ESPN, YouTube, Hulu, Disney Plus, Sling), plus other valued applications (Vimeo, Spotify, Tubi, Plex) and even stuff you lot've never heard of (HORRORMAX, frndlyTV, Stirr).
Even the Apple TV app is on Roku.
Those in Apple tree-centric households will exist happy to know that HomeKit and AirPlay ii are now available on the Roku Ultra 2020 and select 4K Roku devices, including the Roku Streambar, Roku Smart Soundbar, Roku Streaming Stick Plus and Roku Premiere.
Roku Ultra (2020) review: Verdict
The Roku Ultra'southward improved speed, added Dolby Vision support and private listening remote are overnice touches that help make information technology the top Roku device by feature-count. And while its lack of HBO Max was only a temporary setback, its high cost is what'southward really getting in the way.
Every bit 4K UHD streaming devices start to move toward the $fifty toll bespeak, and many folks put big screens in multiple rooms, buyers may ask, "Why buy the Roku Ultra when I could simply get 2 Roku Streaming Stick Pluses for the same cost, and put 4K video in two rooms?"
Yous could also opt for the Chromecast with Google Tv set, also $50, which has Dolby Vision support (the Roku Streaming Stick Plus does non). Notwithstanding, yous'd lose the Ethernet port for reliable streaming speeds, and your remote wouldn't be as smart (or piece of cake to find). The Roku Ultra continues to be true to its "Ultra" proper name, and worth buying if your budget allows, as it's the all-time streaming device for videophiles who enjoy all the bells and whistles.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/roku-ultra-2020
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