Roku’s refreshed Ultra streamer gets a welcome speed boost

It’s fall, and that means it’s time for a revamped version of the Roku OS; plus, some new Roku hardware, including a speedier Ultra streaming player bundled with an eye-catching new remote. 

Available now at Roku’s website and slated to arrive at major retailers in the “coming weeks,” the third-generation Roku Ultra looks an awful lot like its two-year-old predecessor.  

Yes, we’re talking the same rounded rectangular design, complete with HDMI and ethernet and USB 3.0 ports in back.  

Also coming over from the second-gen Ultra is 4K streaming support, along with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos compatibility,  

But this time around, the flagship Roku Ultra is getting a speed boost on two fronts, starting with an “all-new” quad-core processor that promises up to 30 percent faster performance than the previous Ultra. (A Roku rep declined to give specifics on the Ultra’s new chip.) 

Not bad, but the Ultra is also getting a critical networking update that’s been a long time in coming: Wi-Fi 6, an upgrade that brings the third-gen Roku device up to par with the latest Apple TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K players.  

Between its new processor and faster Wi-Fi, the revamped Ultra stands a better chance of delivering stutter-free 4K video, not to mention snappier on-screen menu performance and speedier load times for streaming apps. 

Bundled with the latest Roku Ultra is the second-edition version of the Voice Remote Pro, which arrived earlier this summer with a killer feature: backlit buttons. 

The illuminated buttons on the new remote (you can read our review of the second-gen Voice Remote Pro here) constitute a convenience that’s easy to overlook–or at least it is until you’re fumbling for the “mute” button in the dark. 

Amazon Alexa’s Voice Remote Pro also has backlighting, as do the remotes for Nvidia’s Shield players. But the Apple TV 4K’s Siri remote lacks backlit buttons, as does Google’s Chromecast remote. 

The third-gen Roku Ultra sells for $99, same as the previous version. We’ll have a full review soon.

Meanwhile, the Roku OS is getting its annual dose of updates, starting with the ability to “like” or “dislike” movies and TV shows by clicking thumbs-up or thumbs-down buttons. The more you click the buttons, the better your recommendations will be, Roku says. 

Also coming in Roku OS 14 is the ability to use voice commands to call up specific device settings. For example, you’ll be able to say “customize my home screen” to summon the settings for the Roku home interface. 

Next, Roku says it’s bringing its “Kids & Family” experience to the Roku home screen, allowing for quicker access to the company’s selection of more than 50,000 family-friendly titles from a variety of streaming services. 

Finally, the Roku mobile app is getting a trio of improvements, including a swipeable overlay that lets you quickly jump to recommended videos, content categories, and “quick-launch” apps. 

IMDb ratings are also coming to the Roku app, as well as the ability to flag your favorite sports teams for live scores and upcoming events. 

Roku OS 14 will roll out to “supported” devices in the “coming months,” Roku says. We’re waiting on the Roku OS release notes to find out exactly which devices will be compatible with the update. 

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streamers.

Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive