Roku's new 4K streaming stick boasts their best ever picture quality
Roku has announced an all-new streaming stick, packing 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ picture quality
Roku has announced a powerful new streaming stick, set for a full release in October, as well as an all-new Roku OS 10.5. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K has an impressive list of features and could be a great way to level up your TV. We won't offer a final verdict until we've had a chance to test the stick for ourselves, but here's everything we know so far.
The new streaming stick will cost UK shoppers £49.99 on release, and Roku claims it is "faster and more powerful than ever". It packs Dolby Vision sound, 4K capabilities – as the name suggests – and HDR10+ picture quality. Also, the long-range Wi-Fi receiver should help to cut down on unwanted connection issues during your favourite shows.
Thanks to a new quad-core processor, Roku claim the new stick boots up to 30% faster too. This pairs with the upgraded features of Roku OS 10.5 to make for a smoother streaming experience. You'll be able to use 'Roku Voice' voice commands and easily navigate a growing library of shows, films, podcasts and music.
This announcement follows hot on the heels of Amazon revealing the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max release date.
For more on streaming sticks, take a look at our in-depth guide to the best streaming device for your TV.
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Roku Streaming Stick 4K price
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K will cost £49.99 when it's released in the UK, but how does this compare to competitors?
Currently, you can pick up the previous generation of Roku streaming sticks – the Premiere and the Stick Plus – for £37.29 and £43.99, respectively. Amazon's Fire TV Stick (the non-4K version) comes in at £39.99.
- Buy now: Roku Streaming Stick +
- Buy now: Roku Premiere
- Buy now: Amazon Fire TV Stick
- Buy now: Roku Express
Roku Streaming Stick 4K features
The new Roku Streaming Stick 4K can stream content from across a wide variety of providers, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney Plus. It's a great option for users with multiple subscriptions who want to access them all in one place.
This Roku stick packs the amazing picture and sound quality features we already mentioned – notably, Dolby Vision, 4K and HDR10+ picture quality. On top of all that, it also packs a few small upgrades that will delight Roku users. For example, the new stick can be hidden behind your TV while in use. This might seem minor, but it was one of our bugbears with the Roku Express 4K stick. For more on that, visit our Roku Express 4K review.
The new quad-core processor in the streaming stick promises to make it more usable than its predecessors, with lower waiting and loading times. The improvements to the voice command system should also make for a better user experience.
While we're yet to get our hands on the new Roku release, we've been impressed by the brand's offerings in the past. In our Roku Express review, we gave the streaming stick a four-star rating, noting that it was a perfect entry-level product for first-time streamers.
As a result – and thanks to the new features on the Roku Streaming Stick 4K – we wouldn't be surprised to see plenty of Roku Express users looking to upgrade to the new stick come October.
The Roku Express is available at a number of retailers:
Roku Streaming Stick 4K release date
The new operating system will launch globally in the next few weeks, with the new streaming stick set to release in October. If you can't wait until then for 4K streaming, you can always try the Roku Express 4K.
Roku Express 4K retailers:
Need a new telly to accompany your streaming? Don't miss our in-depth best TV to buy guide. Or, if you're looking for an ideal gift for a friend or relative, then take a look at our tech gifts guide.
