Shifting price points downward on the company’s lineup of streaming set-top boxes, Roku is launching a $30, 1080p streaming stick called the Roku Express as well as a $80 4K streaming set-top box called the Roku Premiere.  This both undercuts Google’s $35 Chromecast streaming device as well as Amazon’s $30 Fire TV streaming stick.

Interestingly, they are also going after consumers that don’t have televisions with HDMI ports yet. The Roku Express+ ($40) includes options for consumers that want to use simple A/V inputs rather than HDMI. It would be ideal for consumers that are still using televisions made more than a decade ago.

Moving up to the 4K set-top box, the Roku Premiere streaming 4K content at 60 frames per second and comes with a line-of-sight remote. For an additional $20 at a $100 price point, the Roku Premiere+ supports HDR (for a wider range of colors) and includes an wired Ethernet port as well as the “point-anywhere” remote with the headphone jack.

On the high end, Roku is launching a Roku Ultra at $130. It has everything that the Roku Premiere+ offers in addition to voice searching, a remote finder and a digital optical audio output for anyone that prefers that audio format when pushing out to a receiver. That model basically replaces the Roku 4 flagship model.

If you are looking for a 4K player for your new 4K television, you may want to wait until after October 4, 2016 when Google is expected to announce a couple of streaming player upgrades. The rumored “Chromecast Ultra” will stream 4K content to televisions for a possible price of $70, $10 cheaper than the Roku Premiere. It’s not clear if the Chromecast Ultra will also support HDR.

Roku undercuts Chromecast price, announces cheap 4K streamer

The Roku 4 ($130) is Roku’s entry into the 4K sweepstakes, and it’s a very well thought-out and compelling product for consumers interested in utilizing their shiny new 4K HDTVs.

Roku has won legions of fans for its easy to use and focused product line that does streaming better than anyone else. The Roku 4 picks up where other Rokus left off and delivers the goods.

Specs and Setup

The Roku 4 is super-sized compared to previous Rokus, measuring 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 0.8″ (vs. 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 1″ of Roku 3) and has a flat matte black top with a big glossy “4,” in keeping with Roku’s traditional design. There’s now a remote finder button on top, which is a unique feature that will come into play at some point or another. (Press it, and the remote will emit your choice of alarm sound. Hopefully, users will be able to upload their own in the future.)

Like the new Fire TV, the Roku 4 has a quad-core processor and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi. However, its 1.5GB memory, 256MB of storage and lack of dedicated GPU pale in comparison to the 2GB RAM, 8GB storage and dedicated GPU of the Amazon Fire TV. So on paper, the Fire TV looks better, but the Roku is a much better performer.

In my review (5/10), I wrote that software bugs really hampered the 2nd Gen Fire TV, and I think that’s the big difference here. While the hardware is debatably comparable, the Roku 4 does it better where it counts—playing 4K video.

Show Us the 4K

4K Ultra HD is the key feature of the Roku 4 and it doesn’t disappoint. Its specs are up to date: HDMI 2.0 output with HDCP 2.2 and up to 4K at 60fps. It doesn’t currently support HDR (High Dynamic Range), but according to Roku’s FAQ page, that could be added later to the product, presumably in a firmware update.

The quality of 4K depends on the content (frame rate, cameras used, etc.), but overall, 4K looks great. Does it look fantastic enough to compel consumers to buy a 4K TV? Last year, I would’ve said no because of limited content. This year, it’s a maybe, especially with a player like the Roku 4. But 4K will definitely be the standard within a couple years, just as 720p/1080p is the current standard.

The Roku 4 is free of the buggy software issues that currently plague the other big 4K set-top box out there right now, Amazon’s 2nd gen Fire TV.

It handled all the 4K content on Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and YouTube (the major providers) with aplomb. Buffering, if any, is brief. It ramped up to Ultra HD almost instantaneously on Netflix and within 1 to 2 seconds on Amazon. This is definitely where the Roku 4 shines. I didn’t experience drop-outs, buffering in-progress or other hiccups.

One of my favorite aspects of the Roku 4 is the 4K Ultra HD Spotlight channel that puts together all the 4K content in one place. Roku has correctly guessed that 4K TV owners will be anxious to find all that content. On the Amazon Fire TV, it took some digging around to find.

4K content is collected all in one location (cross-platform).

Noisy Fan?

I did encounter fan noise. (Yes, the Roku 4 has a fan, but it’s also got a quad-core processor.) Some customers have already been reporting a loud fan noise. I would liken it more to the hum of a laptop fan that’s not even noticeable when you have the sound on. But it’s definitely there, and it did get loud when my customized photo screensaver was running and when I ran the remote finder while playing 4K video.

If you’re sensitive to this sort of thing, I would note this as the biggest “disappointment” of the Roku 4.

Roku Remote and Voice Search

The Roku remote is still the best in its class with a nice weight and responsive feel that is noticeably better than the Fire TV remote or the old Apple TV remote. The Roku remote still has the handy headphone plug (and includes earbuds), which for some reason mostly hasn’t been replicated on other set-top boxes, until the new NVIDIA Shield.

You’ve also got voice search on the remote which was introduced earlier this year in the revamped 2015 Roku 3. It’s quick and responsive but not as powerful as Siri or Alexa.

Updated Mobile App

The newly redesigned Roku mobile app

The mobile app was updated this year with voice search and Roku Feed—which allows you to keep track of actors and movie releases. The app already doubles as a remote, app launcher and photo streamer that also allows you to upload your mobile pics as a Roku screensaver. The app, which was also redesigned in October, is intuitive and a worthy alternative to the already great physical remote.

If It Ain’t Broke…

Some things remain the same, for good and (slightly) bad. The Roku platform (now OS 7) is still a breeze, even if some apps (e.g. Amazon’s) aren’t as flashy as the ones we’ve seen on Xbox One or the Fire TV. The app is not really Roku’s fault, though. And the notoriously buggy Sling TV app still seems relatively stodgy on the Roku 4.

Roku natively plays the most services that people want. Every streaming player will have Netflix or Hulu, but do they have Amazon Video (not Apple TV or NVIDIA Shield), Google Play Movies (not Fire TV) and Sling TV (not Apple TV)?

Searching across various services is something that’s been on previous Rokus, but it’s a game-changing feature that really makes Roku’s platform so user-friendly. Roku has 20 channel partners currently, and it’s still an unbiased search not weighted towards any service.

Conclusion

I do not hesitate to recommend the Roku 4 as your first choice in set-top boxes if you already own a 4K TV and want to dive right into the 4K current. It’s pricey but offers almost flawless performance.

If you don’t own a 4K TV, then buying a Roku 4 now might be a little premature because of its higher price tag. Standard HD performance on the Roku 4 is not going to be any different than, say, the cheaper Roku 3. Plus, you might just want to wait for the new Apple TV that doesn’t do 4K at all.

Now you can watch your favorite snow monkeys in scintillating Ultra HD.

Roku 4 Review: The Real Deal

Every time one of these media boxes is announced, I’m always reminded of that little Irving Berlin ditty Anything You Can Do. First, the Apple TV was announced in early September, Apple’s first revision of the hardware in years. Everyone was excited about iOS support, Siri support. Then Amazon 1up’ed Apple with the 4K Fire TV announcement during mid-September. Everyone was excited about 4K support, faster hardware, lower price tag.

Well, Roku just announced the Roku 4. Here’s a handy spec sheet to help you decide between the three main options in set-top boxes this holiday season.

[table caption=”2015 Set-Top Box Comparison” width=”620″ colwidth=”20|25|25|25″ colalign=”center|center|center|center”]
Category,Roku 4,2015 Fire TV, 2015 Apple TV

Supported Resolution?,4K Ultra HD (up to 60 fps),4K Ultra HD (up to 30 fps),1080p

Supported Wi-Fi?,802.11ac MIMO,802.11ac MIMO,802.11ac MIMO

Wired Ethernet?,Yes,Yes,Yes

Processor?,Quad-core,Quad-core,Dual-core

RAM?,1.5GB,2GB,2GB

Optical Digital Output?,Yes,No (HDMI only),No (HDMI only)

HDMI Version?,HDMI 2.0,HDMI 2.0,HDMI 1.4

USB port?,One USB 2.0 port,One USB 2.0 port,No

Micro SD card slot?, Yes (up to 128GB), Yes (up to 128GB), No

Voice Search?,Yes,Alexa,Siri

Universal Search?,Yes,Crippled,Yes (but fewer apps)

Remote Finder?,Yes,No,No

Hotel & Dorm Connect*?,Yes,No,No

Supports Headphones?,Wired,Bluetooth only,Bluetooth only

Operating System?,Roku OS 7,Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito”,tvOS 9.0 (iOS 9)

Gaming Support?,Good,Better,Best (Probably)

Price?,$129.99,$99.99,$149 (32GB) / $199 (64GB)

[/table]

*Hotel & Dorm connect. Using Roku mobile app, users enter login details to connect to Wi-Fi networks that require login through a Web browser.

The facts are clear. Amazon is aiming at the budget audience, but still offering 4K playback as well as the best specs. Of course, some of the downsides include a search engine that’s not truly universal and a general lack of 4K content at the moment. It’s also a less useful player without a Prime subscription.

Apple is content charging people significantly more than competitors while offering less powerful hardware at the same time. Of course, the integration of iOS 9 is likely going to open the floodgates to mobile gaming on the family television and Siri could be a powerful voice assistant for finding content. The remote control is also pretty slick, assuming it works as advertised.

Alternatively, Roku appears to be pricing the Roku 4 in the middle of the other two options, specifically going after the home theater crowd. It’s the only option that offers 60 fps playback in 4K as well as a physical optical output for home theater speakers. Roku’s also been doing universal search longer than anyone else (and arguably more effective at it). However, voice search may end up being spotty and it’s obvious that gaming is an afterthought compared to the other two set-top boxes.

If interested in ordering, the Amazon Fire TV is available now, Apple hasn’t opened preorders up for the new Apple TV yet, and Roku has opened up preorders for the Roku as of today: LINK

Order the $99 Fire TV –  Order the $129 Roku 4

You can check out more photos of the new Roku 4 below:

Roku 4 vs. Fire TV vs. Apple TV: 2015 Streaming Showdown