The Roku Ultra streaming device gave my TV 4K superpowers - and it's 20% off

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Roku Ultra is simply a streaming instrumentality disposable for $100.
• The Roku Ultra is the cleanable streaming instrumentality for anyone who doesn't privation to perpetrate to squad iOS with an Apple TV 4K oregon squad Android with a Google TV Streamer.
• There are a fewer drawbacks to getting a Roku Ultra, similar the deficiency of a headphone jack connected the remote.

The Roku Ultra streaming instrumentality is connected merchantability for $79, the lowest terms we've ever seen. 

Although I'm an iPhone idiosyncratic with an Apple TV 4K, I emotion utilizing antithetic streaming devices -- I ne'er consciousness committed to a azygous brand. Different brands connection antithetic features, and adding a caller instrumentality to an older TV tin marque it consciousness similar a brand-new television. This happened with my Fire TV erstwhile I added a Roku Ultra.

Also: The Google TV Streamer amazed maine successful the champion mode - and I'm an utmost cord cutter

I person a wont of getting profoundly discounted Fire TVs during large buying events similar Black Friday and Prime Day. I got a 50-inch 4-Series Fire TV during Prime Day 2022 and a 43-inch Omni Series Fire TV during Prime Day 2023. The 4-Series tv looks great, but its FireOS level has begun to dilatory down importantly adjacent though the exemplary came retired lone 3 years agone – I conjecture it's the terms you wage for an inexpensive TV.

This could beryllium a retention issue, but I've tried deleting apps I don't request and the cache connected apps I do, and thing makes a important difference. The TV lone has 2GB of RAM, truthful it could besides beryllium incapable to support up with each the apps I tally connected it.

This acceptable is the main quality successful my family's TV country and gets galore streaming hours courtesy of my kids. This country is adjacent to their playroom, truthful it's similar a one-stop store wherever they play, draw, read, and ticker TV. It's besides wherever we person household movie nights.

When I began investigating the caller Roku Ultra, I ditched the built-in FireOS and added the caller streaming instrumentality to the TV. The Roku Ultra made the 4-Series Fire TV execute amended than erstwhile it was archetypal purchased, and it besides looks amended than ever, apt acknowledgment to the other representation connected the device. 

Also: Apple TV vs. Roku: Which streaming instrumentality should you buy?

Testing the Roku Ultra has made it 1 of my favourite streaming devices, and it's each owed to a azygous underrated payment among astute devices: simplicity. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The Roku Ultra is an unassuming instrumentality with a elemental operating strategy that is casual to larn and navigate, adjacent for those who aren't tech-savvy. It doesn't bombard you with ads and suggested contented erstwhile you crook connected your TV and lets you dive close into navigating its intuitive, app-based platform. 

Also: The Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is large for gaming and streaming, and inactive 25% off

The Roku level has ads, but they're banner ads alternatively than obnoxious contented that plays automatically erstwhile the TV is idle connected the location surface (looking astatine you, FireOS). The Roku Ultra is besides compatible with Wi-Fi 6, though not with Wi-Fi 6E oregon Wi-Fi 7, arsenic different streaming players are. 

Faithful to simplicity, the Roku Ultra doesn't diagnostic other bells and whistles; instead, it keeps each the exertion wrong the instrumentality and distant control. The Roku Ultra looks akin to erstwhile versions, if a spot larger, but the caller distant is an implicit winner. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Aside from being 30% faster than different Roku streaming devices, the caller Roku Ultra comes with the latest Roku Voice Remote Pro. This is easy the champion distant power among streaming devices, packed with each the features you'll need: backlit buttons, a customizable shortcut button, a rechargeable artillery with a USB-C port, and a voice-controlled distant finder feature.

Also: The astir immersive gaming talker strategy I've ever tested is astir 30% disconnected astatine Amazon

Since my kids look to ever beryllium successful the TV country watching our Fire TV, the distant power is often lost. It's been squished into the reclining mechanisms connected 1 of the chairs, resulting successful a cracked Alexa Voice Remote that, thankfully, inactive works. Now I lone person to say, "Hey Roku, find my remote" erstwhile I can't spot it. 

Among streaming players, Roku besides features the astir escaped channels; Roku Channel offers much than 400 unrecorded channels. If unrecorded TV is thing you've been missing since cutting the cord, I'd decidedly urge Roku's subscription-free unrecorded TV system. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The Roku Ultra is cleanable for anyone looking for a fast, reliable streaming instrumentality that is casual to usage with astir immoderate smartphone. Unlike the Apple TV 4K and the Google TV Streamer, nonstop competitors catering to circumstantial audiences, the Roku Ultra supports some Apple AirPlay and surface mirroring from Android, truthful you tin formed your media to your TV careless of the operating strategy connected your phone. 

I'd urge the Roku Ultra streaming instrumentality to anyone looking for a fast, intuitive instrumentality who doesn't privation to wed a azygous mobile operating system.

Also: I tested Amazon's Mini LED Fire TV, and it competes with much costly Samsung and LG models

Though Fire TV devices besides enactment surface mirroring from iOS and Android, the FireOS level is much cluttered than the Roku system, with a batch of suggested contented connected the location surface and much ads. I besides find that Fire TV devices are much prone to slowing with age, seemingly bogged down by updates and representation issues.