Roku Ultra (2019)

Solid 4K HDR performance Easy to setup and use Voice remote with headphone jack New programmable buttons

No Dolby Vision support Very similar to the Premiere+ Doesn’t include HDMI cable Very limited voice assistant

The new Roku Ultra launches channels 17% faster than its predecessor and comes with a programmable remote, but it doesn’t support Dolby Vision, has slower buffering speeds than the competition and doesn’t always make HDR content look its best. It’s...

Advanced remote with headphone jack, finder function, and programmable shortcut buttons. Slightly faster performance than previous model.

Voice-programmed shortcuts are sluggish. Voice features lag far behind Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. No Dolby Vision.

Bottom Line: The latest Roku Ultra is a capable media streamer just like its predecessor, and its biggest selling point remains a headphone jack on the remote.

In an era in which smart TVs provide most of the functionality that the average viewer needs to watch his or her favorite shows, a streaming media player isn't the necessity it once was. And one that costs $100 could be a tough sell. If you have your...