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Looking to upgrade your streaming setup? Roku just announced two brand-new streaming dongles with faster performance and a more compact size to bring boxsets, blockbusters, and games to the big screen.
Roku Streaming Stick (£29.99) and Roku Streaming Stick Plus (£39.99) will release in June, the US company has announced. According to Roku, the new design is 35% smaller than rival offerings, despite shipping with more power underneath the bonnet. This svelte new size should make it easier to pack a Roku device with you when travelling, so you can continue watching your favourite shows on a hotel TV or at a friend's house.
Roku believes the slimmed-down design of its new Streaming Stick (£29.99) and Streaming Stick Plus (£39.99) will make them more convenient to pack when heading away on a business trip or holiday abroad
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Compared to previous models from Roku, these new devices can be powered directly by the TV — eliminating the need for hanging cables, delivering a cleaner, more streamlined setup. Plus, the sleek design won’t block neighbouring HDMI ports, so users can switch from streaming to gaming with ease.
Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are designed to plug directly into the HDMI port on the back of your telly to unlock access to streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, NOW, Disney+, Apple TV+, and many more.
Roku also offers its own free streaming service, dubbed The Roku Channel, which has a packed catalogue that includes all-new exclusives and syndicated shows and films.
The ad-supported streamer, which competes with the likes of Fawesome, the now-shuttered Freevee, and Tubi, is currently home to movies like Jeepers Creepers, Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, and Carrie, as well as originals like Die Hart 3: Hart To Kill, The Charlie Puth Show, Sexology, and Weird: The Al Yankovich Story.
On some television models, the Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus can be powered directly from the HDMI port. If not, the company includes a USB cable to connect to the port on the back of your television to power the lightweight device
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If you don't have a Smart TV, a streaming set-top box like Roku Streaming Stick could be the only way to access these apps. Even if you do already own a Smart TV, Roku delivers a much faster experience, thanks to its stripped-back operating system and popular features, like universal search that dives into the catalogue of every streaming service installed on your gadget to find a specific film, show, or documentary so you don't accidentally pay to rent a title that's already included in one of your subscriptions.
Roku introduced Continue Watching last year, which lets you jump back into content across different apps.
The new Roku Streaming Stick is the most affordable device in the lineup. At £29.99, it offers access to over 25,000 apps, games, and streaming services stocked in the Roku Channel Store. Picture quality tops out at 1080p HD on this model, so those who have treated themselves to a 4K Ultra HD who want to take full advantage of the additional pixels included in that display should look at a more expensive model.
According to Roku, its new Streaming Stick ships with improved Wi-Fi. That should result in a more reliable connection and better streaming experience, but we'll need to test the new Streaming Stick ourselves to see how much of a difference this makes to an evening boxset binge.
Roku lets you search for films, TV shows, actors and directors across every streaming service installed on your Smart TV or streaming set-top box — saving you the arduous process of launching and checking every individual app ROKU PRESS OFFICE For the first time, Roku has bundled a voice-enabled remote control with its most affordable Streaming Stick. Press on the microphone button and speak into the remote control to change the volume, switch your flatscreen TV on or off, search for films from your favourite director, or open a specific app.
If you want to stream in 4K Ultra HD, you'll need to spend £39.99 on the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. This upgraded model arrives with support for vivid HDR colour via format standards like HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. Like its cheaper counterpart, you'll find a voice-enabled remote control in the box.
The Plus model also features better Wi-Fi standards (802.11ac) compared to the basic version.
If you're deciding between the two models, the main difference is resolution — HD for the Streaming Stick, while the Streaming Stick Plus enjoys 4K HDR resolution. Both sticks are compatible with Apple AirPlay, HomeKit, Google Home and Alexa for smart home integration.
Save £10 on Roku Express 4K ahead of the launch of new model
The Roku Express 4K is a compact streaming device that offers support for crisp 4K Ultra HD and HDR10+ picture quality and supports major UK streaming services like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and Disney+. Its user-friendly interface and dual-band Wi-Fi ensure smooth streaming. Roku will replace this model with a new generation in June, so Amazon has slashed 23% off the price tag to clear out remaining stock
When the new devices launch in June, they'll replace the Roku Express and Roku Express 4K models in the UK lineup. The premium Roku Streaming Stick 4K (£49.99) remains available for those wanting additional features like Dolby Vision support.
Compared to rivals, Roku's new offerings are competitively priced, with the entry-level Streaming Stick (£29.99) undercutting Amazon's Fire TV Stick HD (£39.99). The Streaming Stick Plus (£39.99) matches the price of Amazon's basic Fire TV Stick whilst offering 4K capabilities.
Both significantly undercut Google's TV Streamer, which costs £99 but offers some additional features, like an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection.
Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus will land on UK store shelves in June
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Discussing the incoming launches, Richard Halton, Country Manager at Roku UK, said: "We are proud to unveil a new chapter in the Roku streaming journey with an updated look, feel, and performance for our streaming players.
"With over 15 years of innovation, our commitment has always been to make consumers’ lives easier by simplifying the TV viewing experience. Our two new powerful streaming players are packed with great features and will be available from June - ideal for keeping entertained during the summer holidays."
Google TV Streamer replaced the lightweight Chromecast lineup, which competed head-to-head with the likes of Roku and Fire TV Stick. In contrast, Google TV Streamer is a more substantial device with support for a wired internet connection and a colour-matched remote control is bundled in the box
GOOGLE PRESS OFFICEThe voice remote included with both Roku models helps level the playing field against Amazon's Alexa-enabled remotes. If you're keen to get your hands on these new streaming devices, you'll need to wait until June when they become available at major UK retailers.
Unlike the US where pre-orders are already open, there's no way to preorder in the UK. Stay tuned for more news about where to purchase the Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus when they become available in the coming weeks.
