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We call the the best set-top box for most people in our guide to the , and it's now down to $67 through a new deal at Amazon. That's $33 off Roku's list price and only a little more than a dollar higher than the all-time low for this latest iteration of the streamer. has the same deal, though it doesn't have the device available for shipping as of this writing. The Ultra has been discounted to $70 at other retailers for the last couple of weeks as part of an ongoing , but if you've been looking to pick the streamer up and didn't grab one on Black Friday, this discount lets you save a couple extra bucks.
The Ultra is Roku's highest-end streaming player, and this latest version was released in 2022. The device itself is essentially the same as the prior-generation model that arrived in 2020, but it now comes bundled with , which upgrades the basic Roku remote with a rechargeable battery, two programmable shortcut buttons, and a headphone jack for private listening without having to use the Roku app. It also gives you the option to use the built-in mic hands-free, and if you ever lose the remote in the couch cushions, there's a built-in speaker that'll play a chime when you hit a remote finder button on the box. It does charge over an ancient microUSB port instead of USB-C, however. Beyond that, the box includes an Ethernet jack for steadier internet connections, plus a USB port for playing local media off external drives.
To be clear, while the Ultra is Roku's most fully-featured streamer, it's not necessarily its best value. That would be the , which is the top overall pick in our guide and currently available for $28 less. The Ultra is technically more powerful in terms of processing and Wi-Fi performance, but the difference isn't huge in practice. Both devices support just about all the major streaming apps (Twitch excluded) and HDR standards, both work with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol and both have the same app-based, easy-to-grok interface. It's also worth noting that you can buy the separately. But if you need the Ethernet or USB ports, the Ultra is still a nice alternative to boxes like the Apple TV 4K, and this deal makes it a little cheaper than usual.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at
Console Bang News!
The Ultra is Roku's highest-end streaming player, and this latest version was released in 2022. The device itself is essentially the same as the prior-generation model that arrived in 2020, but it now comes bundled with , which upgrades the basic Roku remote with a rechargeable battery, two programmable shortcut buttons, and a headphone jack for private listening without having to use the Roku app. It also gives you the option to use the built-in mic hands-free, and if you ever lose the remote in the couch cushions, there's a built-in speaker that'll play a chime when you hit a remote finder button on the box. It does charge over an ancient microUSB port instead of USB-C, however. Beyond that, the box includes an Ethernet jack for steadier internet connections, plus a USB port for playing local media off external drives.
To be clear, while the Ultra is Roku's most fully-featured streamer, it's not necessarily its best value. That would be the , which is the top overall pick in our guide and currently available for $28 less. The Ultra is technically more powerful in terms of processing and Wi-Fi performance, but the difference isn't huge in practice. Both devices support just about all the major streaming apps (Twitch excluded) and HDR standards, both work with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol and both have the same app-based, easy-to-grok interface. It's also worth noting that you can buy the separately. But if you need the Ethernet or USB ports, the Ultra is still a nice alternative to boxes like the Apple TV 4K, and this deal makes it a little cheaper than usual.
Follow on Twitter and for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at
Console Bang News!