Roku Announces New Streaming Stick Models for the UK Audience

Roku is one of the big names in the streaming player market. Sure, you’ve heard of Google’s Chromecast, Amazon’s Fire Stick, and probably a few more here and there, but Roku is definitely one of the big players, especially considering that it was one of the earliest players in the space.

Yesterday, Roku announced the new Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus. While they won’t be available yet, they bring notable upgrades to the little streaming device, including improved performance and a more compact body. The best part is that they remain affordable. Let’s talk about what they bring to the table (or the back of your TV).

Roku Retires the Roku Express With the New Streaming Stick Lineup

Are you familiar with the Roku Express? It’s a little box that ideally sits under your TV and uses wires to connect to it. The perk of a streaming device in that form factor is that there tends to be more space for better hardware and cooling—the Google TV Streamer is an example of that. However, it isn’t the cleanest option, design-wise.

If you want clean, you want to opt for a streaming stick. They slot directly into your HDMI port and live behind your TV, out of sight, without wires hanging around or anything. It’s that thought process that has likely led to the new duo of Streaming Sticks from Roku, which the company says will serve as the successors to the Roku Express models.

Despite being so much smaller than the Roku Express, it seems you won’t have a single performance worry. Generally speaking, these Roku Streaming Sticks bring some obvious perks over the previous form factor:

• Plug directly into the HDMI port for a cleaner TV setup
• Can be powered by your TV’s USB port, keeping cables out of sight
• Compact enough to stay out of the way of other HDMI ports, leaving gaming consoles and other electronics plugged in

The Roku Streaming Stick

The new Roku Streaming Stick is the perfect choice for anyone who wants Roku’s smart TV interface without paying through the nose for it. The Streaming Stick is affordable, at just £29.99, but it brings a lot to the table for that price.

You will get support for FHD streaming and improved Wi-Fi connectivity over the Roku Express, and despite paying so little, you’ll also get a voice-enabled remote. That last point’s a major win, because there’s nothing worse than trying to use a remote control to type out the show you want to watch.

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus

For those who aren’t content with the viewing experience of Full HD, you can always opt for the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. This model brings support for 4K streaming as well as support for HDR10+. If you have a TV that supports both, it’d be a shame not to take advantage of it. This model will only cost £10 more, at £39.99, so for some people, it won’t be a particular hard choice to make.

Both of these devices will be available in the United Kingdom at major retailers, starting in June. I assume they’ll be coming to the US at some point, but changing market conditions might mean Roku needs to reassess the numbers.