There’s a lot to remember when you’re setting up a new TV to stream 4K movies, shows, and documentaries. Your TV has to be 4K-capable, sure. And your internet connection needs to be fast enough, so make sure you’ve got a decent WiFi router and aren’t paying for the cheapest internet plan. Oh, and some streaming networks restrict 4K content to the priciest subscriptions. Cough, Netflix and HBO Max.

Forget any one element and your swanky TV may just end up showing you everything in regular HD resolution, and you might not even know it. One last piece of the puzzle to consider: Your streaming device is rated for 4K, Dolby Vision, and all that mess, right? Because without it, you can’t watch the good stuff.

I’ve tested all the major 4K-capable streaming devices on the market, and the Roku Ultra 4K beats ’em all. Sure, we can talk hardware specs and all that, but you know what impressed me the most in the many hours I used the Ultra 4K? Its remote control and its playful sense of personality.

TL;dr: my Review at a glance

Well, I hope you have a 4K TV. Most of them these days, even the cheapos, can display 4K resolution. The Roku Ultra 4K supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos, so if you have a TV that plays the very highest quality video and audio formats, the Ultra 4K is the best choice for streaming it. If your TV doesn’t display 4K video or if you don’t pay the (sometimes sky-high) prices for streaming channel tiers that let you play 4K video, then save your money and buy a cheaper streaming box, like the Roku Streaming Stick HD for $18.

how i tested

Of all the devices I’ve tested for VICE, this was a particularly fun testing routine. I watched a lot of movies and television shows in 4K. Old black-and-white films restored for the Criterion Collection, modern-day digitally shot blockbusters peppered with CGI, and sepia-toned Westerns. And more. A lot more.

I viewed them all on a TCL QM7, a 55-inch 4K TV with support for Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. That’s the 2024-version predecessor to the TCL QM7K, which is only slightly evolved from my test TV. It was paired with a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar (via the TCL’s HDMI eARC port) and Sonos Sub 4 subwoofer.

I tested the Roku Ultra 4K on the same home theater setup against the Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and Roku Streaming Stick 4K. The HDMI cable used was a modern unit from Anker that provided plenty of capacity for streaming 4K video, and the internet connection was an ultra-fast Verizon FIOS fiber-optic setup; neither was a bottleneck on any device’s streaming performance.

Fun and Funky

Is it strange that my favorite part of the Roku—any Roku—is Roku City, the constantly scrolling background of a nameless, silhouetted city packed with easter eggs referencing famed movies and shows?

Roku is the only platform that has any kind of sense of humor. You’d have to in order to animate tiny UFOs hovering over London’s Big Ben just to mess with the clock. Swatched in shades of purple, the user interface (UI) isn’t just delightful to behold. It’s intuitive and easy to navigate.

Apple TV’s may be slightly but noticeably faster, but Roku figured out its format ages ago. Finding the right channel or settings sub-menu is never hard on Roku, and while there are advertisements, they’re not all that intrusive. The only major tweak was the brilliant addition of the “Continue Watching” tab on the home screen’s left-side vertical menu.

Like the UI, Roku nailed the basic shape of the remote control years ago and has only needed to perfect it in slight ways over the years. The remote included with the Ultra 4K is the best yet, with a few significant upgrades. Gone is the insatiable hunger for replaceable batteries. The new remote recharges via USB-C, and I’ve only needed to charge it once a month, on average.

Just lifting the remote activates the backlight that lights up the buttons, handy in dark rooms. After all, if it’s dark enough for you to need lights on a remote activated, how are you supposed to find a backlight button to turn them on? Roku eliminates that quandary.

The Roku’s remote is far more comfortable to hold than the Apple TV’s remote (and even the Fire TV’s remote). That came in handy for all those times I sat endlessly searching for something to watch. The remote’s shortcut buttons (Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and the customizable Quick Launch) are also nice to have.

The hands-free voice control works well enough to hear me lob commands to the remote from one room away without having to shout. I usually toggle that off via the switch on the side of the remote, however, and just use the hold-to-talk voice button when I want the Ultra 4K to search for a movie or open a particular channel.

When it came to performance, the Roku Ultra 4K was plenty fast. It never lagged or hiccuped when opening apps or navigating through menus. The Apple TV 4K is faster, though. Lightning fast. Did it matter to me? Not really. You’re choosing between faster than necessary (Roku Ultra 4K) and much faster than necessary (Apple TV 4K). Given the Roku’s strengths on UI, remote control, and costing about half as much, I’d take the Roku.

more on The Roku Ultra 4K

The Roku Ultra 4K is frequently on sale for about $80 or so. Ever since the US’ tariff situation went bonkers in April 2025, the price drops on the Ultra 4K have grown more erratic and not as good, but the selling price rarely approaches the full $100 retail price. Wait until it’s $90, at most, before pulling the trigger. The best deals tend to appear on Amazon and Walmart.

There’s not much to not like about the Ultra 4K. It’s a speed demon when it comes to delivering reliable, fast WiFi signal, offers an Ethernet port for a wired connection, has an intuitive and amusing UI, and the best remote control in the business. And it doesn’t cost any more than the competition. In fact, it’s not much more than half the price of its closest competitor, the Apple TV 4K.

It integrates with Google Home and Amazon Alexa quite well. I hooked it up to my Google Home without any issues. There aren’t many reasons to dislike the Roku Ultra 4K or recommend against it. Perhaps if you have a fear of the color purple?

wired or wireless?

Most of us will do just fine using the Roku Ultra 4K’s built-in WiFi connection. Never did it prove to be a serious impediment to my viewing. Electronic devices, such as microwaves, and Bluetooth devices can interfere with WiFi routers’ signal, though. It normally takes a lot of such devices to begin notably degrading signal strength and reliability, so you’re not likely to experience it.

But if you’re using a decent router (WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 standard) and a decent internet connection, and your TV/Roku combo isn’t far from your router, then you may want to use an Ethernet cable to make a physical internet connection to your Roku instead. Sure, you have to route and hide another ugly wire, but it eliminates any connection issues.

the roku channel—a hidden gem

Roku is platform agnostic. That means that while the Apple TV 4K has a vested interest in promoting Apple TV content and the Amazon Fire TV devices have a stake in pushing Prime Video titles, the Roku doesn’t tilt the user experience in its own favor. Much.

Roku launched howdy, a $3-per-month streaming channel, in summer 2025. It doesn’t seem to occupy much of its attention on the Roku home screen, though. The Roku, more than any competing platform, seems to favor (or disfavor) each streaming channel equally. Moreover, it offers The Roku Channel, which is separate from and predates howdy.

Even though The Roku Channel pelts you with ads, it’s entirely free. And of all the free streaming channels out there, it’s pelted me with fewer ads than most. It also has the best selection of movies to watch. Stuff I actually want to see and can’t stream for free on other channels. You can’t get The Roku Channel on non-Roku streaming devices, which is another point in favor of using a Roku to quarterback your TV viewing.

the bottom line

The Roku Ultra 4K isn’t selling for $60 anymore, not since spring 2025. Even at a regular street price of $80, it’s easily worth it for somebody who wants the very best streaming box that can deliver the highest video and audio quality to their premium TV.

People who travel often and want to take their own streaming device, loaded with their own streaming channels and accounts, should pick something in a stick format rather than a streaming box. I recommend the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. Same great remote and UI, although it’s a bit slower.

Everybody else, though, should fork over the dough for the Ultra 4K. It’s really the best of the best.