Roku Ultra Review: The Power-User Roku, Tested
7 min read
Pros
- Wi-Fi 6 plus an Ethernet port for a true wired option, unlike stick-form Roku devices
- Physical remote finder actually works and has saved real searching time
- Roku OS remains the least cluttered interface of any major platform
- USB port for local playback of downloaded video files without a separate app
Cons
- Price premium over the Streaming Stick 4K is hard to justify unless you specifically need Ethernet or the remote finder
- Box form factor means finding a spot near the TV instead of hiding behind it
- Voice remote range is shorter indoors than advertised
- No AV1 codec support at this price point, unlike some competing Google TV boxes
Every Roku marketing page shows off the stick-form devices. The Ultra is the one they don't push nearly as hard, and it's built for a specific kind of frustrated customer: the one who's tired of buffering during the 8pm household rush and tired of losing the remote in the couch every single week.
It's a box, not a stick — and that trade buys you something real
Giving up the invisible-behind-the-TV form factor gets you a full-size USB-A port for local file playback, a microSD slot, and the feature that actually matters: a physical Ethernet port. Wi-Fi 6 helps on a congested network, sure, but plugging in a cable doesn't just help — it removes the variable entirely. If your stick-form Roku has ever dropped frames the moment three other people in the house got online, that's the exact problem a cable makes disappear.
The remote finder feature
Roku's remote finder is a small thing that turns out to matter a lot in daily use: press a button on the Ultra itself (or in the mobile app), and the remote emits a sound until you find it. It sounds minor until you've spent five minutes digging through couch cushions on a regular streaming device.
Interface and performance
Roku OS remains the calmest, least promotional interface among the major platforms — a straightforward grid of installed apps with minimal sponsored clutter. Navigation on the Ultra is noticeably snappier than on budget Roku sticks, largely thanks to more RAM and the wired networking option.
4K HDR playback is smooth, and Dolby Vision content looks correct on a compatible display. Where the Ultra doesn't lead the pack: it lacks AV1 decoding, a newer codec some competing Google TV boxes now support, though real-world content using AV1 is still limited enough that most people won't notice.
Where the extra cost doesn't pay off
If your only use case is browsing Netflix and YouTube on a stable home network, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K delivers essentially the same picture quality and app experience for meaningfully less money. The Ultra's advantages — Ethernet, the remote finder, local file playback via USB — are real but specific. If none of them apply to your setup, you're paying for hardware you won't use.
Who should actually buy this
The Ultra earns its price for two kinds of households: ones fighting a weak or crowded Wi-Fi signal who want the option to go wired, and ones that lose remotes often enough that the finder feature alone justifies the upgrade. Outside those two cases, put the difference toward the Streaming Stick 4K instead.
