14 DAY TRIAL // Roku made its media stream box refresh official and with this occasion, we can check the new specs that arrive with the new device.
The new Roku streaming box officially supports 4K video playback capabilities UHD TVs and HD TVs and gets new extra surprises like a remote locator. The Roku refresh version called Roku 4 is now powered by a faster unknown quad-core processor that allows up to 60 fps 4K streaming, HDCP 2.2 and Optical Audio Out.
Additionally, customers will also get 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi, optical audio out, an Ethernet jack, HDMI port, microSD card slot and a Wi-Fi Direct-enabled remote that even has voice search, but the voice recognition search engine it will use is unknown. You can also use the headphones jack that's plugged into your remote control and use the remote finder function in case you lose it.
Roku 4 comes with a more streamlined 1080p UI and even more features than Roku 3
Apparently, the remote finder works by pressing the button on top of the box which will cause the remote to emit a tone and find it guided by the sound. This is a pretty simple and amazing feature that probably should become standard in all remotes since it's incredibly helpful when you lose it between the cushions on your sofa or in some unexpected place in your house.
At first sight, it's pretty clear that the box is much larger than the previous Roku 3 so it will take a bit more space behind or in front of your TV. What's nice about the new device is that Roku 4 has a new UI that's been upgraded to 1080p quality, so no more low-res buttons. If you have trouble searching for shows, actors or movie names, the new universal search function will apparently cover more names than before, which is nice.
You can pre-order the new Roku at the Roku official page, and it's priced at $130, which is $30 more expensive than the old Roku 3 model. You'll get your device shipped to you starting with October 21.