I have all versions of Roku Ultra (2018,2019, 2020) and I have to say there is NO BIG difference from each one! The 2018 version doesnt have the tv off, mute, volume buttons, button shortcuts, that the 2019 and 2020 has, but the loading times of channels, the channel selection, is the same on all versions. The big difference I see mostly is the support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, HDR vision, HDR10, or the 4k Home theater hard core fans. I can finally play all my Vudu 4k movies with Atmos or hear my 5.1 dolby plus sound bar at its full Potential. There was 4k support before on the 2019 roku but no dolby vision or dolby atmos at the time. Glad they added it in the 2020 version cause pretty much all the new 4k movies are in hdr10 or vision, with dolby plus or atmos. I havent checked if the the 2020 roku is cooler than the previous versions, its only been 2 hrs since I turned this on, but I can say that the old power cable of the roku 2019 version does work with the roku 2020 version. The old remotes of all ultra versions work on the 2020 roku, setup was pretty simple. just register it when you login into your roku account on any laptop, phone, computer etc and make sure to allow it network access and you should be streaming in no time. I’d say the only big thing or turn off for the roku is that it only works really well if you have all the equipment to take full advantage of the goodies u get. For me I have a decent 4k tv, 4k player, soundbar, cables, and watch alot of streaming channels that only Roku offers. $100 is not so bad I have chromecast 4k and apple 4k tv too but most of my movies, channels, and overall preferences goes to roku first. For people that are new, old, curious, the roku 2020 is a good choice it offers all the 4k standerds, hdr, atmos, hd, channel selection, fair price, EZ remote friendly, and convenient you wont get disappointed. Again if your struggling to decide which player is best for just pick the one that fills all your needs. I use both apple 4k and roku, apple 4k tv works great with my apple exclusive only tv shows, movies or things I can only do on apple, my ipad 2020 version and iphone SE works amazing with the tv mirror option and sharing from ipad or iphone to appletv options, love watching Twitch TV and HBO Max that are only available on apple tv. However Roku has all movies and tv shows that I bought when we first started “DigItal Copies)” Ultraviolet, UV, before Movies Anywhere , most of my digital movies and tv show redemptions were only available to “Vudu”, even with movies anywhere not all my movies show up when I connected my vudu to movies anywhere. Also apple has a crappy player software or a really bad player gui that all the apps must use, but the roku vudu version is amazing or at least decent enough to move around and have the basic play, next chapter, fast forward, chapters, etc organized enough that you dont have to keep sliding and sliding compared to the apple remote. Also you can buy/rent movies on the vudu roku version, on the apple tv you can only watch on the app version. I only payed 50$ or half off for the 2019 roku ultra the apple tv never goes on sale or if it does good luck paying under 100$. The free 4k upgrade is nice of apple but I hate the player options or constant battle to slide back and forth to skip scenes, switch languages with a big giant menu box on top of the screen blocking most of the picture. Plus I hate rebuying some of my movies or tv shows on Apple Tv because movies anywhere doesn’t recognize my UltraViolet movies. Again great roku but I just dont see the BIg Bang or alot of changes that makes it the Best. Kudos to bestbuy for the fast shipping, Shipped out Sunday and got it Tuesday as promise and no damage to the product. Might get another one for sure if I get a 8k tv and if Black Friday has it on sale again am definitely getting 2.

We have a smart TV and as such used it for various streaming platforms. We were not satisfied with the speed and sound quality. This Roku resolved all that and more. It's far faster, connecting to MLB.TV is 10x the speed of the hub in the TV. The audio/video synch is near perfect. It also works perfectly with our Logitech Harmony 665 smart remote. For those worried about adding another device, it's really small, see the picture on top of our Sony Blu-ray player. Lastly, the HDMI cable it comes with is just fine. I swapped it with a high end HDMI and could not hear nor see a difference. So the one in the box is more than adequate.

There are several options for streaming but what stands out about the Roku Ultra 2020 version is the way it delivers Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. For those not familiar...Dolby Vision is the highest quality 4K video and Dolby Atmos is the highest quality audio. If you have a newer TV or surround sound system you will love the new Roku Ultra. If you have an older TV and no soundbar or surround sound...then you are better off buying a cheaper streaming device. Here is a breakdown of the good and bad. Pros: - The Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos really enhance movies, sports, and gaming. Combining great video and great audio make this the best streaming option at under $100. - Google Movies and Apple TV+ both have apps so you can stream the movies you've purchased on iOS or Android. That option isn't available on the Chromecast. - The Spectrum cable app is available on the Roku Ultra. You can save money by using the Roku Ultra to stream cable in your bedroom, guest room, or living room. The cable company charges $9/month to rent cable boxes for reference. This option isn't available on the Chromecast. - Easy to setup and a smooth user experience. Out of the box to streaming took 5 minutes. Cons: - No HBO Max but there is the old HBO app still available. The old HBO app has all of the HBO shows but the movie selection is different and not as good. - It's fast and smooth but not much faster then the 2019. Buy it for the Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision but do not upgrade for a boost in speed. Bottomline...the Roku Ultra checks every box that you want for a streaming box. The Apple TV 4K is the best overall but it's also the most expensive. If you want the best streaming box under $100 then this is the one to get. Not only do I recommend...I bought 2 more for family members who just bought new TV's.

Works great for me. Much easier and faster than my previous Roku devices. The remote is easier to use

Simple to set up, simple to use. Battery life could improve. Wish it had a blue tooth option.