The new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K launched today (November 13, 2026) at $299, packing an A19 chip, hands-free Siri, Wi-Fi 7, and Gigabit Ethernet. It faces the Roku Ultra (2024 model), whose list price rose to $149.99 earlier this year but often sells closer to $100 on sale.
Both deliver excellent 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Atmos. The real differences come down to polish and ecosystem versus practical value and neutrality.
| Feature | Apple TV 4K (4th gen, 2026) | Roku Ultra (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | ~$100–$150 (list $149.99; frequent sales) |
| Processor | A19 (up to 50% faster CPU / 2x GPU vs prior) | Quad-core (Roku’s fastest) |
| Storage | 128GB | Limited (apps only; USB for media) |
| Wi-Fi / Ethernet | Wi-Fi 7 + Gigabit Ethernet | Wi-Fi 6 + 10/100 Ethernet |
| Other ports | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI 2.1b + USB 3.0 |
| HDR / Audio | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Atmos | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG, Atmos |
| Remote | Siri Remote (USB-C, Find My + Precision Finding) | Voice Remote Pro 2 (backlit, rechargeable, finder) |
| Hands-free voice | Yes (3 far-field mics in the box + Siri AI) | Yes (via remote) |
| Smart home | Full HomeKit / Matter / Thread hub | Works with Google, Alexa, limited HomeKit |
| Home screen | Ad-free, highly polished | Functional grid with ads/recommendations |
| Extras | Apple Arcade, Fitness+, deep AirPlay | USB media playback, included HDMI cable, Roku Channel free content |
Performance and interface
The Apple TV 4K is the snappiest streamer available. The A19 (the same family as the iPhone 17) makes menus, app switching, and library loading feel instantaneous. tvOS remains clean, ad-free, and consistently refined across years of updates.
Roku’s interface is simpler and more app-focused. It is fast enough for everyday use, and the 2024 Ultra improved loading with machine-learning app prediction, but it does not match Apple’s fluidity, especially after years of OS updates. Roku’s home screen also mixes your apps with sponsored rows.
Both handle 4K HDR content excellently. Picture quality differences are subtle on most TVs; Apple edges out in upscaling lower-resolution content and long-term software polish.
Remotes, voice, and practical features
Roku’s Voice Remote Pro 2 is one of the best remotes in the category: backlit buttons that light up when you pick it up, USB-C charging, a lost-remote finder that beeps when you press a button on the box, dedicated app shortcut buttons, and solid hands-free voice. Bluetooth headphone mode is useful for private listening.
Apple’s Siri Remote is sleeker with its touch clickpad and now supports Precision Finding via Find My on compatible iPhones. The bigger upgrade is the box itself: three far-field microphones let you summon Siri (and the new Siri AI) from across the room without touching the remote. This works even while content is playing. Siri AI adds more conversational search and context.
Roku includes a high speed HDMI cable; Apple does not. Roku also has a USB 3.0 port for local media playback from a drive—something Apple lacks.
Ecosystem and extras
This is where Apple TV 4K clearly shines.
If your household runs on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and HomePods, the Apple TV 4K is transformative. Native AirPlay is seamless, it acts as a powerful HomeKit/Matter/Thread hub, photos and iCloud content are effortless, and you get Apple Arcade games plus Fitness+. You can even set up a four-speaker surround system with matching HomePods. Privacy is stronger; Apple does not rely on advertising data the way Roku does.
Roku is deliberately platform-neutral. It works equally well with Android, Google, Alexa, or mixed households. AirPlay is supported as a receiver on recent models, and the Roku Channel offers a large library of free movies, shows, and live channels. App selection is excellent on both, covering every major service.
Apple TV 4K is the clear winner for casual gaming. It supports Apple Arcade (included with Apple One or available separately), runs dozens of polished titles that look and feel far better than typical streaming-box games, and works with standard Bluetooth controllers from PlayStation, Xbox, and other MFi gamepads. The A19 chip’s stronger GPU keeps frame rates smooth, and multiplayer and multi-user profiles work well for households that want more than pure video.
Roku Ultra offers almost no meaningful gaming. A handful of simple free or freemium games and channels exist, but performance, graphics, and controller support are basic at best. It is not designed as a gaming device.
Verdict: Who should buy which?
Buy the Apple TV 4K ($299) if you are already in the Apple ecosystem and want the fastest, cleanest, most future-proof experience with strong smart-home capabilities and hands-free Siri. The premium is real, but the daily refinement and longevity justify it for many households. It also includes three months of Apple TV (a $44.97 value).
Buy the Roku Ultra (~100–$150) if you want 4K performance without committing to one company’s ecosystem, prefer a backlit remote, value USB local playback or free content, or simply do not want to spend $299 on a streaming box. It remains one of the best pure streaming devices for most people.
The Apple TV 4K is the more refined and powerful device. The Roku Ultra costs less and is more intended for non-Apple households.
Choose based on the devices you already own and how much you care about Roku’s advertising intrusion versus Apple’s “it just works” ecosystem magic.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve used both.
To put it plainly: Apple TV 4K feels expensive. Rokus Ultra feels cheaper. Solid vs. flimsy. BMW vs. Ford.
Apple TV 4K offers the superior hardware and software, but, of course, that superiority comes with a price. We’re hoping to see Apple TV 4K included in holiday sales! And, fyi, Amazon is already offering the new Apple TV 4K for $289.99 here.
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Why not both? A Roku Smart TV (basically a tv with the Roku software built in) with an Apple TV device connected to it. Most smart tvs seem to come with the Roku software so having this setup would be like having the best of both worlds. Apple so far hasn’t built a smart TV set at the moment so it’s either a Roku set or something by Samsung, and it’s quite clear what set I’ll be using to enjoy the Apple TV.
There are many other TV brands. LG for one example.
Personally, I only have SONY in my house (BRAVIA 9 II, BRAVIS 8 II, depending on the room) which use LG Display, Samsung Display , and others’ high-quality panels, but offer Sony’s proprietary XR Processor, custom backlighting systems, BRAVIA Picture & Sound Menus, etc.
Roku-branded TVs are nothing special and are just a mix of LCD and OLED panels from display makers such as BOE, TCL CSOT, Innolux, HKC, or LG Display.
You are right that hardware wise, there isn’t really much that makes Roku TV sets stand apart from other brands…which actually isn’t a bad thing at least in my opinion. All I really need is the TV set (Roku OS/apps and all), an antenna for the local channels and Apple TV. Which isn’t bad if you want the simplicity of Roku with the high standards of Apple. And no, cable is not allowed to be anywhere near my set. Everything else is welcome.
I think you can’t say strongly enough how much easier the Roku interface is to navigate and do what you wanna do 95% of the time, which is to watch streaming channels and record in the cloud when you need to off network TV.
I’m completely baffled that Apple, of all technology brands, still cannot seem to come up with a great TV OS and interface that is intuitive to navigate. I’ve complained about the horrifically stupid remotes they have put out over the last decade or so, and maybe someday they’ll fix that, but there’s nothing “flimsy” about the Roku Ultra.
It works just fine at a third of the cost. It’s light and easy to travel with if you use the stick.
I’ve been a dyed-in-the-wool Apple fan since my first Mac many decades ago.
But Apple TV?
Meh.
My Apple HomeView arrives today, and we will see how much energy, time, and resources Apple allotted to develop it.
Still very strange that the most highly valued corporation in the world, which used to be a leader in user-friendly devices and interfaces, cannot seem to make it happen in AI, the Home app, or TV, or Siri.
Jobs wept.
Wasn’t Jobs also pretty ‘meh’ about Apple TV too? He was more of a music guy, which explains his massive interest in bringing out iPod/iTunes while simply considering the Apple TV as a side hobby. Tim Cook and others have basically transformed Apple TV into the next HBO and even has a full studio that makes movies and TV shows. Honestly I am liking how Apple has finally noticed their cinephile fans.
I completely agree about Apple TV+ or whatever the heck they’re calling it now. It really is a place I’ve come to expect high-quality, HBO-level experiences. I can’t help but wonder if Apple made some attempt to buy HBO or pry it away, but yes, I think the quality of material on the Apple TV channel is probably best-in-class now.
I just don’t know why the user interface and the design of the remote for the Apple TV hardware are so horrible. Unlike others, I don’t mind paying a premium for Apple hardware, but I expect the Software that Apple writes to accompany it to be best-in-class.
And it’s not.
The biggest deciding factor for most people is $149 vs $299.
I was prepared to replace all my aging Roku Ultras (4) with Apple TVs until Apple doubled the price. Apple is by far a better product and user experience but this is a dumb box and like everything Apple lately they are gouging the customer.