The present generation of Roku streaming devices is around 2 years old. The last version known as Roku 3 released back in 2013 and there hasn’t been anything more for the popular media player. A long time has passed and nothing new has been released Roku. As a result, there are rumors that a new Roku upgrade will be introduced
A long time has passed and nothing new has been released Roku. As a result, there are rumors that a new upgrade for Roku 4 will be introduced this year, and people have started speculating about the technical specifications and hardware features of this product.
One of the most important topics about the Roku 4 is the possible 4K support. In the present times, more and more people have started purchasing UHD TVs but there is no streaming device out there, capable of supporting such high resolutions.
Apple TV has already announced that it is too early to introduce a streaming device with 4K capability and they won’t be developing such a product this year. As a result, there is no pressure on Roku to pursue the 4K path. However, on the other hand, if the Roku 4 does feature 4K support, it will be the first streaming device in the world to do so. It will give it a massive advantage over other streaming devices in the market.
In the meantime, there are multiple online streaming services that currently support 4K HD. By this, we mean Netflix, YouTube, and many other services rendering such functionality. As time passes, more and more adopters will start popping up. It’s not too hard to predict that in order to support new games, a more simplified streaming experience, and 4K resolution, the Roku is going to need more advanced hardware.
The current generation Roku makes use of a dual-core ARM A9 CPU running at 900 MHz which is quite underpowered for anything more than 1080p-pixel resolution. As a result, we can expect a device with a quad-core CPU and a minimum of 1GB DDR 3 RAM along with more video processing capabilities.
Meanwhile, gaming is something that can really evolve on the Roku with mightier hardware but that doesn’t seem to be the main concern for developers right now. The next Roku upgrade should bring all the major fixes and tweaks that are needed. Like many other devices, the Roku has its own flaws and it has its own share of hangs and freezes.
In case of Roku 3, the users had to get up, reach the device, remove the cable and then plug it in, so as to set it right. Things could be made much better with a proper reset button. Users should be able to press the reset button instead of removing power cables and this is a much easier process.