Looking to upgrade the streaming device plugged into the back of your telly? Amazon’s Fire TV line-up usually offers some impressive deals – unlocking 4K Ultra HD streaming and voice controls at low price points – but the latest Black Friday deals from Roku might be even better. Starting today until December 6, Roku’s selection of streaming gadgets have enjoyed price drops across a number of retailers, including Amazon, Argos, Currys and Very.
First up, the Roku Express has plummeted to just £13.99 from its usual price point of £29.99. For those who struggle with maths, that’s a colossal 53% off. Roku Express has access to the same dizzying number of apps as every other device in the line-up – with everything from NOW, Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, Apple TV+, Google Play Movies, and more. It also arrives with its own Roku Channel, which boasts a number of boxsets to binge and movies to watch – all completely free of charge. Roku Express is limited to 1080p High Definition (HD) quality and there’s no voice controls built into the remote.
As the name suggests, Roku Express 4K is identical to the model above, but can stream shows and blockbusters in 4K Ultra HD quality with support for HDR too. If you’ve got a 4K television in your home, this is the Roku streaming stick to buy. Usually priced at £39.99, it has dropped to just £24.99 in the sale. For comparison, the Fire TV 4K, which does arrive with voice control capabilities built into the remote, is currently available for £49.99 from Amazon. That’s twice the price.
It’s worth noting that while some services, such as Disney+, Apple TV+ and Prime Video, offer 4K Ultra HD quality to any subscriber with a device capable of streaming that picture quality – others do not. Netflix, for example, reserves the pixel-packed format for those who pay for its top subscription tier each month, which costs £13.99 a month compared to the £5.99 required for its basic non-HD package. If you’re thinking of investing in a 4K-capable device to get the most out of your telly, you’ll need to make sure you’re subscribed to the correct monthly plan too.
The Roku Streaming Stick+ has dropped to £29.99 from its usual price of £44.99. This model is identical to the Roku Express 4K, but the remote control can double-up as a universal remote to control your television too – controlling the volume and powering the set on and off.
Finally, Roku Streambar has dropped 23% in price too. This brings all of the smarts found in the Roku Express 4K inside a soundbar that adds some extra depth to the tinny little speakers tucked into your flatscreen television. If you’re struggling to hear the dialogue – but have to scramble for the remote when an explosion takes place on screen – it’s likely because the content you’re watching has been tuned for an external sound system and the built-in speakers in your telly are struggling to keep up.
Better yet, anyone who buys a new Roku-branded device from today until January 31 will get 30-days of free BritBox membership.
For those who don’t know, BritBox originally launched in the United States and Canada back in 2017 as a way for expats and our North American cousins to watch some of the most talked-about UK television series and movies. However, the Netflix rival launched in the UK back in 2019 for Brits looking to revisit some of their favourite shows in a single digital library. Last year saw the arrival of Channel 4 shows and movies as well as boxsets from BBC and ITV, which founded the service. On top of that, BritBox has launched a number of exclusive series too, including the revival of puppet-based satire, Spitting Image.
BritBox includes hit series like Doctor Foster, Love Island, Hollington Drive, as well as classics, Top Gear, Downton Abbey, Only Fools and Horses, Brass Eye, Happy Valley and Gavin & Stacey. British films from Film4 including Trainspotting, and filmed production from the Royal Shakespeare Company are also available. Subscribers will also have access to shows, like Cold Feet, Doctor Who Classic and Broadchurch, which are not available to stream elsewhere.
www.express.co.uk
Leave a Reply