What just happened? Roku is gearing up for the holidays with the introduction of new and updated products appealing to a variety of consumers. Chief among them is the Roku Streambar, a 2-in-1 entertainment device that serves as both a streaming box and a premium audio solution.
The Roku Streambar features four internal speakers that can reportedly fill a room with Dolby Audio. Clever audio settings also allow you to automatically lower loud commercials, increase speech clarity, add depth to music and optimize sound for night listening. The unit is controllable via Alexa and Google Assistant devices and comes with its own voice remote.
The Streambar is also compatible with Roku's other audio offerings including the company's wireless speakers and subwoofer, easily creating a competent surround sound system with thump.
On the video side, the Streambar doubles as a 4K streaming box with HDR10 and HLG that connects to your television via HDMI (you'll need HDCP 2.2 support to unlock everything). There's also Bluetooth connectivity should you want to stream music directly from your phone or other wireless device.
The Streambar is similar in function to the previously launched Roku Smart Soundbar although that system is a bit larger, measuring 2.8 inches (H) x 32.2 inches (W) x 3.9 inches (D) and weighs 88 ounces versus 2.4 inches (H) x 14 inches (W) x 4.2 (D) and 38.4 ounces of the newer unit.
The Roku Streambar is available to pre-order from today priced at $129.99. It'll ship in time for the holidays on October 18, 2020.