Streaming continues to get more expensive between rising platform costs and now streaming devices.
Roku announced that it's raising prices on several of its flagship streaming devices — an ominous sign after Fox just purchased Roku for $22 billion in June.
Here's what Roku devices will cost you now.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Old Price |
New Price |
|---|---|---|
Roku Ultra |
$100 |
$150 |
Roku Streaming Stick |
$30 |
$40 |
Roku Streaming Stick Plus |
$40 |
$60 |
Roku Streaming Stick 4K |
$50 |
$80 |
Roku Streambar SE |
$100 |
$150 |
In an interview with The Desk, an unnamed Roku executive blamed the price hike on increased RAM prices and supply issues due to AI demand.
From laptops and phones to gaming consoles and now streaming devices, the AI gold rush is impacting and deforming the market for everything as RAM prices and supply continues to be astronomically bad with no end in sight.
How to save money on streaming devices
There is a small bit of good news, however: Currently, Roku is running a sale on its official store that keeps most Roku devices at their old prices. The Roku Ultra, for example, is "on sale" for $99.99.
You can also pick up Roku devices from Amazon and Best Buy, where you might find some for even less. The Ultra is on sale for $90 on Amazon. Best Buy isn't having a sale, but as of this writing, none of the devices are listed at the new prices.
Of course, if you're not inclined toward Roku, the best streaming devices have alternatives like the Google TV Streamer, which costs $99 on Amazon. I would offer the Apple TV 4K, but Apple just hiked prices across nearly every product the company makes, including the set-top box, which now costs $199 — $50 more than the Roku Ultra despite Roku's increase.
Of course, if you want the Stick form, there's always the Amazon Fire Stick HD for only $35, a new slimmer version of which just launched in April.
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