Roku Streaming Stick (3500) vs Roku Ultra (4800)

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Streaming Stick (3500) compared with Ultra (4800)

	RokuStreaming Stick (3500)	RokuUltra (4800)
Overview
Released
Released	April 2014	October 2020
Video and audio
Resolution
Resolution	1080p	4K (better)
HDR
HDR	None	HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG (better)
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	–	Yes
Video
Video	Up to 1080p HD (Roku's original HDMI-version announcement)	Up to 4K at 60 fps; Roku's model-4800 guide specifies an HDCP 2.2 HDMI connection for 4K
HDR
HDR	–	Roku's current Benjamin/4800X developer row lists HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG. An older model-4800 support document also claims HDR10+, which the developer row omits; HDR10+ is left out of the main field pending reconciliation
Audio
Audio	–	Dolby Atmos with compatible content and sound system; TechRadar lists AAC, MP3, WMA, FLAC, PCM, AC3/EAC3, DTS and ALAC support
Performance
Software
Software	Roku OS	Roku OS
Chip details
Chip details	ARM11 at 600 MHz (Roku's exact Sugarland/3500X developer row)	Quad-core processor (Roku launch announcement); Roku's Benjamin/4800X developer row identifies Arm Cortex-A55
Memory
Memory	512 MB (Roku's exact Sugarland/3500X developer row)	2 GB (Roku's Benjamin/4800X developer row)
Software and services
Software and services	Roku OS; maker now lists this as a legacy model limited to Roku OS 11. App availability varies by region and software version	Roku OS; OS 9.4 was announced alongside the player. AirPlay 2 and HomeKit were added after launch, as confirmed in Tom's Guide's review; apps and features vary by country and software version
Connections
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 4	Wi-Fi 5
Ethernet
Ethernet	No	Yes
Voice remote
Voice remote	No	Yes
Ports
Ports	HDMI plug and Micro-USB power input; USB cable and mains adapter included; distinct from the earlier MHL-powered Roku Ready stick	HDMI, USB, Ethernet and power input (model-4800 Quick Start Guide); no microSD slot (both reviews)
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth	Dual-band 802.11b/g/n (Tech Advisor); 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (Tom's Guide)	Dual-band 802.11ac (TechRadar); Bluetooth support and up to 50% greater wireless range than the prior model (Roku's launch claim)
Smart home
Smart home	–	Controllable through compatible Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant devices; AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support with updated software
Remote
Remote	Wi-Fi Direct remote with navigation, playback and app shortcuts; no microphone, headphone socket or motion sensors (Tech Advisor). Original app shortcut labels vary by region	Original voice remote has TV power, volume and mute, headphone jack, two personal shortcuts and lost-remote finder; two AA batteries. Later rechargeable-remote bundles are not separate player hardware here
Design
Type
Type	Stick	Box
Power
Power	–	Supplied mains power adaptor
Size
Size	3.1 × 1.1 × 0.5 in (Tom's Guide)	4.9 × 4.9 × 0.9 in (Tom's Guide)
In the box
In the box	–	Ultra player, voice remote, headphones, two AA batteries, Premium High Speed HDMI cable and power adaptor