I'm still a little impressed by add-on media streamers, even though they've been around for decades at this point. I suppose it's the notion that for under $100 — or $50, in some cases — you can radically alter how your TV works, bypassing its original interface. It's not like I can plug a USB stick into my iPhone and start using Android.
As with anything in a home theater, one of the most important questions is how long a streamer will remain useful. In this piece I'm going to focus on Roku's popular Streaming Sticks, and to a lesser degree, its Ultra set-top. I'm deliberately sidestepping full-scale Roku TVs, for the simple reason that while they share the same software platform, multiple hardware makers complicate the equation.
How long will your Roku hardware last?
Durability versus relevance
Unsurprisingly, there's no official info on how long Roku add-on devices will last, at least in any material released to the public. I'm sure the company has its own internal data, but disclosing that might both discourage shoppers and paint an unrealistic picture.
Why unrealistic? For one, Roku's products are always changing, usually for the better. That means that a Streaming Stick you pick up in 2026 may have very little in common with one released in 2016, and little to no basis for predicting its future. It's no different than trying to guess how long the…