Roku Hikes Hardware Prices Amid Global Memory Crunch
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The streaming giant is raising costs on devices by as much as $50, citing component shortages driven by the AI boom.
Roku has increased prices across its entire streaming hardware lineup, according to reporting from The Verge and Engadget. The price hikes, first reported by The Desk, range up to $50 per device.
According to The Verge, the price adjustments include: * **Roku Ultra:** Increased from $99.99 to $149.99 * **Roku Streambar SE:** Increased from $99.99 to $149.99 * **Streaming Stick 4K:** Increased from $49.99 to $79.99 * **Streaming Stick Plus:** Increased from $39.99 to $59.99 * **Streaming Stick:** Increased from $29.99 to $39.99
An executive from Roku told The Desk that the company made the "tough decision" to raise prices to address shortages in memory and other components resulting from the AI boom. The Verge reports that this memory shortage is expected to persist through 2027 and beyond, as manufacturers prioritize demand from AI firms.
Engadget notes a potential contradiction in this justification. During a previous earnings call, Roku CEO Anthony J. Wood stated that Roku devices use significantly less memory than those of its competitors and utilize cheaper components. Wood had suggested that rising memory costs could actually benefit Roku by attracting more manufacturers to the company as rival production costs increased. However, these latest price hikes indicate that Roku's first-party devices are indeed being impacted by the memory crunch.