Roku promises to be the simplest way to stream anything, and its range of channels includes its own selection of shows and movies as well as all the big names you want to watch: Netflix, Disney+, Now TV, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime video and the usual catch-up suspects. There’s lots of free content as well as subscription services, and there’s also a good selection of music channels to choose from.
You can get Roku TV in two ways. You can buy one of the best smart TVs with an integrated Roku app from HiSense or TCL, or you can add Roku to an existing TV with Roku’s own streaming devices — which are the product of some clever thinking.
Let’s discover which Roku is right for you.
TCL makes some of the best Roku TVs around, and this 55-inch model offers impressive performance and picture quality for the price. It has HDR 10 and HLG, works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, and can mirror from AirPlay 2, Android and Windows. And, of course, it has the Roku app built-in to access There are 4 HDMI 20.b ports including one eARC, a USB 2.0 connection and an optical audio output. If 55” is too big for your space there’s also a 43-inch model. If you want bigger, there’s a 65-inch for your viewing pleasure.
Hisense refreshed its Roku range in 2021 and this is the most recent model, with HDR 10, DTS sound — albeit with just two 8 watt speakers — Freeview Play and the all-important Roku app. This 50-inch version is the middle of the range: there are also 43-inch, 44-inch and 65-inch versions, with the biggest coming in at a relatively low price (under $500/£500). It comes with three HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB 2.0 socket and ARC for your soundbar. The direct-lit LED display is bright and clear if a little lacking in nuance, and while there’s a little judder it’s nothing too dramatic.
Like the TCL, the Hisense is surprisingly good given its price tag. If you like Roku’s way of doing things, you should definitely have this one on your shortlist.
If you’re quite happy with your TV but want to add some Roku smart streaming sparkle, this is the streamer to get. Like Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks the Roku Streaming Stick+ slots into one of your TV’s HDMI ports and has its own remote to navigate the features and channels. This model has a much better wireless range than last year’s model, and you can use your voice with the remote control for effortless playback. Depending on your TV’s capabilities the Roku can stream in up to 4K UHD. We wouldn’t recommend paying the full RRP, though: Roku’s streaming sticks are often discounted during large sales events, so it's worth hunting around.
The Roku Express 4K isn’t the cheapest Roku streamer — there’s an HD version that’s ultra-cheap — but this is the most affordable of its 4K HDR range. It supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG (but not Dolby Vision) and the Wi-Fi has been improved from 802.11n to dual-band 802.11ac for better streaming quality — something that’s essential when you’re watching in 4K. Unlike the Streaming Stick+, this Roku doesn’t have a voice remote — it has an old-school infra-red one instead.
It feels a bit ungrateful griping about the lack of Dolby Vision in a TV streamer that’s such a good price — you’re getting tons of TV tech for your money and unless you’re really hardcore about your HDR, it really isn’t a deal-breaker.
Here’s an interesting one: a Roku device embedded in a soundbar, so it upgrades the sound of your TV as well as its streaming capabilities. That’s an inspired idea — often non-smart TVs don’t pay a lot of attention to the audio, so the Streambar is going to make a dramatic difference to the way your shows sound. There are forward and side-firing drivers to create a surprisingly spacious sound from something so small.
The Streambar streams in HD, 4K UHD and HDR (provided your TV can display those resolutions and formats) and, as it’s a Roku, it comes with the usual selection of free and paid channels for you to enjoy. Just make sure your TV supports HDMI Arc or has an optical input: the Streambar can’t work if you don’t have one of those two connections.
