The best Roku devices of 2024
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Roku devices are a common sight these days, with over 80 million active users around the world. That’s not surprising: with a broad product range covering Roku players, TVs, speakers and smart home gadgets, there are plenty of reasons to get a Roku device for your home. The real benefit of Roku is its excellent smart TV platform: something you’ll find in its streaming players, its TV displays and even certain soundbars that come with the platform baked in.
In the guide below, we’ll run you through the best Roku devices out there, with the information you need to make an informed decision about the next gadget you need to upgrade your home entertainment. I’ve worked as a gadget tester and home entertainment reporter for most of the past decade, with plenty of hands-on experience with Roku devices and the company’s major competition. I also have extensive knowledge of how TVs, streaming devices and connected hardware work together in tandem.
SKIP AHEAD: How we picked the best Roku devices | The best Roku devices | How to shop for Roku devices
How we picked the best Roku devices
This guide is not a recommendation to only purchase the Roku versions of these products, but should serve to guide you towards the right purchase if you’re already interested in the Roku ecosystem. When making recommendations, I considered the following criteria:
Price: Roku products are generally competitively priced, but I made sure to consider whether shoppers were getting a suitable amount of features and level of quality for the retail price, compared to other devices on the market.
User experience: In today’s crowded hardware market, many products have the same broad list of features and specifications. To recommend a Roku product, I considered how intuitive the device would be to use and the ways you could use it, including voice controls, mobile apps and the functionality of the remote.
Connectivity: Some Roku devices only work in tandem with each other, or will be less useful for someone who already has a superb smart TV. I made sure to look at what ports, cable standards and connectivity options were available for each device, to ensure any recommended devices would be suitable for the majority of shoppers.
The best Roku devices
Roku streaming players: Express, 4K, Ultra
Roku is well known for its line of affordable streaming players, which come with a trademark black remote and purple clickpad. The streaming player plugs into your TV via an HDMI cable, replacing your TV’s smart platform with a dedicated Roku interface. You’ll also get a remote, which allows you to navigate Roku’s app menus, jump directly to major streaming services or interact with other playback and volume controls. The remote is a little chunky compared to the Alexa remote you get with Amazon’s Fire TV devices, but there’s plenty to like about the Roku range to recommend it.
The interface is very user friendly, allowing you to easily rearrange the app icons on your home page, to ensure you have to navigate the services you use regularly. That’s the best thing about Roku’s operating system: it’s easy to use, accessible and often better than what you get on cheaper TVs, letting you get on with the important work of… watching TV.
The cheapest Roku Express model is limited to HD video (1080p) rather than the 4K resolution found in step-up models like the Roku Express 4K+, Roku Streaming Stick 4K or Roku Ultra. There are also streaming players that double as soundbars, and TVs that come with Roku’s platform built in, which we’ll get into later.
Roku Express
Roku Express
What we like: Great price, HD resolution, simple hardware
The Roku Express is the cheapest, and often the best entry point to the Roku streaming player range, with Full HD video and the ability to upscale from low-res sources, which fills in details for older content to give it the appearance of Full HD. It features the same intuitive Roku TV interface, and the same remote, albeit without voice controls or the ability to affect TV functions like volume or power — you can only use it to do things on the Roku platform itself, meaning you may be juggling two remotes in tandem. Its functionality is a little restricted compared to 4K models with higher-spec remotes but for many users it covers all the basics.
Resolution: HD/60fps | Dimensions: 0.75 x 3.0 x 1.5 in. | Formats: N/A | Remote: No Voice Controls | Connectivity: HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Roku Ultra
Roku Ultra
What we like: 4K resolution, high-end HDR, headphone jack in remote
The Ultra is the premium Roku streaming player. Other Roku players support 4K resolution and various HDR (High Dynamic Range) formats for a detailed and color-accurate picture, but only the Ultra pairs this with expanded connectivity, with a 50% wider Wi-Fi range and an Ethernet port should you want a wired internet connection. But the biggest difference is in the included voice remote, which features hands-free voice controls, a rechargeable battery, a headphone jack for plugging in audio gear and listening in private. There’s even a ‘lost remote finder’ feature for when it falls down the back of the sofa.
Resolution: 4K/60fps | Dimensions: 1.0 x 4.9 x 5.0 in. | Formats: HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Remote: Voice Remote, TV Controls | Connectivity: USB, HDMI, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Roku TV: Hisense, TCL, and more
The Roku interface is available in a lot more than just a few streaming players, of course — you can also find television displays that come with Roku TV off the shelf, no accessory needed.
Roku partners with a number of smart TV manufacturers, such as Hisense and TCL, which outsource the TV platform to Roku’s pre-prepared solution. However, these days the company also sells its own line of Roku-branded TVs — the Roku Select and Roku Plus — for an end-to-end Roku experience, available exclusively at the retailer Best Buy.
As with any Roku streaming player, you can easily customize the layout of app icons, choose your own wallpaper, screensaver and benefit from a host of major streaming services including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+ and Peacock. There’s also the Roku Channel itself, which brings together a host of free, ad-supported programming. You can also bundle in paid subscription services like Starz and Showtime to flesh out the content offering too.
Roku Select Series 4K TV
Roku Select Series 4K TV
What we like: Voice Remote, Low Price, HDMI ARC
The Roku Select is the entry level TV model, still with detailed 4K resolution and a host of HDR (High Dynamic Range) formats for improved color range. There’s even an HDMI port with ARC (Audio Return Channel) support for two-way device control between a TV and soundbar, which is a nice addition at this price. You’ll even get a Roku Voice Remote thrown in, with an integrated microphone for voice controls. Just note that the 4K resolution only applies to the 43-inch model and above.
Sizes: 32, 40, 43, 55, 65, 75 in. | Resolution: Full HD/4K | Panel: LED | Dimensions (with stand): 24.4 x 37.9 x 8.7 in. | Formats: HDR, HDR10+, HLG | Remote: Voice Remote | Weight: 15.1 lbs. | Connectivity: USB, HDMI ARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Roku Plus Series
Roku Plus Series
What we like: QLED panel, Dolby Vision, Voice Remote
This more advanced model has many of the same specifications as the Roku Select, but with a couple of key differences. For one, there’s a QLED panel rather than the standard LED. It has a quantum dot layer that helps to improve contrast for the images on screen. For proper cinephiles, you’ll also be able to enjoy the Dolby Vision HDR format favored by Netflix, which auto-calibrates your TV’s picture settings to look their best for compatible shows and films. You’ll only get this model in sizes 55-inch and above but it should be worth the extra cost for the jump in picture quality over the Roku Select.
Sizes: 55, 65, 75 in. | Resolution: 4K/60Hz | Panel: QLED | Dimensions (with stand): 31.1 x 48.4 x 10.1 in. | Formats: HDR, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | Remote: Voice Remote | Weight: 30.8 lbs. | Connectivity: USB, HDMI ARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Roku audio: Streambar, soundbars, and wireless bass
While there’s one Roku soundbar model that only works with a Roku TV display, most of the company’s audio products are more versatile, with a host of wireless speakers for enhancing your television’s audio output.
Some models, like the Roku Streambar, even come with the Roku TV interface, meaning you get a streaming player and a soundbar baked into a single device. Soundbars and streaming players usually plug into the same kind of HDMI port, anyway, so a 2-for-1 device can be a smart way to consolidate your cables. You can also connect a host of additional bass speakers to expand your home audio setup.
Roku Streambar
Roku Streambar
What we like: 2-in-1 soundbar and streaming player
The Roku Streambar packs both a Roku streaming player and a soundbar into one dedicated device, making it a neat solution for those tired of juggling various remotes and cables in their home entertainment setup. This entry-level model should offer a noticeable upgrade to average TV audio — even if the Roku Streambar Pro offers a more impressive speaker array.
Resolution: 4K/60fps | Dimensions: 2.4 x 14.0 x 4.2 in. | Formats: HDR | Remote: Voice Remote, TV controls | Weight: 2.4 lbs. | Connectivity: USB, HDMI, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Optical | Speakers: 4x 1.9” drivers
Roku Wireless Speakers
Roku Wireless Speakers
Roku Wireless Speakers $ at Amazon
Roku Wireless Speakers $ at Walmart
Roku Wireless Speakers $ at Best Buy
What we like: Improved sound, upgraded remote
This pair of wireless speakers are an easy way to expand your sound system. You can place them alongside a soundbar or spread them out in your living room for a surround sound experience. Each speaker features one 0.75” high-frequency tweeter, and one 3.5” low-frequency woofer, which offers a broad range of audio output. You will need a compatible Roku TV or Roku soundbar to connect these though — they won’t connect to devices from another brand, or a standard Roku streaming player like those listed above.
Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 4.9 inches. | Weight: 4 lbs. | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Speakers: 2x 0.75” tweeter, 2x 35” woofer
Roku Smart Home: lights, camera, doorbells
Roku’s product range isn’t just limited to audio-visual devices. It also produces a host of smart home gadgets to help with home monitoring or online device control, with the mobile Roku app as the central command center for any and all Roku smart home devices you own.
Roku offers both wired and wireless video doorbells, to ensure you can chat wirelessly to couriers or guests visiting your front door, alongside standalone cameras for securing your property or keeping an eye on children and pets across the home. There’s even a home monitoring system with the option to purchase professional remote monitoring for constant security oversight.
But there’s also a host of more decorative and convenient smart home solutions, including smart light strips to enhance your home decor and smart plugs that can be remotely activated/deactivated by your voice, through Alexa, Google Assistant or the Roku voice function in the Roku mobile app.
Roku Indoor Camera SE
Roku Indoor Camera SE
What we like: Low price, small dimensions, focused function
The Roku Indoor Camera can record 1080p Full HD video, and transmit night-time recordings in color. Motion and sound detection will ensure that you’re alerted to sudden noises or movements in the camera’s range, while two-way audio allows you to both listen and speak through its microphone and speaker — whether giving instructions to a passing courier or telling a trespasser to get on their way. This wired model can also stream video directly to a Roku TV or Roku streaming player, making it a helpful node for a broader Roku network within your home.
Resolution: 1080p Full HD | Dimensions: 2.1 x 2.0 x 2.3 in. | Motion, Sound Detection: Yes | Weight: 0.2 lbs.
How to shop for Roku devices
Is Roku or Fire Stick better?
We could write a whole article comparing these product ranges. But Roku players and Amazon Fire TV Stick streamers are quite similar in their price points and feature sets, right down to their focus on voice controls. The Roku interface is a little more catered to customisation, in my opinion.
What is the downside of Roku TV?
The Roku platform is simple, straightforward and easy to customize. But it can feel a little plain compared to the flagship smart TV platforms on Samsung and LG TVs.
Why is Roku so cheap?
Roku targets the budget end of the home entertainment market with a few notable exceptions. It offers a simple smart platform which is suitable to be scaled across many devices.
Why trust NBC Select?
Henry St Leger has worked as a gadget reporter since 2017, covering the latest developments in consumer hardware, from TVs and streaming players to smart speakers and VR headsets. They’ve tested many Roku devices and covered the brand extensively for both TechRadar and The Independent.
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