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Best for Most
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Plus
Faster Wi-Fi and Earbuds
Roku Ultra (2022)
A Bare-Bones Roku
Roku Express HD
This Roku Adds 4K and HDR
Roku Express 4K Plus
Rokus continue to remain our favorite TV streaming devices. They’re super easy to use and offer a wide array of streaming channels. Their displays aren’t fancy, but they offer just what someone needs: quick, direct access to their favorite streaming services. However, figuring out which one to buy is not so easy.
There are currently five Roku streaming devices available, plus TVs, soundbars, and ones sold exclusively at certain retailers (not to mention older models still floating around places like Amazon). Rokus tend to have similar names and look nearly identical, with small changes happening every year or so, and it can be difficult to suss out the differences. We’re here to help. If you’re like us, you want the best Roku for the least amount of money. We’ve broken down the features on the ones we think you’ll actually want to own, starting with the most basic model.
Updated November 2023: We’ve added Roku’s Amazon-exclusive Express 4K Plus bundle and its in-house TV. We’ve also updated prices and links throughout.
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Photograph: Roku
Best for Most
Roku Streaming Stick 4K Plus
If you can spend around $70, Roku’s Streaming Sticks are the ones we recommend most. This 4K Plus version allows you to stream in Dolby Vision, and is 30 percent faster with a longer-range wireless receiver (for what it’s worth, I’ve never found any Rokus to be slow). Like the other sticks, it plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port, and another cable plugs into a USB port for power, or into the wall.
The most obvious difference is the new voice remote. Others have a mic button you can press and hold for speech, but this has a hands-free option. So while lounging on the couch, just say “Hey Roku, play You on Netflix.” You can even ask where a lost remote is to activate a beep. If you don’t want Roku listening, there’s a slider button on the side. There are also two buttons that you can program to whatever shortcuts work best for you.
★ More Streaming Sticks: As of this writing, the Streaming Stick 4K Plus is out of stock at nearly every retailer. We’re not sure if a new one is coming, but for now, there is still the base Streaming Stick 4K available that does not have hands-free voice control.
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Photograph: Roku
Faster Wi-Fi and Earbuds
Roku Ultra (2022)
Roku’s posh Ultra has the strongest dual-band Wi-Fi of the bunch plus an Ethernet port for wired connections if necessary. It can stream in Dolby Vision, and this 2022 version supports HDR10+, a feature we noted was lacking in its predecessor.
The voice remote is the same as the Streaming Stick above, with hands-free voice that works for finding lost remotes as well as searching for a specific TV show to binge. There’s also a headphone jack so you can watch TV shows in private while other folks sleep—the Roku-branded headphones are surprisingly decent and come with a few eartips. This remote has a Paramount+ button, which feels like an unnecessary addition to me, but there are still two programmable favorites buttons.
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Photograph: Roku
A Bare-Bones Roku
Roku Express HD
Think of the Roku Express like the express checkout lane at the grocery store—easy, but somewhat limited if you’ve got a big order. It’s for people with a standard HDTV (not 4K Ultra HD). It has the same Roku menus and channels as the other boxes, but it lacks extras like voice search and the ability to control your TV’s volume from the remote. The remote control uses infrared (IR) to communicate (instead of another wireless standard), so it must be in the visual sight of the Roku box to work.
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Photograph: Roku
This Roku Adds 4K and HDR
Roku Express 4K Plus
The Express 4K Plus—which replaces the older Premiere in Roku’s lineup—costs $10 more than the base version and allows you to play high-resolution 4K content in HDR10 (if your TV supports it). There are power and volume controls on the remote, and a pretty decent voice search. You can even use your voice to spell out long email addresses that are frustrating to type with a remote. There are better and more capable Rokus you can buy for modern 4K TVs, but get this one if you want to spend as little as possible.
If you bought your TV in the past couple of years and it cost more than $300, there’s a good chance it’s 4K (Ultra HD) and has HDR (high dynamic range). That just means it has four times more pixels on its screen than a standard HD television. HDR means that scenes like sunsets look brighter, while shadows are darker—in other words, you get better, more realistic contrast.
★ A Better Remote: In September 2023, Roku released an Amazon-exclusive Roku Express 4K Plus with Voice Remote Pro for $50. This bundle is just $10 more but comes with the hands-free voice remote, if that’s something you want.
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Photograph: Roku
This Roku Is Also a Soundbar
Roku Streambar
If you’re looking to upgrade the streaming capability and audio quality of your TV in one fell swoop, either of Roku’s Streambars are great all-in-one solutions. This one is just 14 inches long, so it’s ideal for smaller rooms and TVs, or if you simply want something better than your TV’s speakers.
I (Medea) had never used a soundbar before, and the Streambar impresses. The Dolby audio on this little device upped the volume from my TV and made conversations clearer. There’s also the same Night Listening mode from the Roku Ultra, quieting explosive sounds so you won’t wake up the whole house. The remote includes volume and power buttons plus voice control. Need something bigger? See the Streambar Pro below.
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Photograph: Roku
A Bigger Roku Soundbar
Roku Streambar Pro
If you have a larger living room or TV, go with the Streambar Pro. It’s 32 inches long and is equipped with four 2.5-inch full-range drivers. (The smaller Streambar has four 1.9-inch drivers.) This one also has a remote with two programmable buttons and a headphone jack for private listening, so you don’t have to sacrifice sound quality when the rest of the house is asleep.
The Streambar Pro has bigger, bolder sound for folks who have medium-to-large living rooms, and it sounds good playing music, too. Either soundbar is good for those who want to upgrade their system but aren’t necessarily looking for the best sound quality around. (If you are, see our full guide on soundbars.)
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Photograph: Roku
Roku Plus Series
We’ve long been fans of the TCL TVs with Roku built in, but now the streaming brand is making its own TVs in-house, and we like the Plus Series. The Quantum Dot-enabled (QLED) panel and full array local dimming give it excellent colors and solid blacks. TLDR: You can easily find something to watch thanks to Roku’s simple interface, and it’ll look good too. It also works with Homekit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.
Serious gamers may prefer a TV with a higher refresher rate, but at 60 frames per second, the Plus Series is fine for most consoles. WIRED senior editor Parker Hall noted that this TV’s legs are particularly wide. Depending on where you’re putting it, you might need to wall mount it or try an aftermarket pedestal mount.
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Photograph: Roku
How Roku Differs From Other Streaming Services
What is Roku?
Even the sleekest smart TVs benefit from a separate streaming device to accommodate all the apps you want in an easy-to-navigate interface. Roku devices are our favorite because they’re simple to set up and use and Roku also connects to all the major streaming services, including Peacock and Max, which it was previously lacking.
If Roku isn’t for you, you do have some other options that we break down more in our Best Streaming Devices guide.
- Google Chromecast with Google TV is the best runner-up to consider if you don’t like Roku. It includes an actual remote with voice search and has an interface for you to peruse through (you can still cast from your phone if you want).
- Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K and Stick 4K Max work well, but as you could probably guess, its menus are heavily geared toward Amazon Prime content.
- Apple TV is best if you already buy movies and shows from Apple’s library or subscribe to Apple TV+.