What Roku Device Is The Best To Buy Groundedreason Com

Leo Migdal

-Dec 10, 2025, 8:19 AM

what roku device is the best to buy groundedreason com

Updated on 2023-11-20 By Dennis Restauro Lately, I have been getting questions regarding the fundamentals of cord-cutting. People don’t have the time to dig through tech articles looking for a way to watch TV without cable. With that in mind, I decided to put together a post covering every facet of every version of the Roku streaming device. This article covers Roku Streaming devices. If you want to learn about TVs with Roku built in, see the article: Why I Love My Roku TV.

Simply put, Roku allows you to watch free and paid video content on your TV via the Internet. TV and movie streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others download an app onto Roku devices, similar to how apps load onto smartphones. Some services like Netflix allow content to be watched on-demand. Furthermore, apps like Philo and Sling TV enable content to be watched live as it airs. While “Roku” sounds like the latest exercise craze, the “Roku box” (as some call it) is the easiest way to stream video to your television. Roku is a small device for your television used to watch movies and TV shows through apps (also called channels.) For those looking to buy a new TV, a Roku TV has all the...

When Roku came out in 2008, there were only a handful of streaming apps, and most Roku owners used it to watch Netflix and YouTube on their television. Now, streaming TV online has enjoyed widespread adoption. Today, there is very little content available on cable TV that you can’t stream with a Roku and watch on your TV. 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.

The only hard part is figuring out which one to buy. There are currently four 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.

Even the best smart TVs benefit from a separate streaming device to accommodate all the apps you want in an easy-to-navigate interface. Roku is not the sleekest, but it's reliable and the easiest to set up and use. It includes Peacock and Max, which it was previously lacking, so it now connects to all the major streaming services. Because so many people use Roku, it typically gets quick app updates. My biggest gripe with Roku is that its search is not always accurate in pinpointing exactly which streaming services carry a particular title, especially whether it's free or not. If you have trouble using the built-in search, you can always use Google on your phone to find whether something is streaming somewhere you subscribe, but that's annoying.

There are other options that we break down more in our Best Streaming Devices guide. Here are the best Roku devices to upgrade your TV OS When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The affordable Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the best Roku device available right now. It plugs into your TVs HDMI port, and, as the name suggests, can stream in 4K too.

It runs on Roku's operating system and you can access all your favorite streaming apps, making it an inexpensive way to make an older TV smart. The best Roku devices can improve both old and new TVs through the power of Roku OS. The TV interface offers a wide variety of free channels, features, and custom controls that make home entertainment all the more enjoyable. I've been testing Roku products for nearly four years and found there's a Roku device for almost every buyer. From soundbars with Roku OS built into them to budget HD streaming sticks, Roku has many options, which even includes excellent TVs. Let’s say you want to buy a new Roku player, either to replace an old one or as an upgrade over your smart TV’s streaming features.

You could read a bunch of reviews, or consult the comparison chart on Roku’s website. But that’s no fun. What you really need is a simple, visual way to pick a player from Roku’s lineup of a half-dozen streaming boxes and sticks (including one box that doubles as a soundbar). That’s where my Roku decision flow chart comes in. This replaces one I made a few years ago, before Roku revamped its offerings with a couple of new cheap streaming sticks. Roku’s device lineup is more streamlined than it used to be.

It no longer includes the Express or Express+, which were less portable than Roku’s streaming sticks, and all of its streaming remotes now include TV power, volume, and voice controls. (Thank goodness.) The result is a lineup that generally provides more features with each step up the model list: If you want smart TV capabilities without a smart TV price, you may start to look at streaming devices like Apple, Amazon, and Roku. There are plenty of good options to choose from, but Roku's devices remain our clear favorites thanks to their convenient features, impressive performance and affordable prices. Devices range from the advanced Roku Ultra, which recently got some nice upgrades, to the affordable Roku Express, which you can snag for just $30.

Roku also makes some of its own soundbars and speakers, which make it easy to build an all-in-one entertainment setup. We've spent hours testing these devices side-by-side to help you find the right one for your home. Roku's lineup can be confusing, and the two streaming devices at the top of our list are very similar. The first is the Roku Express 4K Plus. This small box sits next to your TV and is the cheapest Roku device that offers full 4K HDR streaming support, which generally makes it our favorite. Yes, it lacks Dolby Vision, but we tend to think that this isn't too big of a deal, as the service only works with compatible TVs and doesn't offer any real difference in picture...

All 4K TVs with HDR support multiple HDR formats and you most likely won't be missing out on anything by skipping Dolby Vision. That said, there are certain times of the year when the Roku Express 4K Plus isn't the best buy. That's because the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is often on sale for less and is therefore the better option. The Streaming Stick 4K is almost identical to the Express 4K Plus -- the only difference is the shape of the device and the fact that the Streaming Stick 4K offers Dolby Vision support,... We don't recommend spending more money on something with Dolby Vision, but don't be afraid to grab the Streaming Stick 4K when it's the cheapest option. The Express 4K Plus is one of the cheapest streaming TV options with 4K HDR.

(Even if your current TV doesn't support those formats, your next one probably will.) Thanks to the AirPlay update, this Roku device is one of the least expensive ways to connect your iPhone or... It lacks Dolby Vision support, but we think most people will be fine without that. 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and...

Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I’ve tested a lot of streaming devices over the years — and Roku devices are my favorite. I put together this Roku Buying Guide to help you get the best deal on the best device for your household.

This is not sponsored and I paid for all of the devices that I own. That’s how you know a Michael Saves review is a review that you can actually trust! My #1 pick is the Roku Ultra 2024. The Ultra is Roku’s best streaming player and the latest version has two main advantages over previous models. The Roku Ultra is a premium device with a premium regular price of around $100.

What Roku Device Is The Best To Buy Groundedreason Com

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