If you’re looking for a big-screen TV that won’t break the bank, you might want to check out the Roku Plus Series QLED 4K TV. This is the first TV made by Roku, the company behind the popular streaming devices and platform. And it shows: the Roku Plus Series TV delivers a simple and intuitive smart interface, along with impressive picture and sound quality for its price range.
What’s in the box?
The Roku Plus Series TV comes in three sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch. I tested the 65-inch model, which measures 33.1 x 57 x 4 inches and weighs 36.7 pounds without the stand. The stand adds another inch to the height and depth, and requires a fairly wide surface to accommodate its two legs.
The TV has a sleek and minimalist design, with thin bezels and a matte black finish. The back panel has four HDMI 2.0 ports, one USB port, an Ethernet port, an optical audio output, a headphone jack, and an antenna/cable input. There’s also a built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity.
The remote control is the same one that comes with the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which means it has a rechargeable battery, a lost remote finder, and voice control capabilities. You can use the remote to launch apps, adjust settings, search for content, or use personal shortcuts with “Hey Roku” commands. The remote also has a headphone jack for private listening, and a mute button for the TV’s built-in microphone.
How’s the picture quality?
The Roku Plus Series TV uses a QLED panel, which means it has quantum dots that enhance the color gamut and brightness of the LED backlight. The TV also supports HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG formats, which means it can display a wider range of contrast and colors depending on the content.
The picture quality is surprisingly good for a budget TV. The colors are vibrant and accurate, thanks to the QLED technology and Dolby Vision support. The contrast is decent, thanks to the local dimming feature that adjusts the backlight zones according to the scene. The brightness is adequate for most viewing conditions, though it might struggle in very bright rooms or with direct sunlight.
The TV also has an automatic brightness feature that adapts to the ambient light in your room. This can help save energy and reduce eye strain, but it can also affect the picture quality depending on your preference. You can turn this feature off or adjust it in the settings menu.
The only major drawback of the picture quality is the refresh rate. The Roku Plus Series TV has a 60Hz panel, which means it can’t display fast-moving scenes or gaming content as smoothly as higher-end TVs with 120Hz or higher panels. You might notice some motion blur or judder in action movies or sports, especially if you’re used to higher refresh rates.
- Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ocean Blue Review
- What Samsung Needs to Do to Make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Stand Out
- Top 5 smartphones From Asus 2023
How’s the sound quality?
The Roku Plus Series TV has two built-in speakers that deliver Dolby Atmos sound. Dolby Atmos is a surround sound format that adds height and depth to the audio, creating a more immersive experience. The TV also has a speech clarity feature that enhances dialogue and reduces background noise.
The sound quality is surprisingly good for a budget TV. The speakers are loud and clear, and they can fill a medium-sized room with decent sound. The Dolby Atmos effect is noticeable, especially when watching movies or shows with atmospheric soundtracks or effects. You can hear sounds coming from different directions and heights, creating a more realistic and engaging soundstage.
Of course, the built-in speakers have their limitations. They can’t produce very deep bass or very high treble, and they might distort at very high volumes. They also can’t match the performance of a dedicated soundbar or home theater system. If you want to upgrade your sound quality, you can easily connect external speakers or headphones via Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, optical audio output, or headphone jack.
How’s the smart interface?
The Roku Plus Series TV runs on Roku OS, which is one of the best smart platforms on the market. Roku OS is simple and intuitive to use, with a customizable home screen that lets you access your favorite apps and inputs in one place. You can also browse free live channels, movies, shows, news, sports, and more on The Roku Channel.
Roku OS has a huge library of apps to choose from, including popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, Spotify, Pandora, and more. You can also access local channels via an antenna or cable input.
Roku OS also has some unique features that make it stand out from other smart platforms. For example, you can use the Roku app on your smartphone or tablet to control the TV, cast content, or use private listening. You can also use the Roku Voice Remote Pro to control the TV with your voice, or use personal shortcuts with “Hey Roku” commands. You can also sync Roku cameras and doorbell to your TV and view your feeds right on the big screen.
The verdict
The Roku Plus Series QLED 4K TV is a great choice for budget buyers who want a big-screen TV with good picture and sound quality, and a simple and intuitive smart interface. The TV delivers vibrant and accurate colors, decent contrast and brightness, Dolby Atmos sound, and Roku OS with a huge library of apps and features.
The TV is not perfect, though. It has a 60Hz panel that might not be ideal for fast-moving scenes or gaming content, and it lacks HDMI 2.1 ports that are becoming more common in higher-end TVs. It also might not be bright enough for very bright rooms or direct sunlight.
But for its price range, the Roku Plus Series QLED 4K TV is hard to beat. It offers a lot of value and performance for a fraction of the cost of other QLED TVs. If you’re looking for a smart TV that won’t break the bank, you might want to check out the Roku Plus Series QLED 4K TV.
