Gear

How to Pick the Right Roku for Your TV

The company has a dizzying array of streaming sticks, boxes, and soundbars to choose from, but don’t worry—these are the ones to buy.

Rokus are the most popular TV streaming boxes for good reason: They're super easy to use and offer a wide array of streaming channels. They're our favorite, too. However, figuring out which one to buy is not so easy. There are four different Roku streaming devices available now (not including TVs and soundbars), and you'll find a ton of older models floating around on Amazon and other sellers. Rokus also tend to have similar names and look nearly identical, so it's not that simple 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. And once you get that Roku, be sure to add WIRED's channel!

Updated June 2021: We've added the Express 4K Plus, which replaces the Premiere.

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    Photograph: Roku

    A Bare-Bones Roku

    Roku Express HD

    Think of the Roku Express like the Express Checkout 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.

    The Express+ has composite cables if you have an old tube TV, but if you don’t have HDMI ports on your TV, you may want to start saving up for a new TV.

    $30 at Amazon
    $29 at Walmart
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    This Roku Adds 4K and HDR

    Roku Express 4K Plus

    The Express 4K Plus—which replaces the 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's power and volume control on the remote, as well as 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 last couple of years and it cost more than $300, there’s a good chance it’s 4K (Ultra HD) and has HDR. That just means it has four times more pixels on its screen than a standard HD television. HDR (High Dynamic Range) means that scenes like sunsets look brighter, while shadows are darker—in other words, you get better, more realistic contrast.

    $40 at Amazon
    $40 at Target
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    This Roku Adds Stronger Wi-Fi and Voice

    Roku Streaming Stick Plus

    The Streaming Stick Plus is the best Roku for most people. It works with HD or 4K HDR televisions and sticks into the back of your TV's HDMI port. A second cable plugs into a USB port to provide power. It has voice search, TV volume and power control, and dual-band Wi-Fi that has a longer range and can connect to 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz networks. This is particularly handy for folks living in city apartments, where the many nearby Wi-Fi networks can interfere with your signal. There is a version with a headphone jack in the remote if you want to watch TV quietly while others are sleeping.

    Before you buy it, you'll want to check the back of your TV to make sure your HDMI ports allow for a 4-inch object to stick straight out of them. If they don't, you'll need to investigate another Roku option or an HDMI extender. Roku will send you one, but it is a delay.

    $50 at Amazon
    $50 at Walmart
    $60 at Best Buy (Headphone Edition)
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    This Roku Adds Earbuds and Ethernet

    Roku Ultra (2020)

    Roku updated its posh Ultra model with stronger Wi-Fi, a faster system overall, and the ability to stream in Dolby Vision, a feature we noted was lacking in its predecessor. The Ultra has all the features we've talked about so far, like dual-band Wi-Fi and voice search. It also has an Ethernet port for more stable wired connections, a headphone jack on the remote so you can watch TV shows in private while other folks sleep (the new version comes with Roku-branded headphones rather than JBL ones, but they are surprisingly decent), and a host of other small features like a USB slot and a remote finder.

    There's also Night listening mode, which levels out audio so explosions in movies won't wake the whole household, and the remote has two programmable favorites buttons, which make it super easy to quickly launch YouTube or another app. It's worth noting that it lacks support for HDR10+, unlike the top streaming devices from Google and Amazon. It's unlikely you'll notice this, or own a TV and speaker set that takes advantage of these high-end features. 

    $100 at Amazon
    $100 at Target
  • Photograph: Roku

    This Roku Is Also a Soundbar

    Roku Smart Soundbar

    If you’re looking to upgrade the streaming capability and audio quality of your TV in one fell swoop, the Roku Smart Soundbar is a great all-in-one solution. For almost $100 more than a Roku Ultra, you get the same great 4K image quality and hyper-usable voice remote, plus a soundbar to boot. Sure, it’s the kind of subwoofer-less bar we’d only recommend for smaller rooms (see our favorite soundbars here), but the size is also a blessing: At just over 32 inches long, it can easily work with smaller TVs in tight spaces. Those who want extra bass can add a Roku wireless subwoofer, though that low-end addition will set you back another $180.

    Walmart sells a cheaper version of this soundbar under its Onn brand, but it's not exactly the same. The remote doesn't have voice search capabilities and uses IR so you need to point it directly at the soundbar to control it. The Onn version also isn't as powerful, so you don't get the same sound clarity.

    $180 at Amazon
    $129 at Walmart (Cheaper Onn Version)
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    An Even Smaller Soundbar

    Roku Streambar

    We like the other Roku soundbar for its small size at 32 inches, but the Streambar is even more compact—yet still has powerful front- and side-facing speakers. At just 14 inches long, it's ideal for the smallest of living rooms, and it won’t look out of place if you have an older, smaller TV to pair with it. I (Medea) have 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 a Night Listening mode that quiets explosive sounds, and the remote includes volume and power buttons plus voice control.

    We think either Roku soundbar is good for those who want a system upgrade but aren't necessarily chasing the best sound quality around. (If you are, see our full guide on soundbars.)

    $130 at Amazon
    $130 at Target
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    A TV With Built-In Roku

    TCL 5 Series (50-inch, 2020)

    If you’re in the market for a new TV, you could kill two birds with one stone by opting for a TCL with a built-in Roku. If you go with the 5-Series, you'll get Dolby Vision support and image quality comparable to more expensive models from LG and Samsung, not to mention the easy-to-navigate Roku interface. It's one of our favorite TVs right now. If you can throw in a few extra Franklins, the 6-Series is an upgrade, but this is still a great purchase.

    $500 at Amazon
    $598 at Walmart
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    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, plus Roku also connects to all the major streaming services, including new ones like Peacock and HBO Max.

    We break down the best streaming devices in this guide, but you do have some options if for whatever reason Roku isn't for you. Amazon's Fire TV works well, but as you could probably guess, its menus are heavily geared toward Amazon Prime content. It also doesn't include access to Vudu. Apple TV is best if you already buy movies and shows from Apple's library or subscribe to Apple TV+. Google Chromecast with Google TV is a nice addition to the steaming lineup—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). It's quickly becoming one of our favorites.

Medea Giordano turned her shopping problem into a career as a product writer for WIRED. She covers a little bit of everything but loves health, beauty, and pet tech. Prior to WIRED, she was an assistant editor at Wirecutter and an assistant in the newsroom of The New York Times.... Read more
Writer and Reviewer
Jeffrey Van Camp is an editor for WIRED, specializing in personal technology reviews and coverage. Previously he was the deputy editor of Digital Trends, helping to oversee the site’s editorial operations, and before that, its mobile editor. He’s covered tech, video games, and entertainment for more than a decade, and... Read more
Reviews Editor
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