At CES 2023, Roku announced that they were coming out with their own lineup of 4K TVs that were designed internally. There are also claims that they will be manufacturing these TVs as well; an announcement that caught some industry analysts by surprise because that requires a rather significant investment and expertise that few thought Roku possessed internally.
What makes this move significant is that Roku with its streaming players, soundbars, and licensing agreements with other TV makers, is already the most popular streaming platform in the U.S. and Canada.
With an already saturated TV market dominated by Hisense, Samsung, LG, TCL, and Sony which are all fighting for the same customer base, Roku still sees an opening for their own branded Smart TVs.
From Mustafa Ozgen, President, Devices, Roku: “Our goal is to make everything about a smart TV delightfully simple, from finding the TV that’s perfect for you, to opening and unboxing, to enjoying your favorite movies and TV shows,…We made purposeful decisions to ensure that our Roku Select and Plus Series TVs embody what users love most about the Roku streaming experience, and we brought in our expertise in picture quality and audio to give consumers an entertainment upgrade at an incredible value.”
What Roku is Offering
Roku is releasing 11 TV models across two Series: Roku Select and Roku Plus.
The Roku Select Series includes screen sizes ranging from 24 to 75-inches (eight models) while the Plus series consists of three models in 55, 65, and 75-inch screen sizes.
Tip: All Plus and Select TVs are LCD TVs with LED backlighting. Roku has indicated the possibility of adding OLED TVs to the mix, but nothing specific has been announced.
NOTE: Roku did not provide advanced detailed specifications for all of its TV models but did provide an overview of the Roku Plus Series TVs feature set along with some basic Plus and Select TV feature comparison information.
Key Features of Roku Plus Series TVs
Quantum Dots (QLED): A layer of Quantum Dots is placed between the LED backlight and LCD display panel layers to enhance color saturation and accuracy.
HDR: Plus Series TVs are compatible with the Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR10 formats providing flexibility in accessing compatible content and viewing it with natural brightness, contrast, and color.
Automatic Brightness: This feature automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness settings based on the room’s lighting.
FALD (Full Array Local Dimming: The LED backlight is divided into zones that provide precise control over highlights and black to maximize contrast for realistic depth.
Roku Streaming Platform: Endless Entertainment right at consumers’ fingertips, with built-in Roku streaming for access to a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV.
Roku Voice Remote Pro: This included remote allows for hands-free voice commands, Lost Remote Finder, personal shortcut buttons, and a rechargeable battery making it easier to start watching content.
Dolby Atmos: Dolby Atmos-certified speakers are designed for clear speech and louder sound so users never miss a piece of dialogue.
Wireless Surround Sound: Wireless Surround Sound Expandability with, Roku Wireless Speakers, and Wireless Bass delivers an immersive audio experience.
Bluetooth: Bluetooth® Private Listening lets users connect wireless headphones directly to the TV to enjoy their entertainment at any volume.
Roku OS 12: This latest update for the Roku OS brings users a more intuitive, personalized, and seamless streaming experience. Highlights include improvements and new channel partners across Live TV, Sports, content discovery, the Roku Mobile App, and more. Check out the details in our companion article: Roku OS 12 Offers A More Personalized Viewing Experience on Roku Devices.
Roku Plus and Select TV Comparison Chart
Tip: All Roku Plus and Select TVs incorporate the same streaming/smart features through the Roku OS.
Roku TV Model Series Plus Select 4K Select HD Screen Sizes (inches) 55, 65, 75 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 24, 32, 40 TV Type QLED LED/LCD LED/LCD LED Backlight Type Fully Array/Local Dimming Direct-Lit Direct-Lit Resolution 4K UHD 4K UHD 1080p FHD (40-inch model), 720p HD 24 and 32-inch models HDR Dolby Vision/HDR10+, HDR10 HDR10+, HDR10 N/A Automatic Brightness X X N/A Audio Enhancement Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos Dolby Audio Dolby Audio Wireless Audio Expandability 4.1 Channel Surround 2.1 Channel Stereo 2.1 Channel Stereo Internet Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax, Ethernet Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac, Ethernet Wi-Fi 4, 802.11bgn Bluetooth X N/A N/A HDMI 3 Inputs + 1 HDMI eARC 3 Inputs + 1 HDMI eARC 2 Inputs + 1 HDMI ARC USB X X X Composite Input X X X Cable/Antenna X X X Optical Audio Output X X X Headphone Jack X X X Roku Remote Type Roku Voice Remote Pro Enhanced Roku Voice Remote Roku Voice Remote
Price & Availability
Roku Select and Plus Series TVs are available exclusively from Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com.
- 55R6A5R (55 inches): $399.99 at Best Buy
- 65R6A5R (65 inches): $599.99 at Best Buy
- 75R6A5R (75 inches): $799.99 at Best Buy
- 43R4A5R (43 inches): $229.99 at Best Buy
- 50R4A5R (50 inches): $279.99 at Best Buy
- 55R4A5R (55 inches): $299.99 at Best Buy
- 65R4A5R (65 inches): $399.99 at Best Buy
- 75R4A5R (75 inches): $649.99 at Best Buy
- 24R2A5R (24 inches): $99.99 at Best Buy
- 32R2A5R (32 inches): $149.99 at Best Buy
- 40R2A5R (40 inches): $199.99 at Best Buy
Tip: To complement Roku’s TVs, they will be introducing a new soundbar, that will connect wirelessly to Select and Plus TV models. The wireless soundbar will be available exclusively at Best Buy stores and online later in March 2023. Stay tuned for more information in a companion article as it is released
From Chris Larson, Vice President of Retail Strategy at Roku: “Roku and Best Buy both share a commitment to enriching people’s lives through products and technology…We’re excited to launch Roku Select and Plus TVs exclusively at Best Buy, offering their customers even more choices from Roku, a brand they’ve come to know and love.”
Related Reading
- Not sure what to look for? Buying a New TV: Everything You Need To Know
Chris
April 5, 2023 at 11:55 pm
Several TV’s 2021 to Current manufacturing have Functionality for Wifi5 and Ethernet.
Do NOT Buy the Select HD 2023 TV with, 802.11bgn, and 9year old wifi standards. You the consumer want the Maximum link rate (Mbit/s), because wifi speeds on 2022 TV’s have Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac, and Ethernet
802.11b: 11 Mbps,2.4GHz signal (1999) Wifi #2
802.11g: 54 Mbps,2.4GHz signal (2003) Wifi #3
802.11n: 100+Mbps improvements over 802.11g (2009) Wifi #4
802.11ac: 3.46 Gbps, supports 2.4 and 5GHz frequencies through 802.11n Wifi #5