Did you know that you can stream World Cup 2026 matches in 4K on BBC iPlayer? Well, you can — it's just not entirely obvious as to which devices actually support the feature. What is certain is that not all of them do — and your TV may not be among them.

While it would be useful to have a list of which of the best TVs and other devices support 4K for the World Cup, there isn't one. Instead, BBC says the easiest way to check if your device supports 4K content on iPlayer is to go to BBC iPlayer app itself and stream some 4K content, then look for the 'UHD' logo. If it appears, then your device supports it: hooray! If not, then unfortunately you won't be able to watch the World Cup in 4K on your current device.

If you want a list of 4K shows on BBC iPlayer to check, there's one here, but some quick names are Blue Planet II, SAS Rogue Heroes and Doctor Who (the latest series). If the UHD logo doesn't appear in the listing for one of the shows, then your device doesn't support it.

Thankfully, there are two devices that do support 4K streaming on BBC iPlayer: the Roku Streaming Stick 4K and the PS5. The Roku is a cheap upgrade to your TV that will allow 4K streaming on iPlayer and while the PS5 is pricier, it's a multimedia system that can obviously play games and 4K Blu-rays, as well as supporting most of the best streaming services.

And just in time for Amazon Prime Day, there are deals available for both devices.

Today's best Roku Streaming Stick 4K deal

Today's best PS5 deals

More Prime Day deals in the UK

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• Fox is acquiring Roku for $22 billion
• The agreement will combine Fox's networks with the Roku TV platform
• The deal will close in 2027, but Roku users are already seeking alternative streaming devices

Fox Corp has announced a new agreement that will see the television giant acquire streaming company Roku for a staggering $22 billion — a deal that will no doubt shake up the entertainment sphere.

The companies announced the deal today (June 15, 2026), and it will mark the next step in Fox’s plan to become more competitive in the streaming world, reports CNBC. The deal will combine Fox’s plethora of news, sports, and entertainment networks with the Roku TV platform, The Roku Channel, and first-party data to reach the 100 million households that use Roku.

Additionally, this will also combine one of the best free streaming services, Tubi, which Fox acquired for $440 million back in 2020.

As per the agreement, Fox will acquire Roku for $160 per share in a cash-and-stock transaction, and the company says it has already secured $12 billion in loans to finance it. The deal has already been approved by the boards of directors from both companies and is projected to close in the first half of 2027, pending regulatory approvals.

During an analyst call, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch described the deal as a “defining moment” for Fox and “a natural extension of the deliberate and focused strategy we have been executing for nearly a decade."

He added, “Today, we take the next step: bringing together the most valuable live content portfolio in video consumption with the preeminent streaming platform through which America watches it,” as Variety reports.

As for Roku CEO and founder, Anthony Wood, he will join Fox’s board of directors and will assume an “ongoing role” as a result of the acquisition. “I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built, and the combination with Fox is an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate our vision, scale faster and innovate more aggressively for viewers, partners and advertisers,” Wood shared in a statement, which Variety also reported.

Fox’s merger with Roku is the company’s first major deal since Disney acquired Fox’s entertainment business, which saw recognizable franchises including The Simpsons and X-Men, as well as programming from Fox-owned channels National Geographic and FX Networks, make their way to Disney+.

For years, Fox hasn’t quite been able to compete with streaming giants such as Netflix and YouTube. Combining its networks with Roku opens another gateway for Fox to expand into streaming and subscriptions, but Roku users are already considering alternatives.

For some Roku users, it's all downhill from here

Entertainment companies seem to be joining forces quite a bit recently. The deal between Paramount+ and Warner Bros. Discovery has now been approved by the US Department of Justice, but Fox’s acquisition of Roku has particularly shaken things up for Roku users. They've already been quite vocal on their concerns for what this agreement could mean — especially regarding the controversial Fox News.

According to one user on Reddit, their Roku device has apparently been pushing ads for Fox News, suggesting this deal has been in development for quite some time. “Time for a new streaming stick,” they added. But it’s not just the ads that users are worried about.

Other users flocked to the Reddit thread to share their concerns, and many believe that the ubiquity of Fox News will only escalate from here. One user says that, gradually, Fox could “show their propaganda and misinformation more and more by defaulting users to Fox News”.

Another user highlighted that Roku is a popular, budget-friendly streaming option, which is also built into a lot of cheaper smart TVs, giving Fox another easy gateway into this particular market.

Roku is having a bit of a transformation at the moment, and sports fans will be very pleased with the streamer’s most recent stunt.

Hot on the heels of Roku’s huge free Home Screen upgrade, the streaming giant has quietly added a handful of new sports channels just in time for the World Cup — and the best part is that they’re all completely free to access on The Roku Channel.

Joining Roku’s roster of over 500 free live channels are Sports Illustrated, which spotlights league updates while offering sports news and analysis coverage, and FIFA Plus Women, a women’s soccer-based channel with highlights, live matches, and stories featured on individual athletes.

Additionally, FIFA Plus Español will also be joining the mix, which is essentially the Spanish-language answer to FIFA Plus Women, but offers coverage on international events. Aside from soccer content, Stingray Hooked covers all things fishing-related including tips and angling expeditions across the globe — because even keen fishers need their own programming.

This isn’t the first time this year that Roku has expanded its collection of free streaming channels. Back in April it rolled out a bunch of new channels dedicated to round-the-clock viewing for Western movies, in addition to new non-stop reality TV channels.

Just like Roku’s other free channels, its new sports content will also be ad-supported. You should also be aware that, though the new channels arrive just in time for the World Cup celebrations, you won’t be able to watch the associated matches through The Roku Channel. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

How to watch the FIFA World Cup

Want to know how to watch the FIFA World Cup? Look no further.

Luckily for viewers in the UK and Australia, every match will be broadcast for free on BBC and ITV (UK), and SBS on Demand (Australia), so you won’t need to worry about needing a VPN, just a TV license. Although, if you happen to be travelling while the World Cup is on, Norton VPN is our top pick.

As for viewers in the US, it gets a little more complicated as you won’t be able to stream every match for free, but there are a few ways for you to get your soccer fix. Fox Sports (Fox One and FS1) will be broadcasting the matches live, so if you’re subscribed to a live streaming service that houses these channels such as YouTube TV or Hulu+ Live TV, you’ll be able to watch them included in your membership.

If you’ve been toying with signing up to YouTube TV for a while, then your best option is the Sports Plan, which offers everything from news, to live games and local channels. It’s currently on offer for $54.99 a month (was $64.99), which will save you $120 for your first 12 months. Alternatively, you could also just make the most of a 21-day free trial if you know you won’t use YouTube TV when the World Cup is over.

However, a VPN might be a more cost-effective way of watching World Cup matches, which you can then use to access BBC and ITV’s broadcasts in the UK for example. Instead of paying $55 monthly for YouTube TV, Norton VPN’s basic plan will set you back just $39.99 a year (that’s roughly $3.33 a month).

• The Roku interface is getting a huge update
• It leans into organization, with some AI
• It remains recognizable for long-term users, though

Your Roku TV Home Screen is getting a significant free update — but don't worry, it'll still feel familiar.

I often tell people that the best TV remote in the business is from Roku. Nothing even comes close, but what's often overlooked in the mix is the Roku interface or Home Screen for your Roku device or TV. It's not only simple, but playful.

The sleep screen is a hideout of iconic pop-culture references, slightly altered so as not to incur intellectual property wrath, but we all get the inside jokes. The business side of the interface, where you navigate platforms and content via tiles, is just as simple.

"Simplicity has always been our north star," noted Margaret Schmidt, Roku's VP User Experience & Design.

As a longtime Roku customer, first on my TCL 65-inch TV and now on a variety of sticks and set-top boxes, I was a bit worried about this Home Screen update. Why mess with what works?

But the changes, which were announced today (May 27, 2026), look mostly intelligent (yes, there's even some AI) and still on-brand for the company with a purple, playful spirit (and a reported 100 million households).

The updates focus on personalization and content access, and run relatively deep. "This is our first major update to Roku Home Screen in a decade," said Preston Smalley Roku VP of Viewer Product, during Wednesday's launch event.

As for why now, Smalley said Roku research showed them that "It's not always as easy as it should be to find something to watch, even with all that content." (This may qualify as the understatement of the year.)

When I use my Roku devices, I often quickly navigate to Sling TV, where I watch most of my local broadcast channels. In Roku's new interface, there's now a Quick Access panel, so I don't need to scroll or hunt for the tile.

Of course, Roku had to get in on the AI craze, and now it's using it to power the zeitgeist-rich "You Daily Scoop," which presents trending shows and other pop culture events like celebrity birthdays.

It lives inside the new "For You" section that will, of course, try to surface content you might like based on past activities. Roku claims your selection will be unlike anyone else's.

As Rohit Mahto, Roku's Director of Recommendations, explained, "[Users] expect deeper personalization from day one.” But he added that there are literally billions of home screen permutations. "Machine learning and AI helped us get it right," he added.

When I asked about the level of AI at work here, Mahto explained that "it's a mixed bag thing." While they use "state-of-the-art LLMs," the focus for Roku is different. "We are hyper-focused on the streaming space, streaming data."

Roku's approach is similar to what I've seen from Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. I don't mind it. However, these feeds often lead to services and platforms where you're not already a subscriber. Hopefully, Roku sticks with the services you already use and doesn't try to squeeze in or tease new shows on platforms where you're not already a subscriber.

To help with the "what to watch" hunt, Roku is introducing "Destinations," a sort of mood-based section. You know, "What are you in the mood for?" It gives you broad, category-based selections.

In Roku's research, they found "82% wanted to turn on their TV and have the show they have in mind right at the top of their TV. Essentially, they wanted us to read their minds,” said Smalley.

The interface has also been reorganized, with a collapsed Home Screen menu and shortcuts that get you more quickly to, say, where you left off with "Continue Watching".

Finally, City Tile gives you a closer look at Roku City. It basically takes you through all the sometimes hidden features for more discovery and, of course, engagement.

Summarizing the changes, Smalley said, "It’s really moving from a static app grid to something that’s dynamic and personalized around you." As for what's next for Roku and the Home Screen, he said, "We’re only just getting started.”

Roku says these changes are rolling out now, though we expect it may take a bit of time for them to show up on all of your Roku devices. I'll be checking mine tonight.

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• Roku reveals two projectors that will use its smart TV platform
• The two projectors are made by Aurzen and Sharp
• It's also bringing a free update for the World Cup to existing devices

Roku has announced it's bringing two new projectors, which use its smart TV platform, to the UK market. It has also confirmed a free update for the World Cup is on the way.

Let's start with the projectors. The first one is made by Aurzen, and supports 1080p resolution with 280 ANSI lumens. It will have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as 2 x 5w speakers built-in that support Dolby Audio. It can project an image size from 40-100-inches and will come with Auto Keystone and Auto Focus features. It also has an HDMI and USB port. It will be available on Amazon in June.

The Sharp Roku projector has a similar spec list, with 1080p resolution with 200 ANSI lumens brightness. It comes with 2 x 3w speakers that support Dolby Audio and also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It will project an image size from 40-120-inches. It's set to launch in June at Asda and July at Tesco.

While UK pricing hasn't been confirmed, the Aurzen Roku was launched in October 2025 in the US and retails for $229 (around £170) now.

The other news from Roku is that it's bringing a free update, called Football Zone, to existing devices. This will serve as hub for all coverage of the World Cup, with the ability to follow particular teams, catch highlights and full game replays and even find recommended extra content such as documentaries. Roku said it had had success with this 'zone' for the Olympics. The update is free and will come to all existing Roku players (including streaming sticks), TVs and the new projectors.

Roku: the perfect World Cup companion

I got the chance to see the Aurzen Roku TV projector in action, and while it's not going to dethrone any of the winning options in our best projector ranking anytime soon, it did deliver decent picture quality. Watching some clips from a David Attenborough documentary, textures seemed crisp enough and colors were fairly accurate.

I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth using Roku TV was, too. Navigating the Roku menus was easy and its performance was good for a budget projector. While I only got a brief demo of the Auto Keystone feature, again it seemed pretty effective.

Bringing Roku TV to projectors is a great idea, as it's one of the best smart TV platforms around. Having just bought a Roku TV 4K Stick myself, it's one of the best interfaces I've used on a TV. What Roku has done right however is bring its excellent OS to a budget projector that's cheaper than most of the best TVs.

If the Aurzen releases for a similar price in the UK to the $229 it is in the US, this would make a great, affordable option for those who want to watch the World Cup in a big group without forking out too much money.

Roku has always been great with its free updates and the Football Zone sounds like another excellent addition. Pair this with the Aurzen projector, and Roku could be the perfect World Cup companion.

• Roku adds more free channels covering reality TV and westerns
• Instant Resume is coming to more popular streaming apps
• Roku Store apps of a certain size must use the feature from October 2026

Roku has added another six free channels to its Roku TVs and Roku streaming devices. As with previous additions there's quite the mix here, with classic Westerns, comedy, reality shows and music, as spotted by Cord Cutters News.

Roku is also planning to improve its Instant Resume feature. From October 1 2026, the feature will be coming to stacks of apps in Roku's streaming store, again according to Cord Cutters News.

High-traffic streaming apps that meet certain criteria (audience size, hours streamed) will be obliged to support Instant Resume, which enables you to pick up from exactly where you left off even if you've been watching on a different device or haven't used your device in a while. It's a handy feature and a welcome addition to third-party streaming apps.

Roku's new free channels for April 2026

The first new channel, channel 313, is dedicated to the classic TV show Rawhide. Rawhide is one of the most famous Western shows of all time, has one of the most famous theme songs of all time (a song that also soundtracked a memorable bit of The Blues Brothers movie) and introduced the world to a young actor called Clint Eastwood. It's a classic of 1950s and 1960s TV and I've got the theme tune in my head right now. Hah! Rawhide!

There are more Westerns where that one came from. Channel 6036 is going to be streaming a wide selection of vintage and classic cowboy movies and shows, and once again it's going to be round-the-clock streaming of gunfights, cattle ranches, showdowns, wagon trains and outlaw gangs.

Meanwhile over on channel 314, there's another classic: the Beverly Hillbillies, the much-loved 1960s show that follows the adventures and misadventures of the Clampett family as they bring their simple, folksy ways to the rich neighborhoods of Beverly Hills.

If you prefer a bit of reality, channel 624 is where you'll find Ink Master. That's a reality TV competition where tattoo artists take on challenges that push their skills and their patience to the limit. We're promised drama, excitement and dramatic reveals.

For younger Spanish speakers, channel 978 delivers MTV en Español, a high-energy, youth-oriented channel mixing music videos (an MTV that still does music!), reality shows, celebrity interviews and "culturally resonant programming" that showcases Latin music and lifestyles.

Last but not least there's Toso.o on channel 815. I'm intrigued by this one, because the description doesn't really describe anything: it's "vibrant", "eclectic", "unique" and provides a "variety of niche content". How very mysterious.

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• Roku TVs need to be online for the Live TV Guide following an update
• Offline, the Guide can't select over-the-air channels
• Roku says it will fix the issue in a few weeks

Roku has changed the way its TVs handle over-the-air (OTA) channels — as in, channels that you receive with an antenna instead of streaming over the internet. In order to watch free local ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC channels, you now need to have an active internet connection — and, of course, not having internet is a key reason why some people want to watch OTA TV.

It's a bug, not a feature, Roku says: speaking to Cord Cutters News the firm promised a fix, although it may take a few weeks to arrive. But when it does, you'll once again be able to use your aerial to receive TV without needing to be online. Of course, you'll need to be online first to get the update…

Why are Roku TVs requiring internet for broadcast TV?

It looks like the issue is an unexpected result of Roku's recent rejigs. The Roku interface has been getting some useful tweaks in recent months, and one of those tweaks is better integration of free, ad-supported streaming TV in the Live TV Guide.

That integration is good, because it makes it much easier to find and watch free additional channels. But in order to give you a Guide that mixes over-the-air and online channels, the Roku TV needs an active internet connection. And it looks like Roku didn't think deeply enough about what would happen to the over-the-air channels if an internet connection wasn't available.

Readers of Cord Cutters News have reported blank or gray screens when they try to watch channels, and say that the Guide doesn't appear fully until they get online. If they do go online, for example by setting up a hotspot from their phone, some users can apparently get the channels and keep watching – but they can't change channels without going back online.

Although this issue is very specific to a fairly small number of people, it does raise a wider issue, which is the way in which manufacturers' or streaming providers' software updates can make significant changes to the core features or interface of a product you already own, and not necessarily for the better.

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• New Roku channels include sports, outdoor adventures, comedy and drama
• Upgraded local news coverage and News Near You
• Roku hopes AI will mean smaller advertisers can do more video ads

Roku has added nine free channels to The Roku Channel and updated its local and national news. The new channels are free and ad-supported, and there's now easier access to local news affiliates and a brand new News Near You feature.

The Roku Channel is the closest thing to old-school cable TV that Roku offers on its devices and in its app, with hundreds of channels streaming live – but unlike cable you don't need to pay to tune in, because these channels follow the broadcast TV model and are funded by advertising.

According to trade website AdExchanger, Roku's streaming hours hit 145.6 billion last year, a 15% year-on-year increase, and The Roku Channel was the US's favorite free, ad-supported streaming app outside of YouTube.

And Roku is keen to monetize those hours more effectively and expects AI to be a big part of that – so in addition to more channels, you can expect more slightly disconcerting AI-powered ads too.

What are the new free channels on The Roku Channel?

Here are the new channels and their channel numbers in the Live TV guide on your Roku device or app, as discovered by CordCutter News (via ZDNet):

• 197 Willow Sports
• 371 Felicity
• 372 Fuel TV
• 429 Pokémon
• 496 MeatEater
• 822 America’s Funniest Videos
• 823 The Bernie Mac Show
• 829 Cougar Town
• 832 Blossom

Roku's AI experiments are being used to improve recommendations, highlight content and tweak how apps and shows are displayed on the screen, as well as generating copy telling you why you should watch a specific show.

AdExchanger says that the Roku Voice voice assistant is also getting an AI assist for more conversational interactions, and it suggests that sports is an area where AI could be deployed very effectively to deliver short-form clips, highlights and even commentary.

Most of all, AI could help Roku sell more ads by enabling mom-and-pop businesses to create video ads for tiny costs: as CEO Anthony Wood told investors in a conference call this week, "the easier it is to create video ads the larger the number of advertisers that can advertise on a TV platform" – and presumably the more ads that can be pushed to you.

For Roku, it seems, potential advertisers are like Pokémon: it's gotta catch 'em all.

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It’s almost time for Super Bowl LX (60), and what better way to celebrate than with a new, big-screen TV? I know what you’re thinking: big-screen TVs are expensive, and while that can be true, there are plenty of excellent screens available for budget-friendly prices.

Even some of the best TVs on the market will mean you can get a 75-inch TV without breaking the bank. Thanks to brands like TCL, Hisense, and Samsung, you’ll be able to watch the big game on a big TV without breaking the bank.

Below, I’ve picked 3 models that TechRadar has tested and demonstrated good motion handling and picture quality (important for sports viewing) while also delivering for movies and gaming.

TCL QM7K

TCL’s mini-LED TVs have always managed to deliver an impressive list of features with great picture quality for a while now, but this year’s lineup has been particularly good. The best of the bunch is the mid-range TCL QM7K.

We were particularly impressed with the QM7K’s high brightness, which meant pictures really popped on screen. It also demonstrated effective blooming control, meaning you’re going to get a nice, even image, even when viewed from an angle (something that has been a problem with mini-LED for years).

I’ve personally tested the TCL C7K (the QM7K’s UK sibling), and I was impressed by its motion handling, which is vital for sports viewing. A quick trip to the settings, adjust motion and blur to 3-5 (depending on preference,) and you’re good to go!

If you’re a gamer, you’ll also love the QM7K’s list of features, which is up there with the best gaming TVs. It supports 4K 144Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM.

Available for under $1,000 in a 75-inch size, this is an excellent screen for those who have a bit of money to spend but also don’t want to spend too much. Quality without compromise.

Hisense U65QF

For those looking for a real bargain, the Hisense U65QF should be top of your list. The most entry-level mini-LED in Hisense’s 2025 lineup, the U65QF, again nails that balance of performance and features vs price.

We were most impressed by the U65QF’s detailed picture and its solid local dimming performance, which delivered well-contrasted images. We also described sports as “a pleasure to watch on this TV”, so you know it’ll perform when it comes time for the Super Bowl.

Again, this TV is well equipped for gamers too, with two HDMI ports supporting 4K 144Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM. Its 13.2ms input lag delivered a smooth gaming experience for fast-paced games like Dead Island 2.

You can pick up the 75-inch U65QF for under $600, which is a steal for a TV at this size, with this much on offer.

Roku Pro Series (2025)

Another top name in the budget/mid-range TV category is Roku. We’ve been impressed with its TVs for a while, and the 2025 Roku Pro is no different, utilizing mini-LED to produce great picture quality without stretching the budget too much.

We found in our testing that the Roku Pro produced crisp images and even produced strong contrast and bold colors, the latter of which popped nicely when watching animated movies such as Coco.

Thankfully, the Roku Pro also proved to have great motion handling, which meant watching sports was an enjoyable experience. Watching an NFL game, we noted that we could “clearly make out all the players and how they moved on the field”. Budget TVs sometimes have motion-blurring issues that can make sports viewing difficult, but the Roku Pro avoids this.

It’s not the most comprehensive gaming TV, but the Roku Pro does have two HDMI ports with 4K 120Hz support and can handle fast-moving games such as NBA 2K25 and Dead Island 2 well. It even boasts a measured 9.3ms input lag time, putting it up against the best 120Hz TVs easily.

This is another budget-friendly big screen, with a 75-inch model setting you back about $999. This is a superb price for a TV of this quality and size, and should be on your Super Bowl TV upgrade shopping list.

• Roku has added a new Subscriptions section to its home screen
• It brings together all your subscribed services in one place
• Not everyone is pleased about the change that's been rolled out

Roku users, your home screen interface layout is changing again: you should now notice a new Subscriptions view available from your Roku device home screen, which keeps you up to date with content from the various services you're signed up for.

As spotted by Cord Cutters News, this new section displays the programs you've most recently watched via your subscribed streaming services. There are also spots for new and popular films and shows from these services.

In theory, this should make it easier to keep track of content on platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Max, Paramount+, or Peacock, as long as you've signed up through the Roku interface rather than directly on the relevant apps and sites themselves.

It works automatically too: Roku will do the work of figuring out the subscriptions you have active, and what you're currently watching through those subscriptions. It should make it easier to manage your viewing across multiple platforms.

'The last thing I want'

Finally, a new feature that I can use! from r/Roku

Reaction to the change has been somewhat mixed, according to one Reddit thread. While several users are welcoming the innovation and the boost in convenience it might bring, others are asking how the feature might be disabled.

"The last thing I want to do is open an app right to the last sappy thing my wife watched," opines one Roku user – but the new Subscriptions option can be hidden, like everything else in the home screen menu, via Settings > What to Watch.

Other users aren't noticing much difference between the Subscriptions tab and the existing Continue Watching and What to Watch sections. It seems as though your mileage may vary depending on how many services you're signed up to through your Roku.

Being able to subscribe to the best streaming services through other devices and platforms is fairly common now, and it can be more convenient to have everything in one place – but bear in mind you could miss out on the best pricing and bundle options.

• Amazon is expanding its collection of free straming channels in its new partnership with Roku
• Fire TV users now have access to around 50 free channels from The Roku Channel streaming platform
• This follows Amazon recent Fire TV interface upgrade, which saw its biggest overhaul in five years

Hot on the heels of Amazon’s successful showcase at CES 2026, where it unveiled the new Ember Artline ‘lifestyle TV’, the company is joining forces with Roku to bring you new free streaming content from The Roku Channel – one of our best free streaming services.

Now, Amazon Fire TV users can access a selection of around 50 free new streaming channels, expanding its wide collection of FAST entertainment and sports programming. In addition to Fire TV’s new Roku channels, Amazon is also adding select channels from Fubo, which is another popular free streaming service for entertainment and sports.

One of the biggest wins with this partnership is that you don’t need any additional subscriptions or hardware such as streaming sticks to enjoy free viewing, which sounds too good to be true. Previously, you could only access Roku’s flagship FAST service on a Roku device, be that the Roku Streaming Stick Plus or the Roku Pro Series (2025), but now the company is slowly migrating out of that business model while also upgrading its own collection of channels. In October 2025, Roku devices in the UK received over 40 new free TV channels.

You can find new FAST content from The Roku Channel in the newly updated Live Guide tab on Fire TV devices, which serves as the home for all of Amazon’s free streaming platforms including PlutoTV, Tubi, and its very own Freevee.

Now that The Roku Channel is joining the Fire TV family of FAST, this brings it to a total of 14 free-to-stream services, meaning that there are now over a staggering 1,900 channels across these platforms to stream, encapsulating designated channels for reality TV, classic cinema, food, 24/7 news reports, and more.

Not only will this move result in wider access of Roku channels to non-Roku device owners, it’s also a big win for Fire TV itself as it expands its plethora of entertainment options for customers, increasing its value as a streamer.

Recently Amazon gave the Fire TV interface a huge facelift – the first one in five years I should add – which now allows you to pin up to 20 of your favorite streaming services in your homepage, making it easier for you to find its new array of free Roku channels.

If you're looking for Cyber Monday TV deals, then I have good news: there are loads! The vast majority of the Black Friday TV deals are still running, and while some have sold out or gone back up in price, most of the really nice discounts are still here.

The biggest problem is there's too much choice among the Cyber Monday TV deals: there are tons of deals from Samsung, LG, TCL, Hisense, Roku, Amazon and more. That's we're running this live-updated page – not only have we combed through all the deals to find the very best options at different price levels, for every size, but we're also checking prices and updating our guide throughout the day.

I lead TechRadar's TV team, and I chose the TV on this page in collaboration with our expert TV team: Senior TV Editor Al Griffin, lead TV reviewer James Davidson, and Senior Deals Editor Mackenzie Frazier. We collectively have decades of experience testing TVs and writing about Black Friday week deals, so we know what makes a really good-value buy.

But if you're still unsure, then I'm offering personal advice! You can email me using this link to tell me what you're looking for, and I'll respond with personalized recommendations and link you directly to them. It's that easy.

Below, you'll find all our top deals of the day, recommended by our experts on TVs we've tested. Looking for more than just TVs? Then check out our list of all the best Cyber Monday deals overall.

The best Cyber Monday sales in the US

• 65-inch TVs: The most popular size, from $329 at Amazon
• Amazon: Huge TV deals from just $69
• Best Buy: New Cyber Monday TV deals from $69.99
• Dolby Atmos soundbars: From $99 at Amazon
• LG C5 OLED: Our #1 TV, now $1,300 off at Best Buy
• Roku: Up to 50% off TVs and streaming sticks
• Samsung: TV deals from $147 at Amazon
• Target: Huge Samsung, TCL, Roku TV deals
• Walmart: TV deals from just $89

4 streaming deals you don't want to miss!

• Hulu and Disney+ bundle: now $4.99 a month, save $120 annually
• Paramount+: just $2.99 a month ad-free subscription
• Apple TV: over 50% off a 6-month subscription
• Prime Video: 75% off bundles and add-ons

My 6 favorite Cyber Monday TV deals

The best 40-50-inch Cyber Monday TV deals

The best 55-inch Cyber Monday TV deals

The best 65-inch Cyber Monday TV deals

The best 75-inch Cyber Monday TV deals

The best 83-100 inch Cyber Monday TV deals

The best Cyber Monday streaming deals

The best Cyber Monday soundbar deals

The best Cyber Monday streaming stick deals

Good morning, folks! It's Cyber Monday, and there are still plenty of great TV deals available, hanging on from the Black Friday sales.

I've checked all the deals available on this page to make sure they're still available, and have the correct prices – and I'll be updating it regularly throughout the day, though you might that prices wobble around today, more than Black Friday.

Some of the best deals still available include a super-affordable Samsung OLED, and TCL's big-screen bargain TVs – it's a great time for updaters on a budget.

And don't forget that you can email me to ask me for personal buying advice this Cyber Monday! Tell me what kind of TV you're looking for, and I'll send you the best options.

A mega-bargain 65-inch TV

Let's start with one of the juiciest deals of the day. This budget mini-LED TV offers simply amazing image quality and features for the price – next-gen gaming, rich contrast, impressive brightness, great detail. It feels far more premium than a sub-$500 should make possible.

TCL QM6K 65-inch: was $647.99 now $497.99 at Amazon

Something small and cheap?

Amazon's super-popular 40-inch 2-Series HD smart TV is down to just $149.99, which is a 40% discount. The Amazon 2-Series TV lacks 4K resolution, that doesn't matter at this kind of size – the important thing is that it offers smart capabilities through the Fire TV experience, plus Amazon Alexa provides hands-free control.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series 40-inch: was $249 now $149.99 at Amazon

Roku quality for a super-cheap price

Roku's own-brand TVs have only been around for a couple of years, but they've quickly settled in as being great value. This is the cheapest option, and you're getting a 4K TV with HDR, solid picture quality – and, of course, Roku's excellent software so it's easy to use.

Roku Select Series 55-inch 4K TV: was $349 now $298 at Amazon

A 98-inch TV that's actually affordable – no, really

I remember only a few years ago, when projector-sized TVs cost as much as a house. Now they cost as much as… well, other TVs. The Q6 delivers high brightness with vivid color and strong contrast, as well as solid gaming features and performance. If you're looking for a massive display, you won't find a better deal.

TCL Q6 98-inch 4K TV: was $2,499, now $1,398 at Walmart

Where do you start with buying a TV when there are so many options? I always tell people to first decide your size and your budget, to give you a handhold.

It may seem restrictive, but once you narrow these things, you'll find that the field closes from thousands to just a handful. And then, when you're looking at a much more manageable range of options, you can start being flexible about maybe pushing the budget a little further. But you've got to start somewhere.

A small premium TV with elite features

Best Buy's Black Friday sale has slashed a generous $700 off LG's 48-inch B5 OLED TV, bringing the price down to $549.99, which is the lowest we've seen.

Released this year, the LG B5 is the best budget OLED TV on the market. The 48-inch display delivers an exceptional picture with brilliant colors and sharp contrast that impressed during out measurements (which you can see in progress above).

You also get excellent gaming features, thanks to the four HDMI 2.1 ports and new AI tools, including AI Search, AI Concierge, and an improved AI Chatbot. All those features, premium OLED pictures, all in a compact size, for under $600 – it's pretty damn great.

LG B5 OLED TV 48-inch: was $1,299 now $549 at Best Buy

If you've heard all the fuss about OLED TVs, but you're not sure what the deal is, then let me direct you to our 'What is OLED' guide – but here's the short version.

LED screens, including QLED, consist of a big screen of lights behind a color-filtering layer of pixels. This makes it hard for these TVs to show true black tones, because trying to block light coming from the backlight often results in something a little gray. Most good TVs these days have an element of 'local dimming' to help avoid this, where the light turns itself off in sections that should be black to create true black tones – but if there still a bright section, light will 'bleed' into the dark area.

OLED screens don't have this issue. Each pixel generates its own light, and can be dimmed all the way to being off, for true black tones that can be right next to tiny bright highlights, and there'll be no bleed from one to the other. For this reason, they're considered the ultimate in image quality by many people – though they can't go as bright as LED TVs, so there's a trade-off.

A Samsung 5-star OLED, but only in one size

While we're talking about OLED, here's a good-but-specific deal. The Samsung S90F uses a mix of different OLED plans types across its different sizes, which means we can't generally verify its performance, which makes it very hard for us to review and recommend. However, the 65-inch version uses just a single panel type, so we reviewed that size only – and we gave it five stars out of five.

It's an excellent TV, with superb picture quality, top-tier gaming features, and it has a great discount right now.

Samsung S90F OLED TV 65-inch: was $2,499 now $1,399 at Best Buy

Is burn-in still a problem for OLED TVs? For many years, the tech had a reputation for a big problem: images that appeared on screen often and for long periods – such as network logos or parts of a game's interface – would 'burn' into the screen, and leave ghostly images there all the time.

This reputation was well-earned – it was a big problem for the tech, no doubt. But recent TVs have essentially fully overcome this problem, using a combination of better screen tech, smart processing that detects and mitigates the effects of static logos quietly in the background, and the use of good old-fashioned screen savers if they detect that you're leaving a fully still image (like a paused video) on the screen for too long.

A mini-LED bargain

Let's move on from OLED, and talk about a mini-LED TV that's just fantastic value. The Hisense U75Q packs a long list of features, including 4K at 165Hz and VRR for gaming, as well as high brightness levels and strong picture quality in an affordable package.

Its 55-inch model has dropped under $500, a new record-low price worthy of checking out.

Hisense U75Q 55-inch TV: was $913.60 now $497 at Amazon

Roku Pro is the pro's choice of mid-range TV

When it comes to impressive mid-range mini-LED TVs, TCL and Hisense tend to get all the attention. But real ones know that Roku's Pro Series is one to keep your eye on, and it really impressed our reviewers.

Its picture delivers solid contrast, good brightness and effective motion handling. It also comes with a great list of gaming features including 4K 120Hz support, and it has the intuitive Roku smart TV interface. This deal knocks 34% off its price, and it's a great price for a high-quality 65-incher.

Roku Pro Series 65-inch: was $1,199 now $797 at Amazon

What's the big deal about mini-LED? This tech works just like traditional LED screens, in that a layer of LEDs behind the pixels generates the light that reaches you eyes, and gets converted to the right colors on the way.

The difference is that the LEDs are far tinier, which means TV companies can fit a lot more of them in. This has three advantages: it means a more even backlight; it means a brighter light; and it means more accurate local dimming for better contrast, because the areas being dimmed can be smaller if the LEDs are smaller.

When it launched, mini-LED was strictly a premium tech only – but in only a few short years, it's appeared on budget TVs, where it makes a huge difference to the picture quality.

If there's one weakness of today's TVs, it's sound. TVs are getting bigger and bigger in screen size, but thinner and thinner – and great sound requires big speakers that take up a lot of physical volume. High-end TVs use fancy speaker arrays to offer pretty good sound, but still tend to lack bass, because that requires even more physical volume.

And budget TVs often sacrifice the sound, to ensure that all the effort is put into a dazzling picture – and cheap TVs can be really mediocre in some cases for sound clarity.

So, soundbars have become extremely popular. They don't take up much physical space, but they have more physical depth and can direct the sound right towards you, for clearer results. Some TV makers basically use soundbars to solve their TVs' sound problem, offering free soundbars in bundles or heavy discounts when bought with a TV.

But soundbars are very inexpensive generally, and that goes double over Black Friday and Cyber Monday…

Show off your TV with beautiful 4K Blu-ray classics

4K Blu-ray fans, listen up! The Criterion Collection is having a huge sale over at Amazon, where most of its 4K discs are 50% off.

There are some excellent movies featured in this sale, some of which feature in our Blu-ray Bounty monthly column, where we review the best new 4K discs and how they highlight what your home theater can do.

Titles include Double Indemnity, No County For Old Men, Wall-e, The Princess Bride and Mulholland Drive to name just a few. There's no better chance to add to your 4K collection!

In the last couple of years, the best portable projectors have emerged as a popular alternative to TVs, especially instead of a secondary TV, in situations where you don't care too much about picture quality. Kids rooms, offices, outdoors… or all of these, since the whole point is that they're portable!

They tend to include Wi-Fi to make it easy to stream, so they're truly portable – and some include a battery, so you don't even need to think about power. You can even get pretty good-quality 4K portable projectors that are still small. We love the Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen and the LG CineBeam Q.

I've added a section on my favorite streaming deals to the page above, since I have to assume all you people who are thinking of buying a discounted smart TV would also like to save on your viewing bills too! These deals generally end today, so don't miss out!

The most common connection for high-quality soundbars today is HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC. This means they connect to your TV over an HDMI port, and take all your TV's sound over this connection.

What are the advantages and what are the differences between them? We have a guide to explain all, my friend. Read our in-depth HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC explainer.

The Frame Pro drops to a more tempting price

Samsung's new 2025 art TV model, The Frame Pro, is down to its lowest price yet at Best Buy's sale. The Frame Pro enhances the impact of the popular lifestyle TV by replacing a standard QLED screen with Neo QLED, which incorporates mini-LEDs for a much better viewing experience, with far richer contrast.

It also offers a higher refresh rate and comes with a Wireless One Connect box, so your HDMI connections can be placed anywhere in the room. Still, it shows works of art when off and is finished with an anti-reflective coating.

The Frame TVs are always super-popular in the sales, and this is the first year when they've been actually impressive TV models – and this deals makes the new model a much better price, dropping the cost from $1,299 to $899 for the 55-inch.

Samsung The Frame Pro 55-inch: was $1,299 now $899 at Best Buy

If you invest in a higher-end soundbar, let alone a full-on home theater system, one thing you need to know is that you'll get the most out of it if you use physical media rather than streaming.

Even when streaming services offer Dolby Atmos sound, they're using a compressed version of it, called Dolby Digital Plus (DD+). If you watch a 4K Blu-ray, you get the uncompressed version of it, called Dolby True HD (DTHD).

DD+ is capable of supporting the object-based 3D data of Dolby Atmos, but uses less data, so is preferable for streamers. But using less data means you lose some of the dynamic range of the sound – which is retained in the DTHD version.

The same goes for non-Atmos movies – comparing a compressed 5.1-channel stream of Interstellar from Apple TV to a DTS-HD full-quality 4K Blu-ray, there's a huge change in how it takes advantage of the subwoofer, and can make complex parts of the soundtrack come across clearer and more defined.

To be clear, getting a great soundbar will be a huge upgrade over TV speakers or a lesser soundbar, but just know they have more power than you might realise, unless you're adding one of the best 4K Blu-ray players too.

I've added a collection of soundbar deals to this page, starting with some extremely affordable models, and moving up to an elite LG system that's stunningly well-priced.

I've also added streaming sticks to our collection of deals – since you might prefer to upgrade your current TV with a new brain, rather than replace all of it. It's certainly a lot cheaper!

If you're thinking of getting a soundbar with a full surround effect and Dolby Atmos to add to your TV this Cyber Monday, and you want to make sure you experience what it can really do, then take a look at this list of 10 impressive home theater movies.

These are about experiencing all the advantages of surround, and Atmos' precise sound placements in particular – there are some big blockbusters that you'll be expecting, plus some quieter movies that just make great use of the soundscape.

Let's follow up the last post that offered some showcases of Dolby Atmos' spatial effects, with another movie list – but this time focusing on movies with seriously impressive Atmos musical scores and soundtracks.

It's one thing to enjoy the whizzy sound effect placement of Atmos, but it can also be used to present just fantastic musical stagings, and these movies take advantage of that. The good thing is that these don't rely on you having surround sound in the same way as the other list – this is more about the overall soundstage than the channels.

Here's our list of 7 movies to make your soundbar or home theater sing.

What size TV should you buy for your space? Really, it comes down to you and your ambitions. There have been multiple suggestion on sizes in the past – you should sit twice the distance of your TV's size, wait, it should be 1.5 times, wait, in the era of 4K maybe it can be less…

I think 1.5 is a good basic rule if you're in doubt. But it's an aesthetic choice as much as anything. Some people do not want a large TV, for various reasons, and you shouldn't go big just because a rule of thumb tells you to.

The distance I sit from my TV roughly equal to the size of the TV, because I want a big home theater feeling. Some people find that oppressive. But know that, according to Samsung's research, not getting a bigger size is the primary regret people have with their TV purchases…

Amazon's deal on the Sony UBP-X700U is still going strong! That's a 27% discount on the regular $299 price for this player, which is the model we recommend as the best budget option in our best 4K Blu-ray players guide.

Sony UBP-X700U: was $299 now $219 at Amazon

Earlier this week, we posted the November edition of our Blu-ray Bounty feature, where we test the latest 4K Blu-rays to see which ones will make an especially good addition to your collection for showing off what your TV and sound system can do.

Titles this month include Edward Scissorhands, The Mask, Sunset Boulevard and more.

This Fire TV is looking rather compelling for those who don't have a lot of space, or just prefer a smaller set.

Here's a good streaming deal to go with a new TV; get Apple TV for less – it doesn't get a lot of discounts!

When we talk about brightness on TVs, what do we mean? There are two kinds that get talked about most often: Peak HDR Brightness, and Fullscreen Brightness.

Peak HDR Brightness is measured in small windows of bright white on the screen (we use 10% of the screen, manufacturers will use as small as 3% of the screen), and this tends to be the absolute brightest a screen can go for short times. In use, this would affect a high-contrast moment, such as a muzzle flash, or the sun glaring in a space movie.

Fullscreen Brightness is how bright a screen can go over its whole panel for an indefinite amount of time. This affects things like sports where you tend to be watching a bright image the whole time, and the brighter the fullscreen brightness, the less likely you are to be distracted by reflections.

Mini-LED TVs are always brighter than OLED TVs, but high-end OLEDs come very close to mini-LEDs when it comes to Peak HDR Brightness. But for Fullscreen Brightness, mini-LED is still way ahead, usually doubling even the brightest OLEDs.

Let's talk about gaming TVs. Any premium TV will be, at the least, very good for gaming. Anything higher-end LG or Samsung in particular is impeccable for gaming performance and features.

It's when you go to the mid-range that things get more complicated. Our full best gaming TVs guide digs into this further, but here's an example: the Hisense U8N is usually our picks as the best mid-range TV, but that's not true in the gaming guide, because the Samsung Q80C has HDMI 2.1 support with 4K 120Hz across all four HDMI ports, whereas the Hisense only has HDMI 2.1 on two of its four ports, making it less futureproof and flexible for gamers.

A key thing that people don't always think about before buying a soundbar is whether the dimensions are a good fit for your TV. Really, I'd love to see soundbar manufacturers put suggested TV sizes on the descriptions of the soundbars.

Smaller soundbars, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 or the Ultimea Poseidon D50 are good for TVs from 32 inches to 55 inches. They won't quite match the scale of the pictures beyond that size.

There are mid-size soundbars, like Samsung HW-Q800F that will work from 48 inches to 65 inches nicely – probably up to 75 inches in the Samsung's case.

And then the premium soundbars – the Sonos Arc Ultra, Samsung HW-Q990F or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar – are all designed for TVs of 55 inches and up. They'll stick out well beyond anything smaller, which will just look odd.

Dolby Atmos is one of the hottest things to have in a soundbar these days, but what is it, and do you really need it?

Dolby Atmos is an 'object-based' 3D sound format. Basically, in previous surround systems, sound is assigned to one of the 'channels' – so, it comes from the front-left, or rear-right, for example. This means your speakers need to be in specific places to hear the soundtrack right.

In Atmos, each sound in the mix is its own object, existing in a mapped 3D space, meaning that if you have more speakers, they can take advantage and add more specificity to where a sound should be coming from. And in Atmos, that includes height as well as surrounding you – it's supposed to create a dome of sound.

High-end soundbars have many channels to make the most of this, such as the Samsung HW-Q990F with its 11 surround channels and four height channels, or the Sonos Arc Ultra with its nine surround channels.

You will also see that many cheaper soundbars support Dolby Atmos, even those with just a two-channel stereo setup. These soundbars can process 'virtual' channels to create a good 3D effect, but the cheaper the soundbar, the less you should expect this to work. At the very cheap end, you're probably better off getting one the same price without Atmos, so that money is put into better speakers instead of Atmos processing.

So Dolby Atmos is not really essential at the cheap end, and pretty much everything from the mid-range up will include it anyway, so you shouldn't have to think too hard about it.

75-inch TVs are becoming increasingly popular, but OLEDs can be very expensive. The LG C5 77-inch TV is a more reasonable price, though, thanks to its 46% discount.

LG C5 77-inch: was $3,699.99 now $1,999.99 at Best Buy

We rate this as the best TV for sports viewing, because it has fantastic brightness and an anti-reflective screen for daytime viewing, great image quality from all viewing angles, and better motion handling than equivalent premium TVs from TCL and Hisense. But it's pricier than those, and the difference isn't night and day, so I totally understand people going for the cheaper option. Here's our Samsung QN90F review.

Samsung QN90F 65-inch: was $2,499.99 now $1,499.99 at Samsung

One of the deals we've seen over the weekend, and is still live on Cyber Monday, is on Amazon's Fire TV Soundbar Plus surround system, where the soundbar is bundled with a subwoofer and rear speakers, all wireless and easy to set up.

We have a full Amazon's Fire TV Soundbar Plus System review, and we have a lot of good things to say about it – big and clear sound, compact system, and for a new record-low price. Lovely.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus with subwoofer and surround sound speakers: was $489.99 now $389.99 at Amazon

2025 has been the year of big screen TVs, with 98-inch+ models becoming more affordable than ever before. Earlier this year, we got a chance to get our hands on the very first RGB mini-LED TV, the Hisense 116-inch UX and needless to say, it was impressive.

This new technology isn't cheap, retailing for over $20,000, but it's already been confirmed that we can expect 85-inch models next year. Will we see them in Black Friday 2026?

One of this year's most impressive mini-LED TVs is the Hisense U8QG. When we tested it, it delivered staggering brightness levels, hitting 3,337 nits peak HDR brightness! Its picture quality is fantastic, with bold colors and strong contrast. It's also got a serious set of gaming features at this mid-range price, including 4K 165Hz support.

And guess what? Its 65-inch model is at a record-low price of $997.99 (was $1,498) at Amazon. This is brilliant value for a TV like this.

Hisense 65-inch U8Q: was $1,498 now $997.99

By the way, if you're interested in how we review TVs – the process, the measuring equipment, the reference movies – you can read all about it. Our appropriately named 'How we test TVs at TechRadar' article covers the different elements, and you can go deeper into the individual tests from that article.

Let's go back to Sony next. If you simply want a ton of power and scale for your cinematic sound, all extremely well-defined and with impressive Dolby Atmos positioning, then the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is perfect.

It's a 3.12-channel system, with powerful left, right and center speakers, upfiring speakers for height, and a hefty subwoofer. It will fill a room with great sound, and will give every movie a ton of punch – and for $499 instead of $699, it's great value.

Our Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 review digs into it more, but this is the perfect mid-price addition to a new big-screen TV, where you want to give the sound the same scale as the picture.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: was $699 now $499 at Amazon

Another one of 2025's best OLED TVs has had a big discount for Cyber Monday. The Samsung S90F 65-inch delivers big brightness for a mid-range OLED, as well as accurate, vibrant colors and rich blacks. Gamers will also be impressed by its performance.

At Best Buy, the 65-inch model, which uses a QD-OLED panel, has dropped to $1,399.99 - £1,100 off its original price!

Samsung S90F 65-inch OD-OLED TV: was $2,499.99 now $1,399.99 at Best Buy

Good morning to our readers on the West Coast! It's early afternoon on the East Coast and Cyber Monday deals are well underway. Although some of the more popular models in our list of deals are selling out, there's still plenty of great discounts to be had! But don't hang around too long!

If you're looking for a new streaming stick, then you can't go wrong with the Amazon Fire TV 4K Plus, which has had a brilliant 50% off.

Sometimes, you're not ready to buy a soundbar with rear speakers right now, but you're hoping to be able to make that jump in the future – so if you buy smartly, you can choose an bar that has the option of adding rear speakers in the future, for a smaller outlay than buying a whole new system.

There are plenty of great bars that offer this! Sonos is the obvious one – the Sonos Ray, Sonos Beam 2, Sonos Arc and Sonos Arc Ultra can all take two Sonos speakers as wireless rears. This isn't a very cheap way to do it (two Sonos Era 100s is not a small outlay), but it sounds good.

Samsung also offers a great option here – buy the immersive and powerful Samsung HW-Q800D or the newer Samsung HW-Q800F, and you can add either the small Samsung SWA-9200S rear speakers, or the larger Samsung SWA-9500S speaker that include extra Dolby Atmos height channels as well as surround sound. This is probably the best-value way to eventually build a really powerful system.

You can also add speakers to Sony's soundbars – they're more expensive than Samsung's option, but if you don't want a subwoofer, this is my pick.

When you're measuring up to see if a soundbar is the right width for your setup, don't forget to check the height too! Some TVs have a very low-slung stand to make them look very cool and minimalist, but this can be a problem if you then want to put a block of plastic in front of them…

Most TVs these days are made with soundbars in mind – and some have adjustable-height stands for this reason – but even just a few years ago, not all models thought about this. So just check before you cut off the bottom of your picture!

So, you've got yourself a great new soundbar with a meaty matching subwoofer, and you want to test that bass. In that case, may I direct you to the movies First Man and Interstellar. Both contain tense space vehicle scenes that will absolutely show you what that woofer is capable of.

First Man has a few of these, but it literally opens with one, so you won't be waiting long. For Interstellar, you want to fire up the spinning docking sequence towards the end.

One thing to consider when buying a soundbar is placement – especially if you have an entertainment unit you want to fit it into.

If you're buying a soundbar with side-firing and up-firing speakers, then putting it into an enclosure where all those angles are blocked isn't going to work. The best Dolby Atmos soundbars, in particular, really need to be out in the open.

On the other hand, some soundbars are designed with only forward-facing speakers and are quite happy to be enclosed – Sonos specifically advertises this options with the Sonos Ray, for example.

The soundbar should also be just below your TV, so that the sound can be attached to what's happening on-screen well. That's obviously easy if your TV is on a stand, but if your TV is wall-mounted, you don't want the soundbar on a console a few feet below it. If your TV's on the wall, your soundbar should be as well – they basically all have some kind of bracket option.

One thing to consider when buying a soundbar is placement – especially if you have an entertainment unit you want to fit it into.

If you're buying a soundbar with side-firing and up-firing speakers, then putting it into an enclosure where all those angles are blocked isn't going to work. The best Dolby Atmos soundbars, in particular, really need to be out in the open.

On the other hand, some soundbars are designed with only forward-facing speakers and are quite happy to be enclosed – Sonos specifically advertises this options with the Sonos Ray, for example.

The soundbar should also be just below your TV, so that the sound can be attached to what's happening on-screen well. That's obviously easy if your TV is on a stand, but if your TV is wall-mounted, you don't want the soundbar on a console a few feet below it. If your TV's on the wall, your soundbar should be as well – they basically all have some kind of bracket option.

A word of warning for the aesthetes out there: soundbars really pick up dust, just like TVs do. Black, hard-grilled soundbars are easy to clean at least – you can just dust them like anything else regularly.

Ones with fabric grilles are harder, naturally. Fortunately, they also show dust up less, but if you're a stickler, you can try either an extremely soft-bristled brush to disturb the dust without wrecking the fabric, or some kind of very low-power vacuum, like a desk vacuum for keyboard crumbs.

There are two major sound formats used for home theater: Dolby and DTS. Some soundbars, particularly Sonos soundbars, don't support higher-end DTS sound – specifically, uncompressed DTS-HD audio and the DTS:X 3D data that's equivalent to Dolby Atmos.

Is this a major problem? DTS-HD really only comes up on 4K Blu-rays, so this aspect usually isn't, especially because your TV or player may be able decode this and turn it into high-quality LPCM audio that the soundbar can handle nicely anyway. Even basic players, like the PS5, can do this.

The DTS:X might come up more often, because it's now used in IMAX Enhanced movies on Disney Plus. But again, these things will still play on soundbars without full DTS support, you just don't get all the same whizbang effects… and sometimes, Dolby Atmos is available as an alternative sound option anyway.

I got an email from a reader asking me about Insignia Fire TVs vs Roku's Select Series TVs for a great cheap mid-size TV. The reader was looking for built-in streaming tech, and was mainly interested in watching sports.

My answer is that I'd lean towards the Roku Select Series, because I trust Roku's motion processing to be stronger than Insignia's, which is useful for sports. But also, while Fire TV is a good smart TV system with really comprehensive app support, it can be a bit stuttery on cheaper TVs – Roku tends to work a little more smoothly, in our experience.

Roku Select Series 55-inch: Now $299 at Amazon

I got another email from a reader asking me about 100-inch TVs, which I admit I love to dig into, because it's still so exciting to me that they've become a viable option.

This reader asked about the TCL QM8K vs the Hisense U8QG at this sizing. These TVs are incredibly close in performance, and will tussle it out for price over the Black Friday period.

I said that I'd lean towards the TCL, though. It's generally considered to have better uniformity across the screen (meaning that if you have a big area of a single color, it'll all look the same and won't have unwanted sutble changes in parts), and this is obviously something you'll notice more in a huge TV than a smaller one.

But also, the Hisense TV has three HDMI ports, all of which are full HDMI 2.1 ports equipped for next-gen gaming. The TCL has four HDMI ports, two of which are full HDMI 2.1 ports. I'd rather have more ports overall than fewer ports that have more flexibility to them. That's a personal preference thing, and if you have an AV receiver, maybe it doesn't matter – but for me, it would push me to the TCL.

Our lead reviewer, James Davidson, revisited the LG C5, LG G5 and Samsung S95F TVs ahead of Cyber Monday – these all earned five stars in our respective reviews, and all have the potential for big Cyber Monday deals, so which would he pick as the best value? Here's what he thought.

If you're buying a smaller TV, you probably don't need to worry about whether it's 4K or not – at a normal viewing distance, you won't be able to tell anyway. Which means you can save more with the Amazing Fire TV 2-Series 40-inch, which is HD resolution, and eminently affordable. It has Fire TV so you can stream from every service, and HDR for punchier colors.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series 40-inch: was $249 now $149 at Amazon

The most notable change I've seen from today's new Cyber Monday TV deals is Walmart's aggressive pricing on the LG C5 OLED TV. Not only is it now cheaper than yesterday, it's cheaper than the LG C4 TV from last year, which had been hanging around at great prices. Newer model, better deal? Thank you very much, Walmart!

One of the changes I've made over time in our selection of deals is to add more 83-85-inch deals, including a couple of 83-inch OLED TVs. OLEDs at this size have historically been, shall we say, very hard to afford. That's improved a lot, as evidenced by the LG B5.

You can get the LG B5 83-inch OLED TV for just $1,999 at Amazon right now, and if you're watching in a home theater room with controlled light, that's actually a pretty great bargain. The B5 has the pixel-perfect contrast of OLED, it's just less bright than the competition, but that doesn't matter in a dark room.

Oh no, we have our first Black Friday stock casualty! It looks like the discounted Sony HT-S2000 soundbar has sold out everywhere. I've removed it from our list of deals, and respectfully – it's been a Black Friday stalwart for several years.

What would I recommend instead of the Sony HT-S2000 for a close price? Probably the Sonos Beam Gen 2! It's not quite as cheap, but it's a very good price.

If you've been hunting among the Black Friday deals for a great-value 65-inch TV, then you're spoilt for choice. There are tons of Black Friday 65-inch TV deals for every budget, from all the big manufacturers, including LG, TCL, Samsung, Roku and more.

Honestly, the main problem is that there are too many 65-inch TV options. I've been curating the best Black TV deals live since the sale started, so I've picked out my favorite 65-inch models here – if you're looking for this size, these are our current to recommendations.

They include the fantastic LG C4 65-inch OLED TV for $1,274 (was $1,499) at Amazon, and the outrageously good value TCL QM6K 65-inch mini-LED TV for $497 (was $647) at Amazon.

TV Black Friday deals – quick links

• Amazon: Huge TV deals from just $69
• Best Buy: Black Friday TV deals from $74.99
• LG C5 OLED: Our #1 TV, now $1,300 off at Best Buy
• Roku: Up to 50% off TVs and streaming sticks
• Target: Huge Samsung, TCL, Roku TV deals
• TCL mini-LED: A great 65-in 4K TV for $479
• Walmart: Save up to $1,100 on OLED and QLED TVs

Today's best Black Friday 65-inch TV deals

You can read more about our TV picks in our guide to the best TVs – or, of course, our guide specifically to the best 65-inch TVs. And if you're looking for an audio upgrade, here's our guide to the best soundbars.

Today's best Black Friday deals - quick links

• Amazon: up to 66% off tech & essentials
• AO: up to £500 off Dyson, Bosch & Hisense
• Argos: up to 50% off appliances, tech & toys
• Boots: save on 1,000s of beauty products
• Currys: deals on Ninja, Shark & Lenovo
• Dell: laptops from £279
• Dyson: up to £550 off vacuums
• EE: Switch 2 bundles from £20/month
• John Lewis: up to 50% off tech & fashion
• Lego: sets & accessories from £2.99
• Samsung: deals on appliances & phones
• Very: up to 40% off tech, toys & fashion

Roku TVs typically get big discounts during Black Friday deals, and this time around is no different. One of the best deals I’ve seen is the 65-inch Roku Pro Series for $798.99 (was $1,199.99) at Best Buy, a 33% discount on the company’s flagship mini-LED TV.

• Shop Best Buy's full Black Friday sale

Roku-branded TVs feature the same clean, easy-to-navigate Roku smart TV interface as Roku's streaming devices. They also offer excellent performance for the price, and this Best Buy deal brings the 65-inch Pro Series model back down to the record-low price last seen during Amazon Prime Day.

(Not in the US? See today's best deals in your region below)

Today's best Roku Pro Series (2025) Black Friday deal

In our Roku Pro Series (2025) review, we appreciated the brightness boost it provided over its 2024 predecessor, along with its 4K 120Hz support and low input lag for gaming.

The Pro Series has a shadowbox design that’s a big step-up over Roku Select and Roku Plus Series TVs, and it has the dual purpose of improving sound quality and providing a finished, flush-mount look when mounted on a wall.

The Pro Series (2025) TVs are also available in 55- and 75-inch screen sizes, and both are also getting good discounts in Best Buy’s Black Friday sale. We expect prices for these to jump back up post-holidays, so take advantage of these Roku TV deals while you can.

More Black Friday TV deals

Shop more of today's best Black Friday sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe's: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
• Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
• T-Mobile: up to $1,100 off latest iPhone 17
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor

Add a Hawk widget for the product that you're writing about and make sure you set the widget type to review.

• The Roku app has been updated on Android and iOS
• The interface has been overhauled, and there's a new design for the remote control
• 12 new channels have been added for free, including BBC Drama and BBC Adventures

Roku owners are getting some nifty upgrades for absolutely nothing: a refreshed mobile app with much-improved remote control functionality and a dozen new channels.

Let's start with the new Android and iOS apps for Roku TVs and players, which, as Cord Cutters reports, include a major upgrade in terms of the remote. Instead of the buttons that you previously had to tap, there's now a virtual touchpad that you can swipe in any direction to navigate the menus.

So, rather than tap-tap-tapping to shift the selection cursor to the right, you can just swipe the cursor across, a much more natural way of navigation, which isn't so stressful on the fingers. A further embellishment is haptic feedback that delivers subtle vibrations while swiping, adding to the natural feel of touchscreens that support this.

If you don't like the sound of the new way of working, then you can simply switch off the swipe control scheme and revert to tapping the directional arrows.

Alongside that, the interface of the Roku mobile app has been given a makeover, including a more streamlined home screen and quick shortcuts to access recently viewed channels. A networking tweak should also mean faster pairing over Wi-Fi networks.

The refreshed app is currently rolling out for Android and iOS, so you should have it soon.

A dozen new free channels

As for the 12 new channels added to the Roku experience, these freebies were also picked up by Cord Cutters.

They are as follows:

• Channel 343: Heartland Classic
• Channel 369: BBC Drama
• Channel 498: PBS Travel
• Channel 499: PBS Nature
• Channel 547: Acorn TV Mysteries
• Channel 555: Grownday Network
• Channel 730: BBC Adventures
• Channel 731: Braxton Family Adventures
• Channel 732: Bridezillas
• Channel 931: Teleports Ahora
• Channel 952: Homeful en Español
• Channel 989: Cucando Los Ángeles

As you can see, those channels include a couple from the BBC, and as the name suggests, BBC Drama will show a bunch of critically acclaimed drama series.

There's also BBC Adventures, which features exploration and survival stories, and it's worth noting that Acorn TV Mysteries carries British (as well as international) crime shows.

Some of the best Black Friday deals aren't on massively expensive products; they're the deals that take useful gadgets into "oh hell yeah" territory. And that's the case with these streaming stick deals – two US and one UK – because they make already keenly priced streaming dongles even cheaper.

There are two key models on offer here: the Roku Streaming Stick Plus 4K is down to $29 at Walmart, while the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is just $24.99 (was $49.99) at Amazon.

In the UK, you can get the same Roku Streaming Stick Plus 4K for £24.99 (down from £39.99) at Argos. We're still waiting on Fire TV deals to arrive in the UK.

Today's best early Black Friday streaming stick deals in the US

Today's best early Black Friday streaming stick deal in the UK

Both sticks deliver 4K with Dolby Atmos audio and HDR10+, but they're aimed at slightly different buyers.

The Roku is an entry-level streamer that's ideal for bringing TVs into the streaming era, and its tiny size means it's also really well suited to TV setups where there isn't much space to stick anything behind them.

I think the mid-range Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is a better option for more demanding viewers thanks to its improved performance and Dolby Vision HDR support too.

Today's best Black Friday deals - quick links

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe's: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
• Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
• T-Mobile: up to $1,100 off latest iPhone 17
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor

Today's best Black Friday deals - quick links

• Amazon: up to 66% off tech & essentials
• AO: up to £500 off Dyson, Bosch & Hisense
• Argos: up to 50% off appliances, tech & toys
• Boots: save on 1,000s of beauty products
• Currys: deals on Ninja, Shark & Lenovo
• Dell: laptops from £279
• Dyson: up to £550 off vacuums
• EE: Switch 2 bundles from £20/month
• John Lewis: up to 50% off tech & fashion
• Lego: sets & accessories from £2.99
• Samsung: deals on appliances & phones
• Very: up to 40% off tech, toys & fashion

Amazon's latest crackdown on illegal streaming has caused quite a stir. After more than a decade of piracy on its Fire TV Sticks, the latest measure is intended to put a definitive end to the scourge of 'dodgy Fire Sticks'.

But, does Amazon really think its new measures will work? And are its competitors worried they might be next to carry the flame of digital piracy?

"Piracy is illegal"

When we asked how confident Amazon was in its new measures, a spokesperson came back with a bold, if bland, response:

“Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always worked to block it from our Appstore.

Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content, including those downloaded from outside our Appstore."

Amazon was unresponsive when pressed to comment on how effective its new policy was going to be.

The comment we received is identical to the one given to The Sun earlier this week, in an article which also confirmed the rollout would begin across Europe before spreading worldwide.

Since the rollout of the new measures began, Reddit threads have emerged confirming several popular piracy sites remain usable on Fire TV Stick despite the update. An anonymous source told TechRadar they still had access to illegal content.

That said, as reported by The Athletic, four individuals were arrested at the end of October in relation to illegal sports streaming. So, if pirates are still active in some streaming waters, the navy is beginning to close in.

This then raises the question: will the update achieve its goals?

ACE's Trusted Notifier program appears to be at the heart of the blocking system. It relies on continuous relationships with advertising partners, domain registrars, and now streaming devices.

These sites are only blacklisted once they're identified by ACE but there's little to stop a new site appearing in its place once the original is blocked.

ACE's complete list has not been made public, though it's likely by the reports on Reddit, that many of the big names in piracy do not currently appear on it.

Amazon recently launched its latest Fire TV Stick, which now runs on its own Vega OS.

Linux-based, rather than Android, the new operating system should make sideloading a more challenging option for users, though by no means impossible. The move has resulted in several security apps, primarily VPNs, rushing to create working solutions – with NordVPN and IPVanish the only two to manage as yet.

The wider response

If Amazon is slowly closing the gates on pirated content, people will likely still look for workarounds. One comment on our previous coverage summed up the sentiment perfectly: "OK, so I'll use something else instead."

So, is this more of a passing of the torch to another media streamer, instead of a Fire TV Stick?

Google and Roku are two of the industry's other biggest players. So, will pirates move to these media streamers instead? It won't be that simple.

When we reached out to Roku, they had very little to say. Perhaps because sideloading – the practice behind access to many piracy apps – is a much more convoluted process on Roku devices, meaning pirating content on a Roku device is much harder than on an Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Google was also unresponsive. The company is adding a developer verification system in 2026, which will make it impossible to sideload apps created by unverified developers onto Android devices. The global rollout of this feature isn't expected until 2027, so it's still a possible alternative for pirates until then.

While the course that the pirate streaming network will take right now is uncertain, it's clear that the tide is shifting. Amazon has brought out the heavy artillery, leaving the pirates in potentially rocky waters.

The nights are drawing in, the days are getting colder, and – whisper it – the holidays are growing nearer, all of which makes it the right time to get the perfect home theater setup installed and ready.

If that sounds like a lot of hassle and expense, never fear: You don’t need a sprawling living room or a sky-high budget to transform your evenings, just the right combination of display, audio, and apps.

Today, we're focusing on smart, affordable pairings that deliver genuine cinematic impact for the money.

To do so, we’ve matched more affordable examples of the best TVs with some of the best soundbars and the best streaming devices.

Each setup is simple to connect, stylish enough to suit smaller spaces, and versatile whether you’re watching a blockbuster or catching up on a series.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or upgrading an older screen, these combos show that a proper home theater doesn’t need to be complicated – or expensive – to feel special.

The best home theater combos

We've chosen three pairings that seamlessly balance performance and practicality – everything you need for a great movie night, without the tangle of extra speakers or confusing settings.

Each bundle has been built around one idea: picture and sound that feel cinematic, on a realistic budget.

Combo 1: Small lounge, starter setup

• TV: Roku Plus Series
• Soundbar: Sonos Ray
• Streamer: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

If you’re starting small, this trio proves you don’t need to spend much to enjoy proper home theater thrills.

The Roku Plus Series is one of the best-looking affordable mini-LED TVs, offering bright, colourful pictures, low input lag for gaming, and support for both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats. Plus Series TVs also have a clean, slim design that suits almost any space.

Add the Sonos Ray and you’ll immediately notice sharper dialogue and more presence than any built-in TV speaker can manage.

The Ray connects to your TV's optical digital port rather than HDMI eARC, which keeps setup simple, and its tuning delivers well-balanced mids that make speech feel crisp without harshness.

To complete the setup, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K offers slick navigation, robust app compatibility, and strong HDR and Atmos support across major platforms. It’s responsive, compact, and regularly updated, making it a safe pick for anyone who wants premium streaming performance at a mid-range price.

Combo 2: The sweet-spot upgrade

• TV: Hisense U7N
• Soundbar: Sony HT-S2000
• Streamer: Roku Streaming Stick 4K

If you want a more cinematic feel without tipping into premium prices, we think this combination nails the sweet spot.

The Hisense U7N’s mini-LED backlighting delivers impressive brightness and excellent contrast control, while Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support make streamed films and sports look punchy and detailed.

Its motion smoothing and colour accuracy are far better than you’d expect at this level, making it a true standout for value.

Sony’s HT-S2000 soundbar complements it perfectly.

Using virtual Dolby Atmos processing, it creates a wide, surprisingly tall soundstage from a single enclosure, while HDMI eARC support keeps wiring straightforward. Voices are clear, effects have room to breathe, and its “Voice Mode” subtly boosts dialogue in busy mixes.

Finishing this first combo, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K delivers a fast, intuitive interface and wide app support. Its simple remote and cross-platform search make it perfect for viewers who just want to get to their shows quickly.

Combo 3: Bright rooms, bigger screen

• TV: Hisense U8QG
• Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q800D
• Streamer: Apple TV 4K

For viewers who want a more immersive, full-room experience, our third combination should feel like a genuine step up.

Hisense’s U8QG is among the best-value big-screen TVs you can buy, offering superb peak brightness and finely controlled local dimming. Its mini-LED backlight produces vivid HDR images that stay punchy even in daylight, with accurate skin tones and realistic contrast.

Adding the Samsung HW-Q800D rounds out the sound with real sonic depth.

The wireless subwoofer provides rich, powerful bass that instantly adds scale, while the main bar supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for convincing height and spatial effects. It connects via HDMI eARC for quick, reliable setup, and its adaptive sound mode dynamically adjusts the mix for different content types.

Finally, the Apple TV 4K remains the most polished streaming device around. Its interface is smooth and simple, its app assortment unmatched, and it integrates beautifully with Apple’s ecosystem, including impressive Apple Arcade games.

It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, pairing perfectly with this hardware, and the end result is a setup that looks and sounds genuinely premium in 2025.

A setup that actually makes a difference

Even the best TV and soundbar combination can underperform if it’s not set up properly. A few quick tweaks, though, can transform the experience without needing professional help.

Start by getting the connections right: plug your streamer into one of the TV’s HDMI ports, then use a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable to link the soundbar to the TV’s HDMI eARC socket.

Next, take a few minutes to adjust your picture settings.

Most TVs arrive in an overly bright “Vivid” or “Dynamic” mode that looks harsh in normal lighting. Switching to the “Movie” or “Cinema” preset gives you more natural colour and better contrast, especially during darker scenes.

Finally, pay attention to placement. A soundbar performs best when centred under the screen and aimed roughly at ear level, with nothing blocking its drivers.

If you’re using a subwoofer, leave a little breathing room from walls and corners to prevent booming. Many soundbars also offer dialogue-boost or night-listening modes, so it’s worth experimenting to find what suits your space and viewing habits.

Where to save and where to spend

When building a starter home cinema, the trick is knowing where your money makes the biggest impact.

We recommend spending most of your budget on the TV’s panel quality and the soundbar’s audio performance as these two elements define your experience far more than the streamer does.

A mini-LED screen will give you bright HDR, powerful contrast, and rich colours, while a decent soundbar ensures dialogue clarity and a sense of sonic depth that built-in TV speakers can’t match.

And don’t forget cables – a certified HDMI 2.1 cable can cost very little yet makes all the difference for stable, high-quality playback.

FAQs

• Do I need Dolby Vision and Atmos for great picture and sound? Not necessarily. They add extra polish, but a good HDR TV and balanced soundbar still deliver an excellent experience.
• Is a subwoofer essential in a small room? No. While it adds depth, most modern soundbars can produce satisfying bass on their own.
• Are external streamers better than built-in smart TV apps? Usually yes, since they’re faster, get updates more often, and support more formats.
• What’s the simplest way to connect everything? Plug the streamer into the TV and run one HDMI eARC or optical digital cable from the TV to the soundbar.
• Do I need expensive cables for good quality? No. A certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is all you need for reliable 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos.

The TechRadar team is delighted to present the winners of the TechRadar Choice Awards 2025! These are our biggest awards ever, honoring the best products of the last 12 months in the major tech areas, while bringing in hot new categories such as open earbuds, and making sure we still have price-conscious categories, to represent how people are really buying gadgets today.

As always, the TechRadar Choice Awards are chosen by a combination of our expert judges' verdicts based on their experience with the products, with votes from you, the TechRadar readers. The vast majority are awards are voted on by the public, to make sure that products that people really love in the real-word are represented.

Our first category is our Readers' Choice Award, which is the award chosen 100% by reader votes, then we have our Editors' Choice Awards, which are selected solely by our expert judges. After that, every winner was picked by a 50/50 combination of the votes of our readers with the scores from our judges.

Readers' Choice Award

Editor's Choice Awards

Phone of the Year

Camera of the Year

Laptop of the Year

Gaming device of the year

TV of the Year

Streaming Service of the Year

Headphones of the Year

Health and Fitness Device of the Year

Home Device of the Year

One to Watch

Brand of the Year

Phones category winners

Phones Brand of the Year

Best Value Phone

Best Mid-Range Phone

Best Folding Phone

Best Flip Phone

Best Camera Phone

Best Gaming Phone

Best Phone Accessory

Best Tablet

Best AI Phone

Best eReader

Best Writing Tablet

Cameras category winners

Camera Brand of the Year

Best Beginner Camera

Best Mid-Range Camera

Best Professional Camera

Best Video Camera

Best Instant Camera

Best Action Camera

Best Dash Cam

Best Camera Lens

Best Compact Camera

Best Camera Accessory

Best Drone

Computing category winners

Best computing brand

Best value laptop

Best Chromebook

Best AI laptop

Best gaming laptop

Best gaming PC

Best computing innovation

Best processor

Gaming category winners

Gaming brand of the year

Best mobile gaming accessory

Best PC Gaming Handheld

Best console accessory

Best gaming service

Best gaming controller

Best Gaming Keyboard

Best Gaming Mouse

Best Gaming Headset

Best Gaming Monitor

Best Gaming Chair

TV category winners

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Best Gaming TV

Best TV for Sound

Best OLED TV

Best Mini-LED TV

Best Mid-range TV

Best Value TV

Best Projector

Best Portable Projector

Best Ultra Short Throw Projector

Best Gaming Projector

Best Soundbar

Streaming category winners

Best Streaming Service for Movies

Best Streaming Service for Documentaries

Best Streaming Service for TV Series

Best Streaming Service for Value

Best Free Streaming Service

Best Live TV Streaming Service

Audio category winners

Audio Brand of the Year

Best Wireless Headphones

Best wireless earbuds

Best Open Earbuds

Best Value Headphones

Best Value Earbuds

Best Value Open Earbuds

Best Wired Headphones

Best Wired Earbuds

Best Bluetooth Speaker

Best Wireless Speaker

Best Portable Audio Player

Best Turntable

Health & fitness category winners

Health and Fitness Brand of the Year

Best Smartwatch

Best running watch

Best fitness tracker

Best smart ring

Best Fitness App

Best electric toothbrush

Best connected fitness tech

Best electric bike

Home tech category winners

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Best Smart Lights

Best Home Security Camera

Best Video Doorbell

Best Air Fryer

Best Blender

Best Coffee Machine

Best Robot Vacuum

Best Vacuum

Best Hair & Beauty Tech

• Roku Voice can answer questions about movies, shows and actors
• Better discovery tools including search in the Live TV Zone and soon, the Live TV Channel Guide
• Bluetooth Headphone Mode rolling out globally to Streaming Stick / Stick Plus

Roku has announced a host of updates to its smart TV platform that'll arrive in the coming months, including an AI upgrade that sounds very similar to the Gemini feature on Google TV.

Roku Voice is getting a big upgrade, and in addition to the usual command-based navigation you'll be able to ask questions such as "what kind of fish is Nemo?" or "how scary is The Shining?" and get spoken responses.

Roku Voice will also be able to parse follow-up questions, and it'll offer quick launch options for shows and movies from its catalog where appropriate and relevant.

Roku's autumn update: what else is new?

Roku has also improved its discovery features. Trailer playbacks get a new Ways To Watch button, which enables you to see which channels or apps can stream the program, and to jump directly from the preview into the show or movie.

The search feature is getting more useful too. It's already been added to the What to Watch section, and Roku is going to roll it out to more parts of the platform. The Live TV Zone is the next destination to get the search tool, and after that it'll roll out to the Live TV Channel Guide.

When you browse, your Roku TV or streaming device will show you where you can stream each title by highlighting up to two streaming apps based on your active subscriptions.

Another welcome feature is the Bluetooth Headphone Mode, which is rolling out to more devices. It'll be coming to both the Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.

Roku's mobile app is getting multiple most-wanted upgrades

In addition to the above improvements, Roku is also rolling out new Live Scores and Reminders for Roku Sports. The former will display live results on game tiles, allowing you to keep an eye on multiple events at once. Additionally, there's a no-spoilers setting if you're planning to watch events on catch-up. And Reminders will send you a mobile notification when it's time to tune in for a game.

Roku is also going to roll out improvements to its mobile app, starting in the next few weeks, including some most-wanted features such as closed captioning, Find My Remote, sleep timers and quick-access shortcuts. There's a new Rate button that enables you to mark shows and movies as liked, disliked and/or watched, mirroring the TV app, and your feedback will sync across all your devices. The For You page will also get a new navigation bar organizing everything into sensible categories such as TV Shows, Movies, and Sports.

The software updates will begin rolling out to Roku devices and to the mobile app stores in the next few weeks.

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• Roku TVs and sticks are getting 40 new free TV channels to stream in the UK
• After testing the cheapest Roku streaming stick, I've found one of the best values in streaming
• Roku users should get ready for a lot more AI-generated ads

• Free ad-supported channels are now available on Roku TVs and streaming devices
• The selection is very US-focused
• Major UK broadcasters are still in their own apps

Roku has added stacks of new free channels for viewers in the UK, and the line-up includes some familiar names including Deal or No Deal, PGA Tour golf and MLB.

All 40 of the new channels are available now, and you can find them in The Roku Channel and in the Live TV Zone on your Roku TV or Roku streamer. You don't need to sign up for anything or install any additional apps.

The arrival of these channels was first announced in September, and while it's an overdue addition – Roku has long offered free ad-supported TV channels in the US, Canada and South America – I'd like to see more channels added soon in order to make the live TV section worth visiting.

What channels are UK Roku users getting?

Roku has listed a dozen highlights of the new live TV section (the full line-up is here). And they are:

• Sports: PGA TOUR, TNA Wrestling, MLB
• Entertainment: Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor
• Drama: The Bold and the Beautiful
• Home: The Martha Stewart Channel, This Old House
• Crime & Medical: Unsolved Mysteries, Untold Stories of the ER
• Nature & Wildlife: NatureTime, Love Pets

While it's nice to get more free stuff, there's a distinct "20th page of the EPG" vibe to the listed channels. And if these are the best ones, then it means Roku is still lagging behind the likes of Amazon, whose Fire TV live channels also include UK broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV. They're not among the Live TV selection on Roku.

You can still get those channels on Roku, of course. But you need individual apps to do it. And that means the live TV section doesn't feel like a one-stop go-to place for all your favourite channels and shows – which it needs to be if Roku is going to make any money selling ads in it.

Hopefully that means that this is the beginning of a raft of UK improvements, and that more will be coming soon.

You might also like

• New Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini expected imminently, both sporting upgraded Apple chipsets
• The best smart TV platform: Tizen, WebOS, Google TV, Fire TV and Roku compared, tested, and ranked
• The first Roku-powered portable projector is here, and you won't believe how cheap it is

• Ambilight is integrated lighting that follows the on-screen action
• New Roku-powered TV is is available from 43 to 65 inches
• 4K resolution and HDR10, but no Dolby Vision or HDR10+

Philips' Ambilight technology to the US in a new Roku-powered TV, and I'm really pleased for my American pals: I'm in the UK where Ambilight has been available for a long time, and it's one of my very favorite bits of TV tech.

If you're not familiar with Ambilight, it's a system of colored LED lights that are built into the TV's rear. Those lights follow the on-screen action in real-time – so if you're watching a movie or playing a game, the colors extend beyond the boundaries of your TV and into your room. Here's a video of it in action, though on a different set:

It makes your TV feel bigger than it is, which is great if you're on a budget or have size restrictions in your room, but would love a more immersive screen. It's also kind on the eyes, and apparently helps with perceived contrast levels on-screen, too.

It's essentially the same thing as a Philips Hue Play Sync Box and lightstrip, but more convenient and considerably less expensive. And because it's built into the TV, it works with anything you're getting video from: your PS5, your 4K Blu-Ray player, your smart TV apps, and anything else.

Why I'm excited about Ambilight coming to the US

Roku unveiled the Philips Roku TV Featuring Ambilight (yes, it's a mouthful) today, 1 October, and it comes in four sizes: 43 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches and 65 inches.

We're lacking some key information about this TV to work out exactly how tempting it'll be – first of all, price. We expect it be an affordable model, given that it seems to be a standard LED TV and lacks Dolby Vision support, and 120Hz support isn't mentioned.

But we know it's a 4K TV with standard HDR (HDR10) and full Roku OS support, including Apple AirPlay connectivity. We also know that's it's available to buy at Sam's Club exclusively – more details should follow shortly.

Ambilight is actually quite old tech – it launched in 2004 – but it never made it across the Atlantic because it belongs to TP Vision, a company that makes TVs under the Philips name in Europe, but that doesn't sell TVs in the US market.

I think US TV buyers have been missing out, because Ambilight is really good fun: colored lighting sounds gimmicky, but it makes your TV feel massive and it's surprisingly subtle when you're watching things like TV dramas – although it's quite capable of keeping up with the likes of Borderland 4's brightly-colored madness too.

TV Business Nerdery Corner

Matt Bolton, Managing Editor for Home Entertainment:

I'm crashing Carrie's article to go deep on the behind-the-scenes TV nerdery that's gone into this product, because I know there's plenty of you out there who, like me, are curious about the details.

As Carrie alluded to, Philips doesn't make its own TVs these days. The name is licensed to other TV makers, and in Europe that's TP Vision. In the US, the Philips name is currently used by Skyworth.

TP Vision not selling its products in the US is a shame not only because Ambilight rocks (I have an Ambilight TV at home, and I don't know if I could go back now), but also because it makes some truly fantastic OLED TVs, such as the Philips OLED809 that I own, or the Philips OLED909 with built-in Bowers & Wilkins sound.

Because Ambilight is exclusive to TP Vision, I was kind of blown away to see it appear on a US TV set. Look at it this way: the Ambilight-owning version of Philips doesn't have the right to sell in the US, and the US version of Philips doesn't have the right to use Ambilight. So what's happening here?

My understanding is that this set is manufactured by TP Vision, but is being distributed in the US by Skyworth, which is why the tech from the European version of Philips is able to appear under the US Philips' brand. The two companies behind the name have formed a supergroup for one night only.

Will this mean that Philips' European OLEDs with Ambilight will come to the US in a similar deal? I wouldn't hold your breath – right now, this seems to just be a trial. But if it sells well and the money's right for everyone involved, it's definitely possible for this deal to expand.

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Choosing the best TV in 2025 isn't just about whether to pick an OLED model or a mini-LED model – the smart TV platform could make or break the experience.

Most TVs use completely different smart platforms, each with its own quirks and plus points. Whether you’re scrolling through Netflix, switching HDMI inputs, or asking your TV to recommend a film, the smart platform determines how smooth, intuitive, and enjoyable that feels.

Samsung's Tizen, for example, has shed its reputation for being slow and unwieldy thanks to updates from the company, while LG's webOS emerged like a phoenix from the ashes to offer a fast, well-organized experience.

Sony and TCL both use Google TV, tapping into Google’s enormous app library and clever cross-service recommendations, while Panasonic embraced Fire TV and Amazon's ecosystem. And then there's Roku, which has branched out in recent years from the company's streaming sticks to its own lineup of smart TVs.

To help you make the right TV choice, we spent time with each smart platform to get a sense of its ease of use, app library, quirks, and everything else.

Tizen (Samsung)

In 2025, Samsung’s Tizen has quietly matured into one of the slicker TV platforms around, which might come as a surprise to Samsung TV users of even a few years ago.

The latest version, Tizen 9.0, streamlines the home screen into something cleaner, with a new Quick Menu that makes it faster to jump between apps, inputs, and settings.

The Gaming Hub in particular is a standout – a one-stop place to access cloud services like Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now without needing extra hardware like a PlayStation 5. And there's also the Samsung Art Store for displaying artworks in ambient mode, a feature that's now available on all new Samsung TVs.

Overall, app support is strong, with all the major streaming services on board and Samsung TV Plus for free live channels.

Universal search is adequate, but it doesn’t always surface results as comprehensively as Google TV or Roku, meaning you’ll sometimes need to dip into apps manually.

The biggest downside is Samsung putting promotions and sponsored content on the home screen. They don’t make Tizen unusable, but compared with the pared-back feel of Roku or webOS, the ads can feel distracting and low-budget.

Recent Samsung TVs we've tested and highly recommend include the Samsung S95F OLED and Samsung QN90F mini-LED TV.

webOS (LG)

LG’s webOS has long been one of the "friendliest" TV platforms, and recent updates make it feel more polished than ever.

The card-based layout, plus the Quick Menu and Quick Cards, keep navigation snappy whether you’re firing up Disney Plus, tweaking picture modes, or switching over to a console.

Setup is straightforward and more flexible now that Chromecast support is built in alongside AirPlay, while profiles also help tailor recommendations, so everyone in the household gets a personalised home screen. It's not a revolutionary feature, but it's a nice addition.

Day to day, webOS feels fast and consistent, with quick app launches and smooth menu navigation. Universal search is fine, though not as expansive as Google TV or Fire TV.

There are some drawbacks: certain LG models now show screensaver ads, which won’t suit everyone, and the Magic Remote still splits opinion – great for pointing and scrolling, less so if you prefer a traditional clicker.

Two recent LG OLED TVs we've reviewed and highly recommend are the LG G5 and LG C5.

Roku

Roku keeps things refreshingly simple.

On Roku TVs, the interface is a neat grid of apps and inputs, with minimal fuss or flashy animations. It’s easy to set up, quick to learn, and great for households where you don’t want to explain the remote every time.

In other words, the ideal TV for your parents.

Performance is solid: menus respond quickly, apps open without much delay, and nothing feels overcomplicated.

Roku’s universal search is also a strong point, pulling in results from major streaming services and showing you the cheapest way to watch. Voice search via the remote works well, even if it’s not as advanced as Google’s Assistant or Alexa.

App coverage is excellent, with all the big names plus a wide range of free and niche channels, and the addition of featured free content and a Live TV section makes it even easier to find something without logging in.

There are limitations. Roku has begun testing more prominent ads on the home screen, which dents its minimalist appeal. The OS also lacks the deeper integrations you’ll find on Fire TV or Google TV, perhaps unsurprisingly.

Two recent Roku TVs we've tested and rated highly are the Roku Pro Series and Roku Plus Series.

Google TV (Sony, TCL and Hisense)

Google TV has quickly become one of the most widespread smart TV platforms, thanks to its huge app library and slick presentation.

On recent Sony, TCL, and Hisense (US-only) sets, the interface feels faster and more responsive than the older Android TV it replaced, with menus that open quickly and scrolling that doesn’t stutter.

The biggest strength is aggregation. Universal search is excellent, pulling in results from Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and more, so you don’t waste time hunting through individual apps.

Recommendations also feel smarter, at least in my testing, especially if you lean on Google’s profile system, which learns what you like over time.

Casting is seamless, and integration with the wider Google ecosystem makes it easy to share from phones, tablets, or even Nest speakers. App support is unmatched, with just about every major service and plenty of niche options.

That said, ads are creeping in, like its rivals. Even in the stripped-back apps-only mode, some European users now see banners on the home screen.

And if you’d rather avoid signing in with a Google account, the experience is far more limited.

Google TV can be found in many TVs, but two we've recently reviewed and liked are the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED and Hisense U8QG mini-LED TV.

Fire TV (Amazon, Panasonic, Hisense)

Amazon unsurprisingly uses Fire TV for its family of smart TVs, and Panasonic’s recent move to the platform has transformed its flagship models, giving them a modern, app-rich interface with Alexa integration baked in.

The setup process is smooth enough, and once you’re in, there’s no shortage of apps. Fire TV also supports the UK’s new Freely service, which makes finding live channels over the internet simpler.

Fire TV’s universal search is excellent, pulling results from across services with clear pricing information, and Alexa voice control adds to the convenience.

In day-to-day use, though, Fire TV can feel cluttered. The home screen is dominated by Amazon content and ads, which can bury your own apps if you don’t reorganise. Performance varies, too, meaning some Panasonic sets feel snappy, others a touch sluggish.

Those quirks aside, Fire TV is feature-packed and flexible. If you’re already tied into Amazon’s ecosystem, it can make your TV the hub of your connected home.

Two examples of Fire TVs that we've positively reviewed are the Panasonic Z95B OLED and the Amazon Fire TV Omni mini-LED.

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• 1080p for visuals from 40-150 inches
• 330 ANSI lumens
• $199

If you're looking for a big-screen Roku TV experience without a big price tag, you're going to love the Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector D1 Cube. Not only is it the first Roku TV smart projector, but it's also a very affordable $199.

This is a very big deal despite being a very small projector. Roku is the number one streaming platform in the US, Canada and Mexico, and that brand awareness means this could be a popular product. And in addition to the low price the spec is pretty impressive.

Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector: key features

The Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector is designed for both indoor and outdoor use (although there's no indication of a battery or IP water or dust resistance, which suggests mains-powered movie magic and not being left outside afterwards), and it delivers 1080p FHD with up to 330 ANSI lumens of brightness. It's designed to deliver visuals between 40 and 150 inches, and it includes dual 5W speakers.

There's dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2 (with private listening for headphones), HDMI, USB and a 3.5mm audio output, and it has AirPlay compatibility as well as integration with Roku's mobile app, wireless speakers and smart home system. The OS is Roku's, so you should feel instantly at home.

It should be easy to use too, with a guided setup routine, automatic focus and automatic keystone correction.

I very much doubt this little projector will be up there kicking it with the very best projectors from industry leaders, but it's considerably cheaper than our current pick of the portable projector crop, the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro. That makes this a very compelling projector proposition for big screens on a budget.

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• Roku is making it easier for small businesses to buy ads
• AI means very small businesses won't need to have or hire ad creators
• Expect many more ads from the Uncanny Valley

Whenever I check my Instagram feed and see far too many awful AI slop ads from businesses I've never heard of flogging things I'm not remotely interested in, I think "man, I wish my TV was like this." And if like me you've also recently been kicked in the head by a horse, you're going to love what Roku's predicting.

As The Verge reports, Roku finance and operating boss Dan Jedda told investors to prepare for a new era. He said "No longer is it going to be about the top 200 advertisers. It’s going to be about 100,000 advertisers."

The goal is to shift smaller businesses – think local car dealers and food places – away from social media ads and onto streaming ads instead.

What are Roku's ad plans for streaming services?

This is a really big deal because Roku is the US's market leader: Jedda said that over 20% of all US TV viewing happens on Roku devices, that the Roku Channel's 2.8% TV viewing share in July put it ahead of streamers including Peacock and HBO Max, and that the firm will soon "surpass 100 million streaming households".

That's a lot of people that advertisers want to reach, and Roku would really like to help those advertisers do that no matter how big or small they are – with AI as a big part of their ad creation toolkit.

According to Jedda, AI means that advertisers will be able to generate "very well-produced" ads within minutes. And that's going to open up ad sales to the previously overlooked small to medium-sized business market.

Roku isn't pretending it'll be the only game in town. But if its AI ad toolkit proves compelling to advertisers, then other providers are going to want to compete with that – and that means more AI ads on everything, everywhere.

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• Roku is upgrading its library of free streaming channels, bringing 40 new FAST channels to viewers in the UK
• The free upgrade is set for an October launch date and will offer viewers different categories of 24/7 viewing across entertainment, lifestyle, and more
• It marks a huge improvement for UK Roku users following the successful run of FAST channels in the US, Canada, and South America

Roku is one of the leading services for free streaming in the US thanks to its array of FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels, and now the platform is preparing to roll out a similar free upgrade for UK users.

As of October, Roku users in the UK will have access to 40 new FAST channels providing viewers with an extensive range of free streaming content. These new FAST channels will be available on both new and existing Roku devices, and they come with no additional cost or subscription fee – which is the best part.

Roku’s FAST channels offer 24/7 viewing and are categorised into different themes and genres. As well as providing viewers with a constant stream of free content, Roku also sees this as an opportunity for advertisers to reach out to the right audiences with personalized ads.

As mentioned, the lineup of free UK channels will feature titles grouped by genre, which include entertainment, true crime, lifestyle, documentaries, and more. Some of the new channels will include Unsolved Mysteries for crime, NatureTime for wildlife, and This Old House for home and garden – which you’ll be able to access via The Roku Channel and the new Live TV zone.

When Roku rolls out its FAST channels, it will mark the first big free upgrade for UK users following its successful reception in the US, Canada, and South America. Since the announcement, Roku UK’s country manager, Richard Halton, has expressed excitement on behalf of the company, sharing the following:

“With the launch of our first FAST channels in the UK this October, we’re giving viewers more choice than ever before – from iconic series and films to new favourites and niche genres – all for free. It’s an exciting step forward as we continue to expand and open up new opportunities for advertisers to reach highly engaged audiences.”

More details about Roku’s full FAST channel lineup will be unveiled as we get closer to its launch in October, so we’ll have our eyes peeled for any new announcements.

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• Roku has launched a new paid-for streaming service
• Howdy was made available on August 5, 2025, in the US
• It costs $2.99 a month and is only accessible via the Roku platform for now

Roku has launched a new ad-free streaming service that lets you access 10,000 hours of movies and TV shows for just $2.99 per month.

The new service was made available to those in the US on August 5, 2025, and while Roku operates its free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) – The Roku Channel – in other regions around the world, it's not yet clear whether the ad-free version will launch elsewhere.

The new streaming service is "priced at less than a cup of coffee," Roku's founder and CEO Anthony Wood said in a statement alongside the announcement, where he also clarified that although it's cheaper than Netflix, Disney+, and other rivals, it's "designed to complement, not compete with, premium services".

Despite Wood's comments, the aggressively cheap pricing of the ad-free platform does mean it technically does rival the best streaming services. With content from Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, alongside select Roku Original titles, the new service does have a competitive offering at an attractive price point.

Of course, many can still access The Roku Channel to watch live TV channels, and its library of on-demand movies and shows via Roku-supported devices or the Roku app or website. As one of the best free streaming services, it is one of the most popular FAST services around. But Howdy offers a way to access this same content and more without having to put up with ads.

How to watch movies and shows on Howdy

Howdy will be accessible on the Roku platform at launch, which means if you have one of the best streaming devices or best TVs that support the Roku operating system (OS) then you'll be able to access the new service.

Roku has said that it plans to roll out the service on mobile and additional platforms in the "near future," but has not clarified how soon that might be, so for the moment, you'll only be able to try it out on select devices.

I haven't been able to try out the service yet myself to confirm what's available to watch, but Roku has said that Howdy's library will include some of its original content alongside movies and shows from Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise.

These include movies like Mad Max: Fury Road, which is only available to stream on Netflix in the US, and The Blind Side, which isn't available to stream anywhere at the time of writing. Roku has also said that shows like Weeds and Kids in the Hall will also be streamable on Howdy – both of which are currently available on The Roku Channel.

Whether more titles from its FAST service will move over to Howdy is unclear, but it would make sense considering that the new service offers a way to watch these movies and shows without having to put up with ads.

Howdy's library will also consist of "iconic rom-coms, medical dramas, ‘90s comedy, feel-good classics, and more," according to Roku, so we can expect there to be quite a mix of genres in the catalog.

You'll only be able to access Howdy by paying to sign up for the streaming service, as Roku has said that there will be no introductory or free trial offers, but you will be able to cancel at any time if you decide that it's not right for you.

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• Audacy has removed its app from the Roku platform
• There hasn't been an official announcement so far
• The best alternatives offer a lot of the same content

If you've been using the Audacy app to stream radio stations, podcasts or music through your Roku device or TV, I've got some bad news: Audacy have removed the app from the platform.

That's understandably upset many listeners. Audacy's a big fish in the streaming pond, delivering names including CNN, CBS Sports Radio and many more, as well as lots of podcasts and music.

We don't know why Audacy has decided to pull its app, but Cord Cutters News has some possible explanations: maybe they didn't like the terms of their Roku deal, or perhaps it's part of a shift of focus that'll mean concentrating on fewer platforms. But whatever the explanation, it means Audacy listeners will need an alternative – and here are some of the best options.

What apps are good replacements for Audacy?

There's no shortage of audio apps on the Roku Channel Store, and the first one to check out is iHeart. It's one of the biggest radio streamers, with the most popular AM and FM stations from cities across North America as well as a good selection of radio, podcasts and music stations from around the world.

The other big name here is TuneIn. Like iHeart it's got a huge selection, and includes channels from big names such as NPR, CNN, ESPN Radio and the BBC.

SiriusXM is another well-known name offering a mix of music, podcasts and chat, and there are plenty of themed music streamers covering every imaginable niche – Yacht Rock Miami, anyone?

If you browse the Music and Podcasts section of the Channel Store you'll also find the big guns of audio streaming such as Apple Music (but sadly not Apple Podcasts), Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube (a lot of audio podcasts also upload video versions to the video streamer) and Pandora.

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• Roku has new home page layout to make key sections faster to find
• Very much a work in progress and likely to change again
• You can opt out if you're offered the update

If your Roku TV home screen appears to have been redesigned overnight, don't worry: it just means you're one of the chosen few who get to see what might be the next evolution of the Roku TV interface.

As The Verge reports, Roku is testing a rejigged version of the home page with a small number of Roku users in order to assess whether or not they like it. The firm is "trying some different approaches" to the functionality of the home page, Roku's Preston Smalley explained. "We’re definitely trying to see how much control people want, but that's something we want to hear from customers on."

What's changing in the Roku TV home screen

Although this is only a test, it does indicate the most likely changes coming to your home page in the not too distant future. The first thing you'll notice is that the home button on your remote takes you straight into the main grid rather than to the sidebar, which is where it takes you in the current version.

Live TV and Featured Free have been moved from the sidebar into the main grid to make them more obvious; Roku says that these "compelling and delightful destinations" weren't being used by many people, and they expect more prominent placement to mean more people being compelled and delighted.

The Quick Access section is designed to make it easier to see your favorite apps, but for now it's automated: The Verge says that you can't manually remove apps or add different ones.

Underneath Quick Access there's "The Best Across Your Streaming Services" which is the new home for the Live TV and Featured Free options as well as Subscriptions and For You, which as you'd expect is where you'll find personalized recommendations.

This is very much a work in progress so if you've got it on your Roku TV it may change again during the testing phase – and if you're one of the chosen few it's not compulsory, so you can opt out of the test if you'd rather wait for the final, finished version.

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Roku Streaming Stick: Two-minute review

The Roku Streaming Stick is cheap, compact, and easy to use. As the cheaper of Roku’s two newest streaming sticks, the other being the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, it has its limitations – specifically, no 4K or HDR support – but the value proposition here is very good. If you’re trying to save money, it might be among the best streaming devices out there.

As far as competition goes at this price point, there’s really only the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, which is slightly more expensive. Of course, if you care about getting the best performance and features and are willing to pay for it, I suggest going for the Roku Ultra (2024) instead.

The Roku Streaming Stick is literally just a stick with an HDMI port on the end, and is small even by streaming stick standards. When I reviewed the Amazon Fire TV Sticks that came out in 2023 ( still current models), I had trouble fitting their bulky bodies into the HDMI slots behind my TV, so the svelte design of the Roku Streaming Stick is welcome.

The only visual difference between this and the Streaming Stick Plus version is that the Roku logo is purple as opposed to an etched design, making it look just a bit cheaper than its big brother. Otherwise, it’s identical, with the same somewhat convex case, with the HDMI male jack on one end, and the USB-C charging port on the other. There’s also a reset button, and that’s it.

It’s worth noting that Roku only provides a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging – there’s no power supply or adapter. When I first saw this on the Roku Streaming Stick Plus (again, they’re identical in this regard), I was a little upset that I was expected to pay extra for an adapter. But then I realized there was a good reason for the lack of an adapter, since you’re expected to use the USB port on your TV to power the streaming stick.

Because you’re powering the stick from the TV’s USB port, which is usually just a few slots over from the HDMI connections, there are no hanging cables from the device. This means you’ll end up with a cleaner-looking setup using the Roku Streaming Stick.

The included remote control is Roku’s voice remote. It has a slightly bulky body with a little bit of weight that makes it nice to handle while still being fairly compact. The buttons include dedicated play/pause buttons – a feature I appreciate over the navigation wheel layout that most remotes have. And there’s also a voice assistant button, which lets you make voice commands when holding it down. It’s not Roku’s best remote – that would be the one included with the Roku Ultra – but it’s good enough and about what one would expect at this price point.

The Roku Streaming Stick is intended to be an entry-level HD device, so there’s no 4K or HDR support. I tested it on a 65-inch TV, and the picture quality was still pretty good. If you’re getting this for a guestroom TV, it’s probably worth saving the few extra bucks.

The Roku Streaming Stick’s biggest sticking point is its performance. Given the stick’s low price, you shouldn’t expect the world, but it’s still worth noting. The actual streaming experience is fine and without interruption, but the Roku Streaming Stick has a slight delay when interacting with it, with the onscreen cursor moving just a fraction of a second after a button press, so you feel like it’s catching up.

It’s worth noting that the Roku Streaming Stick uses the old 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi standard, which is even slower than the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) one used by the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. You probably don’t need the latest Wi-Fi standard for a streaming device, but the Streaming Stick’s slower and older WiFi standard is a potential reason why it runs a little slower.

The Streaming Stick’s interface is the usual intuitive one I expect from Roku. There are a few watch suggestions at the top, but the home screen is otherwise just a series of tiles for different apps. I appreciate its simplicity compared to the more congested interfaces used by Google TV, Fire TV, and other smart TV platforms. If you prefer that type of layout, Roku has a similar setup when you click on the “What To Watch” tab on the homescreen.

There’s a good amount of free content available to stream directly through the Roku interface. There’s also a Sports tab, but you still need a subscription to whichever service has the rights to your favorite sport. Otherwise, Roku’s interface here is its usual rock-solid self.

Roku Streaming Stick: Price and release date

• $29.99 / £29.99 (about AU$50)
• Released April 2025

Thirty bucks or quid for a streaming device is impossible to beat. The closest to that is probably the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD that I mentioned earlier at $34.99 / £39.99 / AU$69.

The question you need to ask yourself is whether it’s worth saving ten bucks for this version over the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which goes for $39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70). The design of both sticks is the same, and so are the limitations in performance. If you’re trying to just get the cheapest streaming stick with 4K and HDR support (but not Dolby Vision), the Plus version is the one you’ll want. But if you have an older TV that doesn’t support those features, the basic Roku Streaming Stick will be ideal.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) is also a good streamer to look at as it’s regularly discounted to the same price as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. And unlike Roku products, that model is available for purchase in Australia.

Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Roku Streaming Stick review: Also consider

How I tested the Roku Streaming Stick

• Used regularly for a week
• Tested with various apps
• Tested the remote

I used the Roku Streaming Stick regularly for a few days to evaluate everything it can do. I used it to stream Roku content and movies and shows from apps like Max. I also spent time using the remote and testing its various functions.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2025

• A new report is highlighting just how secure the Apple TV 4K is
• It says it's the best for streaming privacy as Apple isn't focused on selling ads

There is no shortage of streaming boxes or streaming sticks, but ever since the original Apple TV was unveiled, the Cupertino-based tech giant’s offering has always been decidedly premium. And beyond the easy integration with other Apple devices and the ability to live within the ecosystem, it’s also earned an accolade for being one of the best privacy-focused streaming boxes.

That is, according to a new report from the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) who spoke with Ars Technica. It all comes back to the idea of many streaming boxes integrating advertisements directly into the experience. You’ll find that on Roku as well as on Amazon Fire TV devices, which in some cases have full banner ads. It’s also common for smart TVs, from the likes of LG and Samsung, as well.

The director of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), RJ Cross, told them, “Apple’s primary business model isn’t dependent on selling targeted ads, so it has somewhat less incentive to harvest and monetize incredible amounts of your data.” And it’s a good point, since this also limits the amount of tracking Apple might need to do on the device.

Yes, your recently watched list is available and can sync across devices, and content recommendations are also available. However, it’s not engaging ACR (or “automatic content recognition”) to track everything you’re doing on the device. This technology is primarily used to track viewing habits and what has been consumed on a TV, ultimately to build a profile. However, Apple has confirmed to Ars Technica that at this time or in the past, the streaming box has not used this technology.

That’s a big win for consumers and comes to the ultimate recommendation from PIRG that the Apple TV 4K is the best bet for privacy-conscious consumers who want a best-in-class streamer. You’ll still need to sign in with your Apple Account and agree to “Data & Privacy” terms during the setup process, but it’s less demanding than other streamers on the market.

The data that is collected, like what you or other profiles on the Apple TV 4K are watching or searching for, is done so anonymously, meaning it’s not traceable back to you or any other user on the streaming box. That data, once anonymized, can be shared with streaming services that use Apple’s APIs and offer apps. Here, additionally, you do have the ability to turn off some of the personalization and recommendation features.

When you use Siri, either through the Siri Remote that pairs with the Apple TV or another Apple device to control the Apple TV 4K, those conversations will fall under Apple’s general Siri privacy stipulations. For some requests and asks, the transcription is sent anonymized with no personal details to Apple’s servers, but it will only stick around for at most six months.

You can see the conversation between Ars Technica and the Public Interest Research Group here. If you’ve been considering the Apple TV 4K, you can read TechRadar’s full review here. It’s expected that at WWDC 2025 – Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference – a major update for tvOS will be announced, introducing a new look that we’ll likely call sleek, along with some other more advanced features.

With tvOS 18 last year, Apple gave subtitles a significant upgrade. When you hit mute, it automatically starts closed captioning. It was a small change that made a big difference.

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Roku Streaming Stick Plus: Two-minute review

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus has a lot to commend it. It’s very affordable, compact enough to take on the road, and power-efficient enough to run off a USB port on the back of a TV. Its only flaw, and it’s kind of a big one, is that there’s a little lag when navigating menus, possibly due to its older Wi-Fi standard. However, there are no performance issues once you get a show or movie streaming.

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is ideal for someone on a budget or who wants a streamer that can tuck behind a mounted TV. If performance is a top priority, though, the more expensive Roku Ultra (2024), which I think is among the best streaming devices available right now, is worth the upgrade.

When first unboxing the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, it’s almost surprising how small it is. Measuring just 3.7 x 0.80 x 0.45 inches, it’s dwarfed by the Roku Voice Remote it comes with.

Since it’s so small, it has just an HDMI male port on one end for plugging directly into a TV and a USB-C female port situated on the other end for power. There’s also a very small reset button on the same end as the USB-C port.

Interestingly, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus doesn’t come with a power supply. Instead, it only comes with a cable with a USB-A port on the other end. The idea is that this streaming stick is so efficient that it draws all the power it needs from the powered USB port on the back of a TV – a pretty cool concept as you don’t see any of the device when looking at the TV.

The Roku’s Voice Remote is not the company’s best remote – that belongs to the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) that comes with the Roku Ultra (2024) streaming box and the Roku Pro Series TVs – but it ticks all the usual boxes. It feels nice the way Roku remotes do with their rounded back, and there are separate Play / Pause buttons instead of the wheel of inputs a lot of remotes have these days. There are App buttons for various streaming services and, most importantly, there’s the voice command button, which lets you talk into the remote.

Now, performance is where the Roku Streaming Stick Plus can suffer a little bit. Before I discuss that, I do want to say that once I got something started and was streaming in 4K, there were no issues such as stuttering or other artifacts.

When first getting past setup, I started browsing the apps, and there was a small lag moving from tile to tile or from menu entry to entry. Though that was the worst, I still noticed a very short delay. This could be because the Roku Streaming Stick Plus uses the somewhat dated Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) standard. Also, its processor could be underpowered.

As far as the Roku interface goes, it’s the same standard layout the company uses for all its streaming products. It’s a tile-first view, where you browse various apps instead of recommended content from those apps as you would with a Google or Alexa streaming device. (There is a small selection of suggestions at the top of the interface, however.)

The Roku ecosystem has plenty of free content, offering 500 different channels along with the Roku Channel. There’s even a general Sports tab in the menu.

If you want to use the Roku Streaming Stick Plus for streaming movies, be aware that it doesn’t support every feature. It can stream in 4K with HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG high dynamic range, but it does not support Dolby Vision. On the smart home front, it supports Roku Smart Home, Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home. Also worth mentioning is that it will pass through Dolby encoded audio and DTS digital surround.

Roku Streaming Stick Plus: Price and release date

• $39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70)
• Released April 2025

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is affordably priced for a 4K streaming stick, selling for just $39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70). Compare that to the Roku Ultra (2024), which goes for $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150).

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) is similar in a lot of ways, but uses the Alexa ecosystem and supports Dolby Vision. It’s also bigger despite having the same form factor. (When reviewing The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, I remember having to use the included dongle as the Fire TV Stick was too bulky to fit directly into my TV’s HDMI port.) Amazon’s streaming stick is priced much higher at $59.99 / £69.99 / AU$119, but it’s regularly discounted to around for the same price as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus.

If you want to go as cheap as possible, Roku also has the Roku Streaming Stick that only goes up to 1080p (HD) resolution, skipping out on 4K and HDR support. It’s a bit cheaper at $29.99 / £29.99, so if you have an older TV, it might be worth it to save the ten bucks.

Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick Plus?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Roku Streaming Stick Plus review: Also consider

How I tested the Roku Streaming Stick Plus

• Used regularly for a week
• Tested with all sorts of apps
• Tested the remote

I used the Roku Streaming Stick Plus regularly for a weekend, just enough to see everything it can do. I used it with free Roku content and popular third-party apps like Max. I also spent time testing the remote and its various functions.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2025

• 4K HDR streaming appears "washed out" on some Roku TVs
• HD and SDR content seems to be fine
• The culprit may be the latest firmware update

If you're a Roku TV owner and you think your 4K HDR streaming doesn't look right, it could be a software fault. Since the latest software update there have been multiple reports of "washed-out" HDR across multiple streaming services.

The first reports, shared on the Roku issue tracking board and reported by The Verge, were about problems with the video while streaming from Disney Plus on TCL TVs. But more reports have since emerged of video issues with Prime Video, YouTube TV, Netflix, Apple TV Plus and others, and on Hisense Roku TVs, too.

The good news is that it's clearly a software issue: some users reporting problems also say that their Blu-Ray players are working just fine, and others say there are no issues with non-4K HDR. So the TVs themselves appear to be okay.

What's wrong with Roku's streaming?

The common denominator appears to be the Roku software version 14.5, with streaming services suffering from what The Verge describes as "desaturated, almost black-and-white images" with HDR enabled. Some other users are finding their streaming video is overly bright.

It does look like there is an issue that kicks in when the video starts to stream: this post on the Roku Community pages shows the dramatic difference between affected and unaffected TVs, and replies from other affected users say that everything's fine with the app's menus and static images. It's only once you start watching the actual movie or show that the problems occur.

Roku is aware of the reports, although at the time of writing it apparently hasn't responded to press requests for comment. We've asked Roku directly and will update this story when we hear back.

This seems to be yet another example of automatic updates apparently introducing problems to people's A/V kit: just a few weeks ago Samsung owners found their expensive soundbars were being bricked by a firmware update.

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• Roku's Pro and Plus Series TV models are getting some upgrades
• Custom factory calibration is arriving on the Roku Pro Series
• The Plus Series is getting mini-LED backlighting and a host of software improvements

Today, streaming stick and smart TV maker Roku announced a range of enhancements for its current Roku Pro and Roku Plus Series models, as well as a new 85-inch screen size option for its entry-level Select Series TVs.

The Roku Pro series, the budget choice in our best TVs guide, will now get custom factory calibration, a process designed to ensure that “every TV delivers a stunning picture right out of the box.”

The most significant announced changes are for the mid-range Roku Plus Series TVs, which now feature mini-LED backlighting. Combined with the TV’s QLED display panel, this should bring the brightness and color benefits of the Pro Series to a much cheaper price point. Plus Series TVs will also get Roku Smart Picture Max, a feature that performs picture adjustments on a scene-by-scene basis, so you don’t have to fuss with picture settings.

Roku's Plus Series TVs will additionally get a remote finder button, first introduced in the Pro Series. This feature lets you easily locate a remote control buried between couch cushions or left in a different room.

Additionally, the Pro Series’ integrated cable management, a design highlight we appreciated in our Roku Pro Series TV review, is also migrating to the Plus Series.

Finally, the full Roku TV lineup will now feature a Bluetooth Headphone Mode, allowing for an easy wireless connection from the TV for private viewing.

A new best budget TV?

Roku’s Pro Series has been among our regular go-to recommendations for viewers looking to upgrade their TV to one with a mini-LED backlight without having to take on excess credit card debt.

At under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen size, the Pro Series is an exceptional value, offering additional benefits such as 4K 120Hz support for gaming, a sleek design, and, of course, Roku’s excellent smart TV interface.

With mini-LED backlighting now on the Plus Series, along with Smart Picture Max, remote finder, and integrated cable management, we may now have a new best budget TV option.

Roku’s announcement indicated that the upgraded Plus Series TVs would be available at the “same affordable price.” With the current 65-inch Plus Series model priced at $649 (and now selling for $499), the new Plus series should be a compelling value, competing head-to-head with other high-value mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N.

We look forward to getting our hands on the new Roku TVs to conduct a full review. In the meantime, check out our coverage of the new Roku streaming sticks introduced at today’s event.

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• Roku has announced the new Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus
• They replace the Express and Express 4K+
• You get a voice remote in the box, plus a compact design, but the Streaming Stick 4K is also sticking around

Roku has introduced two new streaming sticks that slim down the overall build even further, and aim to stretch the value by including one of the brand’s most popular accessories.

The Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are the smallest sticks from Roku yet, and represent the new entry points to the brand’s lineup, replacing the Express and Express 4K+.

Both aim to offer most of the features you’d want to see in any streaming device – stick or box – and are priced competitively at $29.99 / £29.99 for the Stick and $39.99 / £ 39.99 for the Plus(we're waiting on Australian pricing to be confirmed). Preorders are open now, and the official shipment start date is May 6.

These are the smallest and most compact devices from the brand so far – they're super-slim sticks that are only slightly thicker than an HDMI port.

That slim design should make it easy to plug the Stick into the HDMI slot on the back of your TV, and Roku says the design won’t block your other ports. That’s a pretty nice upgrade, and the brand says these sticks are over 35% smaller than other brands, though it stops short of naming the others.

The overall design of the Stick and Stick Plus is pretty simple: there's a physical power button and a USB-C port, although Roku doesn’t want you to plug either stick into a wall socket; rather, it says you can just plug the USB cable right into the back of your TV, as these don’t need a huge amount of power to run.

The other appeal is portability, something Roku thinks is becoming a bigger trend. If you’re heading on vacation to a hotel or an Airbnb, given how small the Stick or Stick Plus are you could grab the stick and cable to bring it with you to access your favorite streaming services away from home. That’s pretty nice.

As the names suggests, the Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Stick Plus give you full access to the Roku platform, so you’ll get easy access to all of the best streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Max. That classic experience with the promise of future updates is all still here.

The biggest change is that Roku is including a voice remote in the box with the Stick or Stick Plus. This way, you can simply use your voice to ask for your favorite shows and pull up other content. This also levels the playing field with the Amazon Fire Stick lineup, as the entry-level Fire Stick HD (priced at $34.99 / £39.99 / AU$69) does ship with an Alexa voice remote as well.

Roku’s Streaming Stick supports up to an HD experience (up to 1080p resolution), while the Streaming Stick Plus delivers up to a 4K experience with support for HLG, HDR 10, and HDR 10+, depending on the TV you plug the stick into. If you’re looking for support for Dolby Vision you’ll need to opt for the Streaming Stick 4K, a pre-existing model that retails for $49.99 / £49.99.

If you’re already sold – maybe you’ve been after a more affordable streaming stick from Roku and don’t need support for Dolby Vision – the Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are up for preorder now directly from Roku priced at $29.99 / £29.99 and $39.99 / £39.99.

We’ll be going hands-on and testing both of Roku’s new sticks as soon as we can.

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• Some Roku owners have seen the YouTube TV app disappear from devices
• Resetting the device doesn't work, but some have found alternative fixes
• Google and Roku have yet to respond to the reports

YouTube TV has rapidly become one of the best streaming services for live TV, particularly if you're looking to replace cable with a service that's available on a multitude of streaming devices. Over the past day, however, Roku users have noticed that the YouTube TV app has strangely disappeared from their devices.

Not only has the YouTube TV app gone missing, but some users have spotted that it’s not available to reinstall either. This had led owners of Roku streaming devices to head to Reddit to share their experiences with the issue, with some swarming Roku forums and also Google’s support page.

One of the first outlets to bring the issue to light was 9to5Google, which stated that the cause of the issue is still unconfirmed. We've reached out to Google to find out if there's any update and will update this story if we hear back.

YouTube TV not loading on Hisense/Roku 55R7G5 from r/youtubetv

The most frustrating part of YouTube TV’s app disappearance is that it’s taken a lot of trial and error for users to fix – and as it stands, neither Roku nor Google has come forward to address the problem.

Searching for the app in the installed list on your Roku device doesn’t seem to help, and neither does resetting the device. But luckily, there seems to be alternative ways that users have found.

How to recover the YouTube TV app on Roku

According to a Roku community moderator, this issue can be resolved by checking for any Roku OS updates that may need installing. Updating the latest OS version has helped many users restore the YouTube TV app.

For those who have already downloaded the most recent version of Roku OS whose YouTube TV app is still missing, Android Police says that you can still use the standard YouTube app to access YouTube TV’s channels. When you open the left-hand menu, scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find an option for YouTube TV.

Over the past few months, YouTube has been teasing updates including two new features that allow users and creators to comment and interact with videos, and also a big Netflix update.

It’s unclear whether this recent issue is related to YouTube TV’s possible upgrades, but we’ve asked Google for any insights and will update this story if we get a response.

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• Roku is testing ads that appear on startup
• The ads are skippable, Roku says
• Roku is keen to add more advertising to its platform

Some Roku owners are promising that "my Roku devices will be in the trash" if it goes ahead with its latest ad-serving idea: showing you an ad before you get to the home screen.

Disgruntled users are turning to online forums to describe what's going on and to express their displeasure. As one poster to r/Roku explained, "I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie before I got to the regular Roku homescreen." Other Redditors confirmed that they too were getting the ads (via Ars Technica), although the ads do appear to be skippable: there's a button on the ad you can click on to skip it.

The ad that's causing concern was for Moana 2 (which just launched on Disney+) which users say auto-played with sound on when the Roku device was started up.

Roku has confirmed that this is no accident, but it's not necessarily a permanent addition.

Attack of the unwanted ads

As Ars Technica reports, Roku has confirmed that the auto-playing adverts are supposed to be there as part of an experiment. Roku "has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products."

According to Roku, sticking an intrusive ad before the home screen is part of "providing a delightful and simple user experience." But from what I've seen online, users are far from delighted: for some this is a step too far on an already ad-heavy platform. And Roku could go further: as we've reported a few times, Roku's vision for the future of television is more sell-o-vision.

Roku isn't alone here, of course. The razor-thin profit margins when selling even the best TVs mean that many manufacturers see advertising and user data as absolutely vital ways of generating money in an increasingly competitive market.

But Roku does appear to be particularly aggressive about advertising, and it's at the stage of upsetting some customers who feel that the platform is degrading a product they've already paid for. As one Roku owner put it in r/Roku: "Why does everything have to start sucking so much?"

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When reviewing TVs, it’s easy to separate the good from the bad (and the ugly) based on subjective evaluation and measurements alone. What’s more difficult is determining if a specific TV is a good overall value.

Today’s best TVs provide fantastic picture quality for watching movies and TV shows and many are also great for gaming. But even though prices for top TVs aren’t as staggeringly high as they used to be – a flagship 65-inch OLED would run you $6,000 (around £4,650 / AU$9,550) back in 2015 – they can still be a big investment.

When I'm testing a good budget TV, I want it to strike a balance between picture quality, features, and price. It may not be the brightest TV you can buy, and it may be lacking some of the latest cutting-edge features such as 4K 120Hz support for gaming with next-gen consoles, or a far-field mic for hands-free voice control. But if the colors and more picture quality are right, I might be very happy with it depending on the price – there's always something to be said for bang-for-buck.

I’ve put together a list of three TVs that my team and I have recently reviewed that epitomize great value. The models listed are all based on their 65-inch screen size (due to the popularity of this size), though they are also available in a 55-inch size for even less.

1. Hisense U7N

We’re big fans of the Hisense U8N mini-LED TV at TechRadar, but the nod for best value Hisense mini-LED TV ultimately has to go to the Hisense U7N, which earned five stars for value in our Hisense U7N review. This step-down model offers many of the same features as the U8N, but at a considerably lower price.

A main difference in picture quality that we observed between the two in our testing is brightness: the U8N is an overachiever in that respect, whereas the U7N’s peak brightness is average for a mini-LED TV. It's price, however, is below average, making it a great deal overall.

The U8N also has better built-in sound than the U7N, which benefits from pairing with one of the best soundbars. But when it comes to other areas, we found that the U7N punches above its weight. It runs the Google TV smart TV platform in the US and Hisense’s own VIDAA in the UK and Australia. It features two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support for gaming, and has comprehensive high dynamic range support, with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats covered. The U7N is even IMAX Enhanced!

It's a future-proofed and impressive TV, and can be found for ridiculously low prices at times – a real bargain.

2. Roku Pro Series

Roku has been semi-quietly gathering momentum in the budget TV market, and its Pro Series models are the best Roku TVs yet. That’s mainly because the Pro is the only Roku series to use a mini-LED backlight, with local dimming to improve picture brightness and contrast, but as we found in our Roku Pro Series review, the company also put major effort into the TV’s design and sound.

With two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz support, Pro Series models are great TVs for gaming, and they also offer comprehensive high dynamic range (Dolby Vision and HDR10+) and smart home support.

Like the Hisense U7N, the Roku Pro Series provides an average level of picture brightness for a mini-LED TV, though it’s notably brighter than the company’s step-down Select and Plus series models.

A big part of the TV’s appeal is the Roku smart interface, which has an elegant, streamlined look and is super-easy to navigate – if usability is a big concern for you, I think I'd recommend this most strongly. Also appealing is the affordable price, which makes the Pro Series one of the best value TVs you can buy.

3. Samsung Q60D

Those who want to buy a Samsung TV but find the company’s Neo QLED series models to be out of their price range may instead want look at its regular QLED series models, starting with the Samsung Q60D.

A main difference between the Neo QLED and QLED TVs is a mini-LED backlight on the former, which boosts picture brightness and contrast. That’s not to say the Q60D’s picture quality is horribly inferior to the company’s Neo QLED models, but, as we noted in our Samsung Q60D review, it does lack the brightness punch you get with mini-LED.

But you're trading that for affordability, while keeping crisp detail and realistic colors. The Samsung Q60D comes in a wide range of sizes, from 32 up to 85 inches. It features Samsung's Tizen smart TV interface and Solar Cell remote control, which can be charged via your room’s lighting or a USB-C connection – no batteries required.

Other great Q60D features that can also be found on the company’s higher-end TVs include Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, and other apps, and Q Symphony, which lets you sync the TV’s speakers with a compatible Samsung soundbar for a bigger sound than either can offer on its own.

As the cheapest option here, it's the most lacking in features – there's no 4K 120Hz for gaming, for example – but it's still a very strong value and high-quality TV for a low price.

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• The new Philips Roku TV was $1,299; now it's $999
• Any size you want as long as it's 65 inches
• Impressive spec including 4K 120Hz gaming on all HDMIs

As we reported earlier this month, Philips has launched a brand new OLED TV with Roku built-in. It's an impressive specification, but we felt that at $1,299 it was a little overpriced compared to our recommended buy, the LG B4. But it's just been given a huge price cut at Sam's Club, bringing it down to just $999.

A 65-inch, gamer-friendly 4K OLED for under $1,000? Now we're talking.

Why the Philips Roku OLED is tempting at under $1K

Let's start with the Roku bit. We think that Roku has one of the best smart TV interfaces out there, and it's particularly nice on an OLED. That means you get the familiar Roku City backdrop and access to the best streaming services including Disney+, Max, and Netflix, among countless others. and you also get tons of free stuff thanks to Roku's free channels.

Not only that, but you can also control Roku smart home products if you've already invested in the Roku smart home ecosystem.

With the hardware, you're looking at 4K 120Hz across all four HDMI ports – unusual for any of the best gaming TVs at this combination of size and price, let alone an OLED – with AMD FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision IQ and "room-filling sound" from the built-in and Atmos-supporting 2.1 speaker system. And you get a Roku Voice Remote too.

We suspect that the Philips OLED uses the same panel as the LG B4 (but we don't know this for sure), and this price cut means it's now cheaper than the LG: Sam's Club and similar big names are selling that one for $1,196.

So the Philips Roku OLED TV is a very, very tempting deal indeed. We haven't tested it yet, to be clear – we would guess that the image processing will be weaker than the LG B4, but OLED's perfect black tones should be present and correct, and it's cheaper than any of the best OLED TVs at the same size, and it's hard to argue with that.

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A new OLED Roku TV has just been announced, under the Philips name, and with a launch price of just $1,299 for a 65-inch model, it's a very tempting proposition – Roku is one of the best smart TV interfaces out there, and combined with an OLED screen, you're going to get some serious picture quality.

Like all the best OLED TVs, it includes 4K 120Hz support for gaming, including AMD FreeSync. So it looks like a good package… but as someone who's seen basically every current OLED TV in person, I wouldn't be drawn in by its flashy budget price.

I'd buy the LG B4 65-inch, which is currently available for $1,199 for the 65-inch model at Amazon and also at Walmart – and then I'd buy a Roku Ultra (2024) to add those Roku features, which costs under $100. Same total price as the Roku, but I think that's a preferable setup, so let's dig into why.

First, an important caveat: I haven't tested or measured the Philips Roku TV, so I'm having to make a few educated assumptions here – though I'm confident about them.

I strongly suspect that the Roku TV is using the same 'tier' of OLED screen as the LG B4, rather than the significantly brighter screen used in the LG C4 – and it definitely isn't the much brighter again screen used in the LG G4.

I just don't think it's possible to use the brighter screen and to bring the TV in at this price – so that means you're not going to get any better performance from the Philips Roku TV than you'd get from the LG B4.

Indeed, I suspect you'll get worse performance, because I very much doubt that the processing is better on the Philips TV than the LG model. For a start, LG knows OLED TVs better than anyone; and second, the Philips-branded TV is almost certainly made by Skyworth (which currently holds the license to make Philips-branded TVs in North America).

This is a company that's known for making some TVs with impressive bang for buck, but not for cutting-edge and advanced image processing in them.

(For those who know international TVs: the excellent Philips-branded OLED TVs available in Europe are produced by TP Vision, which actually does invest in pretty cutting-edge image processing, hence why its TVs, such as the Philips OLED809, are rated highly by us – and are also priced accordingly.)

So for $100 less than the Philips Roku TV, you'll get better image quality from the LG B4, I'm very confident. And if you add the Roku Ultra, you'll still get the Roku interface, and you'll have paid the same as the Philips TV overall (though LG TVs have a good smart TV software of their own).

You're also getting some slightly better gaming features in the LG OLED, including Nvidia G-Sync support for PC gaming.

Both TVs offer four HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120Hz support, though, which is good – it means the Roku TV is more future-proof than previous budget OLED TVs not made by LG.

I can very much understand being tempted by the Roku OLED, and I expect it'll receive discounts in the future that make it even more tempting. But right now, I'd stick with the safe hands of LG given the current prices.

There's one thing to note, though: the 65-inch LG B4 seems to be selling out. The new version, the LG B5, is due in the first half of 2025 (though with an exact date), so if you're tempting by it at this price, you may need to move quickly.

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• I saw LG's G5 flagship OLED TV next to last year's G4, and the brightness boost I was excited about is very real
• TCL overtaking LG's premium TV sales is the inevitable result of OLED's biggest problem and mini-LED's biggest strength
• I test TVs for a living, and these 4 TVs are the best for bright rooms and beating reflections

• A Philips OLED TV running Roku out of the box
• It only comes in a 65-inch size for $1,299
• Unclear whether it'll match picture quality from LG

Roku's much-loved software for various streaming devices – including sticks and boxes and the well-reviewed Roku Ultra (2024) – is also available built right into some TVs, including from the likes of TCL and Sharp. But it's mostly been in mid-range models – today, there's a new Roku OLED TV in town, though.

The best OLED TVs are thought to many as being the pinnacle of picture quality, thanks to the pixels being self-illuminated and offering ultra-stark contrast with bright pops of vibrancy, rich and accurate colors, and wide viewing angles.

And we have a newcomer – the Philips OLED Roku TV, precisely 65 inches in size. You’ll need to be happy with that screen size as well since it’s the only one available. It’s out now for $1,299 in the United States from Sam’s Club and should be arriving at other retailers.

Still, though, you could also opt for an LG, Samsung, or Sony OLED and stick a Roku streaming device or even a Google TV Streamer or Apple TV 4K to customize the experience yourself – so it's got stiff competition.

The leading feature here is that Roku OS is built-in, and you won’t need to invest in a separate streaming solution. You’ll find the familiar Roku City backdrop and access to the best streaming services including Disney+, Max, and Netflix, among countless others.

One of the big benefits of Roku’s platform is a treasure trove of free content as well as the paid services, but also frequent additions thanks to over-the-air updates that ship often. If you also use Roku’s smart home products, you’ll be right at home with control right from your TV. You can even pull up the view from a smart camera as a fullscreen or picture-in-picture view.

The 4K OLED panel features a 120Hz refresh rate, and is backed by support for AMD FreeSync Premium for a smooth viewing experience for gaming.

Dolby Vision IQ is supported here to adjust the picture to wherever you have the TV according to Dolby’s standards and the reading the TV picks up from a built-in ambient light sensor. Roku also promises "room-filing sound" from a 2.1 speaker system that supports Dolby Atmos.

Quite possibly, the best part is that a Roku Voice Remote comes out of the box, allowing you to press the microphone button and ask for content with just your voice or even open apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, or Disney Plus. It’s pretty great.

We’re keen to test out the 65-inch Philips OLED Roku TV and see how it stacks up against competing options. The big question is which level of OLED panel it's using – it's almost certainly using one made by LG Display, and we suspect that it's the same as used in the LG B4, rather than the brighter options used in the LG C4 or LG G4. If so, the price is reasonable, but not particularly special – you can get the 65-inch B4 for around the same price. If it has the C4's panel, then it could be quite the bargain.

Remember, if you grab another OLED TV or really any other TV with an HDMI port, you can get a Roku streaming device separately and plug it in to get the TV OS, if it’s the one you prefer.

Still, if you’re sold on this new Philips OLED with a Roku interface built-in, it’s up for order now at $1,299 from Sam’s Club.

A note for anyone reading in Europe – Philips TVs are made under licence, with the brand name being applied to TVs made by another manufacturer. As a result, this doesn't appear to be connected at all to Ambilight Philips OLED TVs such as the Philips OLED809 – those are excellent TVs, but we can't assume that this TV will share the same performance.

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Before the prequels, sequels, theme parks, video games and more, an independent sci-fi turned out to be the smash hit of summer 1977. Audiences today are almost grappling with Star Wars fatigue, but back in the late seventies, moviegoers couldn’t get enough of Luke, Han and Leia’s adventures in a galaxy far, far away.

For modern audiences, finding the original version that screened in theaters when the film was originally released has been as tough as trying to complete the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, but now, thanks to little known streamer Cinema Box (available on Roku devices), the pure, un-tinkered with version of the seminal sci-fi is available to stream, and what’s more, it’s totally free (via Men’s Journal).

Under creator George Lucas, the Star Wars franchise has been re-edited and remastered a number of times over the years, dating all the way back to 1981, when the re-release of Star Wars (in the run up to the release of The Empire Strikes Back) saw the ‘Episode IV - A New Hope’ subtitle added.

The biggest changes came in 1997, when the entire original trilogy was given a CGI sheen, much to the dismay of long-time fans. Desolate locations became densely populated circuses, Jabba the Hutt was shoehorned where he didn’t belong and most egregiously, Han shot first. The films were altered again for the flagship 2004 DVD release, and again for their Blu Ray bow in 2011.

Since Disney’s acquisition of the franchise in 2012, no major alterations have been made bar changes to opening logos to reflect new ownership, and slight adjustments to the color, compositing and effects resolution for a 4K HDR release.

The theatrical versions of the original trilogy, particularly the pre-1981 version of Star Wars, have previously been available on VHS, LaserDisc and as bonus features on the 2006 DVD releases of the films, but to my knowledge, this is the first time the 1977 release of the OG movie has appeared on streaming.

Over on Reddit, one user pointed out that this particular edition of the film appears to be a version known as Harmy's Despecialized Edition, a fan-edit aiming to recreate the original as closely as possible – using footage from the Blu-ray release and the 1993 LaserDisc as a guide – as opposed to a genuine copy of the original master.

Comment from r/StarWars

While Cinema Box appears to be exclusive to Roku devices (so not available via a browser), it also seems to come and go – if you're interested in seeing this curio, you may need to take action at hyperspeed.

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In the market for a new Roku streaming stick? Thanks to a major discount for the President’s Day sale, it might be your lucky day.

Both the Roku Express and Roku Express 4K+ are discounted by 40% on Amazon for the sales event, giving you a tight window to nab a streaming stick for a very reasonable price.

• Shop Amazon's full sale here

The Roku Express is currently on sale for just $17.99 (was $29.99). It’s an HD model that plugs into a TV’s HDMI port and runs the Roku smart platform, with an intuitive interface, support for key streaming services, and even 80,000 free TV shows and films through The Roku Channel.

However, you can also pick up the upgraded Express 4K+ for $24.99 (was $39.99). This model kicks things up a notch, with support for detailed 4K resolution streaming and HDR (High Dynamic Range) color output.

At $24.99 it’s now cheaper than the basic Express model usually is. As a home entertainment journalist who’s covered Roku streaming sticks for years, I can tell you that’s a real steal!

Today's best Roku Express deals

While Presidents’ Day lands on February 17, Amazon technically launched its sales event over the weekend, and there are plenty of other discounts to consider – on headphones, smartphones, laptops, doorbells, batteries, mattresses, tablets, vitamin supplements and even humidifiers – before the day ends.

Some of our favorite deals include this comfy RIG gaming headset for just $99, or these smart lights at a 40% discount, but you can also check out the 60 other Presidents’ Day sales we’ve brought together for savvy shoppers like yourself, or take a look at our top picks below:

Shop more Presidents' Day sales

• Amazon: TVs, robot vacs & air fryers from $12.99
• Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99
• Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing
• Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones
• Casper: up to 35% off mattresses
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99
• Cocoon by Sealy: 35% off mattresses + free accessories
• Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99
• Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $299 + free shipping
• Home Depot: 50% off tools, appliances & furniture
• Lowe's: organization, appliances & tools from $17.31
• Mattress Firm: Queens from $149.99
• Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses
• Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry
• Purple: up to $600 off mattresses
• Saatva: up to $500 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances
• Target: save on furniture, gifts, tech & clothing
• Walmart: cheap TVs, robot vacs, furniture & appliances
• Wayfair: deals on furniture, decor, rugs & outdoor

RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV: review

If you’re looking for a small smart TV for your kitchen or bedroom, the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV will likely slot into your space with ease. This model harnesses Roku’s Smart TV interface, meaning you’ll get access to all the big streaming platforms – think Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus – as well as apps like YouTube and on-demand services including BBC iPlayer and ITVX. It has a £125 RRP, which is undoubtedly on the cheaper side of things, but still, it's worth asking: is the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV worth the money?

Well, first of all, I have to hand it to RCA and Roku – this TV is nice and easy to set up. It comes with two plastic feet that are simple to screw on, as well as two AAA batteries for the included remote – something that’s not always a given (ridiculous, I know). After firing the TV up, you have to update its software and sign in using a Roku account on your phone, but this doesn’t take too long and enables you to pre-install any extra apps you want – pretty handy.

It’s worth noting, though, that you can download apps at any point using the Roku Store, which is a basic, although easy-to-use, digital storefront. It’s also nice and responsive – as is the Roku user interface more generally. Scrolling through menus isn’t perfectly sharp, but it doesn’t feel frustratingly laggy or slow. I would say, however, that the Roku interface is visually unappealing. It looks outdated and uses a pretty rudimentary-looking menu on startup. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but the best small TVs usually have a sleeker, more modern interface in my experience.

But although a neat interface is nice to have, you’re probably more interested in how good this TV looks. First of all, it’s worth breaking down what ‘HD’ really means here. This TV has a resolution of 720p, so you won’t be able to enjoy full HD (1080p) or 4K content. As a result, this set isn’t really primed for a lot of modern video content and if you want to get the best out of platforms like Amazon Prime Video or formats like Blu-ray, for instance, you’ll likely be left wanting more.

With that out of the way, I’d argue that picture quality can be described as adequate. When watching Spider-Man: Homecoming, I skipped forward to a fight scene between the eponymous hero and a gang of bank robbers. The picture was decently clear and motion was totally passable. Spidey’s acrobatics weren’t overly judder-y as he flung across the screen, but the colour of his suit didn’t look particularly accurate. There was a bit too much warmth, leaving the reds and blues appearing slightly less contrasted than I’d like.

This TV, like many LED models, also struggles a fair bit with black levels and dark details. When watching the admittedly very dingy The Batman, details on the title character's suit were quite challenging to make out and facial features were a little blurred. Elements like sweat droplets, lines on faces and stitching on clothing weren’t very defined and given that much of the film takes place in the shadows, the result was a fairly muddy overall picture.

But again, you really can’t expect too much in terms of picture quality here due to the RCA Roku HD TV’s technical restrictions. To give this model its due, the vast majority of video content was clear enough for me to enjoy on-screen action. Studio Ghibli’s excellent The Boy and the Heron may not have been replicated with top-tier colour accuracy, but the display was quite vibrant in Standard mode without looking oversaturated or artificial.

This TV also won’t wow you with amazing brightness, but it’s OK for its size, with peak brightness on a 10% window test pattern coming in at 177 nits and 167 nits in Standard and Movie mode respectively.

If you’re not quite happy with how the picture looks, however, rest assured that there are plenty of ways to customise it. There are expert settings, such as dynamic contrast and colour temperature adjustment, as well as the typical picture modes, including: Roku Smart Picture (which auto-selects the best mode based on what you’re watching); Film; Low-Power; Sports; Standard and Vivid.

Similarly, there are different sound modes, such as Music, Speech and Theatre. I used the latter for much of my testing to get the most cinematic sound possible. Having said that, you’re not going to get great sound out of this TV, no matter what setting you choose. For instance, I watched the movie Smile and although the dialogue was clear enough during a conversation between two characters, it sounded pretty harsh at higher volumes.

During one horror-filled scene, imposing bass is meant to heighten tensions. And sure, bass was audible, but it was no more than that, leaving quite an underwhelming impression. That’s largely to be expected from a tiny 24-inch model, though, and I’d recommend investing in one of the best soundbars if you’re looking to take audio to the next level for movie nights.

Another area that won’t impress is gaming performance. Once more, this is down to the technical limitations of the RCA Roku HD TV. When gaming on the Xbox Series X, motion and picture were once again fine, but no better. Of course, you won’t be able to access current-gen features like 4K, 120fps gameplay, but if you just want a functional display for your favourite titles, this TV will get the job done.

You can plug your games console into one of the three HDMI ports situated on the reverse side of the RCA Roku HD TV. Personally, I was very pleased to see that there were three HDMI slots here – that’s pretty generous for a TV of this size and price. One can be used for ARC if you’d like to connect up a soundbar too, which is another big positive. Beyond this, the TV’s design and build quality is pretty unimpressive, though. It’s very plasticky – almost toy-like in its construction – and it’s on the bulkier side for a modern TV. I will say, however, that I liked the included remote, which has a textured finish and all the useful shortcuts for streaming services and the like.

All in all, the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV does what it says on the tin. It’s a very basic smart TV with totally functional, although unimpressive, performance across the board. You’re going to get flawed, albeit passable picture and sound quality, a basic design and little in the way of fancy features. But if you want a cheap, easy-to-use small TV for watching broadcast TV or streaming, this will provide just that. If you have a bit more room, however, there are superior options in terms of value – you can get a 1080p resolution, better colour accuracy and HDR for less than £150 with TVs like the 32-inch Toshiba 32LF2F53DB.

RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: price & release date

• £125 RRP
• Available now

The RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV, also known as the RK24HF1, has a RRP of £125 and is available right now in the UK. It’s worth noting, however, that this model can often be found for a considerable chunk less. I’ve seen this TV go for less than £110 in the past and at the time of writing, Amazon are selling it for less than £120, so keep your eye out for discounts. Of course, this places the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV firmly in the budget category, meaning it faces tough competition from the likes of JVC, TCL and Toshiba. If you’d like to weigh your options before pulling the trigger on a purchase, why not check out some strong alternatives in the ‘Also Consider’ section of this review.

RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: Specs

Should I buy the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: Also consider

How I tested the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV

• Tested at Future Labs TV testing room in various lighting conditions
• Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman software
• Tested with a variety of video content

I used a variety of sources and apps to test picture quality on the RCA Roku 24-inch. I predominantly watched content via streaming services like Netflix and YouTube, ensuring I tested out the various picture and sound modes along the way. I also played on the Xbox Series X to cover gaming performance.

When watching the TV, I selected video content that would expose its specific strengths and weaknesses of the TV. For instance, I tuned into The Batman to judge aspects such as colour fidelity, contrast and black-levels. But I also watched Smile and Sky News to assess competence in the audio department.

Lastly, I took measurements with the help of Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software. I measured peak brightness on a 10% window and 100% window, recorded the Delta-E values (which demonstrate the margin of error between the test pattern and what is displayed) for colour accuracy, grayscale and gamma. For all tests, I used the Murideo Six 8K test pattern generator. You can read all about how we test TVs at that link.

• First reviewed: January 2025
• Read more about how we test

• Roku's upping its ecosystem integration with new smart home features
• Select TVs and streaming players will now offer a picture-in-picture mode
• Smart home notifications will also appear on the big screen, thanks to this update

Roku has been on a streak of adding additional features. After updating its iconic “City” screensaver, it’s unveiling a slew of smart home features that will arrive on its streaming players and TVs.

Suffice it to say that the leading feature has been coming for a long time and will be a big win for anyone with single or multiple security cameras. Roku is bringing ‘picture-in-picture’ to its smart TV interface, meaning that if motion is detected, it won’t take over your whole screen but instead will appear in the corner of the TV.

Furthermore, if it’s an area you want to keep an eye on, you can pin that live feed to a corner of your TV. This allows you to take in whatever content you’re watching while keeping an eye on the security feed. Super handy, especially if you have a baby monitor or a dog camera. This matches the smart home picture-in-picture functionality we’ve seen on other smart TVs like Samsung’s Tizen or Google TV.

As you might expect, the picture-in-picture functionality will be rolling out to select Roku TVs and streaming players, and it works with the brand's indoor and outdoor wired cameras.

While this picture-in-picture feature is the leading new attraction, Roku's update also introduces several other features, including a “Camera Carousel,” an innovative fix for scrolling through cameras. This feature cycles through your Roku cameras and automatically switches to one if motion is detected.

We're also pleased to see smart home notifications for Roku devices finally appearing on Roku TVs. This way, you’ll get notified if motion is detected and you can easily jump into the live feed.

If you ever want to view your Roku cameras outside of the proprietary app or on the big screen, they’ve also created a website – cameras.roku.com – where you can authenticate and access a live feed.

These latest updates for Roku TVs and streaming players – like the new Ultra – strengthen the brand's ecosystem and give you deeper integration between all the devices. It’s a win if you already have a Roku TV and a camera, and it might make you invest further into Roku’s product lineup.

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• Roku City is a colorful screensaver featured on Roku devices
• It's had its resolution increased to HD
• Another free Roku upgrade

Roku City, the animated screensaver featured on Roku devices, is getting several graphical upgrades and advancements, with the free update set to roll out this week.

Roku City has first and foremost been upgraded to Full HD 1080p resolution, after spending 6 years since its release in 2018 at 720p resolution. Roku City will also show an expanded color palette for an even brighter display.

There are also new Easter Eggs and visuals featured within the scene itself, including a new train station and interactive billboards where users can learn about Roku's content and channels.

More free updates

Roku is one of the best streaming devices for offering free upgrades to its smart TV platform, with a 24/7 sports channel launched earlier this year, a free weekly trivia game and a visual upgrade in Backdrops which was introduced to the Roku Pro Series lineup, some of the best TVs on the market. Backdrops displays artwork and photos on the TV's screen in a similar style to Samsung's The Frame TVs.

Even though 2024 has been a year where Roku has introduced or hinted at the arrival of ads to its platform, whether that's Instagram-style ads or video ads, it's nice to see the company trying to make up for that with constant free updates, something other smart TV platforms and brands don't often provide.

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I don't know about you, but I am so excited to see Robert Eggers' take on the iconic vampire movie. Here at TechRadar, we've already raved about the latest Nosferatu trailer, and we're hyped to see the dynamic between Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe. There's a little while to wait as the new movie is released in January, but some of the best free streaming services are giving horror fans a treat, as you can now watch the original Nosferatu completely free. So if you've never seen it before, now is the perfect time to enjoy a brilliant piece of film history.

If you're keen to see the 1922 movie, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, it's available to watch for free on both Tubi and The Roku Channel, as well as Prime Video if you already have a paid subscription! The movie recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022, a huge milestone, and you can check out the anniversary trailer below.

Why should I watch the original Nosferatu?

There are so many reasons why I think you should give it a go. Honestly, it's so cool having a huge piece of film history freely available to stream, to the point where you have very little to lose. Even if it's not your usual kind of vibe, let's face it silent movies and German expressionism are not common genres in 2024, it's so iconic I think everyone should watch it at least once. Especially now that someone as great as Eggers is adapting it, following on from his similarly weird hits like The Lighthouse and The Witch. I can't think of a better director to take on the project for a modern audience, and I am sure he'll do it justice.

It's also a very effective bit of horror, just as good as some of the titles on our best horror movies round-up. Despite the absence of traditional dialogue like we're used to, the orchestra provides a frightening score and Max Schreck's portrayal of the ominous Count Orlok is captivating. It's a performance that has been mirrored and parodied countless times, going on to influence other filmmakers too, but nobody does it quite like him. He dominates every frame he's in, and those horrible claw-like hands put Freddy Krueger's knife glove to shame. As far as horror icons go, Count Orlok is undoubtedly up there.

There's no harm in brushing up on your silent film knowledge either, right? Modern movies like The Artist have celebrated the art form in recent years, and as a huge film fan, I think we should continue recognizing how important that era was. Nowadays we have sound, lots of it, and the best sound systems help us get the most out of our favorite movies. We are a site that's dedicated to the biggest and best in tech, and part of that tech is the reason we can access Nosferatu so freely. I think we should cherish that, personally!

If you're a big horror fan like me, definitely try Nosferatu and lose yourself in this tale of a vampire who preys on the wife of his estate agent, causing terror in the process. It's an unofficial adaptation of the iconic novel Dracula and really sets the bar high for all vampire movies. It's no wonder Eggers was so keen to bring a new version to our screens and raise the dead once more.

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• The Roku Channel has teamed up with Walmart for an interactive festive movie
• While free to watch, it will let viewers buy products on their TV during specific parts of the story
• This is the retailer's second attempt after trialling a social media romcom series

It's the end of November, and as the most wonderful time of the year approaches everyone is settling down to watch Christmas movies. There's plenty on offer whether you want a cozy classic, a cheesy Hallmark guilty pleasure, or some alternative horror festive offerings (I'm usually the latter, admittedly). The best streaming services have a lot on offer, but the Roku Channel has announced a very different kind of movie, one that might end up costing you more than you planned.

Jingle Bell Love is currently streaming on The Roku Channel, one of the best free streaming services. It stars Joey McIntyre, a member of the boy band New Kids on the Block, who plays a single father visiting his late wife’s hometown where he finds love in an unexpected place. So yeah, exactly the kind of feel-good romance you'd expect!

But it's not your average movie, it's interactive because it allows viewers to buy products from Walmart on their TV during specific parts of the story. So if you've ever seen something in a movie and thought "Hey, I want one of those", now's your chance.

Take a look at the trailer below.

How does Jingle Bell Love's interactive elements work?

Reaching into the TV and taking something is a concept that's still not yet available, as cool as the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie made it look. So Walmart has a different approach to what they're describing as a "shoppable TV".

Prior to Jingle Bell Love, the supermarket trialed a social media romcom series Add to Heart, which had 23 episodes released on TikTok, Roku, and YouTube last December. Clearly a lot of work went into this, as even some of the best Netflix shows don't have 23 episode runs.

During each minute long episode, we saw a bunch of products like an ELF lipgloss and a drone, and the YouTube description had a link to buy the products featured in that episode.

According to Business Insider, they're going one step further with Jingle Bell Love, as it's a feature length movie and Walmart will make it easier to buy products seen on the TV screen by enabling account connections between Walmart and Roku, so that payment information can be filled out automatically. Feedback off the back of Add to Heart suggested that it was "too much work to buy stuff."

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Roku Ultra (2024): Two-minute review

The Roku Ultra (2024) is as capable a streaming player as I’ve yet come across, though whether it’s one of the best streaming devices will depend entirely on how you feel about Roku’s onscreen interface. I am a fan. While I’ll dig into that a little more below, I find Roku’s software (and hardware) approach one that prioritizes convenience. It’s one of the reasons there’s still a need for external streaming players even though most contemporary TVs have their own built-in smart capabilities, which are usually not all that user-friendly.

The Roku Ultra (2024) is twice the price of Roku’s next most expensive streamer, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, and in the upper range of price when it comes to these types of devices. It’s still worth it, not to mention it’s ultimately not that expensive either. Plus, if you go cheaper, you could lose out on support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HLG, and HDR10+, all of which are available here. The performance is speedy and the remote is about as good a remote as I’ve personally used. All it’s missing is a passthrough HDMI that might be a benefit in certain setups.

As far as the physical design, the Roku Ultra (2024) is about what one would expect from a Roku streaming player. It comes in the same matte black as all of the company’s products, with just a shiny “Roku” logo emblazoned on the top. There’s also a shiny patch on the front where its sensor resides and a little purple Roku tag on its right flank.

It’s fairly slim, only an inch in height (its full dimensions are 4.9 x 5 x 1 inches), and has just one physical button on the side that offers dual functionality, with one side used for power and the other triggering the “find my remote” feature. Pressing the find my remote portion will cause the remote to ping until you press a button to indicate you’ve found it.

The port selection is pretty streamlined, as is to be expected. There’s a single HDMI, an Ethernet port – Wi-Fi 6 is also available – and a USB-A port. The USB port is a nice addition as it will give you an on-unit port to charge the remote as it comes with a rechargeable battery.

Regarding the HDMI, I would have liked a pass-through HDMI port. Though this feature generally isn’t found on streaming devices, it would have made it easier to use the Roku Ultra as the main hub of a setup (for instance, if you have a gaming console).

On that note, if you have a relatively contemporary TV with HDMI eARC (I can’t speak to older ones), the Roku Ultra (2024) can be set up to automatically turn the TV on and off and also adjust volume levels. You don’t necessarily have to do any menu diving for this either, as it’s part of the streaming player’s setup to enable that feature.

Now, let’s discuss the remote. This is not my first rodeo with the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) that comes stock with the Roku Ultra (2024). I was a fan of the remote when I reviewed the Roku Pro Series TV and I’m a fan now.

It’s only different than Roku’s other remotes on close inspection as it keeps the general shape and layout. It has a USB-C port on its butt for charging, which is an upgrade from previous rechargeable remotes that used micro-USB, a form factor I’ve had general reliability issues with. It has a toggle on one side for hands-free voice support (more on that later).

The Roku Voice Remote Pro also has a couple of extra buttons on it. There’s a reprogrammable launch button that can be used if you want a shortcut to launch an app that doesn’t already have a dedicated button on the remote, or to quickly turn on/off closed captions, just for a few examples. There’s also a guide button that launches Roku’s live TV guide channel and four app-specific launch buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Prime Video.

My only gripe is that these should all be reprogrammable (in a perfect world) since not everyone is going to be subscribed to those four apps. But my remote complaints start and end there, as the fact that its keypad is backlit – it will automatically light up when you pick it up – is fantastic.

And the Roku hands-free functionality is nice. No longer do I have to press the “listening” button, though it’s still there, to use my voice to navigate the interface. I can just say “Hey Roku, launch Netflix” to launch Netflix. It’s not perfect that you don’t have to be very clear and concise about your requests, but it generally works very well.

As far as voice assistant support goes, the Roku Ultra (2024) is compatible with Roku Smart Home, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. It also has Bluetooth support so you can pair headphones with it for late-night viewing.

As far as the Roku Ultra (2024)’s performance, Roku advertises its streaming device as “30% faster than any other Roku player.” While the company doesn’t advertise what the CPU is inside or even its speed, it definitely feels very speedy. The fact that it supports Wi-Fi 6, something other Roku streaming players don’t, will in and of itself contribute to the player’s faster response.

I was able to compare the Roku Ultra (2024) to the Roku Streambar for a baseline. Loading the Roku Channel on the Streambar took seven seconds and loading a movie took four. The Roku Ultra (2024) took four seconds to load the same app and one second to load the same movie. Even navigating through Roku’s interface is almost immediate.

There aren’t any holes in what the Roku Ultra (2024) supports as long as you don’t care about a 120Hz refresh rate – none of the external streaming players support that at the moment, however. What you do get is Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HLG and HDR10/10+. None of the other Roku streaming players support all those formats. The next most expensive one in Roku’s lineup is missing Dolby Atmos, for instance.

Lastly, we need to discuss the interface. To start, setup is easy like it always is with Roku. As long as you know your Wi-Fi password and Roku account password, all you have to do is follow the steps on the screen. Creating a new account or resetting a password (like I had to do) is easy as well. Just make sure to have access to your email for doing so.

If you’ve used previous Roku devices registered to your email and had apps installed also registered to your email, those apps will automatically be installed and logged in once you’re done with the setup.

As far as the interface itself, the main page with all the apps listed is easy to read and as intuitive as an interface could be. Deeper features, settings and such are all listed on the left side, including a few new ones like the dedicated “Sports” page. Getting through those is also intuitive. Everything makes sense in where they’re listed. For instance, when going to the section for remotes and devices, all external devices that you might connect would be listed here, or connected through settings here.

There’s also plenty of Roku-related and free content available for those of us hurting from the ever-increasing app prices. The only slightly annoying thing is the Roku content ads on the right side of the screen or during a screensaver.

I’ve always thought of Roku as a convenience-first company where making products that are easy to interact with is the priority. That’s the case with the Roku Ultra (2024), too, but in this case, performance is also a factor.

Roku Ultra (2024): Price and release date

• Price: $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150)
• Release date: September 2024

For whatever reason, Roku’s presence outside of the US is somewhat spotty. That means, at the time of writing, those in the UK or Australia will have to just look on in envy (or invest in a capable competitor).

The actual price is $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150) – at the upper price range for most streaming players outside of the Apple TV 4K – though it is already seeing discounts. That’s twice the price of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, the next most expensive streaming-only player Roku makes (so excluding soundbars and TVs). You’ll have to decide if you care about Wi-Fi 6 support, Dolby Atmos, or the new backlit remote, which are all part of the Ultra package, but not the Streaming Stick 4K.

The new Google TV Streamer (4K) goes for the same price and has the same 4K, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ support, but not Wi-Fi 6 – a probable factor in how speedy these devices function. It does have a redesigned remote from the previous Chromecast players, so it’s to be seen how it compares to the new remote from Roku.

Of course, you can go a little cheaper and still keep most of the same support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Atmos with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023), though Atmos is only available on select services. While it is cheaper at $59.99 / £69.99 / AU$119 (not including its many discounts), its OS is a bit heavy on Amazon Prime material, including a bunch of related ads, so keep that in mind with the price difference.

Should you buy the Roku Ultra (2024)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Roku Ultra (2024): Also consider

How I tested the Roku Ultra (2024)

• Used regularly for several weeks
• Tested with all sorts of apps
• Tested the remote

I used the Roku Ultra (2024) regularly for several weeks. I used it with Roku content, popular third-party content like Max, as well as free offerings from the company. I also spent time using the remote and its various functions.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2024

It’s not always the case that you can find savings on a tech product shortly after it’s released, but Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days – aka a second Prime Day – is serving that up quite a bit. Right now, you can score the Roku Ultra for just $79 (was $99.99) at Amazon, and that’s a record $20.99 off the newest and fastest streamer ever from the brand.

• Shop more Prime Day deals

The Roku Ultra (2024) was only unveiled 14 days ago, on September 24, 2024. It maintains an unassuming, slim, rounded square build but ups the performance and comes paired with the latest Voice Remote Pro. We’re still testing it, but considering the value that most Roku streaming set-top boxes deliver, this latest one should be stellar.

Like any other Roku, the 2024 Ultra provides easy access to all the major streaming services and free content viewing through the brand’s platform. Thanks to a new quad-core processor, performance is promised to be super-zippy and up to 30% faster than other Roku streaming boxes. It will also power some AI and machine learning functionality, like better content recommendations to watch and predicting what you might start streaming. This way, there is less time for waiting or buffering.

It now supports all the major HDR standards, including Dolby Vision and HDR 10+, at up to 4K resolution. It sports an HDMI 2.1 connection on the back, and under the hood, it now supports Wi-Fi 6. In the box, you’ll find the new Voice Remote Pro with more customizable buttons to let you make it work how you want it to, TV controls for power and volume, and backlight keys for easy viewing at any time of day.

So whether you have an aging streamer at home or want to ditch your TV’s built-interface, the brand new Roku Ultra with a sharp 21% discount on Amazon in the United States is an excellent deal. You can score it here for just $79 at Amazon in the United States, but unfortunately, it’s unavailable outside the country.

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