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Roku Express 4K+ Review
Everything to know about Roku's affordable 4K streaming device
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What is Roku Express 4K+?
If you're new to streaming, you might be wondering: What is Roku? The company has carved out a serious niche in the video streaming industry, offering a range of streaming devices that cater to all types of viewers. Whether you need something simple and affordable or a more robust device with support for 4K viewing, you can find the right Roku device for you.
The Roku Express 4K+ offers a good balance between value and luxury. At $40, it won't break the bank, but it comes with compelling features like live and on-demand titles, 4K viewing, a voice-controlled remote, and Roku's private listening feature. Keep reading to find out if this Roku media player is right for you.
Roku Express 4K+ Pricing
As we've mentioned, the Roku Express 4K+ retails for about $40 -- whether you buy directly from Roku or a third-party retailer like Amazon. Considering all of the impressive features that come with this product (more on that later), we think that this is definitely a fair price.
You can also find this Roku TV device from a number of other physical and online stores, including Best Buy, Staples, and Walmart. Depending on when you buy, you may be able to take advantage of sales or coupons to bring the price down even further.
Roku Express 4K+ Features
Overall, the Roku Express 4K+ is well-liked by users. As of the writing of this article, the streaming device has a 4.7-star average rating at Amazon, with many shoppers praising its ease of use and streaming quality. Here's what to know if you're considering buying this device.
Setup
Getting started with the Roku Express 4K+ is easy. It includes an HDMI cable that plugs into your TV on one end and the Roku device on the other -- making it super simple to transform your TV into a smart TV. After that, you'll need to plug the USB cable into the power adapter and your Roku.
Next, turn on your TV and follow the prompts to access your Roku account and connect your TV to your home wireless network. Once that's done, you can start adding apps (either by searching for them directly or downloading Roku's suggested apps), log in to your streaming accounts, and start watching your favorite programs.
Design and Navigation
Another great benefit of the Roku Express 4K+ device (and the company's other products) is that it's easy to navigate. Once you've added your apps, you'll find them on the home screen and add more whenever you'd like, using your voice-enabled remote or the Roku remote app.
Easy-To-Use Remote
At this point, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Roku remote is easy to use too. It's compact enough to fit within your hand and includes very few buttons -- which can take some practice but ultimately makes life easier for you.
On the Roku remote, you'll find the basic buttons you'd expect on a traditional remote, including a power button, channel-changing buttons, volume buttons, and rewind, pause, and fast forward functionality. But since this is a streaming device, you'll also find a home button, back button, and buttons that you can program for easy access to your favorite streaming platforms.
On top of that, there's a microphone button that you can press to speak into your remote and find your favorite TV shows, movies, sporting events, and more. Alternatively, you can use the Roku app instead of your remote. Or, if you'd prefer to go hands-free, you can use your voice assistant of choice (Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri) to instruct your Roku to play just about anything that suits your mood.
Not sure how to pair a Roku remote with your TV? Check out this guide to getting started with Roku.
Streaming Quality
If you're serious about streaming quality, you'll love the Roku Express 4K+. As its name suggests, this product supports 4K viewing (if you have a TV that supports 4Ks streaming) and is compatible with HD TVs, 4K TVs, and 4K HDR TVs. As long as you have one of these TVs, the Roku is capable of delivering crisp and clear picture quality that rivals any other 4K streaming device.
Titles
As a Roku user, you'll have access to a comprehensive lineup of paid streaming services. You'll find all of the most popular apps, including Apple TV+, Disney+, fuboTV, HBO Max, Hulu, Hulu + Live TV, Netflix, Philo, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and more. If you have other paid streamers, like Discovery+ or Paramount+, you can also find them on Roku. These services have a huge library of live and on-demand titles, so you can start watching your favorite programs in minutes.
Prefer free streaming services? The Roku Express 4K+ is also compatible with no-cost streamers like ABC News Live, Crackle, Peacock, Pluto TV, and ViX. The company even has its own free streaming service called the Roku Channel, which gives you access to movies, TV shows, Roku Originals, and more.
If you're a music lover, you can use Roku to listen to your favorite music apps, such as Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Sirius XM, and Spotify. You can even download the Peloton app to work out with Roku.
In short, Roku has a vast number of apps and is constantly adding more. Once you've set up your device, you can flip through the menu to find and download your favorites.
Private Listening
Roku offers an interesting feature called "private listening," which lets you plug headphones into your remote and hear your TV through them. It's a great option for parents, people with roommates, or anybody who doesn't want to disturb your household.
Roku Express 4K+ Compared
Roku Express 4K+ vs. Amazon Fire TV Stick
In terms of price, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is the most comparable streaming device in Amazon's lineup. Both the Roku and Amazon devices retail for about $40.
When it comes to functionality, these devices have a lot in common. They both allow you to watch movies and TV shows on your favorite apps (such as Hulu and Netflix), control your streaming device with a remote, and support voice control.
However, the Amazon device only works with Alexa, whereas the Roku product also supports Siri and Google Assistant. Additionally, this particular Amazon product does not support 4K streaming -- which is a big drawback when compared to the Roku.
Meanwhile, the Roku Express 4K+ and Fire TV Stick also have slightly different designs. While the Amazon device plugs directly into your TV, the Roku one must be connected through an HDMI port.
Finally, the home screen on the Fire TV Stick isn't as intuitive as the Roku's. On the Roku Express 4K+, your apps are neatly organized into a grid, but Amazon's home screen puts apps alongside show and movie recommendations. For many people, this isn't a huge deal, but it can be frustrating for people who want easy access to their apps.
Roku Express 4K+ vs. Google Chromecast
Coming in at $30, the Google Chromecast is slightly cheaper than the Roku Express 4K+. It also works with all of the apps that you'll find on the Roku device; however, it's much harder to navigate -- partly because it doesn't come with a remote.
Instead, you need to connect another device (such as a mobile phone or laptop) to your Chromecast and then "cast" your screen onto your TV. It could take some getting used to, and it probably isn't the best option for people who want more of a traditional cable TV experience.
On the plus side, the Chromecast lets you use certain Google features and functionality on your TV (such as Chrome and Photos). There are also games, sports channels, and more -- although some may require a subscription.
Our Final Take
Simply put, the Roku Express 4K+ is a powerful streaming device at a great price. With it, you'll get all of your favorite live and on-demand TV apps, 4K streaming, voice control, and extra features like private listening.