And in many ways Roku Express is a better product than Chromecast. Roku Express Streaming Player Review Roku have been involved in the streaming industry for some time now, and have released a number of products over the years that brought services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer to our living rooms. From the Settings menu, you can hide the Fandango stores, the News and the customized Feed, leaving just the bare bones of navigation. The Roku Express, which retails at $29.99, is a great entry-level option for the rookie streamer. No fun. There was a problem. It's slower than most current streamers, including Roku's Stick, but the experience varies widely per app. The Roku Express is one of the cheapest smart TV sticks on the market. (I think Apple TV has Roku beat for depth of search, but even that gap is closing.) All of the 4K HDR streaming goodness, none of the fluff, The best value in 4K HDR streaming, if your Wi-Fi is solid, 4K HDR stick speaks Alexa, carries big streaming features, Premium-grade 4K HDR streaming for a high price, By Roku Express Review – is it any good? Read more. The Express+ is an identical product with one exception. 727 people found this helpful. This device is still a little too light for its own good, and Roku's incredibly permissive attitude toward content is starting to work against it. When you set up the Express, you can link some of your existing accounts — such as Amazon Prime, Hulu and Sling TV — with your Roku account to avoid a tedious sign-in. Audio was clear and and lip synch was good in my tests with wired headphones. Whereas before the Express was a thin box that resembled a compact pencil case, it now looks like a rounded trapezoid. The worst part of the Express is the slow speed of navigating its on-screen menu. The Roku Express is a well-priced way of getting full HD streaming smarts into a not-so-clever telly, and at £30, it’s bit of a bargain, but with some noticeable cuts to keep that price down. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This year, Roku really wants to take back that crown with the Roku Express, an entry-level streamer with an asking price that's $5 less. New York, CNET may get a commission from these offers. There's also a smaller annoyance: Preexisting sign-ins sometimes don't work. The Roku Express isn't the best Roku you can get; that would be the $60 Roku Streaming Stick+. We have both a Chromecast and a Roku. I'd then press a button, and nothing would happen. It's slower, especially with Netflix, than alternatives that cost just a few bucks more. Generally, it's better to have more apps than fewer, but some of the deep-cut content is bad enough to reflect poorly on the platform. Unlike Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and similar operating systems, Roku doesn't favor any apps over others. But you may also want to invest in a little Velcro to hold it down securely. The best part of the Express is that it's a Roku. For those who haven't tried a Roku device before, here's how it works: The home screen has a number of options. Measuring just 3.3 inches long by 1.4 inches deep by 0.7 inches thick, it’s as if the Express was born by cutting an old Roku … The Roku Express Plus (3910) is a streaming device that was released in October 2017 . You can also access My Feed, which lets you monitor prices and availability on movies and TV shows. The Roku Express (2019) is a small, inexpensive gadget that can make any setup feel pretty smart. The first option lets you navigate right over to your streaming channels; from the time you turn the device on, you are never more than two clicks away from launching an app. If the remote was down by my knee, nothing would happen. Unlike the Stick and Chromecast, the Express can only connect to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, not the faster (and often less crowded and therefore more reliable) 5GHz band. Unlike fancier Roku remotes, the Express remote requires direct line of sight to function. But it drives me slightly batty when the audio and visuals are out of sync, and I know I'm not the only one. Doing so allows it to blend in almost invisibly, and keeps the required cables from dragging it around. You cannot pair the Roku 2 remote with the Express+ box.) The first is that the Roku search is inconsistent about sending users to the piece of content in question when it launches an app. Unless you're really, really strapped for cash, skip the Express and spend the extra $20 to get the Roku Streaming Stick. Or if you'd prefer to consign those apps to the bottom of your list and bring Spotify, Pandora and iHeartRadio to the top of the list, that's fine, too. Now, the 2019 Roku Express ($30) is here, with a complete physical redesign and fairly snappy performance, and — well, you can see the score for yourself above. The Good The Roku Express is cheap, easy to use and loaded with streaming apps. When we first reviewed the device, back in 2016, we gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars, citing its awkward design and slow speed. But almost every other streaming box has a much more forgiving remote — and the Roku Express is tiny, so aiming requires some fine-tuning. The Bad It's slower, especially with Netflix, than alternatives that cost just a … Roku Express Review November 01, 2016 14:02 EST • Alexandre Vallières-Lagacé • 4 minutes read Not too long ago, the good friends at Roku announced a completely new lineup of their media streaming boxes. At $30, it’s the cheapest streaming player that Roku sells. Rick Roku revamped its whole lineup recently, replacing its old numbered models with new branded ones. This is more than enough for viewing most shows and movies. Enjoy! Hulu and YouTube were a step slower than on the Stick, but still better than Netflix. Today we take a look at the 2019 Roku Express. For those who just want to spend as little as possible on a streamer, the Roku Express will get the job done. That's because Roku offers one of the simplest, most straightforward menu systems on the market. While the Roku Express (2019) is generally better than its previous iterations, the latest remote is still not really up to snuff. That said, if you have a large flatscreen and want to watch in 4K, the Roku Express isn’t going to cut it for you. 1.0 out of 5 stars Subpar Customer Service. Apps launch quickly enough, scrolling through the home page's list of apps isn't too much slower than the Stick, and the two were about equal in other areas of Roku's menu, like the channel store and My Feed sections. Still, the Roku Express has tons of channels, a robust search feature and good enough performance for everyday viewing. Roku Express would not connect to TCL Android TV. Of course, double-sided tape or velcro could do the trick too. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It’s also by far the worst, mostly because … This could simply be a daisy-chaining issue (Roku Express to a Wi-Fi connection, Wi-Fi to a smartphone app, smartphone app to Bluetooth headphones). The only solution is to deliberately click through at a slower pace. Roku Express (2017) – Performance I can confirm that the Roku Express (2017) is noticeably faster than its predecessor, with much less waiting around and a much smoother browsing experience. Amazon responded almost as quickly on the Express as on the Stick, as did Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and HBO Now. Either way, credit to Roku for including it in a $30 device. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, And if you already have a recent Roku 2 or Roku 3, you already have a speedier box than the Express, too. It's smaller than the remote, in fact, and can be easily placed just about anywhere in your AV system that allows the remote's infrared beams can strike its front surface. HDMI output (analog video available on the, Stereo, Dolby Digital+ and DTS audio support. Roku Express review: summary. Dive past the first few pages of apps, and you'll find crackpot conspiracy theories, paranoid religious programming, content of questionable copyright status and apps peddling what could charitably be called "laddie magazine" media. The Roku Express streams in 1080p and is capable of up-scaling from 720p. (The absolute dumbest one was a $400 screen saver that simply asked, "Are you rich enough to afford this?"). The good The Roku Express is cheap, easy to use and loaded with streaming apps. Be advised - if you didn't catch it in the product description, the Roku Express and Express+ don't have a radio-based remote, so you have to maintain line-of-sight with the box, and you don't get the headphone jack in the remote. Top critical review. And Roku really does mean "direct," not "a few inches off to the side.". MORE: How to Use Roku - Tips, Tricks and Solutions for Your Streaming. It doesn't lock options to your home screen that you never use. © 2021 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. There's also Roku's signature home menu, which lets you drag and drop apps to suit your liking. The bad It's slower, especially with Netflix, than alternatives that cost just a few bucks more. That means that the cord can very easily hoist the device off of a flat surface entirely. It doesn't push content you don't want to see (except for some admittedly annoying sidebar ads). On the other hand, the Roku Express is simply not as good as Roku's own $50 Streaming Stick, our favorite streamer ever. It's also worth noting that the Express has the latest versions of Netflix (with separate profiles for each family member), YouTube, Hulu and Sling TV although many other apps, like HBO Now and PlayStation Vue, have the more generic Roku interfaces. The Good The Roku Express (2019) is an affordable, easy-to-use mini streamer with access to thousands of apps. Is Roku's $30 streamer its best value yet? You can definitely find all the standard streaming services on the Roku Express, from Netflix and Hulu, to Spotify and Pandora, to Sling TV and PlayStation Vue. There's also the Roku search, which is still best-in-class when it comes to breadth. Price: $29.99. with alacrity until you alight on just the thumbnail you want ("Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2"). Roku first made a name for itself by offering thousands upon thousands of streaming apps, and that hasn’t changed. In sum, Roku's Stick is significantly faster than the Express with many functions, especially Netflix. On the Roku stick and other fast devices you can blow through the rows of suggestions (e.g., TV Shows, Top Picks for David, Because you watched Beethoven's Treasure Tail, etc.) I switched to a Vizio V series Smart TV and Roku Express connected to WiFi upon the initial set up, now it will not connect to WiFi even after following all the prompts multiple times to restart the system. Jennifer Roku Express Streaming quality. I stuck with Roku because of the Spectrum app. The Express delivers everything good about Roku for a rock-bottom price, but it's worth spending a bit extra on a faster streamer. It has an actual remote and on-screen display, which I find much easier to use than Chromecast's phone-based system. Roku Express+ comes in the form of a box — which may conjure up images of a big, clunky device. The Express isn't quite as minimalist as the Roku Stick or the Chromecast, but it's almost as small. The Roku Express has undergone a drastic, and much-needed, redesign since 2017. All critical reviews › Grrgoyl. MORE: What to Do If Your Roku Remote Is Lost or Broken. The old Roku Express was a decent streaming device for the money. © Bisset, By However, because the Roku search covers so much ground, you'll also find a lot of irrelevant nonsense from a lot of subpar apps. The Roku Express is cheap, easy to use and loaded with streaming apps. Browsing on many other apps was better. Thumbnail images, which on a faster streamer would be kept filled with images of cute dogs (or whatever) as you scroll, load more slowly on the Express as well, creating rows of unpopulated gray boxes. That difference alone is worth the extra $20. Search is equally agnostic, covering scads of apps and presenting results by price. Like its predecessor, the 2019 Roku Express is extremely light, and the included HDMI cable is quite short. Granted, "you have to point the remote directly at the device" is hardly the most damning criticism a gadget could earn. I usually sit on the left of my couch. It is a tiny set-top box that needs to be visible to be used. Roku Express Review Conclusion For the price (under $30) its hard to beat the Roku Express. If you want to add streaming services to a dumb TV in the cheapest, most user-friendly way possible, Roku Express is a great and affordable option. Roku's app for phones and tablets also controls the Express, and allows convenient options like voice search, playing photos from your phone on the TV and using your phone's keyboard to type in terms. The Roku Express doesn't have a perfect physical design, by any means, but it's gotten a lot better. I'm super happy with the Roku Express and should I need another Roku, this is the one I will buy, I highly recommend it. Roku Express is the best-value media streaming box you can buy, cheaper than both Amazon and Google's options and offering a incredibly user-friendly interface that is … There's something to be said for an arithmetic progression. This Walmart-exclusive variant is identical to the default Express, save that it comes with a voice remote. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. This app allows us to change channels quickly, search for specific shows or movies to play, and control the playback settings. The bottom line The Express delivers everything good about Roku for a rock-bottom price, but it's worth spending a bit extra on a faster streamer. It’s fast, has 4K HDR, and has a remote that does it all. It doesn't artificially favor one streaming service's offerings over another's. Roku Express review: Price and competition The Roku Express has an RRP of £30 but at the time of writing it costs £25, and has anecdotally dropped down to as little as £18 in sales. You will receive a verification email shortly. Also included in the box is one of the shortest HDMI cables I've ever seen. The Roku Express is still a no-frills streamer designed to make it as easy as possible to get to the content you want to watch as quickly as possible. Since the stream has to restart when you skip back or forward far enough, that longer load time can add up. Aside from iTunes, I can't really think of a major service that the Express doesn't host, and Apple's walled garden problem is hardly unique to Roku. Roku hopes to have the issue resolved by the time the Express ships. If you want Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime to greet you every time you boot up the system, you can make that happen. The Roku Express has undergone a drastic, and much-needed, redesign since 2017. Otherwise, the Roku remote is fine, with directional buttons, media-control buttons, a few dedicated channel buttons and so forth. It's a little disappointing that you don't get one of Roku's much better voice remotes, but you can always use the mobile app or track down a Roku Express+ ($40). This isn't a good or bad thing; it just means that you probably don't want to pick it up if you're looking to pair it with a 4K TV. Team Clark’s Review. Not so fast. Beyond that, there's really not much to the device. The Express is not even the best Roku in this price range, as I think the $40 Roku Premiere gives you better features. Follow this topic to get notifications about new stories. While the "approve 'em all and let the users sort it out" attitude is generally a good thing, I feel like Roku could curate its app selection at least a little. Other than that, the Roku Express is pretty speedy, although not up to par with some of Roku's fancier offerings. The Roku Express does essentially all the same things as any other streaming device in the Roku family; it plugs into your television via an HDMI … While the 2017 model retained the questionable design, the device's performance had improved, earning it 3 out of 5 stars. NY 10036. Individual programs on Netflix also took longer to start playing once I selected them, even though I was on the same (very fast) 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network with both devices. You’ll want to upgrade to one of Roku’s premium devices, like the Roku Ultra. It's dead simple to understand, allows full customization so you can put apps wherever you want on the screen, and -- unlike Apple and Amazon streamers -- it doesn't prioritize any "preferred" service over any other. The Roku Express still has a few physical shortcomings: It's a little too light for its own good, and having to line up the remote perfectly with the receiver can lead to some uncomfortable arm positions over time. Visit our corporate site. Pair it with a guest room or kitchen TV, and you've got a small, inexpensive gadget that can make any setup feel pretty smart. This device is not a stick or a dongle. 2020 Roku Express Plus (3910) Review. The last piece of the puzzle worth talking about is the remote that ships with the Roku Express. The beautiful thing about Roku is that you don't have to use any of these options if you don't want to. (The Roku 2 does have the remote-with-headphones option. Few other streaming devices can touch Roku when it comes to the user interface. View on Amazon Product prices and availability are accurate as of 11/20/2020 and are subject to change. We really like that the Roku has an app that is compatible with our phones. MORE: Best Streaming Services - Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon. The Express comes with an adhesive strip you can use to mitigate this, but then, the device will pretty much be stuck where you place it permanently. That said, I had no issues using the Express on my network in the crowded Wi-Fi environment at CNET's test lab. Died After 4 Months. Very often, I'd want to pause a show or access the Home menu, and so I'd proceed to point my remote up at the TV. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. I recently reviewed Roku’s $99 Ultra streaming box and it offers the best experience you can get from a Roku device. It just lets you customize what you want to see and helps you find the cheapest place to get new content. Also, this device occupies an odd place in the market, since it doesn't support 4K but has also dropped its support for analog TVs. That means full access to the largest selection of worthwhile apps of any streaming device, contained in a great interface. Prior, I had a Roku stick that finally burned out after a couple of years of heavy use. Please refresh the page and try again. It also gets the nifty headphone "private listening" feature that debuted on the Stick -- just plug a pair of headphones into your phone, hit the headphone icon in the app, and audio is muted on the TV and comes through the 'phones instead. See our review of the Roku Express for a full rundown of its design and features. Clockwise from the top: the Express, the power supply, sticker, HDMI cable and remote. It may be a perfect choice for most beginner streamers. Literally, there is no other device this inexpensive. In many other speed tests, however, the Express was plenty quick. But in my experience, only about half of these links worked; other times, I had to sign in the old-fashioned way anyway. It mostly worked well. Roku Express Review 2021 The Express isn’t the best Roku device, but it’s a killer value—or a cheap gift. By the way, people who want to connect an older TV to Roku should check out the Roku Express+, the $40 version that features and analog audio/video output. First off, the Roku Express is a 1080p device. The feature didn't work, however, unless I had my headphones plugged in before the stream started. Its 2-foot length seems pitifully inadequate at first glance, but if you stick the little box close enough to the TV's input, it'll probably get the job done. MORE: Best Streaming Devices - Roku vs. Chromecast vs. Apple TV, In fact, Roku's incredible permissiveness, which started off as a strength, has become something of a liability. The version I got has shortcuts for Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and Google Play Movies and TV, but yours may vary depending on where it was purchased. Sometimes, I'd pick a movie on Netflix from the search and I'd arrive right at the film; other times, I'd wind up on the Netflix home screen and have to start the search all over again. At $30, the Roku Express is the cheapest streaming player from a major manufacturer, and you get plenty of features for that price. The $30 Roku Express (top) and the $50 Roku Streaming Stick. It's slower to respond, especially with Netflix, its remote has to be aimed at the TV, and the box itself isn't as slick as the minimalist, no-cable-required Stick. Other operating systems have since followed Roku's example, but Roku's interface is still the most straightforward. It was a pain to enter all the information on my phone and go through the tortuous linking process just to have to do it all again, only this time entering one painstaking letter at a time with the Roku remote. I have only two small complaints here. However, "better" doesn't mean "perfect." It comes with a power cord (you can plug it into a TV's USB port or to a wall outlet) and a remote control, which I'll discuss later. The new one is much better, and in my trials often felt on-par … Should You Buy a Roku Express? The most popular app, Netflix, is also the slowest, particularly with browsing. This is a great way to find the cheapest price on a movie rental or to discover little-known Easter eggs and rare videos you may have never seen. The Roku Express is a notable exception. And along with all the other major apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Sling TV and thousands more, it has an app for Amazon video, which Chromecast does not. If I tried to give commands from another spot in my apartment, nothing would happen. Load times and app performance are quick and reliable. If you enter a keyword, such as a title or an actor's name, Roku will search through hundreds and hundreds of different apps, looking for any piece of content related to your phrase. Roku's remote is simple and well-designed to use entirely by feel, with everything you need including basic transport (play/pause and fast-forward/rewind) keys. It's much more attractive, and more importantly, it can sit flat on the surface of an entertainment center rather than hang off the side of a TV. Packing Roku’s excellent ecosystem, and claimed improvements like five times the computing power of its predecessor, the Roku Express … Specs: 1080p video resolution. But the Roku Express is a lot better than before, and it's a pretty good value, at $30. The Roku Express has become our default media player that is used. If you've ever seen a streaming remote before, there's nothing special to report here. Product Review: Roku's HD streaming device has had a slight facelift. As I covered in a recent review of the Roku Express, the entry-level streaming device has Clark Howard’s approval and is a steal at a retail price of $29.99. The Roku Express can output video in 720p and 1080p resolution, which you get depends on the content source and the TV you're watching it on. The other complaint is that while you can pair the Roku Express to Roku's mobile app for private listening with headphones, it introduces some lag, even on a pristine Wi-Fi connection. Other apps varied; Hulu was slower to launch, but not as slow as Netflix, while Sling TV took about as long to launch a program, on the Stick as on the Express. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, Moto G smartwatch just leaked — and a lot more, OnePlus 9R and OnePlus Watch tipped to join OnePlus 9 at big March event, Starlink satellite internet coverage map, cost, speed and availability, Xbox Game Pass killer upgrades could put Google Stadia to shame. Having to keep the box on display is nowhere near as slick as other streaming sticks, which are easily hidden. I went with Roku Express because if its low sale cost of $25 and the small size. I have to give the Roku Express credit for making steady progress in each iteration. Last year's best-selling TV streaming device was the $35 Google Chromecast. I could go on (and I have before) but suffice to say Roku is the best streaming platform in my book. This is Roku's low-end HD streaming player that just costs $29.99. But $20 isn't a lot to ask for an appreciably better experience, especially in a device you'll use every day. I bought a another Roku stick, but got 2 overheat warnings within 3 days of ownership so I returned it. Broida. Roku, which originated in 2008 as a way to stream Netflix content on a television, has become a leader in producing devices that make going from cable to streaming as easy as possible. If all you ever want to do with your Roku Express is launch your three or four favorite apps, watch a few shows, and turn the device off again, the interface will let you do so as efficiently as possible. The search is broad, but it's not precise, and you will probably have to sift through a great deal of chaff before you get to the useful wheat beneath. To illustrate: The HDMI ports on my TV are on its right side. On the Express each downward click takes a bit longer to register and reveal the next line, and a few clicks in quick succession cause a cascading delay, where the scrolling continues without input from you, until you lose track and get annoyed. Whereas before the Express was a thin box that resembled a compact pencil case, it now looks like a rounded trapezoid. If you've got a 1080p TV and want to access almost every streaming channel imaginable, this device is a good investment. Standout feature: Thousands of available apps. As usual video quality was just as good as on any other non-4K streamer. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Give Roku credit, at least, for the Roku Express’ looks. With an all … You can also access the Fandango stores for movies and TV, News, Search, Streaming Channels (browse for new apps), and Settings. In an ingenious move, Roku includes a sticker so you can affix the Express to the bottom of your TV (see above), the cabinet, or wherever. This tiny set-top-box is capable of delivering streaming video in HD 1080p, including popular services such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and many more. I didn't test it with Bluetooth headphones this time around, but they caused lip sync issues when I tested this feature on the Stick. The new Roku Express might lack 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and some of the neat features you’ll find on Roku’s other streamers, but for the rock-bottom price of … I didn't notice any lag while browsing menus or launching apps, although there can be a delay of a few seconds when you return to the home screen.
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