The Roku Pro Series is now the best goggle box Roku makes . And it ’s perceivable if you ’re now asking : “ Weird , I did n’t know Roku made its own stigma of TVs — when did that happen ? ”
The answer is this : Roku , after licensing its run system to the like of TCL , Hisense , and others for years , settle in 2023 thatit would go into rivalry with its partnersand create TVs under its own name . And Roku has the chops . The platform is n’t just for streaming Netflix and such — it ’s key to drive the processing that makes the TV look the path it does . I just always thought it singular that Roku would go into competition with its own partners .
And the Roku Pro Series absolutely is go to vie , with its mini - contribute backlight system , full - array local dimming , Roku ’s best processing , a premium audio system , and other premium touches . It go mind - to - head — in term of price , anyway — withTCL ’s Q7and Hisense ’s U7N and U8N.
So I think the right move here is take a look at everything on offering from this 120Hz QLED TV , which comes in 55- , 65- , and 75 - inch options . The substance abuser experience . The audio organization . Available accessories . Picture caliber . And we ’ll see how it compete with similarly price TVs . TCL and Hisense have set up the bar for what you’re able to look at this price . And if you ’re take care at this Roku Pro Series TV , you should be look at those other mannikin as well . Of of course , it could be that this TV punch above its price , too . So … we ’ll see .
Now , get ’s get into it .
Design and details
We be in a bezel - liberal world today , and that ’s what Roku delivers with its Pro Series . The TV is not exceptionally thin , but I ’m in person OK with that if space is used to house and function a killer backlight arrangement – we want cleverness power and control .
Roku gets bonus points from me for the feet that support the TV because they each come with built - in screws that are easy to confiscate to the TV ’s chassis — no screwdriver required .
The screen has a solid anti - glare polish , but it ’s nothing remarkable . There ’s no rainbow effect triggered by the screen intervention as we ’ve seen on other TVs , like the Bravia 9 , which may come as a alleviation for those who do n’t care for it .
Look past the novelty of the cast of the remote control if you may , because it otherwise ticks all the essential boxes . It is backlit . crying win . It has a outback viewfinder utterer . Another profits . It ’s a voice remote with an onboard switch . OK , I ’ll take it . Volume and mute button are on the side . Fine . cyclosis services you ’ll really use are in the hot - key smirch . I ’m with it . And the quick - launch button is programmable , so you could put shortcut here . I really , really , labor that feature article . It sounds like a little thing now , but I swear you ’re going to come down in love with it .
It ’s a freaking well - rounded TV that I think a LOT of folks are going to love using on adaily basis .
The Roku operating system ? Well , it is what it is . I would screw to see Roku give it a serious side - lift , and it ’s bring a footling slick up over the age . But those who use Roku will find it familiar and those who have n’t used Roku yet will find it gentle to learn . The Roku OS is loaded with all form of really usable extras — like a screen reader modality with lots of controls . It ’s get well-off - to - use parental controls , and a node style that allows Guest to access their apps with the assurance that they ’ll automatically be logged out while your main explanation stay off limits .
There are four HDMI port — two are HDMI 2.1 — and the eARC port wine is disjoined from those next - gen HDMI ports . This TV does have an motorcar - secret plan mode with some gaming - favorable features , include variable refresh charge per unit ( VRR ) and automobile low response time mode ( ALLM ) with FreeSync Premium Pro certification .
It ’s a freaking well - rounded TV that I think a LOT of family line are going to love using on a daily cornerstone . That already counts for a whole lot .
Audio
The sound quality on this TV is phenomenal for the Leontyne Price . I would put this mighty up against the Sony Bravia 9 — a television receiver that costs way , way more . I didnotsee this coming . I suppose Roku already made a great - sound speaker in the Streambar . I was less enthused with the Roku Wireless Speakers when I tried them , but they were decent . This tv set ’s audio system , though ? Top - tier up . It ’s fuck off system of weights and plug for a TV . And when I had it sitting on the floor , I could feel the basso do through the concrete floor and a carpeting . The stereo system interval is clearly audible and kind of telling for a TV , and it does n’t seek to fake surround strait so grueling that it screws thing up for dialogue limpidity . voice are always clean-cut .
Picture quality
For all my nit nerds out there wondering how the Roku Pro Series stacks up to the contest , here we go .
Roku sets up its user controls so you get this sorting of shortcut of Darker to Brighter . This is available for both SDR and HDR pictorial matter fashion , and it appears to raise the average picture level and the apex brightness capableness . But interestingly , there ’s no impact to the backlight scene in the expert configurations menu . This means you get a reasonably all-inclusive cooking stove of control of the television ’s brightness .
In SDR Movie mode , I got peak brightness readings that ranged from 100 nits on the low conclusion up to about 750 nits on the high last . That ’s by adjusting from Darker to Brighter and leaving the backlight setting alone . Normal , which is the default setting , put the SDR brightness norm at 300 nits .
In HDR , the brightest measurement I got — with the Brighter setting and the backlight and brightness slider maxed out by default in HDR — was about 1600 nit . At the Normal setting , it was close to 1,400 . The takeout is that the TV can get very shining and is on par , I suspect , with the QM7 from TCL , though that remains to be proven .
I do n’t have a problem if Roku ’s intent was to just make a very bright TV .
The TV is as lustrous as I would bear for the money . That ’s the key here .
As for the rest of the measuring in the nonremittal SDR Movie and Dark HDR manner — which have the most exact vividness temperature — all of the grayscale and color measurements were very miserable . However — and this is highly important — the reasonableness that these measurements look so uncollectible is due to just one matter : overbrightening .
The people of color coordinates are correct . Forest Green read as forest commons . It ’s not like Forest Green looks like Emerald Green . The reason that the coloration measurements are so bad here is because they are far bright than they should be . Same for grayscale . The RGB proportionality is not ugly , though it is too warm in most cases .
I do n’t have a problem if Roku ’s aim was to just make a very bright TV . I think that ’s what the overwhelming absolute majority of consumers want . They like it like that , and I ’m not here to say they should n’t have what they need . But this is called the Pro Series , and my personal preference would be for these picture modes to be more exact . Overbrighten the movie in Standard way , if you must . I do n’t worry .
It does n’t measure well , but that does n’t mean it looks spoilt .
What Idohave a problem with is an progeny I ’ve seen in some vie TVs . Turn off local dimming , and all the measurements lose it powerful into focal point . And not by just a little bit . Do that , and these are prima color accuracy and color gamut measurements for a TV at this monetary value .
So why should local dimming make the TV twist out of control ? It does n’t have to be this direction , and I would argue it should n’t be this way . I ’m presuppose to choose between have blooming and halo consequence and greyish blacks that impact contrast and some colour of accuracy ? No . There ’s no need for that . And I say this because there are raft of other TVs that manage to maintain cohesiveness with local dimming turn on and even maxed out .
So this is a hopeful TV . Technically , an overbright TV . It does n’t measure out well , but that does n’t imply it looks bad . Quite the opposite . But if you were hoping that this could be a good partisan tv set on a budget , it ’s not that .
The short version
If you ’ve skipped past all those numbers , here ’s the hatful with this Roku Pro Series TV : It is delightfully lustrous . Technically , it overbrightens everything , but that is a look that most family line jazz , so I have no problem with it .
And because the TV does a great task at maintaining good black tier , it has really telling dividing line , too . That jazz band means this telly is get to , again , be a delight to watch in price of brightness , contrast , and color . Most folks will love what this goggle box is doing in those areas .
The test radiation diagram I used propose the telly is n’t great at upscaling . But the real - world content I watch hint it does a reasonably corking job in the ways that weigh to most folks . For example , I watch out a lot ofChiPs – a television set show made in the late 1970s and other ’ 80s . So fairly low-down firmness . And it looks super blank on this TV . Almost all of the old TV shows I watched did .
Lower - character YouTube subject matter looked really hearty as well . And I ’m moderately sure cablegram or satellite TV is gon na look great on this television , too .
But there are a few area where this TV ’s processing fall brusk . One is that the backlight is a little dull . It takes a second to ramp up to full brightness , or to dim down . This is n’t something you ’ll notice often . But when the tv set has to act tight because the view is challenging — or if you ’re just turning it on — you might notice it . Also , it has trouble resolving super fine lines of point . That sort of twiddle , flashing effect is call moire , and it ’s a sign of a processor that ’s scramble to resolve complicated point .
I also mark it sometimes had trouble dealing with color gradient . When you have big area of subtle color changes — especially in low bit - depth content , you could see the colour kind of shift around as the C.P.U. is trying to set down on a last decisiveness .
The bottom line
Those issues I just mentioned , though ? A lot of it is the form of thing I ’m going to notice , but my sidekick is not going to note . Which leads me to this :
Based on the everyday user experience , audio quality , and the bright , punchy looking — along with the fact that everyday TV source like cable , artificial satellite , and free streaming TV do n’t look trashy like they can on less expensive boob tube — I will 100 % recommend this TV to most of my friends . I can see this TV just thrilling the pants off them . This is a big premium television for folk who just do n’t desire to pass a boatload of John Cash on an ultra - premium television . It packs so many substantial - life performance rise in that I can urge it with assurance to a massive interview of folks .
But there ’s a catch . I just ca n’t disregard that there have been sometroubling Roku newspaper headline in the news lately . There was a handsome data breach and the it take Roku way too long to fold in two - factor authentication . There was also the uncanny “ you have to get off in your receipt to opt out ” debacle that just makes no sense to me at all . And most late , a software package and microcode update forced motion smooth on for many users .
Tech company have problem from time to time — I get it . But I would feel totally unimpeded in my recommendation of this TV if I had a little more faith in some of Roku ’s more authoritative user - facing decision - making . This may deepen in meter if matter stabilise But as of now , I ’ll make the recommendation — with a caution . I ’d rather be making testimonial as caution - costless as possible , ya know ?
If you ’re a TV partizan on a budget , make it on the Roku TV . Get a TCL or Hisense . If , however , you ’re just wait for a goggle box that offers a great pic and a carefree everyday user experience ? Absolutely go for the Roku Pro series . If you ’re having trouble deciding between the Pro series and the Plus Series ? I urge you to get the Pro serial . It is so much better than thePlus Series I tested , and absolutely deserving the additional money if you’re able to afford it .
The Roku Pro Series is a study in what happen when you put what hoi polloi want and need at the cutting edge of your design philosophy . That ’s something Roku has always been good at . While it came out afterward than Roku ’s depressed - remnant models , this is still a first - gen TV . Considering how much they got right-hand with the Pro Series their first time out , I ’m stoked to see what the next version looks like . I intend if Roku implements some of my suggestion for the next version of this TV , they may put the screws to TCL and Hisense for the enthusiast bunch .
Presently , the Roku Pro Series does n’t perforate above its price grade quite as heavily as its competition from TCL and Hisense , but it offers a better note value than competing Sony , Samsung , and LG TVs . More important , though , is I think it ’s go bad to be a front-runner among the average video vendee , and that may be enough for it to come forth from the ring with a technical knockout .
