The best Roku TVs are some of the most user-friendly smart TVs on the market, and typically some of the least expensive, too. They come stocked with a superb selection of apps, including all of the top streaming services, that rival any premium smart TV on the market.
Roku TVs, however, are a bit of a misnomer as Roku itself merely provides the smart platform inside the TV rather than make the TV from scratch. To that end, Roku partners with a number of other manufacturers you’ve probably heard of like TCL and Hisense to actually design and produce the hardware that the software runs on.
While all Roku TVs come with Roku’s smart platform installed, there can be a massive discrepancy in picture performance between the various models. So it’s worth reading up on each individual model before making a buying decision.
To help you track down the best Roku TVs, we’ve rounded up the best models from trusted manufacturers like TCL and Hisense that will undoubtedly deliver both incredible picture performance and Roku’s easy-to-use smart platform.
What are the best Roku TVs?
Without a doubt, when it comes to Roku TVs, the best and most prominent models are those made by TCL. The manufacturer’s close partnership with Roku means that TCL models represent the top Roku TVs on the market.
The TCL 6-Series Roku TV R635 is one of the best TVs we’ve reviewed at its price, period. It combines quantum-dot displays with mini-LED backlight to offer a level of quality that goes toe-to-toe with more expensive big-name brands and wins.
The TCL 5-Series Roku TV S535 may not reach the same heights as the slightly more expensive 6-Series, but it shows that Roku software can still power a great TV experience regardless of the feature set, with the TCL 5-Series offering one of the best quantum dot-enhanced budget TVs on the market.
We also really loved the Hisense R8F Roku TV. With the 65-inch model selling for less than $700, the Hisense R8F is a better-than-average mid-range TV, and the Roku operating system had plenty of smart features and services to the mix.
The best Roku TVs you can buy
When it comes to Roku TVs, the Editor’s Choice TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) is the standout favorite, and for good reason. The 6-Series offers premium picture quality and a great smart TV experience for much less than its competition. The R635 also ups the ante with mini-LED backlighting in addition to a quantum-dot display. The result is impressive color and brightness, with some of the best HDR performance we’ve seen on anything this side of a premium OLED TV.
Features like THX Certified Game Mode also help make the 6-Series one of the best gaming TVs available. It even has features such as auto low-latency mode and variable refresh rate, which are a boon for new consoles like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. From the design’s smart touches, like cable management in the stand, to the always-solid Roku TV platform, the TCL R635 is one of the best TVs you’ll find right now.
Read our full TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) review.
The TCL 5-Series Roku TV (S535) shows off what makes TCL TVs so value-packed, delivering a surprisingly great mix of picture quality and smart features at an affordable price. With even the largest model selling for less than $1,000, you get the superb color and brightness of QLED, as well as Roku’s user-friendly smart TV interface, which puts thousands of apps right at your fingertips.
With the QLED display offering a wide color gamut and excellent color accuracy, the 5-Series is easily one of the best LCD TVs in its price range. It also offers top-of-the-line HDR support, with Dolby Vision in addition to basic HDR10 and HLG formats. With input lag clocking in at 13.1 milliseconds, it’s also one of the best gaming TVs you can buy if you’re on a budget. And it’s roughly half the price of Samsung’s equivalent QLED TV, making it one of the best values in smart TVs.
Read our full TCL 5-Series Roku TV (S535) review.
If you’re in the market for a 4K set that delivers some solid wins but doesn’t break the $700 price barrier, we really like the Hisense R8F Roku TV, which delivers above-average picture quality along with the always-solid Roku TV platform. The R8F delivers solid picture quality for the affordable price, with particularly good handling of color. Colors were accurate, and Dolby Vision support makes HDR content really look great. It also handled fast action well, with consistently crisp detail and a minimum of smearing. And gamers will be pleased to know that it boasts quick 17.7 millisecond lag times, making it a solid 4K gaming TV.
It’s not perfect — there’s some hyperactive light bloom and audio is just so-so — but there’s not much to complain about at this price. For a basic TV, the Hisense R8F Roku TV checks all the key boxes: affordable, good picture quality, and easy to use. That makes it a definite winner in our book.
Read our full Hisense R8F Roku TV review.
The TCL 4 Series Roku TV is one of the best TV values you’ll find in any size, from the smallest 43-incher to the giant 85-inch model. Even at the largest sizes, this 4K TV often sells for less than you’ll find bargain 1080p TVs. It has good color accuracy and supports HDR10 — but not Dolby Vision — for improved contrast. It uses Roku’s system software, which provides one of the best smart TV experiences available and has plenty of apps to choose from. With a low lag time of 14 milliseconds, this set also will handle fast-paced gaming well.
In exchange for the great price, the TCL 4 Series is missing a few features that more expensive TVs deliver. It lacks local dimming, so the HDR performance isn’t as good as it could be. It also has weak speakers, with little bass and limited power. If this is going to be your main TV, consider adding a soundbar to overcome the sound issues.
Read our full TCL 4-Series Roku TV (S435) review.
After years of watching other smart TVs get 8K models running software from Samsung, Sony and LG, Roku lovers finally have the chance to get an 8K Roku TV. The TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648) is the most affordable 8K TV on the market, and it’s even more affordable than some of the 4K sets we recommend. Plus, it’s got everything we love about Roku TVs, along with excellent performance and short lag times for gaming.
By offering next-gen resolution at current-gen prices, it’s the 8K TV we recommend – or, that we would recommend, if we thought people should be buying 8K TVs (which we don’t). Our only issues with the TV’s performance were the 8K panel’s limited viewing angles and the mediocrity of the audio, which can be solved with a simple soundbar. But the bigger issue is one facing any 8K TV out there – there’s next to nothing you can watch in 8K, and that may not change anytime soon.
Editor’s Note: 11/16/2021 – Actually, it is changing! TCL has announced the first 8K streaming service, exclusive to TCL’s 8K Roku TVs. It’s an important step forward for 8K, and one that we hope signals a change in the 8K landscape
Read our full TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648) review.
What is Roku?
The Roku name applies to both smart TVs using the Roku operating system, as well as a range of standalone streaming devices, such as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. (Check out the best Roku devices for our favorites.) While smart TVs using Roku software are all manufactured by other companies, the streaming devices are made by Roku itself. But the thing they have in common across both TVs and streaming sticks, is that they all use the same Roku interface and app store.
We’ve been big fans of Roku for years, as it emerged early on as a full-featured smart TV platform that wasn’t tied to a specific manufacturer. We also appreciate the ease of use that Roku offers, with a simple interface that lays out all of your apps in a basic tiled layout. When so many smart TVs rely on crowded menus with multiple rows of scrolling apps and shows, Roku keeps things simple and offers easy customization.
We also like that Roku offers such a wide range of content and apps, which Roku calls “channels”, just to make traditional TV users a little more comfortable. This includes major streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Disney Plus and HBO Max. (See our collection of the best Roku Channels to learn more.)
It also includes dozens, if not hundreds, of smaller independent streaming services. This includes everything from local channels offering a streaming app for news and weather to genre-specific channels that serve up a steady flow of public domain movie classics, ranging from westerns to horror films.
There are also plenty of free services, such as Pluto TV, Tubi and PBS Kids, not to mention The Roku Channel, Roku’s own ad-supported streaming service. (Find out more in our roundup of the best free channels on Roku.)
How much do Roku TVs cost?
The Roku smart TV operating system can be found on all sorts of TVs, including some of our favorite affordable sets on our lists of the best TVs under $500 and the best TVs under $1,000, with models ranging from budget-friendly to premium home theater systems. When it comes to budget TVs, we find the sweet spot to be $600 and $1,000. In this price range you will find excellent performance with features like QLED displays, support for Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound, and all of the apps you want.
Editor’s note: Between increased demand and supply chain disruptions, TCL Roku TVs may be listing for higher prices than usual.
More expensive models will give you a few fine touches and features for the money, but the overall experience will still be quite similar. That’s even true for the new 8K TCL Roku TV, which runs between $2,199 and $2,999, depending on the screen size.
Any cheaper than $500, and you may need to make some big sacrifices, such as stepping down to 1080p or 720p resolution, settling for smaller screen sizes, or giving up features like voice search.
Are Roku TVs worth buying?
Do we recommend Roku TVs to our readers? In a word, yes. Roku TVs are made by some of the best TV brands, and offer all of the standard smart TV features shoppers are looking for, without the fuss of more advanced functions, such as smart home integration or over-aggressive ads and recommendations.
And the best Roku TVs offer more than just an enjoyable smart TV experience, they also include some really well-made TVs that deliver great picture and sound for much less than premium sets from more recognizable brands.
But there’s one big caveat when it comes to Roku TVs, and that’s the fact that different manufacturers aren’t all making great TVs. TCL has managed to make a name for itself by delivering great quality as well as excellent prices, but Roku has signed licensing deals with more than a dozen companies, and most manufacturers on the budget TV aisle cut more corners. Sets from budget brands like Westinghouse and RCA are a lot more hit and miss, so be sure to check reviews for the specific model you’re interested in buying.
How to choose the best Roku TV for you
When it comes to buying the best Roku TVs, our general advice for TV shopping holds true: Find the right screen size for your space, figure out what your budget is, and be smart with where you try to save a buck.
Always go 4K: Lower-resolution TVs may be tempting with super low prices, but you’ll definitely see the difference on a 4K TV, and that quality is worth paying more for. And the latest 8K Roku TV from TCL may look tempting, but we still recommend holding off on 8K until you can actually get movies and shows that use the higher resolution. (Update: TCL haHos announced the first 8K streaming service, exclusive to TCL’s 8K Roku TVs, but we still don’t think it’s enough to warrant you buying one.)
HDR support: For the best picture, we recommend getting a set that offers high dynamic range (HDR) support. HDR10 is the base standard, while Dolby Vision is a higher-caliber format, and we recommend opting for Dolby Vision support when you have the choice.
Port selection: Connectivity is another chief concern. More HDMI ports will let you connect more devices, like game consoles and satellite boxes. And if you have a soundbar, you’ll want to connect it using an HDMI port with ARC.
From smart functions to port selection, we offer plenty of advice in our TV buying guide, which explains the ins and outs of features like HDR, different types of display, and even extended warranties. And if you still have questions about smart TV features and capabilities, check out Smart TVs: Everything you need to know.
And by shopping for a Roku set in particular, you guarantee that you are able to enjoy the best of streaming services and an easy-to-use smart TV interface.
How we test Roku TVs
Evaluating Roku TVs is about more than just kicking back to watch a movie. That’s why every TV we review is put through a rigorous testing process that measures key standards of picture quality and performance.
We lab test every TV, measuring color gamut, color accuracy and brightness to objectively see which sets are the best for these key indicators. We also test for lag time – a key detail for gaming – measuring to the millisecond how long it takes for content to travel from the original source to the screen. We use these results to make numbers-based comparisons about color and display quality.
We also spend time with each set for real-world evaluation and see how our lab results translate into more subjective performance. We also compare sets side by side and view samples from the latest movies, specialized test patterns that highlight strengths and weaknesses of each display, and a range of content across several sources. With that information, we can tell you which Roku TVs look best, sound best and offer the best viewing experience.
If you’ve narrowed down your TV shopping by brand, price range or screen size, check out our picks for the best TVs in each.
Best TVs | Best 4K TVs | Best smart TVs for streaming | Best TVs for gaming
The best TVs under $1000 | The best TVs under $500
Best TV brands | Best Samsung TVs | Best TCL TVs | Best LG TVs | Best OLED TVs | Best QLED TVs | Best 8K TVs
The smallest smart TVs | Best 43-inch TVs | Best 50-inch TVs | Best 55-inch TVs | Best 65-inch TVs | Best 70-inch TVs | Best 75-inch TVs | Best 85-inch TVs
And don’t forget to watch out for the latest TV reviews.
How we test Roku TVs
Like every TV we review, we put the Roku TVs through a thorough lab testing process, measuring key indicators for picture quality and performance. We use these results to make numbers-based comparisons about color quality, brightness, gaming performance and more. These findings also inform our anecdotal observations from viewing movies and sample videos on each TV.
We spend hours testing each TV, using a spectrophotometer and professional calibration software. We use this data to measure color gamut, color accuracy and brightness. We also test for lag time – a key detail for gaming – measuring to the millisecond how long it takes for content to travel from the original source to the screen.
With that information, we can tell you which TVs look best, sound best and offer the best viewing or gaming experience.
