Tag Archives: Express

"Roku is doing it again with a tiny streamer that's huge in terms of features and value."

• Attractively priced

• Simple, intuitive user interface

• 4K, HDR and Dolby Atmos passthrough

• Voice-enabled wireless remote control

• Apple AirPlay

• Limited Dolby Atmos support

• No Dolby Vision

For Roku fans ready to take the plunge into 4K streaming, there's a new kid in town: the $ 40 Roku Express 4K +, a device that like the $ 30 Roku Express looks, but actually has almost the same features as the $ 50 Roku Streaming Stick +.

But does it make sense to save $ 10 on buying the Express 4K + instead of buying the Streaming Stick +? And how does this new Roku device compare to Amazon's Fire TV family of devices?

You can find all the answers in our full review below.

What's in the box?

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Roku has everything you need to set up. You will receive the Express 4K +, a certified HDMI high-speed cable, a Roku remote control, a pair of AAA batteries, a micro-USB power cable with a power adapter, a quick start guide and an adhesive strip that you can use to mount the Express 4K + on a variety of surfaces, including the bottom or back of your TV.

design

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

It's hard to fault the design of the Express 4K +. It is a proven combination of the tiny, curved black box of the Roku Express and the voice remote control of the Streaming Stick +.

It's so small and light that you'll likely need the included tape to keep the HDMI cable from pushing the Express 4K + around.

There are only two ports on the back – a micro USB port for power and an HDMI port. It's not likely that this will be an issue in 2021, but it's worth noting that you won't be able to use the Express 4K + if your TV doesn't have an HDMI input. In fact, none of the current Roku player devices support non-HDMI televisions anymore.

Over the years, Roku has continued to develop its set-up process for new devices and it couldn't be easier.

There's no Ethernet port, but the Express 4K + is compatible with a variety of third-party micro USB Ethernet adapters in case you need one.

When you unpack the box, you will see a sticker on the front of the device that tells you where to point the remote control. If you stick to the included Roku voice remote, then you can ignore it. The remote can communicate wirelessly with the Express 4K + and only uses infrared when it needs to send commands to your TV. It also means you can move the streamer out of sight if you wish – something you won't do with the regular Roku Express or the Express 4K, a $ 35 Walmart variant that doesn't come with WiFi can -enabled Roku voice remote control.

Speaking of the remote control, it has a voice button, a built-in microphone, and dedicated buttons on the side to control the volume and mute a TV.

Wondering what the difference between the Express 4K + and the Streaming Stick + is? Two things: The Streaming Stick + has faster WiFi with greater range and is more portable as it doesn't require an HDMI cable. Yes that's it.

Setup and configuration

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Over the years, Roku has continued to develop its set-up process for new devices and it couldn't be easier.

Once you've connected the Express 4K + to your TV using the supplied HDMI cable (or one of your own), plug it in and slide the batteries into the remote. That's it – you are done with the hardware part.

From there, the Roku interface will smoothly walk you through connecting to your home WiFi and creating or connecting to an existing Roku account.

Pro tip: If you'd like your phone, tablet, or laptop to be ready as part of the setup process, send a confirmation email that you'll need to open and then click the link provided to complete setup.

I didn't have to adjust any audio or video settings. It just worked out borrowing one of Apple's favorite phrases.

I've set up a lot of streaming devices and the Roku process is second most important after Apple in terms of simplicity.

You will be asked to add some highlighted channels (the name Roku continues to use for streaming apps) but you don't have to do so now. Channels can easily be added later through the Roku interface when the Roku app is activated on your phone or even on the web through the Roku website.

My test model immediately recognized that it was connected to a 4K HDR-enabled TV and that I didn't have to manually adjust the audio or video settings. It just worked out borrowing one of Apple's favorite phrases.

Just before you start using the Express 4K +, Roku will play an introductory video that walks you through the main functions of the device and how to use them. This is the perfect way to get started with the Express 4K +, and I think any streaming device manufacturer should follow Roku's lead. It is a device that plays videos. Why not show people a short how-to video?

The interface is very fast with no noticeable lag.

Another tip: The Express 4K + comes with a power adapter. However, you can plug the micro USB cable into an available USB port on your TV and it should work fine.

Even on my test LG TV, which tends to turn off its USB ports when the TV is not in use, the Express 4K + worked just fine and even responded to the remote's power button when everything was shut down.

Ease of use and performance

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Roku gave the Express 4K + 1GB of RAM, an updated processor, and a very fast MIMO Wi-Fi AC – and the results are impressive.

The interface is very fast with no noticeable lag. For the most part, channels start up quickly (some a little faster than others), and jumping from an open channel back to the home screen and then to another channel is a breeze.

Selecting content within channels was just as responsive, and movies and shows were streamed just as quickly as on an Apple TV 4K or Nvidia Shield – and significantly faster than the built-in apps on my LG C7 OLED 4K TV.

Roku's user interface hasn't changed much over the years, and that's mostly a good thing. The simple, straightforward menu options are a breeze, whether you're looking for a favorite channel, adjusting device settings, or looking for new channels in the Roku Channel Store.

Bucking the trend of adding a content curation layer to its main interface, Roku has instead relied on the free Roku Channel app (channel?) As the main method to help you find something to watch .

This may not feel as modern as Google TV, the recently redesigned Fire TV interface, or the Apple TV home screen, but I have to admit that I prefer to choose whether to display a range of content or whether I am would prefer to dive straight into a specific streaming service.

Recently, Roku added Apple AirPlay to select 4K-enabled player devices, and the Express 4K + gave me my first taste of this feature on a Roku.

I am happy to announce that it is working flawlessly. The Express 4K + appeared in my list of available AirPlay devices and I was able to quickly set up an AirPlay session. After that, it didn't matter whether I was playing music from Apple Music or Tidal or streaming from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney + – the content was displayed on my TV without buffering or other connection problems. I haven't tested the available integration with Apple HomeKit, but both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant were able to control the Express 4K + without any problems.

Remote control voice commands were equally nifty and satisfying, and I was able to open channels and search for actors and movie titles.

Audio and video

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

There's no question that if you own a Dolby Vision-enabled television, it makes sense to purchase a Dolby Vision-enabled streaming device. However, if you're determined to stick with Roku, you'll have to spend $ 100 to buy the Roku Ultra, which is the only Roku player device that works with Dolby's dynamic HDR format.

The Express 4K + offers excellent image quality with razor-sharp details.

As much as I'm a fan of Dolby Vision, it's hard to argue that this one feature is worth spending an additional $ 60 (150% more) over the price of the Express 4K + to get it – especially if 4K with normal HDR10 looks damn good. It's also worth noting that the Express 4K + supports HDR10 + despite the lack of Dolby Vision. As a dynamic HDR format, it can look just as good as Dolby Vision. Note, however, that your TV needs to support this (not all HDR TVs) and that you need to find HDR10 + content. So far, Amazon Prime Video is the best choice for HDR10 +.

The Express 4K + offers excellent image quality with razor-sharp details. Even when streaming HD content from sources like Amazon Prime Video, I was completely satisfied with the results.

Perhaps more impressive is that the Express can stream 4K + Dolby Atmos content over Dolby Digital Plus over HDMI.

For me, this resulted in great Atmos audio through both my TV's internal speakers and my full home theater 5.1.2 system.

There is one restriction here: Dolby Atmos support via passthrough (as opposed to native Atmos decoding) is app for app (channel by channel?). Currently, Netflix is ​​the only streaming app that delivers Dolby Atmos on the Express 4K +. Could this change over time? Absolutely, but for now the best thing to do is to think of the Express 4K + as a Dolby 5.1 device.

If you're curious about all of the pros and cons of making great Dolby Atmos sound, check out this handy explainer.

There is an app for that

No review of any Roku product is complete without at least mentioning the company's excellent mobile app. Not only can you use it as a full-fledged alternative to the remote that came with your product, but you can also allow private listening (watching on your TV while listening on your phone's headphones), and it gives you the option to add and Remove Roku Channels even when your Roku device is turned off.

Better still, it acts as your mobile version of the Roku channel, giving you access to whatever content you would get on your TV.

The Roku app is an impressive extra that no other streaming device company has yet been able to offer.

Our opinion

The Roku Express 4K + is incredibly easy to set up and use, and it exceeds our expectations for the performance of a $ 40 streaming media device.

Is there a better alternative?

At this price point, the Express 4K + has two very good direct competitors: the recently updated Amazon Fire TV Stick and the TiVo Stream 4K.

The Fire TV Stick and Stream 4K both have native Dolby Atmos decoding. This means that a lot more streaming apps should work with this feature. The Stream 4K also has Dolby Vision – a huge plus for those who have compatible TVs.

Neither of these devices support Apple AirPlay or HomeKit, however, and we would argue that the Roku interface is still a more engaging way to navigate a streaming device than the Amazon Fire TV or Android TV (especially since the stream lacks 4K Google TV ).

And none of these devices match the excellent Roku mobile app.

If you don't think the Fire TV Stick or Stream 4K has a feature that you can't do without, you'll be very happy with the Roku Express 4K +.

How long it will take?

Roku player devices are guaranteed for one year. I have had the experience with most streaming devices that they will work for years as long as you don't accidentally damage them. The Express 4K + is just as well built as the other Roku players – that is, very well built – and the remote is sturdy despite its light weight.

Roku also has an excellent track record of keeping their older devices updated with new software over time.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. If you want to enjoy 4K HDR streaming at the lowest possible price, the Roku Express + gives you that and much more.

Editor's recommendations