Roku today announced that its first slate of Roku Select and Roku Plus Series televisions — the first sets to actually be made by Roku — are now available exclusively at Best Buy. The first 11 models are meant to be affordable options not unlike the Roku TVs made by the company’s manufacturing partners. (Those partners, so far as we know, will still make their own Roku TVs.)
The Plus Series is the more advanced of the two options, with QLED screens at 55, 65, and 75 inches. Those prices hit $649, $749, and $1,199, respectively.
From there you’ll get a pretty traditional Roku TV experience. Resolution is 4K across the board, with support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Wi-Fi 6 (the most recent 802.11ax) is the wireless networking standard, it ships with the Roku Voice Remote Pro for hands-free voice control and the ability to find a wayward remote, and it also supports private listening via Bluetooth.
“Our goal is to make everything about a smart TV delightfully simple, from finding the TV that’s perfect for you, to opening and unboxing, to enjoying your favorite movies and TV shows,” Mustafa Ozgen, President of Devices at Roku, said in a press release. “We made purposeful decisions to ensure that our Roku Select and Plus Series TVs embody what users love most about the Roku streaming experience, and we brought in our expertise in picture quality and audio to give consumers an entertainment upgrade at an incredible value.”
The Roku Select Series is broken down a smidge into HD and 4K categories, with traditional LED panels. The HD side is available in 24-, 32-, and 40-inch sizes, with only the 40-incher available in 1080p and the top price at $279. They’re also limited to 2.1 stereo sound if you want to expand things with Roku’s wireless speakers, and Wi-Fi 4 for internet connectivity (or 802.11n which is close to unacceptable in 2023), with no option for Ethernet. And there’s no HDR.
The 4K options land at 43, 50, 55, 65, and 75 inches. Respective prices are $319, $379, $429, $599, and $799. Their network connectivity improves to Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and throws in Ethernet, as well as support for the Roku Voice Remote. They also employ HDR10+ and automatic brightness, but lack Dolby Vision.
“Roku and Best Buy both share a commitment to enriching people’s lives through products and technology,” Chris Larson, Vice President of Retail Strategy at Roku, said in the press release. “We’re excited to launch Roku Select and Plus TVs exclusively at Best Buy, offering their customers even more choices from Roku, a brand they’ve come to know and love.”
